A Woodsy Reality Check

 

 
    Ralph had been pretty quiet all during dinner time one day in the B. N. F. He ate his dinner, but he didn’t look like he was paying much attention to it.  This was not like himself at all. He was known for his discernment and enthusiasm in matters gustatory.
    “Ramona,” he said, “I always thought all along that we were living in the real world. Now I don’t know what to think.”
    “Ah, what’s the matter, baby?” asked Ramona, who had been aware of his distress all during dinner.
    “Something funny, but not really funny, happened today,” said Ralph. He tilted his head and looked at her, as if she might be able to explain it, if he could somehow describe it. His big brown eyes squinted up a little with the effort of thought.
    “Okay, I knew there was something. What is it?” she asked.
    “Well, you know how life is, out here in the trees?  It’s good.  It’s solid. Trees, forest floor, rivers, rocks, game animals and talking animals too.  All good.  I can put my hands out and feel it all.  No real mysteries.  I have you and Twigg and our very cozy cave. I have the sky and the stars, the sun, and the moon.  All good.
    “But today I was having a very pleasant smoke out on my log and the strangest thing happened,” he said to his wife.
    “Well, what?”
    “I saw a man, but I saw right through him too.  He was right there, but he was clear like slightly muddy water. He had a camera and some kind of sound equipment. I was sitting right there Ramona, but he looked right through me!
    “I tried to talk to him.  It seemed like maybe he was hearing some of what I said, but not understanding me at all. I wasn’t worried yet, so I decided to play with him a little bit. I started making some whoops, yelps, and whistles.  It did no good!  He didn’t react at all. Then he faded out. He was gone I thought.
    “But then, I started hearing him, even though I couldn’t see him. He was making a recording and some video of the area around my log there, and I was pretty sure he was heading over here and would find you or Twigg.  I didn’t want that. Especially since he was as invisible as a ghost,” continued Ralph.
    “He was saying that he could see signs of occupation, but no one lives here anymore. Well, I didn’t like the sound of that.  Are we ghosts?  I sure didn’t think so.”
    “It’s still all good, Ralph, just as good as always. Maybe it’s just a little more complicated than we thought,” said Ramona in a comforting way.
    “Thaga and I were just talking about some of this yesterday in fact,” said Ramona. “Sometimes I will lay a thing down, I know where I put it, but I can’t find it again. Where is it? Do things leave our world somehow? She says they can.
    “And then, even stranger, sometimes I will find something that can’t be there. Where did it come from? Or I will be working on something, and something catches my attention in the corner of my eye. Something was there, but if I try to focus on it, it’s not there. 
    “What she was saying is that there have to be other places that bump into this place sometimes.  Sometimes we get a look into that other place, and that there are probably many places like this, like rooms in a huge house. Sometimes we see through the walls and most of the time we don’t. It’s not a clear look.  Just a peek. Like through a dark glass.
    “It’s kind of funny to think of that guy hunting for you while you sat right in front of him,” she was laughing a little.
    “He might think we are mythical, huh?” said Ralph, cheering up a little.
    “I don’t mind being mythical for him, as long as he can’t change anything in our here, if you know what I mean,” said Ralph.
    “I do know what you mean!” said Ramona.
    “Another funny or wonderful and a little scary thing to think about is how many things are happening all at the same time, sort of,” she added. “If we could just see it.”
    “I think someday we will see it all, but right now, we just have to do a good job with Twigg and the new one, live in peace with our here and now, and look out for truth in all ways,” said Ramona with a wink.
    “Are you trying to tell me something Ramona?  What new one?” said Ralph with a goofy grin on his big old mug.
    “Yes! Yes, I am, dear old Ralph, yes I am,” said Ramona fondly.
    They stood together, arms around each other, looking into each other’s eyes and then up at the sky and around at their lovely here and now with thanksgiving in their hearts.

    In another B.N.F. a man with a camera and sound equipment decides that this was not the day for his hunt.  But he vows to himself to try again some other day, and perhaps he will be able to make contact on that day, or maybe not, things being as complicated as they are.