Where’d Everyone Go?

“Why did you bring me to this abandoned place? I don’t like it here, it’s dirty and scary.”

“Relax, Gail, there are many here, you just don’t see them. I’m hoping you learn to see what I do, I’ve been looking for a long time.”

“No, Brad, take me home now, nobody’s here!”

“Would you just try to do something? I promise it will not hurt or embarrass you. Please?”

“We’ll… okay, but if it does they’ll spend a long time looking for you.”

“Stand still and relax your arms, just let them hang… good, now close your eyes… now try a Zen technique; picture the digit one, just that single image, blank everything else…”

“…I can’t…”

“…yes, you can. Think of that image and when it’s solid, make it a two.”

“Then what?”

“When you see a two, open your eyes.”

“Okay… now I see… now it’s a … oh my god, where did all the people come from… and there’s no sound, they’re all quiet?”

“Yes, ‘Oh My God!,’ you’re the first to see them too. They’re ghosts, free spirits that hang out here.”

“Why? What’s special about here, it’s a dirty old factory of some kind?”

“Exactly, nobody comes here so they’re not disturbed. They get to stay behind and still get the peace of eternity.”

“We’re here, doesn’t that matter?”

“As long as we don’t get loud and just watch, we’re tolerated.”

“What are they doing over there?”

“Dancing, we just can’t hear what they hear.”

“And the costumes are beautiful.”

“They’re not costumes, they’re normal dress. They come from all of time and you’ll see business suits alongside Roman togas.”

“How long can we stay?”

“As long as you want.”

“Let’s sit down for a while.”