The Inquisitive One Experiences Technical Difficulties

LOCATION: Washington, DC

The inquisitive one was working on an important project. But technical difficulties kept arising: one after the next, after the next. The inquisitive one was making hardly any progress on the important project. All the time was sapped up in solving technical problems!

“Aargh!” cried the inquisitive one, for the 129th time . . . just as the doorbell rang.

For once, it wasn’t an Amazon delivery person. The inquisitive one’s friend was standing outside the door, clad head to foot in shiny black leather, helmet in hand.

“Hey!” said the friend. “I’m going on a road trip to visit my family out west. Wanna come?”

“That sounds fun!” said the inqusitive one. “Now that I’m healed from my concussion, I should be able to tolerate riding on a motorcycle! But wait—does your bike have room for me to stow my laptop? I’m working on an important project that just can’t wait.”

“Yep, my bike should have just enough space for you to bring a bag with clothes and a laptop. Hurry up and pack a few things, and let’s go!”

“Great!” said the inquisitive one. “This trip should help me relax. This computer work has been stressing me out.”

So the inquisitive one and the friend got on the motorcycle and drove off. Periodically, they stopped to rest. During those times, the inquisitive one worked on the important project. But technical difficulties kept arising, one after the next, after the next.

LOCATION: Atlanta, Georgia

The motorcycle broke down in Atlanta! The friend found a shop that would fix it, but the mechanic said it would take a few days. Parts had to be ordered, and the shop was busy, etc., etc.

“Hey,” said the friend to the inquisitive one, “why don’t we continue our trip on Amtrak?”

“That sounds fun!” said the inqusitive one. “Now that I’m healed from my concussion, I should be able to tolerate riding on a train! But wait—will I be able to work on my laptop while on the train?”

“Of course,” said the friend.

“Great!” said the inquisitive one. “This train trip should help me relax.”

So the inquisitive one and the friend boarded an Amtrak train. Sometimes, the inquisitive one looked out of the window at the beautiful countryside. At other times, the inquisitive one worked on the important project. But technical difficulties kept arising, one after the next, after the next.

LOCATION: San Antonio, Texas

The train broke down in San Antonio!

“What bad luck,” said the friend. “Hey, why don’t we continue our trip by Greyhound?”

“That sounds fun!” said the inqusitive one. “Now that I’m healed from my concussion, I should be able to tolerate riding on a bus! But wait—will I be able to work on my laptop while on the bus?”

“Well, you can at least try,” said the friend.

“Great!” said the inquisitive one. “This bus trip should help me relax.”

So the inquisitive one and the friend boarded a Greyhound bus. Sometimes, the inquisitive one looked out of the window at the beautiful countryside. At other times, the inquisitive one worked on the important project. Miraculously, the inquisitive one never once experienced motion sickness. But technical difficulties kept arising, one after the next, after the next.

LOCATION: Albuquerque, New Mexico

The bus broke down in Albuquerque!

“What ridiculous luck,” said the friend. “Hey, why don’t we hitchhike to where my family lives?” The friend stuck out a thumb, whereupon a semi truck screeched to a halt.

“Where you headed?” said the truck driver.

“Grand Canyon National Park,” said the friend.

“Hop in!” said the truck driver.

“Now that I’m healed from my concussion, I should be able to tolerate riding in a semi truck!” said the inquisitive one. “But wait—is there room for both of us, and our bags, and my laptop, in the cab of the truck?”

“Of course!!” said the friend and the truck driver, simultaneously.

“Great!” said the inquisitive one. “This ride in a semi truck should help me relax.”

So the inquisitive one and the friend got in the truck. The inquisitive one did not open the laptop, but simply enjoyed the scenery. Or maybe not so simply: while enjoying the scenery, the inquisitive one thought incessantly about the numerous, and seemingly unsolvable, technical difficulties.

LOCATION: Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

The semi truck did not break down! The driver dropped off the inquisitive one and the friend at the business run by the friend’s family and drove away.

“My family owns a helicopter tour business,” said the friend. “Do you want to tour the Grand Canyon in a helicopter?”

“Now that I’m healed from my concussion, I should be able to tolerate riding in a helicopter!” said the inquisitive one. “But wait—is there room for both of us, and our bags, and my laptop, in the helicopter?”

“OF COURSE!!” yelled the friend.

“Great!” said the inquisitive one. “This ride in a helicopter should help me relax.”

And the inquisitive one was, this time, right. The helicopter tour was extremely relaxing.

The views were incredible.

But the most relaxing part was when the inquisitive one threw the laptop out the window, and then watched it get tinier, and tinier, and tinier below, until it disappeared.