Sincerity
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
All the kings horses,
And all the kings men,
Could not put Humpty together again.
Todd thought about poor Humpty as he sat on the subway heading uptown. Was there a message in this short poem? Some deeper meaning traveling through ages on the lines of a seemingly stupid poem? He continued to think as the train stopped and the sheep went out just as fast as they came in. Sheep, what wonderful creatures, such wool to be spun and knitted into warmth creating things, delicious meat to sustain us. What would metaphorical wool be on a human? What would the meat be? Well, the reference to the similarity between sheep and human beings is of course usually used to express the flock mentality, the willingness, an almost determination to stay within the limits of the heard. But if we look a little further into this similarity, what do we find? Well, I suppose if you look at the population, as if from a satellite, or a cloud, there are all these flocks living in cities, and the wool that surrounds them is perhaps the things they do, the things they create, the things that keep them warm. So sheep live in flocks, they travel around eating grass. They themselves have wool to keep them warm. So they themselves, are not actually making money from the wool they produce, but are perhaps given a place to live, and food to eat. There is the Shepard who guides the flock and harvests the wool. Lets say people are these sheep, the wool is what they produce, and in return, they receive money. And money in turn allows them to sustain a place to live and a way to obtain food as well. So in turn, what we produce is cut away from us for someone or something else’s benefit, and yet in return for what we produce we are given a place to live and food to eat. Sheep it seems do give us further insight into being human beings. But where was I? Yes, Humpty, what is he trying to tell us. Is life like an egg? So fragile that if it is shattered it can never be repaired? Or is life continuous, just changing shape and form? When all the kings horses and men, wait, is this comparing us to animals all over again? Are we like horses now too? Well there we are trying to piece together this poor broken Humpty, when of course, the shell is now broken and can no longer be mended. Perhaps the king and his surrounding elements should have just mourned poor Humpty. Then put him in the compost pile or fed him to the chickens. Before he could finish his thought, the mechanical voice of the subway averted his attention to the fact that he had reached his stop. 9th street and Colonial avenue. He got up quickly, checked that he had all his belongings then marched off the train. The doors shut behind him and the train continued on down its tracks.
Upon reaching the street Todd was drawn to the coffee shop facing him. He ordered and then headed off to the building.
Far away Cindy sat in bed, and thought about the coming day. Looking outside the window all she saw was grey, inspiring her to spend the day inside. Maybe watch a movie, read the book she had been working on for the past three months, or just go back to bed. Then she remembered it was her uncle Rays’ birthday, and decided she would call him. And just as she was getting out of bed, the phone rang. She picked it up.
“Hey honey!” Her mother of course, she should have known.
“Hey mom,” she unenthusiastically replied. Even before her mom began further conversation, Cindy was thinking about getting into the shower. She mumbled the same reply she gave every weekend, yes mom my weekend is going well, I’m having lots of fun just being alone, yes, Tommy’s doing well, he’s working again even on Sunday. Before she knew it she had ended the conversation and was headed for the shower. The hot water felt amazing running down her silken body, oh how she loved this luxury.
After drying off and wrapping up in a big white cushy bathrobe she headed to the kitchen. Coffee was already made, she had heard Tommy’s alarm clock go off at five in the morning and she had pretended to stay fast asleep as he woke and got out of bed on the first set of rings. Cindy was always three snooze buttons away from getting out of bed, and it bothered Tommy endlessly the slow pace with which Cindy made her way through life. But she was a thinker and he was doer. Maybe that’s why they got along, after all, they had been together for over two years now. Her mom tried her best not to intrude, but could not help or hold back asking whether Cindy had thought about marriage. It seemed to Cindy that her mom liked Tommy more than she did, but yes Cindy had thought about marriage, but no more than she thought about taking a shit when she didn’t have to; if you get me.
The coffee was still warm, but not hot. She poured a nice full cup into her favorite Humpty Dumpty mug, and went back to cuddle up in bed. Another point her and Tommy argued about, was whether to have a TV in the bedroom or not. She really didn’t much like TV, and especially not in the bedroom. But he, being a doer had to be active, so when he came to bed and there was no TV to keep him busy, he would either turn to sex, or just go to sleep. Cindy would have taken to the idea of the TV in the bedroom if she had known he would want so much sex without it. Although she didn’t really mind all that much, at least he kept things interesting, always in for trying something new. God knows where he came up with some of the things he suggested.Safely warm back in her bed, she sipped coffee while drifting off into the endless tracks that lead away from the train station of her mind. She wondered what Tommy was thinking about right at that moment. Maybe they should get a kitten. Perhaps…oh ye, its Rays’ birthday. He would now be 41. Her mothers younger brother had always been really sweet to Cindy ever since she could remember. She wondered what Ray would have been like before she was born. What was he like when he was her age? Then she thought about her own age;29, and felt strangely old. What was she doing with her life? Staying in bed and drinking a warm cup of coffee? Then again it was Sunday, she loved Sundays, the quiet repose, the void that Monday had not yet created held back for one more day. Cindy’s thoughts turned to the sound of the keys jingling and then sliding into the lock, Tommy was back and it was only 11 o’clock.
Todd stepped through the doorway into the lobby of a modern high-rise made almost completely of glass, pieces of steel jutting out at odd angles seemingly random, although he knew why each piece was placed where it was. He had helped design this building. His boss had a team of seventeen people, ranging from architects to surveyors. Todd is most often a free lance worker, hired for his out of the box thinking capacity and ability. This past month has been different though, he has been hired for three months; the longest hire of his life. Finding it hard to be working in the same place day after day, it took some effort to get pumped for work. One thing Todd did, was to break up his work week seemingly at random each week. This week he was going in early on Sunday. He did the random work schedule because it promoted out of the box thinking. His theory was that working the same hours the same days from week to week hindered the mind from furthering its heightened capacities. That is also why he didn’t like to stay committed to one job for too long.
He walked past the preoccupied doorman who barely looked up at him, and over to the elevator. He pressed the button for the 73rd floor, and since there were very few people working on Sunday, the elevator simply opened. He stepped inside a small room of solid mirror. This did require much cleaning, but had been a sort of joke he had played on the whole project. The premise had been the fact that most people who work in these kinds of buildings, are your regular cookie cutter sort of people, and to break them out of their habitual thinking, he had come up with this idea. For the women, it would create a new experience looking into the mirror, extending their image infinitely, that they were left staring off into the infinite cycles of their experience. For men, it sometimes provided a quick peep up a co-workers skirt. Sometimes if they were lucky, they would be crammed inside, a hottie secretary right in front of them going to the top floor. But could they catch a glimpse without her seeing it in the mirror? Some of the people working there figured out this elevator and would take a different elevator, some even went as far as wearing pants, incase they were somehow forced into riding this elevator. Todd had watched this certain secretary who would intentionally wear short skirts with sexy panties, just so she could have the thrill of riding that elevator and seeing what some people would do. “Ding!” The elevator had reached his stop.
The mirrored doors slid open, his infinite image opening before him. He walked out into the carpeted floor of the Ancient Recovery Institute for New Design office.
Walking to his mailbox, he noticed there was only one other person there working today. It was Stella, as good as an intern, basically doing other peoples dirty work under the premise of learning something. She did get paid though, which gave her even more vigor to do her job well. Todd slipped the key into the whole and opened up his box, number 14. Inside was one simple envelope, his address was hand written, and the return address was a silver stick label. The name on it read New Toys for Neat Kids (NTNK), with no return address. He shut the box door and headed over to his work station. He stopped by Stella’s’ station. “Mornin” he said, noticing a flustered face with frazzled hair pulled quickly back into a ponytail, and red framed glasses.
She looked up and smiled self consciously. “Hi Todd.”
“How are you today Stella?” Todd asked.
“Oh alright” she said, “just trying to catch up on some work Trudy put me up to.” She nodded to the computer screen. Todd smirked and started off to start his work. Halfway there, he turned back “hey Stella, have you heard of Humpty Dumpty?” she turned to look at him somewhat taken aback.
“Yeah, the guy that fell off a wall?”
“Indeed. Do you think there is some deeper meaning to it, like a hidden message or lesson?”
She thought for a moment, “no, I’ve always just heard it, I’ve never actually thought about it in that way. Do you think there is something deeper?”
“Well, I was thinking about it on the train, I don’t know. Think about it will you? Let me know if you come up with anything.”
“Ok” She replied as if it were a task or another job to do; innocent, focused.
Todd opened the door to his station, shut the door and walked over to the window. Looking out he took in the stillness of this grey Sunday. Below he saw cars rushing down the streets, but not many people were out. He turned back to his space and sat down in the chair waiting for him. He opened the envelope and took out two sheets of paper folded together as if they were friends cuddling.
Dear Todd,
We’ve checked out some of your work, and are very appreciative of what you have to offer the world. We’re sending along the beginning process of a new project. We hope that if you are at all interested you will give us a call. We would love for you to join in the process, seeing what you offer these other projects you’ve worked on, you seem like the perfect man for the job.
Sincerely Cindy
Joint coordinator of artistic design
Cell (963)261-0923
Work (963)279-8807
Todd took the first sheet of paper and placed it on his desk. He looked at the second sheet
Here’s a quick background on what we do, incase you haven’t figured that out yet. We make new toys for neat kids, so naturally we require powerful minds to come up with all sorts of new toys, and even games.
Before he could finish the second page, there was a knock at his door, and he welcomed Stella inside. “You know about Humpty, do you think it has something to do with birth and abortion and all that? I mean look at it, Hump-ty and an egg? So basically once an egg is destroyed, like an embryo, a baby potential human, it can never be replaced. All the kings horses? Trojans? I mean they could have sex with a woman, and then Dump her, but once Humpty was destroyed (abortion), he could never be put back together again. It’s a lesson in acting with integrity. Make sense?” She looked sort of happy with her self. “Brilliant!” said Todd. “That came pretty quick. If I could give you a raise I would. Smart girl. Thank you indeed.” Stella went back to her station. Todd thought about this. It did involve some deep thoughts to come to this conclusion, but really it all did fit. He wondered how old the rhyme was. Was the whole horse, Trojan thing really part of it?
Cindy was a little annoyed that her husband had come home so early, she had really been looking forward to spending some time alone. But on the other hand she did like his company, they did have a lot of fun together. Oh well, I’m sure I’ll have plenty of alone time when I don’t want it she thought. Getting out of bed, she took her coffee and headed off to the kitchen.(if she only knew the message she carried around on her coffee cup…)
Tommy came in looking tired and frustrated. “Hey honey” Cindy said looking into his face and stroking his hair. “You all right?”
“Yeah, just had a rough morning. Tim was hung over and kept messing things up. I finally just left because we weren’t getting anywhere.” He gave Cindy a kiss on the forehead and pulled her into a hung. Cindy felt him taking a deep breath and letting go. “I’m gonna try and go back to sleep honey. What are you gonna do today?”
“Oh just hang out. Its Rays birthday so I’ll give him a call.” She walked Tommy to the bedroom and after he took off most of his clothes she gave him a tender loving message. Before long he was asleep and she went and sat down on the couch in the living room.
They shared a loft which had a few walls making the bedroom, and the rest was pretty much open. White walls and plenty of windows created an open, light space. Looking out the windows she wondered if the letter she had sent that guy Todd had reached him yet. She hoped that he would be interested in the project enough to join the team, she just knew he would be the perfect addition.
After finishing looking over the second page, Todd was thrilled, and picking up the phone he dialed half the cell number before realizing what day it was, Sunday. Cant call someone for work related affairs on Sunday, or could you? No. But he was very interested in the opportunity. He could see clearly his role in bringing this toy into being. He could grasp the concept and could hardly wait to get to work on it.
Todd is like this, getting very excited, almost to a manic level about things, but what he has realized, is this manic level is what provides his inspiration. He taps into the excitement and flows into a creative train of thought, and although sometimes it is meaningless, other times he really comes up with amazing ideas or creations. Todd knew this excitement he was feeling was grounded, that there was really something to be excited about, the premise of this toy was amazing.