Somersault

The people living here looked like ordinary people, but when taking a closer look you realized that all of them consisted of salt, and nothing but salt. Some were heavily salted, while others could be called lightly salted. Everyone consisted of salt being pressed into shape in the same way as sand sculptures, resembling anything on a dot, solely made out of sand. Their kingdom was called Saltorado, and the inhabitants lived on pretzels, salty nuts and salty herring. They practiced lots of sport, but doing somersaults was their favourite, taught to them from their early years.

Most of the Saltorados did not ponder much about the reason of living, how everything started, and the continuation of all this, but a few did. As in all cultures philosophically minded people asked questions out of the ordinary, but they were considered as deviants, because people not asking those kinds of questions didn’t have a clue about the idea of the thoughts. Plenty of other things were to be taken care of, enough to babble and sizzle about. From afore mentioned reasons, philosophers were hardly noticed, as they became quiet.

A special Saltorado, feeling the deep longings of the heart, wondered for a long time. Where did the longings originate from? She decided to follow the tracks of the longings. Perhaps this could be used as an Ariadne thread, leading to the core of the questions. The Saltorado had wept many salty tears, longing for those indefinable areas of the mind and feelings. Then suddenly, one day, she knew what to do.

She felt that the only option available was walking towards the ocean. The ocean pulled and spoke to her, so full of promises. Everything became clear, not why, but the feeling was not to be mistaken. Reasoning was not an option either.

On her way towards the ocean she threw away small pretzels, salty sticks and salty nuts over her shoulder, thereby leaving a visible trace – in spite of the specific intentions, as the others Saltorados were not interested in such deviant behavior patterns. They noticed, however, very quickly the lots of pretzels, salty sticks and salty nuts, lined up in an almost infinite row. Greedily they threw themselves over the lot, clearly thinking of the opportunity having an easy meal suiting them well.

To the Saltorado, having thrown away the pretzels, the salty sticks and the salty nuts, the case looked a bit different. The convoluted burdens of thoughts and the unimportant memories, whirling around the upcoming roundabouts, the meetings not so easily left. All was thrown over the shoulder in order to clear the mind, until the coast was visible.

Now the Saltorado was able of listening to the roars from the ocean with a relieved smile on her face. The coast was clear, all burdens thrown away over the shoulders, and the ocean waiting – as always without any kind of drama – unless chosen. But she walked without hesitation, directly out and into the ocean and the waves, further and further, while the particles of salt disappeared little by little in the wonderful ocean. Last thing to be seen was a white spot, quickly fading away. The longings of the Saltorado were transformed into the knowing from long ago, deep inside.

Sunsets in the west and sunrises in the east, on the oceans horizons, were always equally beautiful, and all Saltorados getting in touch with them, became silent when watching. At the same time filled with reverence and awe.

But none of them knew why.