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ESMERELDA:
Well, no, Moyra worked with rocks and she had that idea about how a single rock in a giant pile of rocks holds the emotions, history and knowledge of all the rocks in the pile.
DONDON:
Oh yes, I think I remember. She gave a talk that turned into a musical. A lecture that turned into a truly fantastic spectacle with members of the audience jumping up and doing nicely intricate and imaginative dance moves.
ESMERELDA:
Yes, I remember I was sitting next to Win and they were getting really antsy and fidgety during the talk and I sort of wanted to change seats because it was distracting me. You know how I take on the emotions of those around me.
DONDON:
An empath.
ESMERELDA:
An empath. That’s right dondon, an empath am i. not unlike every single rock in Moyra’s sentient rock pile, prey to the passing fancies of all I meet.
DONDON:
A challenging position.
ESMERELDA:
Yes.
DONDON:
Yes.
ESMERELDA:
And Win was squirming and sighing and ticking and tacking and every knuckle cracking.
DONDON:
Distracting.
ESMERELDA:
Quite. I was just about to change seats so as to be able to concentrate on what Moyra was saying because it directly related to me and actually, to what I was feeling at that moment.
DONDON:
But, I mean, well, that’s not the only reason you wanted to pay attention to what moyra was saying, was it?? I mean, can’t you be interested in ideas and stories that have nothing to do with you? That bear no relationship to your experience?
ESMERELDA:
Right, yes. I mean, no, I do not need to recognize myself or my interests or knowledge in a story to be engaged by it. Most assuredly. In fact, I almost would rather hear ideas and stories that are completely foreign to my knowledge and experience, but in this case I was so besieged with my seatmate’s anxiety and found it so funny that what Moyra was talking about was precisely what I was feeling at the time…
DONDON:
Yes, that is funny
ESMERELDA:
Yes and just as I was about to change seats and get away from little fidget pants mc unsettled face Moyra broke into song and the lights on the stage began flashing. Win stood up and swung up to a branch that was hanging over our heads.
DONDON:
Oh that’s why they were getting so nervous…they were in the show and knew that their moment was coming up?
ESMERELDA:
I think so, I guess so. Or, that is what I assumed at the time. It made me feel a lot better about win and also made me glad I hadn’t changed seats because it was exciting to be in such close proximity to the action. Win was up on the branch and, well lots of our friends and acquaintances were in on the stunt. Or gag. Or move….
DONDON:
Performance.
ESMERELDA:
Yes, Mr. Horax had jumped onto the stage and Moyra was riding around on his back as she sang about the childish desire to believe in free will and mr horax accompanied her with a doowop sort of counter point articulating the important words in her song in a deep baritone that rounded out the composition nicely…. “free will” “free will” “the future, the future” and the 7 young robin hatchlings (or, young then, I mean, I think they are all parents themselves now) they each had little sprigs of flowers and herbs in the claws and they were flying over moyra and mr horax as they sang and the flowers were hanging down around them like a botanical spotlight.
DONDON:
Wow.