Chapter Thirteen. It Was a Little Bit Frightening

It Was a Little Bit Frightening

"Choose the road less traveled by," she had told Derby. He had been less than gentle with his reference to Republican candidates on a new blog he was writing, called Oats, a sequel to The Children of Zol. Belle was a friend from high school. They had their 40th reunion in 2011.

"Yin inside Yang inside Yin." He pondered the meaning. His thought pattern continued, "The feminine inside the male, inside the feminine. Know the white but keep to the black--and then all of that further embraced by the arms of the Great Mother." Derby knew that the black represented the female and white the male but this concept of one more extension, such as that represented by a white mouse swallowing a black marble landing in a white hole--this seemed outside of the Taoist teaching.

Derby allowed himself to slip out of his meditation and let his thoughts run away with him. "So what of Yang inside Yin inside Yang? The male inside the feminine inside the male? With just one more line in either the top trigram or the bottom, you could go further--black inside white inside black inside white. Hmmm," he thought, "like Chapter 42 of the Tao te Ching--One produces two, two produces three and three produces the ten thousand things..."

At that point, the horse ran free and his thoughts degenerated into a full fledged conversation he had in his mind. He imagined talking to Belle:

"Belle have you ever heard David Attenborough describe the dance of the male Bird of Paradise of New Guinea? He tells us that because of the unique environment of New Guinea, the birds have been able to evolve freely, without fear of survival. They have been able to divert all their evolutionary energies into the mating ritual.

"The male is the one with the spectacular plumage." Here Derby had to emphasize a point. "If you haven't seen this PBS special, you really should find it. It is sooooo amazing!" So out of accord with his meditation was he, that Derby even imagined Belle's response, which was a gesture of kindness. She had either seen the special or would see it, but either way, she wanted to allow him his rant...

Derby continued the imaginary conversation. "Now it isn't only the plumage, which by the way works because of how the male positions himself in the light. Yes, the light. It is critical that the feathers capture the light. The colors are unimaginably beautiful and it is how they reflect the light that gives the impression of precious metals and lustrous, brilliant, iridescence."

Derby continued his long explanation. Belle sat patiently, awaiting the punch line. "Then the male actually transforms himself. Different Birds of Paradise take on totally different shapes. Some have breast plates that swell out like huge glistening shields. Others turn their wings into mirthful or whimsical shapes. And the dances vary between subspecies also. Some hang upside down and vibrate, others make peculiar sounds, some bob, others weave."

Then Derby paused and considered exactly how to phrase his next thought. "This is what I'm getting at though. Attenborough tells us that for thousands of years, often the male will put on his light show just for the universe! Without the female being present!"

He could hardly contain himself at that point in his imagined conversation. He was so overjoyed by the meaning of the observation. As he writes these words now, he giggles to himself, aware of his ability to stay self entertained...

Derby continued to talk in his imaginary voice to his imaginary friend. "Now, of course, the purpose of such tremendous detail being developed into the ritual is finally all about reproduction. You see, the female selects the male with the most impressive plumage and best dance. And then that particular male mates with all the females. In this way, the species has developed the most vivid colors and most fanciful plumage. But even without the mating, the male can't help but put on the show, even when no one is watching!"

Belle finally had a chance to interject. "That is amazing." Her gentle reinforcement was all Derby required at that moment in his imagined conversation. So he was able to continue...

"It just occurred to me, just now, that the male's bright colors and plumage is the first Yin. His doing the dance for the universe is Yin inside Yang. Attenborough telling the story along with a documentary film crew's art form is Yin inside Yang inside Yin!

"But Belle, that section of the chapter devoted to the last election is meant to entertain, not to inflict harm. I am glad for your reminder, and I will change one name from Mutt to Matt and rename the group from rat pack to Birds with Pale Feathers. These changes are made in your honor. I'll also apologize to anyone who was offended by the chapter. You are correct, that names are called. But this whole fantasy is name calling. Besides that, I must protest. I must stand and be heard. It is what I do. I'll die if I have to sit still, when corruption is allowed to be positioned as justice. When brutality is promoted as the American way.

And I ask everyone to be light. For the story is just a dance. And dances are spontaneous. Too much analysis can dull the overture which could trip up the dancer."

Again, Derby paused in his imagined conversation. Then added, "And we wouldn't want that, would we?"

To his surprise (triple surprising because the conversation transpired in the imagination of a character inside a novella), Belle did her best not to hurt his feelings. "Great story, my friend. But that isn't what I meant."

Derby has described these kinds of conversations which have taken place with eyes closed, at times reserved for stillness and control of the mind, as "walking on broken glass." But he was soon rescued by the voice of Umpa.

"Tell me your perception of the passage from Wen Tzu which says

A ringing chime ruins itself giving sound, a tallow candle burns itself out giving light. The patterns on tigers and leopards bring hunters, the quickness of monkeys brings trappers.

Derby smiled because Umpa's question was especially poignent given the imaginary conversation he had just had with Belle.

"Colors blind people's eyes, sounds deafen their ears; flavors spoil people's palettes, the chase and the hunt craze people's minds," was Derby's reply, from the Tao te Ching.

"Exactly!," confirmed Umpa.

Unfortunately there was no time for celebration, as Derby had hoped would be the case, as he awaited more nuggets of teaching from the fat man. Because as fast as lightning, Six Ninja fighters in black attire were surrounding Bai Ling, Umpa, Opie and Derby after the dust of the explosion had splintered the door. Soon they would be Kung Fu fighting.

Ah, the dance continues!