CHESTERFIELD

9/23/14 Wake up pages.  #Swing set

C: I'm here. I'm Chesterfield.
Me: Okay. What can I do for you Chesterfield?
C: I want a swing set.
Me: A swing set? Like kids play on in their yards?
C: Yes. I want a swing set and I want to play with the other children. 
Me: You're a child?
C: I'm 8.
Me: And why do you want a swing set.
C: I want other kids to come and play with me. Whoever has a swing set in their yard always has friends.
Me: Where are you now, Chesterfield? 
C: In a yard with no swings or playthings.
Me: Do you have a shorter nickname, Chesterfield?
C: I like to be Chef.
Me: Okay, Chef. Do you think you are dead?
C: I don't. No. I'm. Well, I guess. If I were dead I wouldn't be here, would I?
Me: Where are you usually? 
C: In my house. Or in the yard. Or at a friend's house. Or playing ball in the street. 
Me: With friends?
C: Oh yes. I'm always with my friends. I have a lot of friends. We have tons of fun playing. We all love to think of new games to play in the yard or in the street.
Me: Do you play video games? 
C: I don't understand that?
Me: Do you have parents?
C: I do. I love my mom and dad. Dad is home from Korea. I love him. He's a hero. 
Me: I want you to meet Ben.
C: Hi Ben. You can call me Chef.
B: Do you like to cook?
C: I'm learning. I can make eggs sunny-side up. And oatmeal.
B: Chef, do you know why you are in a big yard and none of your friends are here?
C: I thought if I had a swing set all of the kids would come and play with me.
B: What is the last thing you remember?
C: The boys. We were playing touch football in the street. We just made a touchdown. A car came around the corner. Too fast. I didn't/couldn't move fast enough...
Me: To get out of the way?
C: It hit me. I felt okay. It didn't hurt. (Pause) I guess that means I'm dead. 
B: That's what people say. But of course you aren't really dead. You just aren't in a physical body. 
C: I guess I knew that. I don't want to be dead. I think I should go home and be with my parents. And become a grown-up. A man like my dad.
B: I think it's time for you to come to the Timeless, Spaceless Place.
C: I don't know where that is. 
B: It isn't far. It's where we all go when we leave our bodies. 
C: Will there be a swing set?
B: All the swings and all the playground things you can imagine.
C: And kids to play with?
B: Zillions of them.
C: But my parents...
B: They're there too.
C: Did they die?
B: No. Everybody is really in the Timeless Spaceless Place all the time. They just visit the world we think of as real with parts of their real selves. Look over there. What do you see?
C: It's a giant playground! With giant slides and and swings and bars to climb on. That little boy. He looks like Mickey. Mickey got polio and died. Last year. He was in my class at school. Is he well now?
B: He sure is. Everybody is well in the TSP.
C: Look! That's my grandma and grandpa. Hi Grammy and Grampy! I'm coming! Ben, can I? I mean, may I, run?
B: Absolutely. Give them my love.