If a Tree Falls
in the Forest . . .
by Michael C.
Keith
Nothing ever becomes real till
it is experienced.
–– John Keats
The last thing Brandon was about to
do was point out the obvious to his fellow
commuters. If other drivers didn’t see the
glimmering obelisk that towered above the highway
at Exit 11, it was their loss. How could they
not see this incredible object? he wondered.
Why am I the only one looking at it? Its
ever-changing colors were more than awe inspiring
to him. They were captivating to the point that
on a couple of occasions he had almost driven off
the road staring at the unique vision.
Finally, one day at work it got to
him that nobody had even mentioned the existence
of the breath-taking sight. Not a single soul
claimed to have seen it, even though many of his
cohorts took the exact same route to work as he
did.
“Come on!” he exclaimed,
frustrated. “You can’t miss it.
It’s incredible! Reaches to the sky . . .
for heaven’s sake!”
“Where is this thing again?”
asked his cubical mate.
“At Exit 11. You were in front
of me this morning getting off the highway at that
exit, Gil, and you’re saying you didn’t
see it? I saw it, and I saw you.”
“I guess not. I’ll look
for it on the way home.”
“Can’t fathom how you
overlooked it. It’s tall as a skyscraper and
changes . . . first blue, then red, then green,
then something else. Some shades I’ve never
even seen before. Can’t even describe them.
”
*
*
*
The next morning Brandon was eager
to get his fellow workers’ impressions of
the Protean column, but to his astonishment, once
again no one seemed to have seen it.
“You guys are just pulling my
leg, and it’s not funny either,”
protested Brandon. “What’s wrong with
you people?”
His fellow telemarketers just shook
their heads in confusion and went back to work. Idiots!
thought Brandon. Obviously, they’re
blind. Well, too bad for them.
On his way to the office the next
day, Brandon became so entranced by the morphing
obelisk that he lost control of his car and drove
right into it. For a moment everything went black
. . . and then he heard a man’s voice.
“Sir, are you all right?”
A state police officer peered at
Brandon through his driver’s side window.
“Yes . . . yes, I’m fine,
officer. I can’t believe I’m not dead
after hitting that tower.
“Tower, sir?”
“The one changing colors right
back . . .”
The lawman opened the car door and
took hold of Brandon’s arm.
“Sir, please step out of the
car and breathe into this device.”
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