Fact of fiction (or the man with the funny red polka dots hat)

“Fact of fiction,” the man with the funny red polka dots hat says, “fact of fiction is what it is!”

“Fact or fiction?” I say, correcting him.

“Fact of fiction!” He giggles and interjects nonsensical sounds into his speech. “Eeh, hee, wee-yoo! Fact of fiction! Eee-yoooo!”

“Right, so, fact of fiction? What does it mean?”

“Oh, so many things, so many little things, so many big things,” he says. His hands stretch in all directions, spiraling upwards and downwards. “Take,” he says, handing me a little red gift box.

“What’s in it?”

“Fact of fiction! Fact of fiction!” he says, teetering off in laughter. Hysteric laughter that’s more alarming than annoying.

That is the last I’ve seen of the man with the funny red polka dots hat.

As to what is in the little red gift box, well, there is no little red gift box.

• fiction
• writing