The Deep End

Chance subscribed to a universal mystique surrounding an unknown, a metaphysical construct called the deep end. It was his sensibility of going too far; overreaching; sticking your neck out.

For Chance, "the grass is greener" meant "the water is deeper," where pessimism is just safer.

Some pools have a diving board at the deep end. Fuller was the type of boy who would mount it, gain momentum via bounces, and end up in the deep end. What startled Chance about this was that, at one point, between leaving the board and entering the water, there was a no-man's arc of parabolic travel: flight.

A person flies! Will there be anything to catch them?

The laws of physics thus compound Chance's metaphor. The before-and-after of flight are phenomena of volition--weighing pros and cons; during flight, you are at the mercy of the universe.

Is that rational?

Chance and Fuller were in a group of children playing in the shallow end of a pool. They considered the deep end, quickly falling into disagreement.

"Why take a chance?" affirmed Chance.

"Live life at its fullest," rejoindered Fuller.

Soon, two political factions of statesmanship evolved, following demagoguery from either Chance or Fuller.

Fuller argued his point by tiptoeing from the 3-foot depths toward the deep end. Discarding his floaties, he bounced merrily along. Soon others saw the fun he was having in the deep end and provoked attrition of Chance's ranks.

By-and-by, Chance was the only one remaining in the shallows. He was safe. He was secure. He would live to swim another day!

He was alone.

Going into the deep end pushes pool walls out and makes a pool grow longer, wider, and deeper for those not content to wear life's floaties. When no one drowned, Fuller asked Chance if he would reconsider for next swim-day.

"Don't know, Fuller, I'll think about it."

The children, all grown now, have stratified into their varied adult roles, ranging from minimum wage to riches, from love to discord, from quotidian to activities of import. They are living.

Meanwhile, Chance is still thinking about it. Chance is still alone.

The deep end portends

All life's dividends

With or without it

Acquits or evicts