DURING THIS NIGHT OF YOUR LIFE

Aho!
HOW ARE WE DOING?
by A. Questioner.
HOW ARE WE DOING? HOW DO YOU DO?
I KNOW LOUIE ARMSTRONG SANG
MAYBE YOU’RE JUST TRYING TO SAY
I DO LOVE YOU.
BUT WAS HE WALKING THE SAME STREET?
WAS HE TALKING TO THE SAME CROWD WE MEET?
WAS HE SMILING AT THE SAME TREE?
WE KNOW ROSES ARE RED AND TREES ARE GREEN
WAS HE TALKING TO ME
OR YOU ON THE SAME NIGHT?
SOMETIMES I AM FRIGHTENED, BUT I AM NOT SCARED
WHAT HE SAID WAS RIGHT FOR HIM AND PERHAPS FOR ME.
WAS HE: ON THE SAME BUS
ON THE SAME LINE
ON THE SAME SEAT
WHERE I SIT EVERY TIME?
OUT OF SIGHT
LIES CAN REMAIN HIDDEN, TOO.
I WISH I COULD LOVE EVERYONE
BUT I CAN’T UNWIND
THE KNOT IN MY THROAT-MIND.
IT GETS MY GOAT
EVERY TIME I WHINE, BUT
I’VE TRIED DIFFERENT APPROACHES
I’VE CHANGED CLOTHES AND COACHES.
I’VE CRIED EVERY TIME
I’VE HAD TO CHANGE MY CLOTHES.
I CAN NOT CHANGE THE THINGS I CANNOT UNDO.
LIKE THE TIMES WE LIVE IN.
I CAN NOT EXCHANGE ME
IN PLACE OF YOU.
I COMMIT NO CRIME, THOUGH
I’VE PAID SOMEONE ELSE'S FINE.
I WILL REACH OUT
AND TOUCH SOMEONE
BUT I'M NOT
A SERVICE IN DISGUISE
I’M NOT A TELE-COMMUNICATIONS PHONE. CALLER OR MARKETEER
I LIVE IN THE SAME HOME EVERYBODY ELSE DOES:
MOTHER EARTH.
SHE KNOWS MY WORTH LINE BY LINE, BUT I DON'T
SHE HAS TO COVER MY MOUTH IF I WHINE
FROM DEATH TO RE-BIRTH.
SHE KNOWS MY HEART.
SHE HAS TAUGHT ME
TO SAY THE RIGHT WORDS
BUT THEY DON’T SEEM
TO COME OUT RIGHT ALL THE TIME.
SHE TELLS ME TO SING THEN
SHE TELLS ME SHE WORKS HARD FOR ME
SHE TELLS ME WE MUST
ALL BE PATIENT.
SOON THE CLOCK WILL UNWIND
SOON THE TABLES WILL TURN, SHE SAYS
SOON THE PEOPLE WILL KNOW
THE FIRES OF HOPE STILL BURN
HOPE LINGERS ON
FAITH REMAINS
RAIN WATERS THE PLAINS
SUN ALWAYS SHINES DOWN UPON US.
WILL WE HAVE EVERYTHING WE NEED TO LEAN UPON,
WITH NOTHING TO LOSE, NOTHING TO ERASE
NOTHING TO COVER UP
NO SHOES TO RELACE?
NOTHING TO WIN EXCEPT OUR CONFIDENCE IN HER.?
EVERYTHING TO GAIN
EVERYTHING TO PLACE, SHOW, AND WIN.
EVERYTHING TO HEAL
FROM WITHIN?
EVERYTHING WE FEEL
UNDER OUR SKIN
RISES TO THE SUN AND
FILLS THE SKY, DOESN'T IT?.
IF THE RACE HAS BEEN WON
ANOTHER ONE HAS ALREADY BEGUN.
IF WE MEET THE CABINET-MAKER
WILL THE BOOKS ON THE SHELF MEET THE SELF?
AND THE MASTER OF THE HOUSE
WILL HE SEE THAT
EVERYTHING UNDONE
WILL BE DONE ?
EVERYTHING THAT MEETS THE EYE WILL IT SMILE BACK AT YOU?
HOW ARE WE DOING?
SAID THE MOUSE TO THE CAT
WHILE THEY WERE ARGUING
OR JUST HAVING A SPAT.
DEPENDS ON YOUR ATTITUDE,
SAID THE CAT.
MOUSE, WHEN WILL YOU STOP ASKING
SO MANY QUESTIONS, SHE ADDED.....
AHO!
HOW ARE YOU DOING TONIGHT?
HOW ARE YOU DOING TONIGHT, OLD MAN?
OH, BLESS YOUR HEART
DOIN' THE BEST THAT I CAN.
HOW ARE YOU DOING TONIGHT, SIR?
OH, BLESS YOUR HEART
NOT TOO WELL. A LOT'S BEEN WORRYING ME LATELY.
AND HOW ARE YOU DOING TONIGHT, MADAM?
OH, BLESS YOUR HEART
I AM DOING OK, I GUESS.
HOW ARE YOU DOING TONIGHT, MOM?
OH, BLESS YOUR HEART
THANK GOD YOU CALLED. THE BOMB THEY SENT ME
JUST MISSED THE HOUSE.
HOW ARE YOU DOING TONIGHT, DAD?
OH, BLESS YOUR HEART
TERRIBLE! MOM IS ABOUT TO GO BESERK.
WE DON'T KNOW WHERE HASSAN IS.
HOW ARE YOU DOING TONIGHT, SON?
OH, BLESS YOUR HEART, DAD
I'M NOT OK. MY LEG'S BLEEDING PRETTY BAD.
SHRAPNELL HIT ME WHILE WE WERE PLAYING SOCCER.
HOW ARE YOU DOING TONIGHT, SIS?
OH, BLESS YOUR HEART, DAD
BROTHER'S IN THE HOSPITAL. I MISS HIM TERRIBLY.
WE DON'T KNOW IF HE'LL SURVIVE.. AT LEAST, HE'S STILL ALIVE.
HOW ARE YOU DOING TONIGHT, MR. POET?
OH, BLESS YOUR HEART, YOUNG MAN
NOT WELL AT ALL.
WHY IS THAT?
WELL, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THINGS ARE GOING SO BAD I CAN'T SEEM TO LIFT MY PEN OUT OF ITS INK
WELL AND WRITE THE WORDS THAT KEEP POURING OUT OF MY MOUTH. THEY'RE SO FULL OF SADNESS AND
SORROW, I MAY STOP WRITING FOREVER, TONIGHT!
DON'T DO THAT, POET MAN. SOMEBODY'S GOT TO KEEP THE FLAMES BURNING EVEN AFTER THE BOMBS STOP
FALLING,
THAT IS, IF THEY EVER WILL.
SO YOU'RE NOT DOING SO WELL YOURSELF, THE POET REPLIED.
THAT'S TRUE, THE YOUNG MAN SAID, SOMETIMES I LIE AWAKE ALL NIGHT. I CAN'T STOP CRYING. I DON'T
EVEN KNOW WHY I KEEP ON GOING OUTSIDE AND SAYING HOW ARE YOU DOING, IF I KNOW AHEAD OF TIME,
ITS ALL A SHAM. I COULD NEVER SAY,
OH, BLESS YOUR HEART, LIKE THEY DO.
I THINK YOU CAN, SAID A VOICE DOWN THE HALL. I'VE HEARD YOU SAY IT BEFORE. I'VE HEARD YOU SING
SONGS OF JOY SO LOUD IT SHAKES THE SHINGLES OFF THE ROOF. SHIMMERS ME TIMBERS.
WHO ARE YOU?
I'M YOUR OLD OLD MAN, DUDE. YOU'RE OLD GRAND DAD, BACK FROM THE WARS, BACK FROM THE OCEANS
YOU'VE ALREADY EXPLORED. BACK WHEN EVERYONE WAS YOUNG. NOW I'M JUST AN INTREPID OLD BLOAK
SITTING HERE IN MY ROCKER WATCHING SHIPS SLIP QUIETLY
OUT OF THE HARBOR, BUT NEVER GOING OUT TO SEA.
TOO ROUGH OUT THERE NOW.
YOU DON'T LOOK OLD TO ME, I SAID AS I WALKED DOWN THE HALLWAY TO GET A CLOSER LOOK. THEN YOU
MUST BE BLIND, HE REPLIED. I AM VERY OLD. SO ANCIENT I COULD CRUMBLE TO DUST
BEFORE YOUR VERY EYES.
THEN YOU COULDN'T REALLY BE MY GRAND DAD. WHOEVER YOU ARE. HE'S DEAD. HE DIED JUST LAST WEEK
WHILE VISITING MY SISTER IN BAGHDAD.
I DIDN'T REALLY MEAN I WAS YOUR ACTUAL GRANPA. MY FRIEND I'M SOMEWHAT INCLINED TO LET YOU
FIGURE IT OUT YOURSELF. IF YOU HAD SAID TONIGHT, HOW ARE YOU DOING TONIGHT, OLD FRIEND YOU
WOULD KNOW. BUT YOU DIDN'T ADDRESS ME.
YOU ADDRESSED EVERYBODY BUT ME.
I WASN'T ON YOUR LIST .
IF YOU HAD ASKED ME, YOU WOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE RESPONSE, I'M FINE, I'M JUST FINE, REALLY, I AM.
BUT NOBODY SAYS THAT ANYMORE. WHAT DOES THAT MAKE YOU? AND HOW WOULD I KNOW YOU WERE MY
FRIEND?
BECAUSE IN THE END, THE ONLY ONE LEFT TO SAY THAT
WILL BE YOUR SOUL
YOUR MIND IS VERY TIRED NOW, TOO WEAK TO SAY THAT.
HOW ARE YOU DOING TONIGHT, BLESS YOUR SOUL, YOUR SOUL
WILL ALWAYS SAY THAT.
NO BOMBS, NO NATURAL DISASTERS,
NO MAN-MADE TRAGEDIES, NOR WARS OF MEN
CAN ERASE THOSE WORDS FROM A HEART
MADE OF THUNDER AND LIGHT.
THOUGH YOU DON'T KNOW IT YET, YOUNG MAN. YOU ARE JUST SUCH A KIND OF A PERSON WORTH STANDING
UP FOR, WORTH FIGHTING FOR. THESE WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND HOPE ARE MEANT FOR THAT TO
HAPPEN. WORDS OF ANGER AND FEAR, OF HATE AND PREJUDICE ARE OUT OF SYNC, OUT OF GEAR, OUT OF
FUEL AND WAY OUT OF LINE. SOON THEY WILL BE GONE AND HATE WILL DISAPPEAR.
HOW DO YOU KNOW ALL THIS, ANCIENT SOUL OF MINE?
AS I SAID BEFORE. YOU'VE SUNG THOSE WORDS OFTEN WHEN YOU WERE YOUNG. WHERE DO YOU THINK
THEY CAME FROM, IF AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER THE WORLD AROUND YOU CAUSED THEM TO COME POURING
OUT IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING ELSE? WHAT'S KEEPING THEM FROM BEING SUNG RIGHT NOW?
WELL, MY FRIEND, YOU MAY BE ANCIENT AND OLD, BUT YOU DON'T SEEM TO BE THAT WISE, AS FAR AS I CAN
SEE. WHEN I WAS YOUNGER THEN, THERE WERE NO BOMBS FALLING DOWN FROM THE SKY EVERYDAY.
THAT'S WHY I CAN'T SING THOSE WORDS. I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER WHAT THEY WERE, EVERYTHING IS SO
BLURRY NOW, SO DARK AND FRIGHTENING. YOU SAY I HAVE A STRONG HEART OF THUNDER AND LIGHT, BUT
YOU DIDN'T MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT LIGHTNING? THIS WHOLE WORLD HAS GONE MAD. ONLY THE MOST
FEROCIOUS OF MOTHER EARTH'S PRANKS AND NATURAL DISASTERS ARE STRONG ENOUGH TO STOP THIS
MADNESS AND TURN HUMANKIND BACK TO GLADNESS AND JOY. SHE WOULD HAVE TO DO MORE THAN JUST
TOY WITH US FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. SHE MOST LIKELY MAY LITERALLY HAVE TO DESTROY US FIRST.
ALL RIGHT, YOUNG MAN. SINCE I AM OLDER THAN YOU, LET ME TURN THE TABLES ON ALL THIS
QUESTIONING. YOU GIVE ME THE ANSWERS. WHAT MAKES YOU SO ARROGANT, YOU THINK THIS IS SO, OR
THAT THIS IS WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIKE, OR THIS IS THE ONLY ANSWER TO THE HUMAN DILEMMA
THAT MAKES ANY SENSE?
ANCIENT SOUL OF MY MIND, BE QUIET. ANCIENT SOUL OF MY BODY, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME BEHIND.
ANCIENT SOUL OF MY HEART, PLEASE TAKE HOLD OF THESE REINS, I CAN NO LONGER EXPLAIN MYSELF TO
MYSELF. I MUST BACK DOWN, I MUST REFRAIN FROM FORMING OPINIONS, PERIOD. ABOUT MYSELF, ABOUT
MY WORLD, ABOUT YOURS.
YOU'RE RIGHT ON THE BUTTON ON THAT ONE, YOUNG MAN, EXCEPT THAT MY WORLD AND YOUR WORLD ARE
ONE AND THE SAME. I JUST HAPPEN TO VIEW IT A BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN YOU DO.
SO JUST HOW DO YOU SEE IT? I REPLIED,
TEARS FROM MY EYES WERE FALLING TO THE GROUND.
THIS MAY SOUND SUPERFICIAL AT FIRST, BUT THINK ABOUT IT FOR JUST ONE MOMENT: BY THE TIME YOUR
TEARS ACTUALLY DO HIT THE GROUND, THEY ARE ALREADY DRY..... CHANGE IS A VERY SLOW PROCESS, BUT
IT GOES ON FOREVER, NEVERTHELESS. THAT IS HOW I SEE IT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO LIVE THOUSANDS OF
LIVES TO SEE WHAT I HAVE SEEN, WHAT YOUR PEOPLE CALL, "THE WHOLE PICTURE". YOU CAN START
PRACTISING IT, BY SEEING ONLY THAT WHICH YOU WISH TO SEE. YOU CAN SEE THE CHILD THAT DID NOT GET
HIT. YOU CAN SEE THE BUILDING THAT STILL STANDS. YOU CAN SEE THE GRASS, THE FLOWER NEXT TO THE
GRENADE STILL WITH ITS PIN UNTOUCHED THAT'S LYING NEXT TO IT. YOU CAN SEE A MOTHER SHARING
HER MILK WITH THE SUCKLING OF ANOTHER WHO HAS DIED. YOU CAN SEE THE SKY CLEAR EVERY NOW AND
THEN, AND KNOW THAT THE SUN WILL SHINE ONCE AGAIN IF ONLY YOU REACH BEYOND THE DARK CLOUDS
LOOMING BEFORE YOU. FOR THEY TRUELY ARE LOOMING BEFORE ALL OF HUMANITY. IT IS THE
PRESCRIPTION YOU, IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, HAVE PRESCRIBED FOR YOURSELVES.
THE GOOD NEWS IS, THE PRESCRIPTION IS YET TO BE FILLED IN FULL. YOU CAN CHANGE THE PRESCRIPTION.
YOU'RE THE DOCTOR, TOO. THE MEDICINE YOU REALLY NEED WILL BE SUPPLIED FOR YOU AT NO COST. IT
ALWAYS HAS BEEN THAT WAY SINCE THE DAY BEFORE YOU WERE BORN.
AND WITH THAT, MY SOUL QUIETLY RE-ENTERED MY HEART
AND WENT HOME.
AHO!