Some Lessons

Giovanni arrives at Pegusus. Here, he explores caves containing ancient artifacts to find what he is missing.

Some Lessons

            

(“Country Livin” -Esthero) Giovanni walks over the bridge to see much of the ground on the other side displaced with deep holes and dirt piles littering the scenery. In these pits, Giovanni could see differing layers of rock beds with items sticking out of each one; some were natural rocks, some were rocks transformed into tool and weapons, shards of pottery and jewelry, and tablets with symbols on them. Giovanni takes note of his surroundings, noticing the different stones found in each layer, the designs of the tools, weapons and pottery, and the spatial associations of each object he sees.

            Eventually, he makes it to the gate where a person waits for him- an actual person. The man wears a hat with a full brim, thick round glasses, a tan buttoned-down shirt, brown hiking shorts and boots to match; around his neck is a magnifying glass attached to a string and in his hands he holds a small shovel and brush.

“You must be Giovanni. Welcome to the ‘Pits of Pegasus’ where wealth is just a short dig away. Tell me, what do you hope to find?”

“I do not know; what should I be looking for?”

“That’s for you to decide. Start here young one. These caves tell many stories.”

            Giovanni takes the shovel and lantern from the man and descends into the dark caves. Only a little light shines from the lantern- it gives off a sunset glow. Giovanni holds it up to walls to see simplistic drawing of ancient animals and humans, depictions of hunting ‘Big Game’. Some drawings are snapshots of the animals’ lives; they resemble horses, ox, bulls, deer and wild-cats. In every cave painting they are drawn from a stagnant side-view, yet emotion and motion are two things they do not lack. Their faces show different expressions, the direction they face show intent, and the herds they move in show unity.

“I wonder if the people who drew these were fascinated by animals- I wonder if they worshipped them or maybe saw themselves in them.” Giovanni places his hand on the painting of an ox on the ground while another one is touching it with its nose as if it was asking the fallen ox, “Are you okay?”

“Now you’re thinking, Giovanni.” The man appears from the darkness. “What alignment do you think the Ox has?”

“Well, I don’t see any wounds or arrows coming from him; he’s probably sick or dying of old age…or dead already.”

“What if told you that He is a She and she is pregnant? The ox does look pretty big in the mid-section- really stubby legs and the eyes look open.”

“I can see that. Although, the short legs may be a disability; they’re too small to hold up its heavy body. And the eyes can be open upon death; the other ox may be trying to close them? But then again, the oxen are the ones who know the truth.”

“Intriguing, shall we continue?” Giovanni nods and continues to walk through the caves.

            The deeper he goes into the caves, they more exposure he gets to the foundation of civilization. One cave contains depictions of hunter-gather groups. On the ground are weapons and tools made from stone, wood and weeds. Giovanni runs his hand through a dark patch of dirt to realize a fire pit was once there. The next cave has piles of seeds, ruins of canoes, and broken pottery. Giovanni is fascinated by the remnants of artistic expression on the pottery- each had distinct designs and color patterns to them- red, brown, black, white clay patterned with geometric and abstract shapes. Holes in the ground indicate that dwellings were here. Tablets with symbols and letter, mirrors, shaman masks, jewelry, paper, glassware, pan flutes, swords, currency, guns, art easels, make-up, tires, books, phones, violins, telescopes, test tubes, monitors; the more caves he progresses through, the more artifacts he finds in each one. Like walking up and up-side down pyramid, with each level ascended- the more technology occupies the layer above it. However, the caves don’t get any bigger.

“I can’t even get in.” Giovanni pushes a pile of tablets that block the entrance. “There has to be another way in. This can’t be the end.” Giovanni walks around the level until he comes back to where he started. He sits on the ground and thinks to himself out loud,

“Hmmm, well I can’t go any further, might as well go back the way I came.”

“But Giovanni, you haven’t made it to the top. The hourglass is still running. The train will leave soon.”

“This is present time, right?”

“Where though? Here, there, everywhere, nowhere…you decide.”

“Where? Here.”

“Yes here is one present, but this present is not everywhere.”

“Not everywhere…” Giovanni thinks of two of his classmates that have a background much different than his. (End)

            (“Some Lessons” Melody Gardot) The African girl is from a small tribe. She is very shy and not used to modern technology and town-life. Giovanni remembers hearing her talk about her family to the Native American girl; she has ancestors that escaped the Rwanda Genocide and is a devote Protestant. The Native American girl connected with the African girl because she too was originally from a small tribe. Her family moved to Ponta de Areia to build a casino. She is very curious about Brazil and South America since North America has always been her ancestor’s home-even with their displacement from their original homeland by the Trail of Tears.

“Not everywhere. Not everyone chose this path. Not everyone chose to ‘progress’ this far at this point in time. Ponta de Areia is pretty advanced but not this much. Life there is laid-back- not too different from Italy, but nothing like this.” The archeologist smiles and reveals another cave entrance behind him.

“It has always been here. This cave has much less things, but it is still the present for you. One day it will fill up with stuff, but what that “stuff” it is up to you.”

“What do you hope to find?”  A voice from within asks. Giovanni walks into the cave that’s pitch black.

“I hope to find my artifacts- my past that influences my present- my future.” From the shadows a winged-horse arises. With it, the cave brightens with a light at the other side of the room. Giovanni sees his childhood possessions and even artifacts from ancient times of the Romans.

“Pegasus! Um, I have some sand from your front yard. Is it okay if I…leave it here with you? I want to start filling my cave…filling it with things that bring happiness. I want to find what will make people happy if happiness can’t be found in man-made objects.” The winged-horse nods and Giovanni removes the sand from his pocket and sprinkles it around the cave.

 “What you’re missing, Giovanni?” Pegasus asks. “You won’t find it here- it has been forgotten and buried.”

            Water rushes through the opening as Giovanni runs to the train. The grounds shakes and rocks begin to fall from the ceiling. Air rushes in the cracks causing the wave to intensify. The fire from the lantern is slowly fading. When it runs out the cave brightens with the spirits of Pegasus Pits. He sees the diverse expressions on their faces, their motions of intent and their unity- but their expression of their intent for unity is limited. Instead of them all facing the same direction, they face each other- divided into the ‘lefts and rights’. Giovanni runs down the middle path between them as the water adheres to the side walls and washes away the artifacts, the paintings and the people. He makes his way out of PegasusPits to find the sand in the hourglass reset itself.

“All aboard! Next stop: Lepus.” The conductor announces. Giovani hands the conductor the hourglass and his ticket to be stamped. He then takes his seat next to his shadow friends.

“What will happen to the people in the cave, Giovanni.” A shadow girl asks.

“They will be alright. Although some were swept away by the wave with their possessions- they will continue to live and rebuild…that’s just how we are. Actions speak louder than words because unspoken words-thoughts- are what we abandon and bury within us. Unless we chose to speak our minds and leave a record they will remain ‘missing’.”

            The Bahia-Minas makes its way through the Milky Way at a faster speed than before to the next stop, Lepus; Lepus is quite a distance away from Pegasus being on the other side of the galaxy. Giovanni rests in his seat while fiddling with his green ticket and map. The two shadow girls look at their red tickets trying to find out why theirs are different. Giovanni looks at the two, noticing their figures more; one shadow girl has her hair in two long braids with a feather sticking out while the other one’s hair is puffed out, but kept slightly back by a flower headband. Seeing Giovanni staring at them, Safari girl asks,

“Hey Giovanni, where is your final stop? Does your ticket say?”

“No, it’s blank and my map just tells me is where I will get off next.”

“Our final destination is Lepus, so I guess we get off with you at the next stop!” The Prairie girl informs.

“That’s good; maybe I’ll have some companions this time on my mission.”

“Yeah, we would like to help!” Prairie girl’s enthusiasm grows.

“Sounds like fun to me!” Safari girl shares the same excitement.

            Giovanni puts his ticket in his right front pocket as he drifts off to sleep for a quick nap. The train does make a couple stops before stopping at Lepus. At Scorpius, a handful of shadows board the train and only one receives the golden apple from Draco. The shadow of a boy takes the seat across the aisle from Giovanni and the girls. At Orion, a larger hoard of shadows board the train and yet again only one receives a golden apple. This shadow of a boy sits a couple rows behind Giovanni and the rest of the golden apple holders; a mixture of girl and boy shadows. Giovanni decides to approach some of the other apple holders- the boy from Scorpius and a boy who looks to be dressed in farmer clothes. 

“Where are you two headed?” Giovanni asks.

“I don’t know. I want to find a place where I can release my dove and know she will be safe.” The shadow boy’s hands are cuffed around the fully realized baby dove.

“I want to find my mom; she’s been here for some time now. I wonder where she decided to go.” The other shadow boy informs.

“I’m sure we can find a place to release your dove and find your mother. I’m looking for my parent too, but they are not supposed to be here. I have to find them and bring them back to Earth- I have to help them anyway I can.”

“Sounds like you may need some help! I can join you if you don’t mind; my mother isn’t going anywhere and who knows you may lead me to her.”

“Sure! I could use some help. I’m sure the conductor won’t mind.” Giovanni smiles at the shadow boy who smiles back.

            Arriving at Lepus, the conductor allows the shadow boys to exit the train with Giovanni and the shadow girls.

“You know the drill; complete your task before your time runs out.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“And?”

“Don’t lose my ticket.”

“Right! Enjoy your adventure at Lepus.” (End)