Circle of The Gas Fire
'I'm looking for the number of the man who comes to look at the fire'
'But Granny there's nothing wrong with it'
'Darling it isn't working properly. His number is here somewhere, he's the husband of the woman who does my hair'
'Granny, he hasn't been doing that for at least three years'
'No he always comes to see to it'
'But there is nothing wrong with it'
'It's not burning properly darling, there should be more of a glow'
'It's fine, you've had a man round before, he takes the front off, gives it a brush and charges you forty quid'
It's a cold night tonight, it'll be frosty, getting the sitting room to sauna temperature is a tall order for a small gas fire. It happens four or five times in winter, she gets it into her head that the fire isn't working properly and has to get someone to come and look at it. They come, give it a clean up and leave it working exactly as it was before. It's an old machine, it works. We will have the conversation above maybe ten times again tonight. When I'm not in the sitting room with her I'll hear her muttering about the lack of flame. Then we'll discuss it again.
...
'I don't remember getting anyone round to look it before'
'It was a while ago Granny, lots has happened since'
'Jenny's husband usually comes'
'No Granny, he hasn't done it for several years as he doesn't have the right qualification'
'Then who should I call'
'No one Granny, it's perfectly ok, it's just old'
'But it's not burning properly darling, it doesn't glow like it used to'
The Tao is like a well: used but never used up.
It is like the eternal void: filled with infinite possibilities.
It is hidden but always present.
I don't know who gave birth to it.
It is older than God.
I think meditation helps.
