See the Stars Again. |
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The Big Challenge |
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Our wanderer still hadn't found the cows, and the Black Swan was on the warpath. So he took a break and went to SUUSI's nightlife. First of all, Cabaret, where all sorts of people played music and banged on drums (upper left). Then he saw the Brother Sun find a female partner (upper right). Amy Carol Webb's Gospel choir banged out a tune called "Tell Somebody". Hey, that was an idea. Tell someone about the Black Swan. But he had never seen the swan. And that woman in red intrigued him. Did she have anything to do with the Black Swan? Was she a Black Swan? Did she have anything to do with the cows? He didn't know. So he went to Serendipity to dance the night away. There he danced really great dances with several partners, but got tired of it after a while. So one last dance. He leaped out into the dance floor and danced, and all of a sudden this one woman danced with him the best dance yet. So much so that it was several notches above the others.
So he left. But on leaving the dance hall, who should he run into but the White Rabbit. He said, "Did you find the cows?".
Our wanderer said, "No."
"Well dancing all over the place was no way to find them.", replied the rabbit.
"There were some really great dancers there.", the Wanderer said, continuing "especially the last one."
The white Rabbit replied, "That last one was really unexpected, wasn't she?"
The Wanderer replied, "Yes."
The white Rabbit said, "That was the work of the Black Swan!"
"Huhh??" said the Wanderer.
The White Rabbit said, "That dance was unusual. Unusual things happening means the Black Swan is around, so that's why you can't find the cows. You need to confront the Black Swan and defeat him. Remember the song you wrote in Bob Sima's class?"
"Yes. Here it is:"
The Big Black Thing
I was working hard on a spacious farm
Pulling blue potatoes at a rodeo
A soft wind blew and a silent cat perched
When I heard the big thing was starting to come
So I flew and flew and flew some more
The big thing came like a roaring train
A black swan storm with a silent sun
Prime laughter and a total spirit.
So I flew over total trash and mourning doves
Ober ailing bums with whiskey speech
A cat with a knot and a good woman too
They did not stop the black thing's breach.
I flew and flew, felt brilliant power
A harsh moon reigned at this hour
Through the night wind an the blue serpents
The black swan's roar it grew and grew
Farther and farther, kept on flying harder
It came closer and closer then it was here
I turned around and stared it down
It split and was gone into thin night air.
"You need to do as the song says. Turn around and confront it."
"But where is it?" said the Wanderer.
"You will find it tomorrow. Remember all the times the Storm Prediction Center put SUUSI in a Slight Risk for Severe Thunderstorms area this week?"
"Yes."
"If you find SUUSI in a Slight Area tomorrow, that means the Black Swan will arrive. Watch for him." With that the Rabbit disappeared into the night air.
The wanderer went back to his dorm and retired for the night.