Dragons
"You don't know what dragons are? Maybe you simply call them by a different name. I will describe them to you."
"Most people cannot see the dragons. Although they cannot see the dragons, at least they can feel their presence. It's a shame, because I think dragons are really beautiful."
"Dragons come in all shapes and sizes and colors. Some are winged and some are clawed. They have different personalities too."
"I find the monotone color dragons the least interesting. They look and act really boring. They tend to be large and stick to the floor. Their coloring is usually black or white or grey, but never multiple shades. They are usually more interested in machinery than humans."
"There are dragons that are a riot of color, their chaotic swirls constantly moving. They are hard to concentrate on and although most common, people generally don't like them and scowl if they get too close."
"The little shaded dragons are well-liked though. I call them 'shaded' because they often sport many shades of a single color. The energetic ones often sport wings. I see them happily flying around people's heads. Sometimes they are so excited that they might even take hold of a hand or foot and make people move with them. They even make the monotone dragons smile, and I often see them in pairs."
"As if they are second-cousins of the overly active dragons, some of the shaded dragons prefer a slower pace. I like these best. They are easier to concentrate on and not moving as much so I can see their full coloring."
"Dragons live in another world. At times, they can cross into ours and stay a short while. I see them materializing out of thin air, and when their time is up, they dissipate into nothingness."
"The other world must be restrictive. Dragons spend all their time here enjoying their freedom of movement. I never see a dragon that stays in one place."
"Maybe now that you know what dragons look like, you can recognize them. I shall call a dragon for you. My favorite dragon is one I created myself. She is mostly shades of blue and made up of bits and pieces of other dragons I have seen, but in a way that makes it all her own. Although she is not perfect yet, she soothes me, and I call her often. Her presence calms me, and I think more clearly when she is around."
I walk over to the piano and sit down. In a familiar ritual, I slide my right hand over the ivory keys to find middle C - left of the two black keys. I imagine that these black keys must resemble black dragons in some way, but I have yet to make a connection, if there is any.
With my fingers where I want them to be, I press the keys in a way I know will call my dragon. She comes, her form taking a firmer shape and color as time passes. Behind me, I hear my guest's breathing slow as my dragon's presence fills the room.
When the last trace of my dragon has disappeared, I turn to face my visitor. I can tell he had not seen her. I wonder if he is one of those people who think I am crazy, seeing things like dragons. This is not the first time I have given my dragon lecture.
"Will you... call your dragon again? I will close my eyes this time."
I oblige.
Author's Note
A long time ago in my last year of high school, a classmate uttered a short sentence. Another classmate raised her sleepy head and announced 'Oh, I thought you said I can see _____.' No, that's not a blank there, but censored so the story is not given away. To this day, I have no idea what the first classmate really said, but the second's utterance was much more interesting and has stayed with me all these years until I put it down.
You may email me if you wish to know what that word is. Hint: it is not 'dragons'.
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