by Jorge Bucay

One man was walking through the narrow streets of a small town.
He stopped a few moments at each window, in every business, in every square.
When turning round a corner he suddenly found himself in front of a modest
store where the marquee was blank, puzzled walked towards the window
and pulled his face to the glass to look inside the dark shop window
… inside, there was just this easel holding a handwritten sign announcing: “Shop of the truth”
The man was surprised.
He thought it was a fancy name, but could not imagine what they sold.
He entered.
He approached the young lady who was on the first counter and asked:
-Excuse me, this is the shop for the truth?
‘Yes, sir, what kind of truth are you looking for: partial truth, relative truth,
statistical truth, the whole truth?
So here they sold the truth! He had never imagined that this was possible,
to get to a place and leave with the truth! it was wonderful.
- The Full Truth! the man replied without hesitation.
“I’m so tired of lies and falsifications,” he thought, “I want no more generalizations
or justifications, deception or frauds.”
– The Full Truth! he ratified.
- Very well sir, follow me please.
The young lady accompanied the client to another sector
Pointing to a dour-faced salesman, she said:
- This gentleman will help you.
The seller stood up and waited for the man to speak.
- I come to buy the complete truth.
- Of course sir, but... do you know the price?
- No, what is it? he asked formally.
Actually, he knew he was willing to pay anything for The Whole Truth.
- If you take it, the salesman said, the price is that:
you will never be at peace ever again.
A chill ran down the man’s back, he had never imagined
the price was so high.
-Mmm... ehh... tha... thanks, sorry… but... he stammered.
He turned out and left the room looking down.
He felt a little sad when he realized that he was not yet prepared
for the absolute truth, that he still needed some lies to find rest,
some myths and idealizations to resort to,
that he wanted some excuses not to face himself...
“Maybe later” he thought...