Package of Possibilities

While I am watching my dog sniff and circle this lunchtime, nappy sack in hand, a man I sort of know hails me. We talk about the perambulations of pooing dogs; how they have to find exactly the right spot and how that can take many minutes. He and his magical mountain dog then go on their way. But he looks back and he comes back and he says ‘You’re a real person aren’t you? You’re creative.’

   ‘Thank you, I try to be,’ I say.

   ‘You might appreciate this.’ And he hands me a jiffy bag.

   ‘Thanks,’ I say.

   ‘I hope you find it illuminating.’

   I take the package and thirdly thank him. I don’t walk with the man for at this moment my dog has finally found the optimum spot. While he does his business I remember that the last time I saw this man he told me he may be the next Dalai Lama and that his wonder dog had chosen him. I sort of know him from creative writing. He has an extremely vivid imagination which is admirable for a writer but possibly his is so great that it’s taken over his reality somewhat. I recall he asserted that all his stories were true. He also told me he was Uncle Bulgaria; the womble. I think he was talking metaphorically. Sometimes he has made me cry with laughter, especially his Emperor Penguin story and sometimes too, he has unheimliched me.

What is in the jiffy bag? I feel it. Maybe he is the sane one and maybe his sideways take on the world is correct and us conventionalists have got it wrong. I inspect the package again. The answers might be within this brown paper, bubble wrap could be cosying around magic, the glimmer, madness. I put the package in my bag and save it for later.