Meeting of the Minds

An owl flies in the house through an open window and perches on the back of a dining room chair. A dog enters the room and sits in a chair across from the owl, while a cat hops up and sits in the middle of the table.

The Meeting of the Minds

     The Cat, her name was Tiffana, looked at the Owl, her name was maha, because she came into the Meeting of the Minds first. Then she looked at the dog, his name was Vanch, and said, “Now that we are all here. Let’s get this meeting started.”

     Tiffana wanted for Maha and Vanch to acknowledge they were ready she continued, “Okay, so what is the problem here. You two have been fighting like this for months.”

     On the planet of Annic there are no people – just animals. There hadn’t been any people on Annic for six thousand years. The animals had to learn how to talk in order to survive. They could talk to each other of their kind. But not to the other animals. Luckily for them the people who used to live there had several different recording devices to help them learn how to talk to each other.

     It only took them about a thousand years to do it. And even after they learned how to talk it was difficult to talk to someone who wasn’t like them. It took them another thousand years before they learned to talk to each other.

     There were still problems on Annic. Even though they could now talk to each other They still had problems. Most of the time they lived in peace. But if there was a problem then it needed to be taken care of.

     That’s why Maha and Vanch were there. It’s also why Tiffana was there. She was a Go-Between. It was up to her to first find out what the problem was. And then to solve that problem.

     “It’s all Maha’s fault,” said Vanch. “Maha is always landing on the roof of my house”

     “So, what is so wrong with that,” Maha said. “I have been landing on your house for years.”

     “It wasn’t so bad when you did it every once in a while. But now you are doing it on a daily basis,” said Vanch.

     “This is good. Keep talking to each other,” said Tiffana.

     “I still don’t know what the problem is,” said Maha. “I’ve been landing on your house for years. Why is it a problem all of a sudden?”

     “It’s because you land on my house day and night. And it’s not that you land on my house. It is what you do after you land that’s the problem.”

     Tiffana just laid there. The only thing she did was look in whatever direction who was talking. This is how she handled problems. It’s also the reason why she was the best Go-Between there was on Annic.

     “Aren’t you suppose to step in and solve this problem for us,” said Vanch. “The only reason why I am here is so that you can solve this problem.”

     “I am solving this problem,” said Tiffana. “You two are talking – aren’t you?”

     Tiffana then added, “The first step to solving a problem is to get all parties to start talking to each other. Once that happens solving the problem is possible.”

     Maha and Vanch looked at each other. Which wasn’t easy because Tiffana was right between them. The only way to do it was for Maha to fly up a little so Vanch could see her.

     “Is this how you solve problems? By letting us solve them for you,” asked Vanch.

     “It’s working isn’t it?” Then Tiffana said, “You two are talking aren’t you? When was the last time you did that?”

     “That’s the problem. We are doing all the talking,” said Maha.

     “Aren’t you supposed to be solving this problem between us? Isn’t that why we are at your house?” asked Vanch.

     “The first thing I needed to do was to find what the problem is. And I have done that,” said Tiffana.

     Tiffana takes a breath before she continues on. “Now it’s up to me to solve the problem. Which I am about to do.”

     “I may not show it, but I have been listening to very word you have said. And the solution to this problem is simple. One of you has to move away from the other.”

     “That’s not solving the problem. Besides, if one of us moved away which one will it be,” said Vanch.

     “It’s not going to be me,” Maha said. “I have lived here all of my life.”

     “So have I. And I’m not moving either,” said Vanch.

     “One of you have to move. So I guess it’s up to me to decide which one it will be,” said Tiffana.

     Suddenly Tiffana lifts her head up as though she just heard something. First she looked at Maha. And then Vanch. But it’s Vanch she asked her question to, “You said earlier it wasn’t Maha landing on your house on a daily basis it what she did afterwards that’s the problem. What is it she does afterwards?”

     “Maha started hooting. And it can get very loud at times – especially at night. If it was just me there wouldn’t be a problem with that. But I have a child now.”

     “Is that the problem, Vanch? That isn’t a problem. I can stop hooting anytime I want to.”

     “I don’t want you to stop hooting. It’s part of who you are. You just can’t do it day and night,” Vanch said.

     “That’s not a problem either. I can do my hooting anywhere. The only reason why I was doing it is because your new child likes it when I do,” Maha said.

     “She Does? I didn’t know that,” said Vanch. “In that case, you can do it anytime that you want.”

     “It’s sounds like I have solved another problem,” said Tiffana. “Now get out of my house.”

The End?