Wednesday, November 13, 2002

Josette. What are you doing there?
Brund. I’m throwing stones at the devil.
Josette. What?
Brund. See that mound of stones over there?
Josette. Yeah?
Brund. That’s the devil. I take one stone from the mound and throw it back into the mound until there is no mound.
Josette. You have something against the devil, Brund?
Brund. Yes, I do. He is the cause of all of my misery.
Josette. Are you miserable?
Brund. Not anymore, now that I can throw stones at the devil.
Josette. Can I throw a stone at the devil too?
Brund. Go ahead. Get yourself a stone from the mound.
Josette. Okay. Does it matter what stone I take?
Brund. Not really, but before you come back, feel the stone in your hand. Feel the earth pulling it down, feel your fingers around the crevices of the stone’s face, feel the cold coming from it. Look at it, that stone is real.
Josette. Okay? Can I come back now?
Brund. Yeah. Come back here and throw that stone at the devil.
Josette. Do I have to do anything before I throw it?
Brund. All you have to do is recall what you learned from the stone. Visualize it leaving your hand and reaching the devil.
Josette. Okay. Can I throw it?
Brund. Once you feel like you’re ready.
Josette. Okay.
*Josette throws the stone past the mound.
Josette. I missed.
Brund. But did you see the devil flinch?
End. The Elusiveness of Stones
deufourtwelve