The Middle
The air in the bar was musty and moist. Two men sat at the cracked, mahogany counter, which was littered with cigarette butts and half eaten mini pretzels. The dim light emanating from above was made hazy by the thick layer of smoke that hovered in the air. One man turned to the other, who was sitting at the far end of the counter.
“Excuse me sir, but do you happen to have the time?” the man asked.
“Time is of no importance here. It would do you well to think about how you got here in the first place.”
“Well, that’s quite simple, actually. I…”
Yet the man could not recall being anywhere but the bar. This set his mind to work. The man at the end of the bar stood up and began to walk toward him.
“Why don’t you just take a seat next to me? I’ll order us some drinks and I can think about how I got here.”
“Neither food nor drink is important where we are. Let your thoughts feed you the answers to your questions.”
“I’m not quite sure I understand what you are talking about.” the man replied.
“I insistently insist that you pay heed to your surroundings and actions.”
The man, feeling slightly dazed and confused, took a long look at the room and gathered his thoughts. In the dim light, he could see that he and the other man were the only people in the bar. Behind the counter, nothing stirred.
“Where is the bartender, surely he didn’t just leave his bar unattended?”
“All that matters is that you are here. Reflect upon your actions and you will receive a crystal clear answer.”
At this, the man stood up and moved toward the door. His hand met the cold brass handle of the doorknob.
“I am leaving now, as I have found no answers here. You yourself have refused to be straightforward with me. Good day to you.”
He turned the doorknob slowly and opened the door. As he walked through the door, he gasped. He was standing in the same bar. The strange figure he met earlier stood before him.
“Surely you will come sit with me. You have all the time you wish to realize your true potential for greatness. You simply need to reflect upon your life and the decisions that you have made in order to reach peace.” the stranger said.
“What is this? I have no idea how I got here and no idea how to leave!”
“You are on a fine line between greatness and destruction, torment and paradise. You must realize your true potential in order to reach paradise. Until then, I am here to encourage you to reflect upon your actions in life. If you are able to realize your faults, then you can put them behind you and move on into eternity.”
“I still don’t understand what you are talking about. Realize my faults? What is this?” the man exclaimed.
