What the heck is this book about?

It’s about seven ounces. But seriously . . .

This book is about the colliding of different worlds of consciousness. Life looks different from behind each pair of eyes; some versions are similar enough that a consensus reality can be established. The different realities ignore or reinforce or fight or change each other like different eddies in a river. Some of the results can be pretty funny.

It’s also about hope, about how there is somewhere to go, even in the face of massive confusion, for those who are brave or well intentioned or just ask really, really hard.

I’ve always liked Plato’s Allegory of the Cave. A bunch of people are sitting in a cave, backs turned to the entrance, watching the flickering firelight on the walls. One guy gets the idea of turning around, walks out, and sees the world – the wide blue sky, green grass, mountains, birds, whatever. It’s huge, and it has smells and colors and wondrous magic. He goes back in. “Dudes, you gotta come out here! You won’t believe this!” “Aw, siddown, shut up, pass me the popcorn,” they reply in bored voices. (Well, Plato’s exact words are slightly different. And in Greek.)

Imagine a stage set with a large, cleverly painted back drop, a piece of masterful scenery. Everyone on the stage is enacting various social roles. On the backdrop is a road curving back and forth, leading toward a sun rising between purple mountains. One actor gets bored with the stilted, conventional play and walks up to the sun-dappled road, takes a breath and walks through. Yes, it actually goes somewhere. It’s real. The actor never looks back.

Disclaimer: The comments above are those of one facet of The Author’s consciousness only and do not necessarily reflect the feelings of the rest of us. Some of us think it sounds a bit pompous. Others think too much is revealed. While Basel Vasselschnauzer, Ruby and Ratbone approve, Halycon Sage would just as soon give it a miss.