Excerpt: Skating On Thin Ice

“Nibbled Face,” said Fred West, “what is Debt?”

“It is what happens when humans, well, let’s see, how can I explain this to you. Do you know what money is Fred West?”

“No.”

“That’s what I thought. Hmmm,” Nibbled Face said. How could he explain debt without his protege knowing what money was. “Remember when The Woman and her young ones were on their trip of many days?”

“Yes.”

“Do you remember when we were traveling across the land where the ground was red?”

“Yes. I do.”

“And do you remember when The Woman stopped the car and we all went in to the little shop where she let the young ones pick out some thing that they each wanted and she gave the man behind the counter some paper that she took out of her bag?”

“Yes, I do remember that.”

“Well, the paper that she took out of her bag is called money by humans. It is what they use, it is what they exchange for things that another human has.”

“Oh, yes, I remember that. So, it is like a trade?”

“Yes, it is like a trade. But, sometimes humans make a trade like that when they do not have enough of the paper to give to the other human.”

“But, Nibbled Face, if they do not have enough paper, how can they make the trade?” Fred West asked.

“Well, the way that I understand this is that they both agree that when the human has enough of the paper, the human will give it to the other human. The second human trusts that the first human will one day have enough of the paper to give to him ... or her.”

“But, do the two humans know each other well enough to know that they can trust one another?”

“Well, now that you ask,” said Nibbled Face thoughtfully, “I do not really know. As best as I can figure, I would have to say no, they do not always know one another that well. But, they trust any way.”

Fred West looked perplexed.

“They trust any way?”

“Yes, as best as I can tell. I can not say that I really understand that. But, I do know that it happens. Any way, The Woman had gotten some thing that should have made her turn over lots and lots of the paper but she didn’t have enough of the paper and the other human let her have it any way. The Woman kept giving the other human paper but it was taking a very long time for her to have enough paper to have it come to an end very quickly. Needing to give someone this paper over a long time is called Debt.”

“Oh,” said Fred West. “I would not want to do that.”

“I would not want to do that either,” said Nibbled Face, “But, I am curious. Why would you not want to do that Young One?”

“Well,” said Fred West, “Because I think that it would leave me feeling really bad. I mean, I think that I would think about it a lot and it would not leave me feeling good. I would ... what is the word ... I would worry, that is it, worry because I would want to give the paper and have that be all over.”

“Yes,” said Nibbled Face, “and that is why I think that The Woman decided to give all of the paper at one time. You know, so that it would be all over. so that she could feel good that it was all over.”

“Nibbled Face?” said Fred West.

“Yes Young One.”

“Nibbled Face, I do not think that debt is a good thing. I am glad that I do not have debt.”

“I agree with you Fred West. I agree that it is not a good thing. Having seen how it has made The Woman feel, I would have to agree. I, too, am glad that I do not have debt.”

“Does The Woman have any more Debt?” Fred West asked.

“Only with the dwelling that she resides in.”

“Will she be able to give enough of the paper to make that Debt go away too?”

“I do not know Fred West.”

“I hope so,” Fred West said sadly. “I really hope so. It is always so good to see The Woman happy and I know that if she had no Debt, well, I know that she would feel happy inside of her self.”

“Yes,” said Nibbled Face, “ I think you are right.”

“Nibbled Face,” said Fred West, “do you have Debt?”

“No, I do not.”

“Are you happy?”

“I am happy.”

“Good,” said Fred West, “I am happy too.”