3: On Depth

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Cliff came upon a some of youths who were mingling in the town center.  A few of them were teasing one of the boys, singling him out and jesting at his expense.  The boy walked away from the group in a pout and sat alone on a bench out of their sight.  Cliff walked over and sat on the bench with him.

“Young man, why were they picking on you over there?”

“They pick on me because I’m deeper than them, they call me ‘edgy’ and laugh in my face because I’m deeper than them and they know it!”

“Young man, how can you be so certain that there is such a thing as depth, as being ‘deeper’?  That is something I have been pondering over for years.  Even I still doubt this ‘depth’.  And after all this time, I have only a flimsy answer.”

“Yes! I know it exists because I am deep!  I am deeper than them.  I know it and so do they!”

“But ask yourself this question before you make a black sheep of yourself: ‘do you know depth?’  That is a question I ask myself often.  

Young man, you do not yet know depth.  Of that much I am certain.  Anyone who knows depth would never dare say such things about themself and depth.  

What you know is the desire for depth, the infatuation with depth.  But as for that beautiful woman herself, you know nothing yet.  For depth is a seductive, self-ruled woman, whom you may love but who will never love you in return.  She struts and flaunts with her head tilted back and smells so alluring�"led by your nose and burning gut�"your eyes cannot help but follow.  Thus your love and desire for her reaches its height just when she walks past.  But when you desire her most is precisely when she will not allow herself to be won.  You try bringing her to you with admiration and kind words and even commands, but this is no more than a small amusement to her.

Just when you give up and no longer seek her, just when you turn your back on her, she flies to you and embraces you with all her being.  Her embrace melts itself straight through you and you ask yourself where she has been hiding all your life, why she is only just now coming to you.  But before you can get attached, before you can even adjust to her presence: she leaves as swiftly as she came.  You are left almost in a fright with that enchanting mistress’ soul stained into yours.

But when reality returns and you are left desiring her more than ever.  You run after her and she shows only her back.  You still remember her scent and soft skin, but for now she doesn't dare allow you anything more than her back.  You begin to doubt that you ever had her to begin with.  You doubt that she ever embraced you, that she was ever near you.  You doubt that she even exists!  You give up the thought of her.  But she senses your indifference and shortly after, 

She's back!

Thus, depth is a woman, who never ever allows herself to be had.”

But by the time Cliff finished speaking, the young man had gone and was chasing after another pretty young girl.