Allegories are sometimes difficult to follow. However, although we may not be able to tease out a clear message from an allegory, in thinking about it we learn. We learn about ourselves and about the problem proposed. This story is a good example of that. While I may feel I understand the message, that's not as important as the fact that the story obliged me to think about the traveler's dilemma. It is a dilemma we all face, the puzzle of life. Where are we going? What does life mean?

This is a thoughtful story and one the reader is likely to read twice over. That's a good thing.

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