Portal called my Name …

and things have never been the same

~ a fantastical fable for all ages ~

written by

Jeannette Zink

Zachary, can you hear me?  It’s me, Portal … wake up, Zachary Aaron.  Zach, Zachary Aaron … wake up … can you hear me?  Zachary … Zach … geeeezeeee … It’s so hard to get your attention, Zachary Aaron.

“What do you want, Portal?  I am busy thinking,” said Zachary Aaron.

    

**********

“Who are you talking to, Zachary Aaron?” asked Zachary’s teacher, Mr. Appletart. 

“I was talking to Portal,” said Zachary Aaron. 

“Who is Portal … where is this Portal?” asked Mr. Appletart. “I don’t see anyone named Portal in the room.”

“Zachary, are you feeling alright?” asked Mr. Appletart.  “You are even more distracted than usual today.”

“I am fine, Mr. Appletart,” said Zachary Aaron.  “I was just doing some thinking and Portal distracted me.”

“Well, please pay attention, Zachary,” said Mr. Appletart.  “We will discuss this Portal person later.  For now, please show me your answers for today’s assignment.”

Zachary Aaron showed Mr. Appletart his homework for today and for the remainder of the week.

“Excellent job, Zachary Aaron!” said Mr. Appletart. “You are an A+ student!”

Zachary could hear the other children giggling in the background. 

“Thank you, Mr. Appletart,” said Zachary Aaron.  “May I go back to my thinking?” asked Zach.

“Yes, of course, thinking is a good thing to do,” said Mr. Appletart. “It will soon be time to go out and play,” Mr. Appletart reminded Zachary Aaron.

“I really just want to sit and think,” said Zachary. 

“But, you need to get fresh air and play with your friends and classmates,” said Mr. Appletart. 

“I don’t have any friends and the air is filled with pollen!” said Zachary. 

“You do have friends, Zachary … what about Megan Miranda?” She is such a creative and talented artist. “Don’t you want to see what she has been thinking about?” asked Mr. Appletart.

“Megan Miranda may be an artist, but she is not a thinker!” scoffed Zachary. “She cannot remember anything … no, she is not my friend!”

“Okay, Zach … go ahead and think, but please think about how your thinking may be hurting others and not really helping you,” said Mr. Appletart.

“I have to think so I can breathe, Mr. Appletart.  Thinking and breathing are all the same for me … I have to think to breathe, and I have to breathe to think.”

“This is quite a dilemma, Zachary. Who knew thinking and breathing could be such a distraction from just everyday living and being,” said Mr. Appletart. “Maybe you need to consider more carefully what you choose to think about … perhaps, less about you and more about others.” “Just a thought worth thinking about, Zach.”

“I will think about it, Mr. Appletart,” said a doubtful Zachary Aaron.

**********

“Zachary Aaron, it’s me again, Portal.”  “Come along. It’s time for our learning journey.”  “Zachary Aaron, can you hear me … Zach!”

“Portal, you are such a nuisance,” said Zachary Aaron. “I do not want to take any journey with you. I just want to sit and think.”

“Thinking is just the ticket for this learning journey!” said Portal.

“Why is it that I am the only one who can see you, Portal?” asked Zachary Aaron.

“Because you need me right now, Zach,” said Portal.

“I don’t need you, Portal. I don’t need anyone!” said Zachary.

 “Yes, you do, my friend,” said Portal.

“Let’s get started on our journey. Press the escape key on your computer’s key board and we are off!” said Portal.

  

**********

Zachary Aaron watched as the screen on his computer turned into a door and then into a spiraling staircase and next before he could say ‘Whaaaaaaat Is Happening?’… the world of Zachary Aaron suddenly took an unexpected turn of events.

**********

“Come, follow me,” said Portal. “This is the way to our learning journey.” “But, first I must ask you a very important question, Zachary Aaron,” said Portal. “Do you want to travel the path of tomorrow’s new discoveries or a path of yesterday’s facts?” asked Portal.

“Why would I care about yesterday’s facts?” asked Zachary Aaron. “I am always thinking about the future!” said Zachary. “So, of course, I want to travel to tomorrow’s new discoveries!” said Zach.

“Interesting choice, Zach.  Let’s see what we learn and what we miss or forget that is important to us,” said Portal.

“What do you mean, forget?” asked Zach. “I never forget anything!”

“But, do you every feel anything … do you allow your heart to have feelings?” asked Portal.

“Portal, you are such a big NUISANCE!” said Zachary Aaron.

“Come along, Zachary, let’s get started. Things will become clearer as we travel the path of new discoveries,” said Portal with a chuckle.

**********

“Zach, we are headed toward our first learning station.  It is just around that corner where that young girl is sitting.  Do you see her, Zach?” asked Portal.

“I see just fine, Portal,” said an irritated Zachary Aaron.  That’s Megan Miranda.  Why is she here and why is she part of our journey? 

“Megan Miranda has special gifts. Gifts that will prove very important to you, Zach.  You will soon understand,” said Portal.

“Please take hold of this scarf, Zachary Aaron.  We need to stay connected through the feel of this scarf.  Remember how it feels to you … the texture, the emotional connection, the folds of the scarf, the smell, the feelings of the colors in the scarf … can you feel the scarf with your heart, Zach?” asked Portal.

“Portal, you are making no sense.  The heart does not have feelings!” said Zachary Aaron.  This scarf is nothing but a piece of fabric.  I feel nothing, not one thing.  Let’s just move on before Megan Miranda sees us.

“Wait, I need to stop for a minute and do some thinking,” said Zach.  “I need to sit quietly and just think so I can breathe, you know that Portal.”

“Okay, you go over there and do your thinking, and I am going to visit with Megan Miranda,” said Portal.

“Just don’t tell her that I am with you. And, whatever you do, don’t invite her to join us on our journey!” Zach instructed Portal. 

“Try to relax and hold on to the scarf, Zach. I will be back in a few hours,” said Portal.

“A few hours!” said an alarmed Zachary Aaron. “We need to keep traveling on our journey.”

“Just breathe, Zach, close your eyes … think and breathe.  I will be back before you open your left eye,” teased Portal.

**********

“Hi, Megan Miranda,” said Portal. “How is your learning journey going today? Any new discoveries?”

“Hi, Portal,” said a very happy Megan Miranda. “It is great to see you again! Did you bring the scarf with you this trip?”

“Yes, I did bring the scarf, but I left it with Zachary Aaron,” said Portal. “The scarf is the vessel to transfer emotion into Zachary’s breathing and thinking.” Zach needs the scarf, Megan Miranda. I hope you are not too disappointed.

“But, you know I need the scarf to recharge my memory.  I can’t remember tomorrow what I learn today without the scarf,” said Megan Miranda. “Besides, Zachary Aaron doesn’t like me. Why should I help him!” “The scarf is MY vessel!!, Portal,” cried Megan Miranda.

“Funny the things we think we cannot live without,” said Portal.

“You, Megan Miranda, think you can only remember today if you have the presence of a scarf, and Zachary Aaron thinks he is learning the concept of emotion through the same scarf,” said a mischievous Portal.

“What if neither you nor Zach needed the scarf, but only needed to accept each other and the special gifts that God has blessed you.” “What if each of you are exactly who God intended you to be?” Could the scarf really be a blessing of grace from God to reveal the best in each of you?”

“STOP, Portal!” “You are asking too many questions … I can’t breathe or think at your pace,” cried a frightened Megan Miranda.

“Don’t be afraid, Megan Miranda, you will remember today and all the days to come, not by the magic of a scarf, but by your heart of gold for loving all who touch your life.

“Just believe in You and the gifts God has given to only you,” said Portal.

**********

“Well, it’s about time you came back, Portal,” said a disgusted Zachary Aaron. “You were gone far longer than a few hours!” said Zach, as he looked at his watch.

“I felt that you needed extra time with the scarf, Zachary,” said Portal. “And, Megan Miranda needed some extra time with me, as well.”

“Oh, please, I would not spend one second with that Megan Miranda!” Zach said with such disgust. “No, less than a second, zero, zilch, zippo!”

“Message received, Zachary Aaron,” said Portal. “By the way, where is the scarf?” asked Portal.

“It slipped out of my hands and sailed away while I was thinking,” said Zachary Aaron.

“What if the scarf is our ticket back to where we started?” asked Portal. “What if the scarf had magic powers?” “What if the scarf was a gift from God?” “What if you needed that scarf to help you breathe and think?” “What if Megan Miranda needed that scarf to remember?” “What if….”

“I do not NEED a scarf for anything, and I do not CARE what Megan Miranda needs!” said Zachary.

“Oh, so is that the reason you gave the scarf to Megan Miranda?” “Because you don’t need anything or anyone … because you don’t care for the feeling of others … because it is safer to pretend you have no feelings for anyone.”

“I saw your act of kindness, Zachary Aaron,” said Portal.

“How did you see me, Portal?” “You stopped to rest on your way back. Your eyes were closed tighter than a … I don’t know what … but, you were snoring so loud I sneaked by you!” said Zachary Aaron.

“Or, so you thought,” teased Portal.

“Look, I didn’t need the scarf as much as Megan Miranda … that’s all, no big deal,” said an embarrassed Zachary Aaron.

“You have special powers, Zach,” said Portal. “The power of God’s love. Use it every second of your days, and you will be a very happy person. The person God always intended you to be.”

“What are you thinking, Zach?” asked Portal.

“I’m thinking it is time to return home. Let’s pick up Megan Miranda and start our journey back to where we started, but better than we were when we started,” said a renewed Zachary Aaron.

“Fine thinking, Zachary Aaron,” said a very pleased Portal.

**********

“Hi, Megan Miranda. Ready to go home?” asked Portal and Zachary Aaron.

“I am very much ready,” said Megan Miranda. “Good to travel with great friends!”

“By the way, I tucked the scarf away in a secure place. I don’t think I will be needing it anymore,” said a very confident Megan Miranda.

“We have each other … and God’s shining light … that’s enough for whatever comes our way, right Portal?” asked Zachary.

“Portal … where are you Portal … Portal …?”

**********

“How was play time, Zachary?” asked Mr. Appletart.

“I had a great time with Portal and Megan Miranda,” said Zachary Aaron.

“Who is this Portal person?” asked a puzzled Mr. Appletart.

“Well, you see … you tell him, Megan Miranda …” laughed Zachary Aaron.

“It’s a long and magical story, Mr. Appletart, pull up a chair,” laughed Megan Miranda and Zachary Aaron.

There once was this magical scarf ….

The End