-4/7/22 Which? Weigh It!

Just a little type-a-roo ...

I stood at the double stairways, one going up and the other descending into darkness. I asked the gentleman leaning against the handrail, "What will I find if I take either?"

He looked quite familiar to me but I couldn't quite pin it down.

"It depends on what you're looking for," he replied. "If you're looking for answers to a daunting question, go up. If you're looking for a good time, go down,"

"But what if the possible answer to my daunting question will be my good time ... which do I take?"

"Neither," he answered.

The smile on his face pulled at my curiosity. I just had to know.

"That is what I'm here for. The in-betweens. Ask away. "

I stared at his attire. It was classy with a hint of mystery about it. His long sleeved shirt had been unbuttoned at the wrists and rolled up midway to his elbows. The tattoo on one forearm read 'Sinner/Saint.' His slacks were dark and finely pressed but it was the red tinted chain from front to back pocket that got my attention. It hung long and low. His long hair had been combed back and was tightly held in place by a silver clasp with half silver moons on it. He smiled at me. I looked first up the stairs and then squinted to focus on anything as I looked down the other. But I could not.

""Are you Mephistopheles or Saint Peter?"

"Would that be your question?" he asked me.

"No, no ... I was just wondering before I asked you."

"If I were either would it hold bearing on what you ask me or even how you receive the answer?"

I thought about it for a moment and said "No. Not really."

"Then I am neither."

I felt like he was someone I had known in the past or had even seen. But it still eluded me. His chiseled face held still as granite as he waited for my question. The grin across his face never wavered. I took a deep breath before speaking.

"The question that perplexes me is if I went up them steps and didn't care much for what I found ... could I come back down and take the one that descends?"

"My, aren't you the tricky one?"

I believe my questioned amused more so than stumped him. He held tight to that grin but something about it seemed more sinister than before. Without missing a beat, he responded.

"Yes, you have the option to return. But before you go up you must first make a choice. You'll either forget what you saw," he pointed upwards, "up there, when you come down ... or you'll remember it as you enter ..." his words went silent as he pointed down the stairway.

Who is the tricky one here? I thought. At first, I thought the logical choice would be to remember what I had seen, so as to compare each for pleasure sake, but questioned the trickery of this gentleman. He appeared to be more than what he seemed and I wondered if it would end as logical as what I thought. He watched as I pondered the notion of each.

"Oh, the possibilities of either."

His words didn't help me settle on one or the other a bit. They just had me second and third guessing myself.

"What's it gonna be there, Tricky Teddy? Remember ... or forget?"

The pressure was on so I started to mumble an answer but changed it the moment I heard my own voice.

"Re-Forget. I chose to forget."

"Very well," he said as the grin on his face seemed to grow even bigger. "

He held out his hand toward the stairs and lifted it lightly offering me my chosen path. I stepped forward but paused just before the first step to look at him again. Something still perplexed me about his familiarity.

"And you promise me that you are neither Mephistopheles or Saint Peter?"

"I am indeed neither."

I took another long look up the stairs followed by a quick glance downward into the darkness. He twisted his head just so slightly to usher in my accent. Suddenly, I remembered just where I had seen ol Dapper Dan and pushed by him. With gentle force I was able to press in on the hidden doorway into the wall that he stood in front off. He appeared surprised as I entered and paused long enough to look backwards to say, "One has many choices to make in life ... they may be a right or a left, a yes or a no. Perhaps the direction we must take is inside of us all along ... we just gotta remember to look for it. You say that you are neither Mephistopheles or Saint Peter. You never said that you weren't both in the same.

His grin melted away like the evening sun into the ocean. I let the door shut behind me and found my way. I was home.

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This little type-a-roo might sound like gibberish (which I often mention a lot) but there is some personal significance in it for me. Take away from it what you will, if anything.

Doors 1 & 2 are not always your only options, no matter what they tell you. People will suppress the truth as well as available possibilities if they have some skin in the game with something to gain. Your path is yours, uniquely. Think before you decide, people.

I've seen many situations that required a logical mind and great questions answered but not only were the questions not great ... none were asked. Conformity. Obedience. Submission. Followed closely by regret, disgust, and depression. Never be afraid to ask the hard question. Your freedom could depend on it, possibly even your life. You are in charge of your own happiness. Do not rely on anyone else to fill your void. You feel it, you fill it. Period.

With mixed emotions I feel I need to inform anyone who reads my weekly blogs that I have decided to extend my self imposed deadline from weekly to every two weeks. Why? Simple, I'm a busy man and I find myself spending way more time blogging than writing. Currently, I am sitting on several great stories that I have started and absolutely want to finish. The time I spend with them (individually) has slowly been diminishing more and more. This cannot be. They are my first love, blogging comes second to them, always. So, for creativity sake, I will try to better balance my time with each. If there were only 36 hours in a day. Wouldn't I be more happy? Vampires gotta bite! Vietnam vets gotta trip. Aliens gotta do what they do and if I ain't finishing my babies ... ain't nobody gonna finish them for me. Enough harping, you lovely people.

Anyway, type, type, type-a-roo. Having to punch this one out on my phone (ugh to the 10th power), not near as easy as on a PC. Computer is trying to give up on me. (Heavy sigh) I think she might be ready to give up the ghost. It's been 10-15 years now since I got her. Probably have to bite the bullet and swap her out. If so, so be it.

Caesar's Move! Lots of crazy stuff shoved in there. Give it a try. Know somebody who has already finished it? Ask them what they thought. It just might be the mind vacation you've been needing.

Angelobain.com

Until next time, take care of one another, people. Take care of yourself and feed that brain. You owe it to yourself. See you soon.

Angelo