25 Hour Watch

Jim peered up at the neon sign in puzzlement.

‘Janet honey, are you sure this is the right place?’

Janet looked at him askance. ‘Of course I’m sure. I entered ‘Breeding ground for the world’s most creative minds’ on the web, and this was top of the list. “A 24/7 symposium for all topics, genres, perspectives, persuasions, opinions, questions and answers relating to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, as interpreted by any patrons past, present, and future.’”

‘Past, present, and future?  How can they possibly-’

‘If we’re going to try this, Jim, we have to take it on their terms.’

‘They?  Who’s ‘they?’’

‘The creators of this place. They refer to themselves as The Perpetuators. Not the most engaging title, I admit.’

‘Sounds a bit sophomoric to me.’

‘Like I said, we have to take it on their terms.’

‘Rather broad terms, I should think,’ Jim shrugged. ‘Ah well.  Let’s go for it.’

The door swung smoothly in at Jim’s push.

‘Good evening, sir.  Good evening, madam.  My name is Rudy.  Welcome to The Word Club, where every creative intelligence is welcome. While you are here, it will be necessary for you to abide by our rulebook.’

That’s very-

‘Blunt, sir. I realize it is, but it is imperative for your personal well-being that you do not cross the invisible threshold that runs throughout this establishment.  I will now impart the rulebook to you.’

Did he just read my mind?

‘Section One, Subsection One, Regulations, Chapter One, Paragraph One, Rule One. “No patron or patrons will do anything, say anything, or create anything that has the potential to limit the creative juices in themselves and/ or other patrons with whom they may interact while within the perimeter of this, The Word Club.”  That is the short version, sir, madam.  The remainder of the Rulebook merely expounds upon the particulars which stem from the first rule. Should you be concerned that you will have surrendered your rights by agreeing to this rule, you are welcome to read over the entire rulebook when it is not in use.’ Rudy gestured to a dimly-lit table, set in an alcove to the couple’s right.  A well dressed, balding man sat there, peering intently at the left page of what seemed to be an immense volume; so immense, that neither Janet nor Jim could see the end of it.

‘Is that a state senator? Our state senator?’ Jim asked, bewildered.

‘He doesn’t look very happy, does he? Why would the freedom to be creative make him unhappy?’

‘If I were to guess, madam, I would say that he is trying to find a loophole, by which he hopes to find plausible cause to shut down our little club here.’

‘Shut it down? But why?’

Rudy smiled amiably. ‘Doubtless that will become clear to you the more you visit and the longer you stay. If the first rule is sufficient for you, then, I direct your attention to the little white door at the end of the hall directly behind me. Once you find a way through that door, you are considered in complete harmony with the energies which fuel the creative spirit, which in turn fuels our entire operation.’

Operation?

‘Operation, process, endeavor, journey, and economy are some of the interchangeable terms. Each was, is, and will always be true.’

‘How are you reading my mind?’

‘Again, sir, that will become clear to you the more you visit and the longer you stay.’

Janet tugged gently on Jim’s arm. Jim gave a resigned sigh, and allowed himself to be steered down the hall to the little white door.

‘There’s no doorknob, Jim.’

Jim pushed. The little white door would not budge. He turned to look back toward the entrance. It was gone. The hall was gone.  Rudy was gone. The senator was gone. The floor, ceiling, and walls had all vanished.  There was nothing but the door with no handle, and Jim, and Janet.

‘I think you were right, Janet. We’ll have to take it on their terms.’

They retreated a few steps on the nonexistent floor.

‘What do we do, Jim?’

‘Rudy said ‘in complete harmony with the energies that fuel the creative spirit.’  I suppose the more creative we allow ourselves to be, the closer we come to complete harmony.’

Janet’s eyes seemed to lose their focus as she looked at him.

Jim was still musing on what it would take to be completely creative.

‘All creative geniuses, the ones whose creativity changes the world, believe that anything is possible, that our only limits are those we give ourselves, and that the way to succeed is thus to remove all our limitations.’

‘Jim! That’s it!’

‘We can do anything.’

‘So there are no real barriers!’

‘Which means that there is no door!’

An intense wave of euphoria swept over them. Hand in hand, they walked quickly to the door, kept walking, and passed through it as though it wasn’t there.

‘Because it isn’t,’ Janet smiled.

‘You’re reading my mind,’ Jim smiled back.

‘I like this place already.’

They both turned to look.

‘Whoa…’ Jim breathed.

Janet was momentarily speechless.

Before them lay an expanding panorama. Grass, flowers, and trees of all kinds grew rapidly before their eyes.  Plains and mountains, plateaus and canyons, mighty rivers and beautiful streams as far as they could see.

And we can see as far as we want to, Jim.

Yes, and in as much detail as we want to!

Jim paused, struck by a thought. This is The Word Club?

Yes, sir. This is a club where words come alive.

Rudy? Is that you?

Yes, sir. I am part of the Word Club, after all.