Twice Born A Vagabond
A Novel [Copr. 2008]
By D. DeWitt Thomas
Chapter Fifteen

THREE-EYED

As we pile into Tommy's red rusty colored Studebaker Nash Rambler station wagon, he turns up the dashboard radio so that we can hear Aretha Franklin wail about the shortcomings of being someone's link in a chain of fools. Chris Escalante volunteered to handle the driving chores as we headed down Memorial Parkway so the rest of us could toke a joint. Tommy and his wife Clementine rode in the back seat while Chris and I rode in the front. "I really dig that tune," Tommy shouted from the back to be heard over the blaring radio, "It really shows what kind of people we are," he said. "What do you mean by that?" I asked. "Well you see there are three kinds of people in this world, one-eyed, two-eyed, and three eyed." he answered. I shook my head affirmatively but I did not have a clue about what he was saying. I shake my head again giving him an indication that I want him to continue. "The one-eyed men are the ones who spend all of their lifetimes watching other people to make sure that there are no rules disobeyed. They lay in wait to catch someone doing something wrong and then report the incident to the enforcers." Tommy explained. ""Oh yeah, I see man, do you mean like cops, soldiers, government agents...like that, the karma police?" I ask. "Yeah," he says, "like hall moniters in grade school taking names and kicking ass. They carry the rules around in their pockets so they can refer to it and make notes on anyone who is breaking them. One-eyed men have a rule for every situation. Every action is either right or wrong depending on the rule book. See what I mean man?" he queries. "Yeah, I understand, like a world of absolute dicotomy where a person can only exist in only one state at any given time." I answer. He pauses and I nod with an expression of prodding inquisition so he continues. "But two-eyed men, they are different." he says. "They are the manipulating spin doctors that will take either side of an issue depending on which side is in their best interest. They flip-flop from one opinion to another filling the mold like melted plastic. They have no ethical basis for their reasoning. They persuasively and charismaticly establish themselves in positions of authority where they remain unchallanged. They maintain their power and control sometimes indefinitely. They are the leaders, kings, presidents, dictators, and generals who fill the power fields left by the less capable one-eyed enforcers." Tommy explains. "Yeah, but what about the three-eyed people?" I ask. "The three-eyed people are the freethinkers. Freethinkers have been around since the beginning of time but they keep a low profile." he answers. "That is why they are hard to identify. The intelligencia represent a threat to the establishment so they stay underground. It's either that or be crucified," he continues. "It has always been that way, man." he says smiling. "We have been known by many different labels like hippies, beatniks, prophets, wizzards, angels, saints, shaman, hohemians, gypsies, artisans...do you understand, Danny?" he queries with his left eyebrow cocked high in an arch while the other remains level. "We are the artists who are passionately and obsessively expressing ourselves without reservations or hesitation but we must be careful. Like Roky says, 'It's not always safe to be too comfortable.' though we should not be concerned with the consequeces. We always will be free spirits, you know?" he concluded. I nodded.

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