Old Friends and the Illusion of Control

Daniel Brothers

2/21/2021

Setting:

A simple outdoor scene, overlooking a beautiful and majestic waterfall that is unseen. A bench in memoriam is looking out.

Characters

1: Wearing a sweater with a pigeon on it

2: Wearing simple black shirt and khakis

3: Wearing some form of hat

At rise

The sound of a waterfall rushing in the background as lights rise up

1: Oh lordy

The three Chuckle as they reach the bench

2: That was definitely more of a hike than expected

3: Dude you’ve been here before!

2: Not here here, I’ve driven by a lot though

3: Oh ok. I see. Just driven by.

2: If we’re honest I didn’t know this path was here even

3: Fam I love finding weird paths in the woods.

1: Turned down it on a whim you could say

2: You could

3: If you were inclined to say something, uhhh, a little bit foolish

1: Oh yeah like you aren’t foolish

3: I never said that! Hehe. Let’s have a sit.

2: Way ahead of you

1: Thanks to a Mr. John Cranly

3: He makes a nice bench

2: I don’t think he makes the bench. He just died and paid for it

1: Well it says he loved birds, old friends, and a beautiful view.

3: Well we have at least one of those things

2: Yeah. A beautiful view

3: I was gonna say birds.

They laugh heartily, they rest for a moment. Then suddenly

3: We have been friends for a long ass time

2 Jumps slightly at the sudden proclamation

1: Yeah we really have

3: 8 years? 10 years?

2: 7 for me

1: Out whole life that I can remember

3: Literally max you are one of my first memories

2: And now we are here. How does that feel?

1: Like it’s supposed to

3: That’s cryptic and mysterious.

1: Like I mean it is how its supposed to feel. Sad. Exciting. Scary. Happy. Mixed bag of things

3: And that’s what you’re supposed to feel?

1: I think so. That good good post grad trepidation

2: That sounds pretty accurate to me. How else are you supposed to feel?

3: Hmmmm. No, that makes sense. [pause] for whatever reason it’s the supposed to that bothers me

1: Dude that’s not even the point though

3: Why are you supposed to feel something?

1: It’s how your brain works, it’s how it works. Predestination

2: Oh my god this again.

3: I don’t actually remember this

2: He made it such a big deal in high school.

1: Well you see, since everything in the universe is causal.

The scene shifts, and the waterfall sound ends, the bros might effect some change in their personality as they are now much younger. A flashback begins as their younger selves tell their own story. One and Two are speaking, as Three is in conversation with a figure unpictured

One; And because everything is responding to everything else it’s predictable and therefore predetermined

Two: But if I choose to close my hand, I, I chose to do that.

One: But you only chose based on previous arguments, and based on those reasons chose to do that

Two: What if I choose the opposite of what I wanted to do?

One: Doesn’t matter. Because you still chose to do the opposite of what you were planning to choose. That predictably A to B to C to D predetermined, Predestination.

Two: BUt that doesn’t even! It’s a self fulfilling prophecy.

One: I mean that i the point

Three turns around as the person they were talking to leaves

Three: So what’s the plan? Chipotle?

One: Called it!

Three: Called what?

Two: Nothing at all

Three: Whaaaat? Come on tell me!

One I just predicted you would want Chipotle

Two: I bet chick fil a

Three: naaaah actually fudge it, I want wendeys

They transition back to their older forms and blocking

3: I don’t like that idea

1: Doesn’t matter. It’s true

2: Guys do you really want to argue about this on such a beautiful bench?

3: This isn’t arguing, it is discussing.

1: Yeah! And if we’re honest the bench isn’t really the beautiful part.

3: Yeah

Pause

1: It’s just the nature of the universe. Seems like an ideal convo for this scenic view.

2: I guess that’s fair

3: So do you think it was predestined we’d be talking about the universe today before the glory of nature?

2: I feel like I’m right in the middle of you two guys

1: Well you are.

2: Hah! No I mean I don’t think either of you are really right.

1: Hate to tell you bud but either you were predetermined to say that or you weren’t there isn’t really a middle ground there

2: Hmmm

3: But was he predetermined to think that?

1: Yes, every thought he had led up to this moment and those thoughts led him

3: But he could choose to think something else?

1: Eeeeeeh that is if all the molecules in his head hadn’t bounced the way they did before starting a chain reaction to lead your electrical brain signals to result in you having that thought in the first place

2: oh ok, that doens;t really prove anything though. It’s a nice theory

3: Yeah! That’s my point, you can’t prove it because it answers itself

1: that means It’s right

3: That means its cyclical

2: Yeah it’s like how you can’t define a word using the word!

Young again

Three: You can’t just solve a crush with another crush

One: I’m not doing that! I’m really quite fond of Sam.

Three: Has nothing to do with Sam looking, sounding, and acting just like Bec's does?

One: They do not

Three: [scoffs] Yeah they do?

One: Two?

Two: I mean I thought they were cousins.

One: So what! I have a type! That’s not a crime is it?

Three: No that’s not [the point]

Two: We just don’t want it to happen again dude

One: Okay it was not that bad, i think you’re overreacting

Three: Tell that to your grades One

Two: It was pretty rough

One:[looks between the two] Fine, You’re right. Ok you’re right! I said it, can we talk about something else now.

Two: D and D on friday at phils?

One: That’s what I’m talking about

Three: I should probably prep for that.

Back to old

1: It’s not defining a word with a word though. Since every atom in the universe reacts to the movement of every other atom in a predictable, if not fathomable way, then by taking everything up to a larger scale nothing has really changed it’s still predictable it’s just a lot more complicated. BUt it is still causal and thereby predetermined

3: So you can predict the end of the universe then? Or where I’ll be in a year?

1: With a big enough computer yeah, I could.

3: But you can’t

1: Of course not that's like crazy.

3: So it’s only once something has happened that you maxwell charles berger butler the third know that it was predetermined

1: Well i mean i knew it was predetermined before it happened, but i don’t know what was gonna happen.

3: Okay. I can live with that.

2: What, that’s it?

3: You know how sometimes someone says something and you need some clarification before you can move on from that point and still be friends.

1: Not really but I’m gonna say yeah.

2: I definitely don’t get it either but I kinda want to know what your thinking is

3: Easy. What I thought he was saying is that everything was predetermined and you couldn’t change the future.

1: Which I am saying.

3: BUt if you can only feasible claim it in retrospect, it kinda becomes a mute point in practice

1: But it doesn’t make it less true

2: Yeah that sounds a little bit like choosing to ignore his main point there

3: Hmmm

Shift young

Three: It feels like you’re making this harder than it is

Two: But it really feels like she is tearing my heart out

One: Gotta move past it

Three; It’s clear that she doesn’t care about you so you don’t need to care at all about what she does

Two: But I can’t control my feelings

One: Yeah but that’s not the point. She isn’t your girlfriend she just is a person you know. You’re giving her too much power.

Three: Don’t ignore that dude.

Switch back

3: It’s not that I’m ignoring it, it’s just how I feel

1: What you feel doesn’t matter though because it’s inevitable either way?

3: What I feel doesn’t matter then?

2: Wait wait wait. One, does anything matter if its all inevitable?

1: That’s not what I’m saying at all!

3: Sure sounds pretty close

2: Also really dark if it’s true.

1: I mean I guess yeah

Switch young

One: I can’t believe you brought a graduation cap dude.

Three: Come on you had to know.

Two: Really seems on par to me

One: Yeah you’re right.

Three: Guys are you ready for college or what?

One: Definitely gonna say or what

Two: Yeah too soon to tell

Three: Come on it’s gonna be pretty exciting

One: Is this exciting enough already! We just graduated. Like we’re done with this place.

Three: I Knoooooow! It’s a whole life ahead of us.

Two: We should keep together.

Three; Easy

One: We’ve got phones

Three: Hey too soon. [laughs] we have a whole summer thats gotta happen first.

Two: You right.

One : Damn straight.

Back to old

3: I think we act like we have free will, and since we can’t actually know the future until One finishes his giant theoretical computer, it’s pretty much just like we really don’t have free will.

2: -points, claps hands together- dude i think that's it

1: Welp we should probably start heading back.

2:Dude

1: Ok yeah that’s fair, I’m still technically right though

3: You're the engineer, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Art bros [fist bumps 2] Science bros [fist bumps 1] Boom

The laugh and then are lost in the waterfall again

1: That Is a beautiful waterfall.

3: I’ve kinda been lost in the view the whole time

2: This has always been one of my favorite parks

3: I can see why.

1: Surprised you haven't been here before.

2: Honestly same

The waterfall takes them once more

1: Do you want to go to a bar?

2: I was waiting for that.

3: Oh yeah we can all do that now. What?

1: Yeah, let’s go! It’s a little hike back to your truck

2: Yeah, and it’s uphill too.

3: Hey don’t forget this. [hands 2 a graduation cap]

2:You just had that on you?

3: Of course I did, hats are my thing.

1: Some things never change

3: Hey it’s all predetermined Baby

1: Shut up.

The laugh and exit

3: Not on your life.