An Announcement chapter6

Story about Jack's pilgrim

"Hey, you are so sentimental, aren't you?"
Abruptly talked to, I was so astonished.
"Take it easy. You remember me, don't you?"
Actually, I couldn't recollect his face. No, we've never met before. But, he seemed not to care about it absolutely. I hesitated to tell him I couldn't remember him, and finally decided to refrain from telling him. This was such an eccentric place that it was no wonder eccentrics things happened. Even if someone who I thought I'd never met talked to me, it's not so odd. Rather, it often happens in our everyday life, doesn't it? Also, the man who talked to me was not so singular, at least in looks. He was just an elderly man. I didn't want to betray his expectance.
"Of course, I remember." Of course, I didn't.
"Good. You are a good boy."
"Boy is that me?"
"Yes, who else would I be mentioning?"
"But I'm not the age to be called 'boy'."
"That doesn't matter. I want to call you 'boy'. That is enough."
The elderly man sat down beside me, and kept on speaking. Some of his speaking I couldn't understand. Why is water transparent? Why does water freeze into ice at 0℃? I didn't have an idea about these questions. But he never cared about my replies. It was as if he talked to a rock. In the first place he didn't expect to hear replies, just to keep on talking had a meaning to him.
"I'm sorry to interrupt you, but I want to ask you a question."
"Sure. Go ahead."
"Where are we? I don't think I'm dead."
"Yeah, you aren't dead. Vice versa, I'm dead."
"Um, what?"
"That is that. I'm dead, you aren't dead. As I said, that is that. What difference exist between living and dying? You've just said where you are, however, do you always know where we are and you're going to ahead? No. It's as same as life. Hey, look at me. Am I different from you?"
"No."
"I know. Yeah, that is that. You see? Nevertheless, differences exist between us. If you insist, there is a difference between our inner parts. You can make it?"
"No."
"Actually, I don't quite know. However, when you see me, what do you see?"
"What?"
"WHAT DO YOU SEE?"
"Sorry, I'm at a loss what to say... what do you mean?"
"You see me. But I don't see you literally."
I began to become confused. My head started to ache.
"Is this philosophy class?"
"O-key-do-key, that is to say, dying means seeing. Seeing others."
"Finally, I can't be convinced. Is that so important? I see you. Doesn't it mean I see others?"
"In a way, yes. On the other hand, no. But I can say as long as you live, you might not understand. It's a big difference, but it makes little difference."
"OK, I want to ask you again. Where are we?" Asked I. The elderly man sighed.
"Didn't you come from the park? Then, isn't this a park?"
"No."
"Yes, it is."
"No way! I went through the door of the information center that has a green field?"
"Well, how can you say this isn't the information center that has green field within it? The deeper you see inside, the more you can't see. It's just like diving into the sea. You just can't see, so you can't believe it. However, the seabed absolutely exists, even if you can't see it. There is no sea has no seabed. Dying is a little similar to this talk. You see everything but you don't see anything. Only after you have died, can you see everything. Anyway, this is a part of the park."
"You mean, what we see is what we don't see?"
"Yes, that is almost correct."
"Nonetheless, I should look for my son and daughter. Then I'll come back."
"Of course you should, but I think you should look for yourself first. And as I said, this is a part of the park. You didn't go anywhere. Actually, you can't go anywhere you can't go."
As he said, he sat up, then began walking.
"Come on, let's find yourself."
He began walking away from me.