Paraland

Oswald sat in the village library.  He had been there all morning searching through the dustiest books from the highest shelves.  He felt certain the library would contain at least some of the information he was looking for.   Ever since he had first read about Professor Peach’s book entitled “My Visit Elsewhere”, he had been convinced that there was another world running parallel with our own and believed it would be very easy to visit, if only he knew how - according to Lewis Carol, Alice had managed it after all - and he felt sure that at least one book in the library would contain the information he was searching for.   However, it seemed that Theymore Village Library didn’t even have a copy of “My Visit Elsewhere”, and when Oswald had asked the Librarian for a list of further titles on the subject of parallel universes he had been politely directed towards the science fiction department. 
      According to Oswald’s understanding, “My Visit Elsewhere” was an account of Professor Peach’s inadvertent stumble into another world, which he described in his notes as “Planet Earth, without all the good bits”.  The notes Oswald had read stated that Professor Peach’s book was written in such a way that anyone who felt compelled to disbelieve such a story as nonsense, could do so without feeling any pangs of guilt, leaving those with a more open mind to bask in the depths of conviction and believe that anything was possible.  Professor Peach’s book apparently claimed that he had been sucked into another dimension when he had forgotten to unplug the vacuum cleaner before connecting his iron to the same circuit for the purpose of decreasing his best trousers.  But there Oswald’s understanding ended.

This was the first day of a three-week break Oswald was taking from his job working as a lecturer at Theymore University.  Rest and relaxation were not things Oswald usually gave the time of day to and he had taken this leave for one reason and one reason only – to conquer another dimension.  It was already taking longer than he had expected!

He sat back in his chair and sighed - it seemed that Professor Peach was the only living person to have visited a parallel existence.  At least he was the only person to have written a book on the subject, which Theymore Council did not consider important enough to purchase for the use and enjoyment of the villagers of Theymore. This, to Oswald was depressing.  He felt let down, cheated even.  He had convinced himself that today would take him a notch nearer his dream of stepping into another dimension and proving the sceptics wrong. He had almost expected to open a book and read of some magic key into this as yet unknown world. Yes, depressing, that was the word, thought Oswald.  Disappointing, that was a good word too.  Oswald sighed, loudly, and resting his sad face in his hands, gave up – but only for today.