Mick and Jane on the Moon

"We're here!" said Mick. "Big tree. I could climb it. Can I have some of your water? I'm thirsty."

Jane took her canteen and shook it. There was a little on the bottom. She unscrewed the top and drank the water. "There's no more," she said. "You shouldn't have dropped your canteen."

"I fell off around the fourth time I tied your shoes."

"You don't tie shoes good."

Mick said, "Look. See the well on top that crater? Let's get water."

"I can't walk anymore; my shoes have holes."

"I told you to tie the laces them together and throw them over your shoulder."

"You wouldn't carry them," said Jane. "I'll stay here in the shade."

Mick said nothing, but took the canteen and walked off.

"Hello, little girl," said a voice in the tree.

Jane said, "What do you want? There's no more water."

"I came here when I lost my job. I wanted to get on the ground floor. This was the next big thing. I take care of apple trees. I heard what you said to that boy. Do you want an apple?"

"It's your apple?"

"Who will miss an apple? These apples will make you very smart. You will know the answers to all the puzzles."

"Then they will be boring."

"Well, you will know everything in the world."

"Then everything will be boring."

"That's an unusual answer. But you will be so smart, like God."

"God must be bored. God must have died from being bored."

"Why did you come to the moon?"

"I was bored."

"Ha, ha," said the voice. But God is still trying to understand everything. It's not easy to know everything. God is trying to count to the last number; but, ha, I know a little secret; I know why eternity will last forever."

"I know the last number. It's 10. I have no more fingers," said Jane.

"But what about your toes?" asked the shaded one.

"Oh," said Jane.

"Yes, and if you count everyone's fingers and toes, you get a big number; but there are still people being born. You have to continue counting, don't you?"

"Oh."

Mick reached the well, and saw a girl on the ground crying. "What is wrong?" he asked. "Why are you crying?"

The girl sobbed and said something; but Mick couldn't understand what she said. He looked down the well.

(continued)