Old Mountain Man

There was an old wise man on the top of a mountain, he often got visitors (this is odd because didn’t leave a forwarding address). One day a visitor came, as visitors to places often do (by traveling through space). This visitor started asking the old man questions, this surprised the old man tremendously. The tremendous surprise originated in parts of two, first most people didn’t see him even though many visited him, second he was seen which most people manage not to do.

The questions did not surprise him though for they went thus: “How are you doing?” and “Isn’t sitting there painful?”. The old man answered “Of course it is painful, for that is what I decided to do. Many people have told this rock things like ‘how wise’ and tossed coins making wishes. Fools the lot of them, for they have made not any attempt to do what I have done. I thank you for generous consideration, I will indeed consider it in my thoughts.”

The young man left, looking slightly confused (only the face was confused, the rest knew what it was doing). The old man pondered on the nature of wisdom coming to the conclusion that it is impossible for a human without outside help. He also saw that it was rather pointless to gain wisdom for wisdom’s sake and considered getting off his rock, then another visitor came by, yelled at the rock, and threw some money. The old man thought this isn’t all that bad, he can eat and can sleep after all.

God bless,

>P<

Joshua Fahey