AN ENCOUNTER ON TOE HILL

Lonely plastic boy was traveling across a world of his own making, in search of wonders he had imagined absent-mindedly. He was lonely, although not exactly alone. 

Above his head was a peach: The Sky, silent and mute, whom the boy addressed often like people used to do it in the old days, when everybody believed the sky was listening to their talk, the cries and the prayers. The sky back then was our god, just enough of a god, some Thing or abstract being, a super man, who’d understand everything without ever having to commit himself or it self to reality. The sky god was there, yet it wasn’t there.

The plastic boy had imagined a different sky. This one was a colossal peach, sweet and juicy. If that doesn’t make sense to you, then you should read on, in hope that later you might discover how it makes sense. 

Everything makes sense.

There was also the singing Sun who was a traveler too, like the lonely plastic boy, but the sun’s way, you could never cross it. Thus the sun (or the Sun if you prefer) was always going and content with itself, which is or was the reason for its singing. Indeed, the sun never stopped singing.

One day (which is the same as saying somewhere) the lonely plastic boy met with the White Face With Many Bodies. It could have been the Moon with such a face, white and shiny, round and somehow distant, but it really wasn’t the Moon or any moon, because there is a rabbit that’s living on the Moon and this White Face With Many Bodies knew nothing about a rabbit. 

I know this all sounds like a child’s tale. 

The White Face etc. was busy sending a text message to one of its bodies when the lonely plastic boy came by. This happened at the top of the Toe Hill, which was rosy and pink, a funny place where you could fall asleep and dream of love. Why it was called the “Toe Hill” is an ancient story. They say—who are “they” is another story—that once upon a time a Giant left the world leaving behind a toe. Why?

Firstly, because he used to keep that toe in touch with the skin, the bare skin of his dear and beautiful wife (until her vanishing.)

Secondly, because he wanted her (her ghost?) to remember that leaving (where to?) was hurting him. Walking after you just lost a toe must really hurt. His pain was real. 

Thirdly, because the giant had been hoping to come back, to that same spot from which he left, and the toe was to be a place marker unique and easily recognized. Whether or not that story is true I do not know for sure, but I believe it is, although I have never seen a giant. A giant Giant.

Imagine one giant missing a toe, walking away, eyes full of tears, but not because of the missing body part...

There roses had grown wonderfully. Such was their wonderfulness that the lonely plastic boy had come wanting to admire it, and this is how he met with The White Face. “Labas!” said the plastic boy. That means hello! in Lithuanian. The boy enjoyed the Lithuanian word more than the English one; otherwise he was speaking English like you and me. “Please wait until I complete this text message,” answered the White Face. “Come… meet me… at… etc.” typed the White Face, and then it sent it, the text message, to one of its bodies, the number 75 one. There it was put, the face was on the head of body number 33. The bodies could move by their own will. Their life was a bit of a mystery. Without the face…

Here is a question without an answer: Are you wearing a mask, or it the mask wearing you? Hmm? What do you think?

Then White Face turned to the plastic boy, and said: “Hello, my friend!” and this conversation followed: “Are you not afraid of falling asleep, here, and dream of love?” asked the boy. “Indeed I am, replied the Face, and that’s why I just called one of my bodies to come and meet me here. It’ll wake me up in time.”

The lonely plastic boy pondered that wisdom. He too was afraid that he could fall asleep and dream of love, but he had no extra bodies to come and wake him up in time. “I shouldn’t stay here much longer, said the boy, unless you will agree to wake me up before you go. –But why would you want to stay here much longer?” asked the Face. “Perhaps I want to dream of love?” asked the boy.

He was just a little boy who didn’t know much.

The White Face With Many Bodies said: “Some mistake we make, that we can only see ourselves after everybody has seen them.” 

And then it suddenly fell asleep, leaving the lonely plastic boy unsure about what he should do next.

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[Picture: The White Face With Many Bodies by reading_is_dangerous]