The Box

"It's our only way out," I urged but my companion seemed unimpressed.

"There's no way out. We've tried it so many times, now haven't we?"

"But if we give up then we've lost. We cannot give up ... or give in!"

"Tell me," he was belligerent, "What good came the last time we tried?"

"Well, we got a different result," I argued, "Isn't that progress?"

"Progress? Bah!"

"I know, I know ... I mean I'm growing sceptical myself, pal. But we cannot not try. Just once more. Please!"

"Trust me, the result will be the same. As a great man once said-"

"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results" I completed his sentence and then added, "That great man was Einstein"

"Fine I'll do it for you."

"No. Don't do it for me. Don't do it for any God. Don't do it for anyone or anything other than yourself!" I was losing my patience with him.

"Why? Why is this box so important?"

"Because ..." I had to pause and take a deep breath, "It is the only box capable of transformation, of radical change, of hope. Yes, this is the box of hope!"

A smirk and then a nod. I sighed.

I had managed to convince just one fellow citizen to trust the box, the ballot box. I think that was a good start.