I wonder if I should be anxious about the passage of time? I suppose every second that passes carries me closer to death, and I should try to fill every second with as much life as possible. But you can only fill what was empty to begin with, so first, I should try to make every second as empty as possible.
What are you looking at? said Harlan. There’s a crack in one of the window panes, said Blurtso. Is there? said Harlan. Yes, said Blurtso, a hairline crack in the bottom-right corner of the left door. So there is, said Harlan. It makes you think about the rest of the glass, said Blurtso, and the other panes that are still intact. Yes it does, said Harlan. Glass is an amazing thing, said Blurtso. It’s made of sand, said Harlan. Is it? said Blurtso. Yes, said Harlan, quartz sand that has been heated to over 4,000 degrees fahrenheit. I didn’t know that, said Blurtso. Glass is often overlooked, said Harlan. Yes it is, said Blurtso, until it has a crack. Do you think it should be replaced? said Harlan. I don’t know, said Blurtso, the windows are laminated so it probably won’t spread. Oh yes, said Harlan, I forgot. And we might miss the crack, said Blurtso, when it’s gone. Yes, said Harlan, and lose our appreciation for the panes that are not cracked.
I wonder if I’m a hermit? I’ve never met another donkey who spends as much time alone as I do. But I rarely feel alone. There’s always something outside the window, or inside the barn, that captures my attention and spends the day with me.