When I was old, I thought that it was all very hard, so I tried to unravel it, but the knots were too tight, and my fingers proved unruly and inadequate. When I was young, I had learnt to tie a bow, something to do with round the tree and down the rabbit hole.
When I was old, I thought that it was all so easy, the sand slipped through my fingers nicely, satisfying my instincts. When I was young, I couldn’t get the sand into the box at all, it just went everywhere.
I asked the Sphinx, when I saw her, if it was easier being young or old and she asked me to brush out her tail which had got in a tangle.
If you sort out my tail, she said thoughtful, I will tell you the tale of Gordon’s Rope which may prove instructive.
I settled down with a mighty brush and a voice recorder.
Once there was a mighty King the name of Olex, she began, He, who was not really a king of anything but power in might in arms, was young and therefore had no qualms.
A mighty storm or fair wind had blown his ships, in which he traversed the wine dark seas, to shore, in a mysterious kingdom. This place was unknown to his wise men and woman and so he decided that he must conquer it, because he had no qualms. Marshalling his forces upon the sands, he marched up to the top of the hill and then marched them down again for practice. Taking only a several, he wandered into the nearest city, which we would now be called a small town.
In the central zone, where the air was cleaned by insistent taxes, rested a mighty air balloon strapped down by ropes. Ropes all knotted and crossed this and that in some confusion. Olex asked if he might ride the air ballon and the people at large said that whomsoever might unravel the great knotty spaghetti thing which had been fashioned the week before by Gordon, a legendary knot knotter, would probably rule the world or at least be elevated to heroic status and ride the great balloon chariot to ultimate victory. The rope itself, all gnarled and lumpy with rope going every which, was tied tight and twisted.
Upon examination Olex could not discover the ends of the rope which made up the knot. He was desperate to become ruler of the world by force or whatever, so this knot conundrum seemed like a handy short circuit. He went to ask Gordon, but Gordon had run away on an errand.
She Sphinx made a twitch and the sand dunes shifted.
Be careful how you brush, she said, My tail is sensitive. Where was I?
Ah yes, Olex became impatient and decided to resort to his favourite solution, namely force and violence. So, he ordered his soldiers, in their shiny skirts, to have at the ropes with their sharp machineries. But their swords, spears, daggers etc just got stuck in the great tangle until they couldn’t.
Go back to the beach and practise marching, he said, sending away his mighty army in a fit, I shall have to think for once.
Perhaps, he thought to everyone, If I had some qualms, I could use them to unrivet this Knotty Knot and fly away toward my destination of destiny.
Parking his electric bike near the entrance, he entered the DIY palace and asked a passing insouciant where he might find the qualms in a handy pack size.
Is that the powdered or ready mixed qualms you’re after? Asked the youth.
Good question, I have not had the circumstance to be in need before now. Consider me a novice in this and guide me with tenderness, said Olex, his finger itching on the trigger.
The shop assistant took Olex in her arms and cradled him to the relevant shelves. Here, amidst the tubes of silicon, universal grey tape and the wrong size screws there nestled the delightful plastic pots of ready mixed qualms.
Thanking the assist for her emotional support, Olex made the mighty journey to the checkouts pausing momentarily at the in-store vending section for coffee and sweet’n sticky.
Upon returnment to the rope puzzle in the central zone he went about spreading the qualms upon the rope using the handy disposable yellow plastic spatula. It said in the small print on the container that the spatula was disposable, but Olex now considered cleaning it and saving it in case it came in useful. It seemed a bit profligate to go throwing useful things, like that, away.
When the ropes were suitably qualmed, the swords and such all fell out and the knottiness reduced just enough to reveal the end and beginning where it all began. Using his fingertips carefully, Olex followed the strings until they all pulled through and released the great ballon.
Olex hopped aboard and waved to his as he flew away.
I know now that I have been young and without qualms. I think that, now that I am older, and I have my ready mixed preparation, life will be easier, he thought to everyone.
Does that answer your enquiries, asked she Sphinx, looking over the quality of my brush work and using her tail to sweep the sand dunes into a new and unexpected configuration.
Not really, I said, But it was educational, I understand that the import and take away from this tale is that one accrues qualms as one ages and is therefore better able to cope with the spears and potholes of outrageous fortune. But perhaps that sans qualms in youth, one might get things done without sparing the consequences?
It’s just a thought experiment really, said she Sphinx, Thanks for the tail care.
The Guardians of the Cave 