after a talk I gave on planets
it wasn't so out of date then
as it would be now
but a man rose
put on his glasses
and squinted
said
suppose there were starships
suppose they could show you space
like those robots saw it
like those robots felt it
only not so cold
not freezing at the zero of space
but comfortable sort of
like in a house
with the thermostat
set too low
gazing out for weeks
at points of light
watching the constellations change shape
clusters of stars rotate
maybe even drifting past a nebula
suppose you could go
but only one way
would you?
yes, I said
oh yes
the old man took off his glasses and nodded
see me, he said, after we finish
and sat down
after the questions finished
I looked
but no one had seen him go
and he wasn't outside
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