Olaf, The "Sculpture"

Olaf, if nothing else, is a true believer. There is a belief inside him that is unshakable, impervious to any outside influence. He just knows.

I'll give him that much.

Olaf is a sculptor (But if you ask him he'll say he's a sculpture as he always gets the two words confused. If you point it out he'll agree with you but next time you see him he'll be switching 'sculptor' and 'sculpture' all over again.)

And he'll tell you he's working on the greatest piece in history. A piece that will save mankind, altering our perception of reality, so that we can see what we think is impossible is actually possible and the world can live as one forever.

Sounds impressive!

When I asked to see it he says he's needing only one final breakthrough for it to be completed. And it has, in fact, been decades in the making. I tell him I want to see it anyways.

Olaf obliges me and we head through a secret corridor into an enclosed room with a door saying "My Eyes Only".

He proudly points to the piece, informing me it's called, "Portal To The Gods."

That's when I discover why it's taking so long to complete. Olaf is trying to fit an oversized square into a round hole.

I instinctively react: "That will never work!" It slips out before I stop to think of Olaf's response to my negative review.

But he's simply standing there, wholly unmoved, smiling at me like I'm child who has yet to learn. I knew I was right no doubt about it, but that smile really bothered me.

"It's OK. I've heard that all my life. But there's nothing you can know that can't be known."

"That's fine. I just don't see the point of it."

"You will after the breakthrough! Then no one will ever be sure again of what they "know". It will open minds for all time!"

"But of course. Good luck with that! I just don't see how it can ever work."

"Of that I have no doubt!" Then he gave another of his Cheshire smiles.

"OK, I really don't get what's going on here."

"It is because you think there's no other way but the way you see." I shrug my shoulders in agreement. "Look at the world around you! You think it has to be this this way and this way only?"

"Perhaps not, but - "

"It's not comfortable, is it, having your beliefs challenged, that someone may know something you do not, leaving you to feel foolish, that perhaps you live your life in vain."

"I have to admit I could have an angry reaction to that. It's just not the case here," I heard myself saying.

"But it is! If we simply let Nature take its course, each life will have direction and purpose and the sorrow of the world will disappear."

"Wow, now that's really crazy! In order to make a society run you have to have rules and regulations, economic and political policies, a standing army and ways to kill people. There's no other way. That's as certain as your square not fitting in that round hole."

"Ah, but you have all those things now, is that not true?"

"Thank God! What else would we do?"

"And is it working?"

Well, crap, no one complains about the world more than I do. He had me in a spot. Still, I did not want to admit he was right.

"Not yet. These things take time."

"So you're saying things are headed in the right direction."

Dammit. Got me again.

"Maybe not now but we can always change course."

"But of course. Good luck with that! Why change when you believe there's no other way?"

There was something very unsettling about this conversation and that made me angry. I got the feeling Olaf was trying to say we suffer for no reason. But how can the world be such a miserable place and something so good be true?

"I'm sorry, Olaf. That's too terrible to think about. I'm just not a believer."

I got another famous smile. "You don't have to be for it to be true."