“Have you any new idea?” — A True, Surreal Story

in #creativity6 years ago (edited)


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I found myself by the metro station the other day where a small crowd of people were gathered, necks craning forward. Off center, stood an Indian man with an inscrutable expression, and a face younger than his gray hair would lead you to believe. He wore a loose-fitting tie-dye top and bottom, and his shoulder-length hair in a neat pony tail (tied with a string), as he paced, thoughtfully, about. I expected snakes. Turns out, he had something written on the side of a card board box that people were puzzling over. I tried hard to read it, but couldn’t.

After some time of looking around, I asked nonchalantly: ‘What’s this about?’ Turns out I was not the only one in the dark. Even those who could read did not get it. I walked over to the man with the quietly theatrical, pensive expression and tried to slip him some money, yet he refused it. He did so decisively, without false pride, as though it were a simple misunderstanding. Then, he guided me back to the box with the message. All eyes were on us now. I stood there for a while, gathering my courage, and admitted softly that I couldn't read it.

There was stifled laughter from the large crowd and then the small, strange man produced a notepad which he began filling with arrows, pointing in all directions. He “speaks” any language, one man translated. Turns out the man was mute. “How can I help you” I wrote plainly. That same inexplicable expression--then, the faintest glimmer of a smile? He replied, in an almost illegibly ornate script: “Have you any new idea?” Now, it was my turn to be speechless …

Before I could gather my wits, this mysterious fellow had nearly covered the sheet in his decorative scrawl with what seemed like Chemistry equations. “Are you a scientist?” I asked. He thought for a moment, glancing repeatedly and hesitantly in the direction of an overturned children’s (comic) book. Then, he walked over and lifted it to reveal a petri dish filled with what appeared to be swimming metal filings. For some inexplicable reason, I patted him on the shoulder at this point and walked away. Someone from the crowd ran after me to understand what had transpired between us. “He’s searching for a new idea” I said. “God help him” he replied.


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But @yahialababidi, you have so many, couldn't you spare one?

Hah, you're very kind to say so _/|\_ Next time I'm granted an opportunity, I will try to have more presence of mind, be less coy, and try sharing a philosophical or metaphysical idea of mine :)

Someone had to make that comment! I was thinking about it later and wondering, if it was your story, how you might have written the end with you giving him a new idea. You would have needed to produce a piece of metal. A tooth filling maybe? I loved that his new ideas were metal fillings in a petri dish, that made sense somehow. Anyway, too hard I thought. I liked the way you patted him on the shoulder. That was the way to write it.

Interesting to consider rewriting this as a fictional piece and how one might do it, differently. I'm drawn to magic realism, with a touch of the mystical, so... I would have liked the protagonist to show him something, wordlessly. Maybe, for the metal filings to rise from the petri dish and assemble themselves into a giant arrow, pointing back at the Indian man .... Then, to walk away, leaving the meaning of this supernatural incident, open-ended and ambiguous. Glad to hear this little story captured your imagination; perhaps, it might inspire a post of your own, sharing what you consider to be a new idea:)

I'd say all ideas are already present in the one, whether they are new for our society/culture/time is a different story. I think we just change our ability to receive the ideas.

If we could come up with new ideas where would they be coming from? Haha, interesting stuff

That’s a vast and interesting perspective. I see a giant jewel 💎 and what passes for new ideas are different facets that catch the light as you turn it!

Thank you, for your new/old idea ✨🙏🏼💫

Ideas can come from anywhere I suppose - sounds like he was hedging his bets by setting up outside the metro. You never know who will walk past. Like yourself, for instance :) I can really picture the scene, right down to the tittering of the crowd. Very nicely drawn!

I found it evocative. I mean who says: ‘Have you a new idea?’ Very high-minded of him, too, not being interested in money. 🤓 Glad you enjoyed this little story!

New ideas are like rare diamonds, but once you get a thought, you shouldnt let it go.
This man is a Mystery :)

I agree the man is a mystery 😊 But, I also believe ideas shared might grown. What a concept: the street performer as public thinker...

All new ideas in nature come from screwing up ... lol:) Mutations ... accidental creation. Perhaps that is true of all new things. Clever and engaging write, Yahia:)

Never quite thought of it that way... But, I suppose, you’re (partly) right—if things weren’t less than ideal, we wouldn’t try & fix ‘em.

Glad you enjoyed this little snapshot 🤓

It goes without saying ... I am only ever partly right:) LOL

"What has been done before will be done again. There is nothing new under the sun."

Or as my music teacher explained, "once you get past the arrangements, everything is theme and variation."

All new ideas are reincarnations of old ones. Updates, remodels, spin-offs, new slants. He's searching for something he will never find...

I like your music teacher's formulation: everything is theme and variation. That's where the infinite possibilities lay, and what makes encourages artists to try to clear their throat and make old truths fresh, again :)

Perhaps, this is what the street performer/public philosopher was attempting to demonstrate...

Hold it! Just one minute! Copy that smile and paste it right here: https://steemit.com/contest/@vdux/sbd-giveway-grand-experiment

everyone has a different idea, but it's hard to change someone if the person does not want to change. a very moving story for me. thank you for the post @yahialababidi

Thank you for this story. It's a pity, but everyone cannot create ideas. This requires talent. Ah, if each of us could give the world a new idea. Then the world would be completely different. The world would be better.

new ideas are sometimes difficult to get out of the head. we must think hard to come up with good ideas. hmm is not that so?

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