One Single Grain in the Sahara

When Dad was tucking me in that night and we were talking about the book, I asked if he could think of a solution to that problem. “Which problem?” “The problem of how relatively insignificant we are.” He said, “Well, what would happen if a plane dropped you in the middle of the Sahara Desert and you picked up a single grain of sand with tweezers and moved it one millimeter?” I said, “I’d probable die of dehydration.” He said, “I just mean right then, when you moved that single grain of sand. What would that mean?” I said, “I dunno, what?” He said, “think about it.” I thought about it. “I guess I would have moved a grain of sand.” “Which would mean?” “Which would mean I moved a grain of sand?” “Which would mean you changed the Sahara.” “So?” “So? So the Sahara is a vast desert. And it has existed for million of years. And you changed it!” “That’s true!” I said, sitting up. “I changed the Sahara!” “Which means?” he said. “What? Tell me.” “Well, I’m not talking about moving that one grain of sand one millimeter.” “Yeah?” “If you hadn’t done it, human history would have been one way…” “Uh-huh?” “but you did do it, so…?” I stood on the bed, pointed my fingers at the fake stars, and screamed: “I changed the course of human history!” “That’s right.” “I changed the universe!” “You did.” “I’m God!’ “You’re an atheist.” “I don’t exist!” I fell back onto the bed, into his arms, and we cracked up together.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer, published 2005.

I feel so delighted by Tangled up in Blue's sudden decision to buy the book after hearing some of these passages.  Well, I reckon that's a job well done!  I think that you will really enjoy it.

I liked this passage because there was something in this concept that encouraged me a bit.  As Oskar would say, it made my boots lighter.  It's definitely something warm and bright to muse upon.

On another note, I would like to let you know that I have finished my script-writing drama assignment.  If I get the time tomorrow, I will post the script excerpts and synopsis so you can see how I adapted my story, A Storm in a Teacup to theatre.  Head's up!