Bye-Bye

Pages 101-150

"You soun d exactl y like me. You're imitatin g me. " "That's a paranoid attitude, " sh e replie d i n a tone tha t made m e thin k I wa s right . I n fact , i t seem s t o m e tha t I hav e notice d Persona l A d mimickin g m e a t variou s times, bot h i n be d an d out . I suspect tha t impersonatio n is he r secre t hobby , he r wa y o f maintainin g th e uppe r hand. I remember th e riddl e lik e this : You ar e o n you r wa y t o a tow n calle d Reality . Yo u are almos t there , bu t the n yo u com e t o a for k i n th e road, an d don' t kno w whic h wa y t o turn . Yo u kno w that on e directio n mus t lea d t o Reality , an d th e othe r t o a tow n calle d Illusion . Bu t yo u don' t kno w whic h wa y leads t o whic h town . A ma n i s standin g a t th e for k i n th e road . Yo u kno w that h e mus t b e fro m on e o f th e tw o towns , bu t yo u don't kno w which . Yo u als o know tha t all the citizen s o f Reality tel l th e trut h all the time , wherea s th e resident s of Illusion invariably lie whenever the y speak . You ar e allowe d t o as k th e ma n on e question . I f he i s from Reality , h e wil l answe r honestly ; i f fro m Illusion , he'll lie . Bu t sinc e yo u don' t kno w whic h tow n h e i s from, yo u won' t kno w whethe r he' s lyin g o r tellin g th e truth. I t ha s t o b e jus t on e question , whos e answer — whether th e trut h o r a li e (an d you'l l neve r kno w which)—would tel l you th e righ t wa y t o go . {101} The answer is, Which of these two roads takes you home? Whichever roa d he indicates, is the on e tha t leads to Reality. You see, if he's a liar, he has to lie, so he cannot point toward Illusion , hi s real home; h e will have t o poin t i n the othe r direction , towar d Reality . If , o n th e othe r hand, he' s a truth-teller , wel l the n h e live s i n Reality , and will point toward Reality also. The wa y I have been feelin g lately , an y situatio n coul d become a turnin g point . I don' t wan t t o en d u p i n Illusion, lik e my brothe r . . . bu t th e painting s hav e begun to appear alarmingly real. And they were done by a famous man . Well, I won't pu t tha t kitt y o n th e tabl e unless it' s a sur e bet , a s they say . And, a s the y say , th e game's always changing. • • • "I brought champagne. " "How inspired . Wha t pu t tha t ide a int o you r littl e head?" "Celebration time." "How delightful . O f what?" asks Personal Ad. "Us gettin g together . I lef t th e phon e disconnecte d all day so that i f you trie d t o cal l and cance l again, you couldn't reach me." "Isn't that thoughtful. D o com e in." {102} "Thank you , than k you, " I bo b m y head . "I' m s o polite." Personal A d fall s coldl y silent . Sh e accept s m y leathe r coat, drape s i t ove r a chair , set s th e Veuv e...