One day Mr.Wise barged into our unit, on Perception Hall, and barked us all to attention.
” Everybody front and center, now!”
One of the prisoners was a young man, with alot to learn, and it was him who Mr.Wise approached first.
” Tell me,” Mr.Wise said. ” What do see when you look out that window?”
The young man peered past Mr.Wise and took in what he saw. ” Uh…trees and cars.” he said.
The young man spoke his answer as if the rhetorical question was a waste of his time; but it wasnt, and Mr. Wise expressed that the way we all knew him how- with an explosion of disbelief.
” Trees and cars!?” Mr.Wise motioned down. ” Quick, Hurry up and beat your face!”
The young man began to bang out pushups, and as Mr.Wise marched over to the next man, he couldnt help but ponder…what was so wrong with his answer.
The next person, was a slouch, so Mr.Wise had to shout him straight, before confronting him with what seemed like the question of the day.
” Tell me…” Mr. Wise said again. ” What is it you see out that window?”
The man’s eyes slide past Mr.Wise’s wide frame, out at something hed seen everyday, yet, never in this way.
The man looked up at Mr.Wise, and with confidence he said what he thought Mr.Wise wanted to hear.
” Life.” he told him, certain that he was correct. But he wasnt. And as he too hit the deck, joining his convicted comrade, he also pushed and wondered…what was so wrong with his answer.
Mr.Wise stopped at the last man. And like the previous two, Mr.Wise poked his brain about the window we all saw and shared.
” Tell me, what is it that YOU see out that window?”
The last prisoner looked behind Mr.Wise, out at what he thought was actually there, and as he took in all hed seen before, it was as if he was viewing everything with a new set of eyes.
When the man finally spoke, he did so with moist eyes and a truth that was drenched with regret.
” What I see out that window, sir..” said the man. ” Is everything and all I took for granted.”
The End
This story was written by
Tony T Lewis
DOC #98308
