So the last we heard about Blinky was when she lost her
coveted elf status for love (here). Please read this post after the one
below J
So after wondering the locales for a while, desperately
unhappy, Blinky set out to find happiness. And since she was once an elf, she
prayed very hard to the Elf Queen and Santa for one last inspiration and set
off.
Being pragmatic and knowing that atmosphere does play a role
in mental well being, she started her travels in the south of france, (Neha thats coz you couldn't leave these things entirely to chance, you had to do your bit in the happiness pursuit :p). She came
upon a charming little cottage on the edge of a cliff surrounded by rolling
green fields, with the sea just visible below, white and frothing and lashing
against the rocks. It was a beautiful location and she thought maybe that was
it.
But then she saw him, tall, youngish looking, setting up a
curious assortment of things. Of course he was a wizard, she realized when she
saw the staff.
He beckoned to her and asked her what brought her there. She
answered that she was just looking around and asked what he was doing.
‘I am building a happiness store”, he said, “an everything store”.
“Where you can find lasting happiness”.
Blinky thought wildly that Santa must really miss her (those
strawberry cookies were pretty amazing). What she was just supposed to go to the store and buy the stuff? He had lost his finesse and imagination though. “Probably
came from the sugar high’, she thought unkindly
And she was just about to ask how much, when she stopped and
looked around. Yes the store had everything material you could possibly wish
for. But Blinky had worked with Santa.
“These things can’t buy you lasting happiness ! “ she said.
He replied testily that he knew that but one had to start somewhere,
this was the first day but it was a venture he was really excited about.
“Oh then you need to have feelings, experiences” she said. “Have
that in your store”.
He approved and offered her an apprenticeship.
“Iv just finished one, I can’t risk being typecast” Blinky
countered. ‘How about business partner?” she negotiated.
Well so that was done and The Happiness Store- beta came up. There were counters for
every experience you could possibly imagine. Business was brisk, and learning
even more so.
Evenings were times for intellectual debates on what
constituted lasting happiness. They chose a different setting each day from
their coffee and conversations experience counter.
“ Well altruism” she suggested, and they added a counter for that, accomplishment-
a ladder where you could accomplish whatever you wanted, right from flying to
diving to the bed of the ocean !, the
experience of being beautiful, the experience of the first date, music, parties,
intellectual conversations, the list grew more exhaustive every day.
And they noticed a pattern among their customers, the ones
who came for momentary experiences of dizzying happiness, and they came most
often, but over time , she saw that effect was wearing off, she saw regret post
the experience and hopelessness. They debated setting up a counter for hope but
realized that it did not work in isolation, the ones who tried to build more
lasting happiness- through learning of a new skill, becoming kinder, nicer, helping
others, making friends, meeting interesting people, they didn’t come that
often, but even they ran out of that happiness from time to time.
And what about they themselves? After the initial dizzying
euphoria, the effect was fast wearing off. Blinky couldn’t understand this and
mentioned this that evening.
“I just realized what we keep reading, that happiness is a
state of mind !! I can just choose to be happy”, she said excitedly and was
really happy for a moment.
“Try” he said sarcastically, adding that they needed to add
a counter for the good idea experience.
He was nothing if not meticulous and hardworking;
she thought and shuddered when she remembered the counter he had designed for “work
will set you free”. It was when they were watching a documentary on something
called Nazism in another parallel universe that he was persuaded to change the
name.
She tried very hard. “I don’t feel anything”, she said
eventually.
“Yes that state of mind thing works when there is something
to look forward to. Else all you feel is empty”, he said adopting a
sanctimonious expression which always made her roll her eyes.
“But why is this happening to us, how can we tire of
everything so fast”, she said?
“Uh I may have forgotten to mention that this is a wizard’s
house, and we wizards experience in minutes what other people do in years, that’s
part of the reason why we are so wise”, he added sheepishly.
“So normal people can go through life with a mix of these
experiences, and not tire till it was too late but we have pretty much reached
that stage. “
She was afraid to ask the next question. “So how old am I,
technically”, she asked almost in a whisper.
“ Well about a
hundred”, he said and noticing her expression added kindly, “well, I am a hundred and fifty”.
Blinky thought of that dashing Elf she had once fancied and
always hoped to return to. He did have a thing for older woman, but strictly
within the same generation.
“How could you keep this from me ! “, she stormed.
“What are you fussing about, aren’t Elves immortal”, he
said. Wizards on the other hand, live till about five hundred.
‘I gave up my immortality for love”, she screamed back.
“Sounds
like the plot of a bad movie”, he grumbled.
“So is there no hope for us?”she questioned? ” I think I
should leave this place now”.
“There is one thing the store doesn't provide, and thats love”, he said. " But you probably know all about that", he said wickedly.
She glared at him and thought back. Yes finding something/ someone you loved.... no but even that didn't last. She couldn't remember the last time she has thought about the guy.
He was watching her with an unusually somber expression, as if willing her to say it.
"So there is no such thing as lasting happiness?" she ventured
No there isn't he said, I realized that a while back (the smug expression was thankfully absent). But its very good for business as you get a high percentage of repeat customers !
He realized that the joke fell flat.
But Blinky as usual had to have the last word. "If there is no such thing as lasting happiness, then why are we aiming for it?"
"Well I am aiming for something better", he said irritatingly.
