Curiously, I ask the mason, "How are things different over there?"
Said he, "Lots of things are different! Things that you wouldn't understand. Things that you would reject."
Asked I, "Well, like what sort of things? They can't be that bad."
Said he, "Alright, see if this doesn't scare you. On the other side, high school girls think it's cool to be seen in their school uniforms off-campus in places like shopping centers. How does that grab you?"
"Oh how terrible!" shouted I, "That would never ever happen in a million years in America! When I was a kid, I would have died of embarrassment if my school even thought of making me wear a uniform! That's awful to have to be seen in public in something as stupid as a school uniform. It might even be psychologically damaging!"
"No kidding!" said the mason, "Try this one. Not all the time, but quite often, women are depicted either as weak and subordinate to men, or, if they do have strong, independent personalities, they are cast in overtly sexual or excessively violent roles."
"Really?" said I, "You mean to say that there are no characters for American girls to identify with over there? Do you mean to tell me that it's impossible to find a female role model who is independent and strong, who can be an intellectual equal with a man yet who can still be feminine without being overtly sexual or violent?"
"No," answered the mason, "but it is very difficult to find such a role model over there. But wait! There's more! Did you know that people who own houses and drive around in big cars are considered affluent?"
"I can't believe it!" exclaimed I, "In America, everyone drives a car! Heck, even people living at the poverty level own and drive cars! And sure, owning a house is the American dream, but that dream is a reality for a great many Americans. In fact, when you picture the typical middle class American family, it's a mom, a dad, two kids and a dog standing in front of a single family home! Who doesn't see it like that?!?!"
Continued the mason, "Did you know that, over there, behaviors such as smoking and drinking alcohol can be shown in cartoons aimed at minors?"
"That's blasphemy!" shouted I, "If they ever showed any of those things like that over here to America's youth—even to teenagers—they'd be eaten alive by the media, congressmen and parents!"
Said the mason, "Yes, and that's just a few of the more obvious things that go on over there that you wouldn't be able to accept. There are many more smaller things, perhaps passable for some, but not to others, that conspire to keep outsiders confused and feeling that there's something 'different' that doesn't make sense. Did you know that when they want to point to themselves, they point to their noses instead of pointing to their chests? Did you know they draw their faces without lips! Did you know they call each other by their last names? Did you know they shout when most Americans would "keep it inside"? Did you know that the citizenry does not have a 2nd amendment right to bear firearms? Did you know that a falling star is a bad sign? Have I scared you enough?"
"OK! OK! I don't want to hear anymore!" exclaimed I, "I didn't realize it was so weird over there!"
"Good, then you no longer wish to pass through the gate, right?" asked the mason.
Screamed I, "No! I still want to pass through! Silicon Mountain is on the other side of that gate! And that's where I'll find my answer to the unanswerable question!"
I became hysterical because I couldn't make sense of anything the mason had told me. My brain overloaded and the scenery started to spin around and around. My frantic eyes darted everywhere as if trying to see everything at the same time. I felt like I was falling and before I knew it, I had fainted.

End.