Yes, But What Does It All Mean?
Immortal being or empty suit: Which will be Cosmo's fate? Relax, relax. Our introductory image does not portend some grim vision of horror or despair. From time to time, across the decades during which this story has unfolded, when I've written or told people about parts of it, they've responded with a perfectly understandable question: "Yes, amazing, but what does it all mean?" Truth be told, I've never answered that question to anyone's satisfaction, including my own. As I continue to age (gracefully, of course) and grow more distracted (less gracefully) by the digital flotsam and jetsam that ensnares and fragments us all, the question becomes more urgent. I am 66 years old now, still plugging away at a story that itself is almost 40 years old. Chronological and biological inevitabilities loom. What if I don't finish it? Will enough meaning cohere in what is there to make it a worthwhile encounter for someone who stumbles on it years hence in some...
