Thursday 24 February 2011

Signs

'Papa' says boy.
'Yes?' says man.
'I have made a mess, I was stirring icing and covered my hands. I wiped it all off onto a towel. Is that okay?'
Man scratches his chin. 'There is no mess? For we must be conscious of germs spreading.'
Boy shows his hands, 'they are clean.'
Man breathes a sigh of relief, but out of the corner of his eye he spies a sign;

NOW WASH YOUR HANDS

'My son!' He exclaims. 'The sign!'
Boy spins around in alarm. 'What sign?'
'Observe' cries man pointing with the utmost fervour.
Boy's lips silently speak the words of the sign. 'Must I wash my hands? They are clean.'
'You must!' Speaks man. Regard the sign!
Boy waddles intently to the washbasin and turns the tap on. His eyes glance down. His face turns to one of horror. 'Papa, there is no soap!' he says.
Man pauses, and raises his rigid claws toward his face. 'My word' he whispers. 'We must not delay. The sign. We must purchase soap!'
Within seconds they have slammed their front door behind them are bounding with intent down the quiet street. Man uses their journey to express the importance of signs. 'They are in place all over' he says. 'They explain to us exactly what we should do in absolutely every situation. As a result, of course, we must not look for ways around not being able to honour them. We must honour them.'
'All of them?' asks boy.
'All of them. Keep calm and carry on. Turn left here, stop. Here is the road.'
The two of them stand by the empty road. There is danger on neither side, but man has observed the pedestrian traffic light and the red, motionless man glares back at him, silently urging them to remain still.
'Can we carry on?' Asks boy, who has noted the road's emptiness.
'No' replies man watching the unpopulated concrete. 'Do not cross, for the man is red. The sign'.

And thus they wait. Then the man on the sign turns green, indicating movement, as in the distance a curious rumbling becomes the shape of a truck, helmed by a suicidal drunk driver, hurtling toward them.
'Now it is okay' says man, as they step blissfully into the path of the relentless vehicle and end their journey for ever after.