little steel balls

You're happy?

Yeah.

You probably are. But not like, really happy.

I am.

No, you're not. You know those mobiles? Those mobiles with lots of little steel balls on them?

Errrr...

They're not for children. More for adults. They have them on their desks.

You mean a Newton's Cradle?

No. It is more like a tree. There are loads of steel wires, rods - articulated rods that fan out. You attach the steel ball bearings to the ends. It takes ages, you have to be really careful. Then when you are finished the whole thing keeps moving. All the balls balance, really carefully. The structure is wonderful - a bit like perpetual motion. All those silver balls moving together perfectly. You can watch it for hours. But, you should never touch it. If you touch one of the balls, just move it out of its preferred method of movement the whole structure comes crashing down. Little steel balls everywhere. You end up treading on them for weeks. Months later you can still here them rattling up the vacuum cleaner. You're like that. You're happy and in motion the whole time. You're wonderful to watch. But the minute something upsets you the whole structure collapses. Oh, you like to think that nothing phases you, that stuff washes over you but you're wrong. The minute one thing goes out of balance you crash. You break your leg and all your little steel balls end up over the floor. True, you're happy but not really happy.

Hmmm.

What are you thinking about?

I'm thinking about how difficult it will be to get to the toilet on crutches if the floor is covered with lots of little steel balls.

Yeah that's the way you would go. I love you

I love you.