so here's what i know     (dad goes on)

what i was allowed to know

i know that the seven knowers
for the first time in a long long time
gathered     in the same spacetime

to start
a game

they play among themselves

sëbus, are you listening? don't jump for a bit
it's important

it's about you  

 

 

their game is: a game of happiness

happiness for the sentients of the universe
whoever creates more happiness, wins

they have played this game before
and now they start again

so
right now, sëbus

sëbus!

the game is starting

yes
you know why now?
because they found who they will be making happy

they always choose someone  

 

 

why choose, good question

why not just make everyone happy, right?
once and done
why do we even suffer still? when we have our knowers looking after us?

it turns out it doesn't work that way

it's like electric current
remember?
if you send a strong current through a thin wire, it will explode

same with happiness  

 

 

humans, the way they are now, can't take full happiness yet

so the knowers make sure we don't ovehappy
they hold us back
they slow us down, like a bike going downhill

we are still a bike with helper wheels, see

(though we're definitely making progress: we are happier than our ancestors were)

(or rather, since humans get used to everything, our ancestors would be happier in our place than vice versa)  

 

 

but

there are always exceptions, zë
gifted individuals
those who are capable even now

and for their game, the knowers choose one of them

someone gifted

someone exceptionally capable of happiness  

 

 

"and they give him! happiness!" sëbus screams as he jumps on the bed

dad smiles apologetically
"they play with him —" he clarifies

mom hugs: "they play with him, he plays with them!     right, zë?"  

 

 

i understand they will take turns     (dad continues)
all seven

seven attempts
all different     of course
that's what makes it a game

each one will do their best     the best they know

and from our viewpoint, they know everything about happiness
they can do anything at all
and they know everything about you

about you     zë     sëbus

they know, and they still start this game
they compete
they want to win  

 

 

oh sëbus

how am i supposed to know!
i have no idea

i don't know who they played with the last time
it was probably long ago

just as an idea, imagine: they will build whole amazing worlds
each with cities, mountains, sea depths
the worlds of happiness

and they make amazing creatures to live there
creatures of happiness

buildings of happiness, books of happiness, songs of happiness
everything

but it's just the first thing that comes to my mind, zë
nobody knows  

 

 

but they are starting right now  

 

 

that i have even less idea about, sorry zë

how they would make those worlds —
i don't know

well, yeah, could be virtual worlds
of course

only, you know, i think they can make everything real
they can do anything, remember

but the virtual worlds, of course, they know all about that too

yes

about minecraft too

yeah     i think so     why not
you can ask them
about wendy  

 

 

sure zë
you will see them

we never saw them but you will

i dunno about the worlds, but you will see the knowers
they will meet you
they come out to meet who they chose

who they want to make happy
in seven different ways

yes

of course it's you, sëbus
of course

you are exceptionally capable of happiness  

 

 

"i am exceptionally capable of happiness"     sëbus repeats when his parents have left

he digs into the blanket and starts thinking

capable of happiness is not the same as happy, dad explained
if you're absolutely happy, you can't be made happier

but an absolutely unhappy one won't do either
what if he's just not capable
what if he can only be made happier just a little tiny bit

and me     (sëbus thinks)
i can be
not just a little tiny bit

i can be made a big huge lot happier  

 

 

it didn't feel wrong to him

all in all, sëbus knew happiness

he was the first captain
he wasn't scared of anything ever
he had almost everything he wished to have

he could happiness
he did happiness
his dad read to him every night before sleep

he just wasn't happy right now
because of wendy

and yet: he was pleased
someone out there, all-knowing and all-capable (ommi... whatever), chose him

nothing started yet, but sëbus already felt a little happier  

 

 

so     if they can do anything at all     (sëbus is falling asleep)

i'll just tell them then

i'll ask them

about wendy

or i'll just tell them to —    

(sëbus is asleep)