Chapter XV

After the incident with the men in green, Ziggy realized that the herd had just taken and never given! On the outside, he lived his life as if nothing happened, but inside, he changed! He started focusing on his family and only pretended to care for the herd. First, he felt guilty for the deception, but as time passed, he realized that was the only way to carry on. His family was his joy and pride! The herd was a nuisance he had to bear. Over the years, Ziggy saw his children grow up like he did. First, they learned the basic rules of life, and next, they were taught the song of their crowd! He saw their stripes go from brown to black, her minds from open to closed!

Ziggy knew he had to support them in the most crucial step of their lives, opening their eyes and discovering and questioning the truth behind it all! One day, a few days before his son’s third birthday, right before his first-born son Bolt was about to leave his care, Ziggy took him aside.

 “You know now everything you need to lead a successful life,” he told him with pride. “There is one important thing you don’t know, and I wish someone had told me before I had to find out myself the hard way.” Ziggy explained that since he was born, he learned by copying, which is extremely powerful! “You learn all the knowledge that was gathered before you by your predecessors in record time. The herd collectively protects and passes on this memory!” he pointed out. “What I need you to know is that the herd does not know it all! And what has worked in the past is not guaranteed to work now! Circumstances change faster than society!” he said. “A hundred times repeated lie does not become truth; it becomes the illusion of truth, my son!”

Ziggy then shared his life story and the stages he went through. “After I was born, I was scared and blindly followed others to learn how to survive! Growing up, I met a special lady who opened my eyes to a different way of life! I wanted to marry her and live our life our way, but I was persuaded to let her go, because the herd was against this union! I was a fool! I thought I needed the herd’s protection to survive, which was not true! Over the years, I did everything to gain the herd’s acceptance, but in return, the herd abandoned me in my time of need!” Bolt was listening carefully; his father had always been his hero. He saw him as the pillar of society; he looked up to him and wished one day to be like him! He was surprised there was so much of his father hiding under the surface. “So, I should forget all I learned?” Bolt asked hesitantly. “No,” his father answered patiently! After a moment of reflection Ziggy added: “You should question thoroughly everything you have learned blindly!”

“The herd is neither always right nor always wrong; you should do what you think is right!” Ziggy clarified. “And how do I know what is right?” Bolt asked, more confused than before. “I guess you feel it,” Ziggy answered, remembering his conversations with Zora, which were still fresh in his memory even after all these years. Seeing the confusion on his son’s face, Ziggy finally said, “I guess if you ever feel something is definitely not right, don’t let weak arguments change your mind.”