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Merry, what exactly are you doing?

Why exactly do you want to know?

It’s just – it looks like you’re exercising.

And?

But at the same time it looks like you’re lying on the settee watching TV.

And?

Well, it’s a little confusing trying to make out what exactly you’re doing.

Isn’t it just.

So…

Uh huh?

I thought you might care to explain.

Really? What’s the point – you seem to have explained everything beautifully.

Well not really – I only explained my confusion as there seems to be some kind of glitch in the matrix, or something…

Or something

Distorting the field of reality you’re occupying.

“Distorting the field of reality I’m…” Since when did I ever occupy a field of reality.

Since… doesn’t everyone? I assumed…

You assumed that everyone occupies a field of reality – what I’d usually refer to as  a frame – though you’re welcome to call it a field if you prefer – did you? I wonder why?

Well, everyone seems to follow the Greek unities of drama, more or less, don’t they?

I don’t know Zie – do they?

Well think about it…

Must I?

Unity of place – we’re only ever in one place at a certain time. Unity of action – we’re only really doing one thing at a time – unless you’re one of those fearsome multi-tasking mothers on the phone, cooking dinner, feeding the baby and writing the complete works of…

Shakespeare?

Yep, that’ll do, all at the same time. And the other one – unity of time – no flashbacks – one day is the time when it all happens – no matter how much you like to plan ahead or live in the past.

Congratulations Zie.

[feeling pleased with himself] You think so?

Yes, you’ve managed to demonstrate to the world that you’re an even bigger idiot than we already imagined you to be.

[crestfallen] Oh.

Only kidding. Could you scratch me back please.

Sure.

[Zie scratches a third Merry’s back – this one is walking in a jungle and appears to have been just bitten by some insect – mosquito I guess]

Hey, wait a minute – there’s another one.

Oops. I seem to have problems keeping my reality field under control today. This is evidently a new kind of schizophrenia.

But –

Yes?

Who’s talking to me if there are three of you – which one is it?

Does it matter?

Well yes – I think it does.

Are you absolutely sure there are three of us, Zie?

My eyes cannot deceive me, can they – one exercising, one chilling, one sweating profusely in a jungle somewhere.

Ecuador.

In an Ecuadorian jungle. And…

What, what, an extasy of fumbling as he fits the clumsy helmet just in time.

There’s another.

Honestly Zie, me thinks she doth protest too much.

I just can’t make it out.

Make what out?

Which one is you? What am I supposed to focus on?

Ever had a close-up chat with someone and tried switching eyes?

Huh?

Ever had a close-up chat with someone and tried switching eyes?

I heard you – what do you mean? 

[In another version of reality Zie appears to hearing Merry differently – knows exactly what he means]

That one Zie.

That what?

That version of you – over there – he’s got it – see? He knows exactly what I mean.

What? Where?

[sudden sideways lurch – Zie tumbles into that version – ah ha moment!]

Oh yes – like you’re looking at the person and suddenly you realise you’ve actually been looking into one of their eyes – and you switch to the other – and it’s different – it’s like a different person – and we do this all the time – don’t we – automatically favouring one side of the person.

Yep.

Come to think of it – we do it to ourselves too – don’t we? I just switched sides, didn’t I?

Yep.

With a little help from you. Can we replay that?

I don’t know – can we?

Er…

Or would that upset your Greek unities?

Oh screw the unities – they’re only useful up to a point, as long as reality is monolithic and certifiable.

Precisely.

If and when we stop beating the 3D reality or bust drum – we’re in a greater state of…

Zilch

Huh?

Doesn’t really have a name – does it?

Oh, I see.

It’s more like competing claims, competing versions – amounting to nought until…

One comes and stamps its foot on everything – selecting a single version as the new base unity.

More or less, caveats notwithstanding.

Caveats?

Well, it’s never quite that simple, is it…

Uh?

The boot of God is almighty – that I cannot deny – nor would I wish to – your honour – but…

I’d like to see how you’re going to wheedle your way out of this moment of certainty Merry. You seem to have dedicated your whole life to demonstrating that things are not what they seem – and now, even you, are finally forced to admit that there is a moment when it all comes together – when we see that you’re neither strolling in the jungle, nor watching TV on the settee, nor…

Ok, Ok – you’ve made your point.

Have i? Because something tells me that you’re still concealing something.

Oh shucks – you’ve seen through my final subterfuge.

The devil’s in the details, as they say.

I wish you wouldn’t bring the devil into it – you know how sensitive I am to being typecast.

Well, at the very least, you’re a seemingly innocuous, inoffensive sort of devil, Merry.

It’s like déjà vu all over again. Why are humans in such a confounded hurry to either zero or one me? Are there no shades of grey?

Words – these are just words Merry – as you yourself say.

True.

So, we can hardly call you God, can we – you’re not the boot stamper, are you?

Not really.

You’re more into alternatives – resisting the tyranny of one – the “my way or highway” approach that God appears to favour.

I never said it like that.

Words, words – they’re never quite right, are they – so bear with me Merry.

Ok, Ok, if you must.

So you’re the doctor Dee, the devil, the demon, the dot dot dot – I know not what – who adds a little twist to things – who reveals the fact that no matter how much things appear to be settled, in fact, they’re only settled as long as we have three dimensions in place, three unities, our holy trinity of time, place and action – which is fine, isn’t it – mostly.

Mostly, yes.

Mostly, people are happy enough messing around in 3D, but sooner or later – you pop up again, don’t you – the unboot.

Please – can you not think of a more fitting title?

than “unboot”? I could, I suppose, but I rather like the modesty and simplicity of unboot.

You’re just rubbing salt in the wound of my wounded pride.

Ah… you see, Merry, you love twisting things around, don’t you – nothing you say is ever quite what it seems – if you had any real pride you wouldn’t mention it.

Ah – so you’re saying I have no pride.

Can’t trick me Merry – I’ve been there, done it a hundred times.

What?

You’re using quantum legalese again.

I am:?

Even that “accidental” colon you slipped in between the “am” and the question mark had a special purpose, did it not?

I cannot lie.

True – but you can deceive. So, yes, regarding “pride”.

Oh forget about it – water under the bridge.

No, no, let’s rewind.

You’re destroying our unity of time – the readers won’t tolerate it.

The readers be damned, Merry – this is Armageddon – the final battle.

Gulp. I think you’re over-exaggerating Zie.

You see – realese – again.

What the…?

You know perfectly well – realese – like legalese – your cunning use of words. “I think you’re over-exaggerating Zie.”

What of it:? Perfectly innocent.

Absolutely – except "thinking" is not the same as knowing or speaking plain truth, is it? You cannot lie, can you?

No, and no. Are you happy now.

So, you see, Merry silver tongue – this is no over-exaggeration – Armageddon is precisely where any one of us takes our final stand, and faces the devil – in this case you.

Please Zie – you’re embarrassing me. What will our readers think?

It matters not – why did you slip in another colon: thought I wouldn’t notice the subtle coding?

I…

Cannot lie?

…

So, while you’re getting ready to answer the question, let me rewind a third time to our point in hand.

For God’s sake Zie, let bygones be bygones.

Why, look over there – what do you see:?

Hey – that’s not fair. You slipped in a colon by mistake.

Mistake was it?

What do you see:?

[Merry forced to look outside the existing frame of reality where they are now – much against his will] I see you talking to me.

/And, what am I saying:?

Oh for Pete’s sake – quit coding would you – it’s unnecessary. No one’s telling lies.

//What am I saying in yonder frame:?

[Merry brings up frame with timestamp 2:22]

     if you had any real pride you wouldn’t mention it.

     Ah – so you’re saying I have no pride.

And what Zie – you’ve just driven an ox cart through the Greek unities for what purpose?

Can you bring up the other two frames which are running in hidden mode?

What?!

If you don’t mind:?

Ok, Ok…

[Merry is delivering a lecture to people who are about to enter 3D reality – explaining the nature of reality to them and how it works. Sitting in the auditorium is a younger – no – not exactly a younger version of Zie – let’s say a starrier eyed version of Zie, along with a bunch of other Earth-human-wannabes preparing for the great immersion.]

Everything you’ll experience in Earth will always strictly adhere to the law of Is: 0=1 [evidently they are all already familiar with these terms] There will be no deception as such – the devil – as they say – is always in the details – such as the use of terms which will very often differ from what you think those terms actually mean.

[Zie shoots up a hand – asking for clarification]

If, for example, in 3D I tell you I have no “real” pride – you will naturally assume I’m saying I have no pride, period, won’t you, because in 3D you’ll be only dimly aware of the fact that your reality operates as a computer programme, and that every word, every punctuation mark matters. Your rational mind will do everything it can to get you to gloss over or skip past those little bumps of conscience or awareness which are telling you otherwise.

So, what are you really saying then – Zie asks again?

Real – refers to reality – the question is what is real? Here you know full well that reality is not limited to one particularisation – that you can hold several fields or more, concurrently – and very often do so in order to achieve certain esoteric goals.

But in 3D we’ll be limited to one field?

Correct – until, that is, until you figure out that reality is only half the story, half the picture – that there’s more going on behind the scenes.

But how?

How Zie? Marinda? Telora?... [Merry names everyone in the group – before pausing dramatically – with everyone on tenterhooks] That is precisely what you’re going in to discover.

And we’ll be on our own?

How is that possible? You’ll have all the help you need.

Really?

Really… [the tension is broken – the reality field they’re watching in real time on screen, so to speak – starts shimmering, shaking when it hears them saying “really” – like it’s laughing at the joke – like it can’t help itself – though it’s supposed to be “it” – evidently it’s as much alive, as much a part of the equation as everyone else, and the whole class is laughing with abandon]

…

Thanks Merry – now the other one.

if you had any real pride you wouldn’t mention it.

Ah – so you’re saying I have no pride.

We see Merry connected to “it” – the field – using his words carefully, cunningly, to keep Zie focussed on the matter in hand – to prevent Zie from noticing the gaps which constantly open up in the field behind him, or just over his head, or in the moment just past, as well as the huge gap that is closing just as the next moment, the next frame is about to replace the current one – as each frame has a limited shelf-life – like a bubble – they cannot last more than T1 – the duration of that bubble’s interruption field [if] strength.

So, any moment in time has a tiny duration – T1 – and there’s nothing really stopping me from…

Don’t be in such a confounded hurry Zie to burst the bubble.

But I thought we’re supposed to solve the equation.

Constructively, yes.

And you mean to say that reality is very fragile?

Of course it is. It requires great energy and effort on your part and ours to sustain it.

But why? Why all the trouble?

Why do you think?

Seeing how it’s so beautifully orchestrated – how everything in the bubble is minutely integrated into my perception, awareness, consciousness circuitry – so to speak – I can only assume that there’s higher purposes at stake.

[Merry doesn’t know whether to cry or laugh] Well, Zie, you seemed to be flying so high, but then you reveal the star-spangled depths of either your ignorance or stupidity – so all I can say is God help us – if you’re the future, the hope of this world, this reality!

Me?! I’m just one in seven billion Merry. No need to make a big thing of me.

Oh, and you think that numbers add up? Really?

Really – yes, but colon double forward slash, we both know that in truth – no, you have no pride, the numbers don’t add up – zero equals one and the devil’s a b-movie film director gunning for the big-time.

Ha, bloody ha.

So, if I’m not supposed to simply break out of the Truman show – what then?

What do you think?

Side nudge please.

Left or right?

You decide.

[Whaackk! Zie skidaddles into a parallel frame – drinking tea with Merry – surrounded by an epic performance – literally – millions of different scenes being played out in real time]

What do we call this Merry?

Café humaine.

I’m impressed.

Yes, it’s turned out pretty well, I think you’ll agree.

[They spend a minute or two simply observing, sipping their tea and nibbling cucumber sandwiches – brought in by a footman on a silver platter]

Some of these – quite frankly – I find upsetting.

Dark shit – isn’t it.

Do you have to use such reprehensible language Merry?

Shit? You’re worried about a word – which is technically accurate.

Well, it’s hardly polite.

Do you realise Zie, that in your desire to be polite and create a polite society – you, and your other versions have killed more people, destroyed more lives and beauty, than all the bad worders combined.

?

The words weren’t bad till you made em bad. Like nigger – for instance – or woman – or cripple – or spastic – they were merely words that technically described what is – not what is good or bad – but somewhere along the line – you allowed value judgements to creep in, and prejudice – because you were all hell-bent on avoiding certain undesirable aspects of yourself – and thus stigmatised certain words, certain people, certain things.

But look there – I can see you were there too – encouraging us to do so. You were the one – whispering in our ears – telling us to doubt, to distrust those people.

Absolutely.

You put us up to it. You helped create hell here on Earth.

Absolutely.

And you have no shame, whatsoever.

Nor pride.

Oh, pride you have in abundance.

Do you see the circuit – or do you choose only to see the 3D image?

What circuit?

Look more closely.

Oh no…  [Now Zie sees the scenes where Merry, or another version of Merry was teaching the people how to blame, how to stigmatise, how to hate – a lesson that required infinite patience and cunning in being taught]

You see – I’m right.

Yes. You’re right. Look left.

[On the left Zie sees a shadow of unrealised potential, thwarted ambitions, disappointment, fears, denial and other darkened energies – which had to be integrated, had to be brought into play if the human drama was to continue for another T1 – if the experiment wasn’t to be shut down. Off stage Zie’s agent is seen shaking his head and signing waiver papers agreeing to allow these dark energies to be incorporated no matter what. Merry doesn’t seem to mind – holds his nose and goes into the foul smelling swamp of toxic emotions and helps Zie and other players to bring them into play – onto stage – into the drama – the human comedy.]

Oh my God.

Incredible, isn’t it.

But how could God…

I expect you’re going to blame God now, aren’t you?

No, I…

And where, do you think, God is hiding in all this?

I…

Behind the stage? In the field itself? Or perhaps God is T1

Or Tzero?

You’ll never know, will you – as long as your mind is busy weaving circles around the simple truth, the absolute, the all that is…

Why me? Of all the people in the world – why do I have to see all this?

Would you change places with anyone else? Really? You only have to say – I’ll see what I can do…

Merry, quit messing with me. You know perfectly well…

So what’s it going to be?

I want it all.

You do?

I want it now.

Really?

I want, therefore I am not.

Now you’re talking.

Zero equals one

Yes?

It is: I am

Incredible. Good luck.

Forward slash.

Oh my God.

Forward slash.

AAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhhh.

And the rest, as they say

is

his story…

T1+0=**../