Backalong

Backalong, when stars were dust and darkness whirled and time unsung, there was a sock.

“If only,” thought the sock. The words were magic. Into his lonely threads, there grew a foot. A leg appeared, another leg, a body, arms, at last a head….”Hello!” the woman said. And then, “If only…..” The words were magic. Out of her lonely heart there grew a man, five children, with uplifted hands and from their fingertips flew sparks of love. The darkness fled. The sparks spun upwards, twisted, brightened, spooled into a sun. The sock was joyful! What had he begun! The earth lit up and all around were rainbow birds and thankful trees, twisty rivers, boastful mountains and seas that rolled, as time began to sing....

Tick tock, tick tock, the song went on…and on and on and on and on….if only people said. They wanted more. Rockets burst upwards. Missiles crashed downwards. War led to war and “More!” was the deafening roar! The sock was wretched. What had he begun! Spinning and falling and whirling through darkness, he started to fall….

And then the endings split…..

A hand reached down and caught him.

“Ah, little sock,” a big voice said.

“Hello?” said the sock. He was back in the land of thankful trees!

A kind, old face came into view.  “I am the Great Sock Maker.”

The sock was shocked! He thought he had made himself. But if that wasn’t true….

“I was lonely,” said the Great Sock Maker. “And the words were magic. But here…you are home at last.”

The woman opened the washing machine and took out the clothes. Trousers, shirts, jumpers, dresses…something was missing. She put them into pairs and checked again. But no ….something was missing. The universal question would never be answered. Where did the lost socks go?