Older, but no wiser

You again? Can’t you see I’m busy?

I never said a word.

You didn’t have to. I can feel your reproach from here.

[silence]

Look, I’ve got too much to do today. I’d like to stop and chat but…

But what?

How can you expect me to think deep thoughts when I’m up to my arse in the proverbial alligators? I’ve got a shower to fix, a computer to finish checking out, groceries to get, a thousand and one bits of necessary trivia to deal with before I take L. to college on Monday and enough other “issues” to keep me going for the next decade at least.

So living and deep thoughts are mutually exclusive?

Yes. No. Look, I know your game. You’re going to tell me that life is the stuff of art; there’s not a word written, note sounded, brush stroke made or flake of marble chipped that doesn’t derive from what we meaninglessly call “the human condition”. Well, I’ve said it for you, so you can shut up and go away now. I know.

You know what?

Sheesh! You don’t give up, do you? How’s a guy supposed to get on and do stuff?
Alright, if you’re so smart, you tell me this: I go through this life thing same as everyone else, but most of the time it just washes over me. It takes enough effort just to survive to the end of each day without taking time out to try and figure it out as well. Life may be the raw material which creativity takes and shapes into some kind of meaningful representation, but you can’t do that from inside; you need to take a step back and…

Whoa! Hold it there a minute. What do you mean, you can’t do that from inside? Where else are you going to be? Are you saying you need to float away in some sort of out-of-body experience in order to reflect life though any kind of creative expression?

I…

No, don’t answer that; we’ll only waste time throwing abstract notions back and forth at each other, none of which take the dialogue any further forward.
Rewind the conversation a couple of minutes. See if you can spot the assumption that’s fooling you.

Oh, guessing games now, is it? You don’t get the message do you? I’m busy.

Would you rather I made an appointment for the next time you’re not?

Hmmfff… Maybe next year then. Okay, I take your point; go on, tell me now.

Who said you have to think deep thoughts?

?????

Maybe you’re trying too hard.