Page 76 of Culture and Curiosities
“This conversation is thought-provoking, my mate. Please continue.”
“What if we took an old-fashioned camera as well as newer stuff?” As Wren and Kenzie shifted the discussion to what seemed to be real technology, I thought about where we might live and the different options.
My mate was at the edge of my mind, watching my thoughts, but he gave Kenzie his attention and let their conversation shift naturally. When it turned to goals and the planning of our gate trip, I pushed my own thoughts aside and focused on their discussion.
“That is a good question, but I’m not sure who should be in charge of that decision.” Should anyone have the power to control the access to the portal? “I’m not sure your council would want such a great responsibility.”
“They shouldn’t be trusted with it either.”
Wren seemed to be doing his best to be polite, but Kenzie sighed as his Daddy laughed from the kitchen again. “Daddy said that wouldn’t be a good idea…no matter what they actually think.”
Glad we were all on the same page, I tried to come up with a compromise that would please both sides. “What if we kept a logand took travelers’ pictures? That would at least help us to track who has come through to this side of the portal.”
Nodding slowly, both men thought about it for several moments. Kenzie must’ve been talking to his mate because his head cocked again as he responded out loud. “What about the other side?”
“We have remote monitoring set up. It’s not like your technology but it will help. My biggest concern is your people coming through the portal and being unprepared for the desert.” A dragon could shift and fly to safety before it became a health concern but their mages did not have the same skills to travel over long distances. “Your people are curious but may not understand the risk.”
Kenzie’s wince said he agreed with my thoughts. “Yeah, we’re kind of impulsive so that’s another reason to make sure it’s monitored. But what…what if we do grown-up field trips? You know…those group travel things like old ladies and single people do when they go play tourist. We set up specific times and have real grown-ups who’ll watch everyone.”
Wren’s excitement was obvious in his thoughts and his wide eyes. “Like find your mate trips or go explore the waterfalls of whatever or the jungles of special place.”
Field trips?
My mate provided an explanation and also explained the concept of tourism.
Humans were fascinating.
“They don’t have tourists.” Wren must have interrupted Kenzie’s thoughts because the dragon looked very confused. “Really. He had no idea what that meant or about field trips.”
“They don’t have field trips either? That’s sad.” Kenzie thought the situation was serious enough that his mate came out from the kitchen.
“You okay?” The deputy kissed his mate’s head and frowned. “I’m sure they do other fun things we haven’t thought about.”
Which group…the one called tourists who traveled for no purpose or the school-age children?
“Kids need to go places.” Kenzie’s response answered my question but I still didn’t understand the cultural context. “They need to learn how to safely cause havoc and when to behave. How do they practice being independent?”
What?
Wren’s chuckle floated through my mind, but I wasn’t sure what he found funny, me or Kenzie.
Independence.
Traveling.
Understanding when to behave.
“I think there is a cultural difference missing in our discussion.” At least there was a perception difference missing.
When Kenzie pulled his Daddy down into his chair to be cuddled, I took that as permission to continue the explanation. “We were always a small population, so we lost nearly an entire generation of children in one moment.”
I didn’t have an English word to explain how our people had felt. Just reading their writings was beyond heartbreaking.
“Our trust had turned into what you call overconfidence and arrogance.” We were magic itself…who could come against us? “No one was the same after that.”
Understanding grew on their faces and I knew they understood as best we could. “Children were not allowed to wander. The central school system we had set up was dismantled. Children were educated at home after that and were not allowed to leave home until they were of age. Families with children stayed close together for physical and emotional protection.”
Kenzie let out a soft sigh. “They had one really bad field trip and no one left ever again.”
