278
Why do we stagger at night?
We stagger in daylight also; we only stub our toes metaphorically.
279
How do you know that it is a masterpiece?
The artist died poor.
280
What secrets lie at the bottom of the sea?
There are no secrets because no one can keep a secret. Everyone dies an open book.
281
Will the earth one day crash into the sun?
One day the light will absorb all.
282
Will the organization survive you?
I’m not an organization man.
Oh, you read those pop psychological treatises of the 1950’s.
No, I’m just insubordinate by nature.
283
One man crying in the night; does pain prove that he’s alive?
It proves nothing of the sort. But it does signify something.
And what’s that?
That facial tissue and Kleenex aren’t always the same thing.
284
Is love blind?
No, but it is overly empathetic.
285
What is necessary?
Each action, each grain of sand.
What is that music that we hear?
It’s the wind whistling an ancient tune.
Are we part of the music?
Yes, even if we sing out of tune.
286
Have you seen any works of art lately?
The desert itself is a work of art.
Too dry for my tastes.
Obviously you’re not very thirsty.
287
Those who came before us, will we see them again?
We see them now.
How?
Our eyes see things our mind does not comprehend.
288
What happens in a city?
The ebb and flow of human fortune.
289
Have you run out of miracles?
Not until our conversation is over.
290
Can you predict genius?
It usually comes out of nowhere.
How do we know if we’ve met a genius?
We don’t. The test of genius is a measure of time, usually a couple of generations after his or her death.
291
Have you tested the waters?
No.
Why not?
I might sink.
292
Don’t you ever stop and smell the roses?
I smell them on the run.
Is that enjoyable?
Better than nothing.
293
Do you think it’s a good idea to restore old buildings?
No, it’s best to let things die a natural death.
294
Everything feels the same some days.
Your pessimism is running amok.
295
Where did the money go?
It went to build the Champs-Elysees.
296
When did we stop believing?
We felt the world slip through our fingers. We called it a mundane feeling but we knew better.
297
Why not a war to end all war?
Not a bad idea.
GO to UNIt XVI
