A Chance Encounter and Then Nothing

I once came upon a man as I was walking down an old forgotten road. He was walking, too.

He said, “Come with me and I will take you places you have never been.”

I said, “I have been a lot of places and I am tired of traveling.”

“Come, then, and I will show you things you have never seen.”

“I have seen so many things until I am almost tired of seeing.”

He said, “Well, what, then?”

I said, “Tell me something I have never heard. Something real and true.”

He said, “We must stop for that. Here, under this tree.”

We sat and then he said, “Son, it has been many years and many miles that has brought us to this particular place and time.”

I said, “Well, that’s true enough. Is that all?”

“Yes”

I was ready to go. I asked, “What’s down the end of this road?”

“Nothing,” he said.

“Is that where you’re going?”

“You mean nowhere?”

“No. I mean to the end of the road.”

“Yes.”

“Well, I’ll go with you that far, anyway.”