Cloudbustingby Sheryl Martin
ÒHere, Mulder.Ó Dana Scully passed the pop and hot dog to Fox Mulder, sitting down beside him on the park bench. ÒDo you know what they make hot dogs out of?Ó
Mulder nodded, mustard smeared across his mouth from the first bite. ÒYes. But I still like it.Ó
ÒIÕve dissected less dangerous creatures...Ó
ÒThen why are you having one?Ó He motioned at her heavily-laden bun.
ÒIÕm a doctor. I know first-aid.Ó She chewed thoughtfully, looking up at the sky. ÒNice day to have lunch outside.Ó
ÒHmm.Ó Fox pointed at a cloud. ÒThat one looks like a whale, donÕt you think?Ó
She stared at it. ÒA whale? More like a hippo... now thatÕs an old-fashioned clipper ship.Ó
ÒShip, yes... a spaceship.Ó He chuckled. ÒBetter get the old eyes checked...Ó The shove sent the hot dog across his chin, leaving a yellow line. ÒThanks.ÓWiping it off with a finger, he reached over to dab it on her face.
ÒMulder...Ó She warned, drawing back. Smiling, he popped his finger into his mouth instead.
ÒEver do any cloudbusting?Ó He took another bite.
ÒWhat exactly do you mean?Ó
ÒPick a cloud. Any cloud.Ó Fox stared at her. ÒGo on...Ó
Dana pointed at a small wispy tuft to their left. ÒThat one.Ó She looked at him. ÒSo?Ó
ÒNow look.Ó
It was gone. Empty sky filled the spot.
ÒOh, right. And IÕm supposed to believe you dissolved it.Ó She snorted.
ÒI read about it in a book.Ó He swallowed the last bite. ÒPick another one.Ó
ÒLook, clouds naturally change their size and shape randomly... not when you look at them they disappear...Ó Dana said. ÒYou canÕt just dissolve a cloud... that one.Ó
He stared at a large thick black storm cloud just hovering on the horizon. Fox shook his head.
ÒWhy are you such a skeptic?Ó He let out his breath in a deep sigh.
ÒBecause one of us has to be.Ó She softly smiled at him. ÒBalances things out.Ó Dana looked up. ÒItÕs still there.Ó
ÒWell, I didn't say I was an expert at this.Ó Fox grinned, draining his can of pop. ÒBesides, you distracted me.Ó
ÒOh, now thereÕs an original excuse.Ó
ÒWorks for me.Ó He smiled at her, looking into her eyes. They stared at each other for a minute.
ÒTime to go back to work, Mulder.Ó She looked at her watch with a sigh. Getting to her feet, Dana looked over at the storm cloud... that wasnÕt there anymore.
ÒExtreme possibilities, Scully.Ó Mulder walked past her with a soft laugh. ÒExtreme possibilities...Ó Shaking her head, she followed him out of the park.
***************** Albert Einstein:
"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It isthe source of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is astranger, who no longer pauses to wonder and stand in rapt awe, isas good as dead."