Talk to the Wind

Since the beginning of time, stories have been told about people possessing the ability to interpret messages carried on the wind. Today, meteorologists might appear to fall into that category, but their skills are limited to reading wind direction and speed; the wind does not speak to them. The wind speaks to Danny Shu.

Sometimes in Danny’s early childhood, he thought he had invisible playmates who told him intriguing stories about faraway lands. When Danny started school, it didn’t take long for the other kids to label him the weird kid who’s always talking to himself, and they immediately ostracized him. Danny quickly realized that he alone could hear his invisible friends speak; so he learned to correspond with his phantom friends mentally, not verbally. Over time, Danny regained acceptance among his peers, and the rest of his time in school went well, both socially and academically.

On Danny’s 18th birthday, his father and uncle brought him into the study and closed the door. He thought this was an odd thing to do, but said nothing. Danny’s dad started the conversation.

“This is a very important day for you, Son. Family tradition dictates that when a male child reaches the age of 18, his birthright must be revealed. Shu is the Egyptian god of the four winds. 3,000 years ago, our forefathers chose his name as our surname to honor him. Our first ancestor was punished by Shu for a crime committed by another. To make amends, the wind god granted each male family member the ability to interpret the sounds bourn on the wind. Conversations, sub-vocalized thoughts, faint sighs, anything that the wind carries away, we can understand. A rare few of us—I believe you are one of them—possess the ability to converse with the wind.”

Danny’s uncle picked up the conversation. “Starting at your birth until this moment, the four winds have tempered their interaction with you, easing you into your birthright. From this day forward, you will know each of the wind’s full personality: North Wind, cold and blustery; South Wind, normally warm and gentle but occasionally harsh and destructive; East Wind, steady; and the West Wind, hot and unpredictable. The four will be available to help or hinder you, depending on your interpretive skills.”

“My invisible friends!” exclaimed Danny. “I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have someone speaking gently to me in my mind. The tone of his voice might occasionally change, but he was always there. I thought I could read minds, but now I know it’s the winds carrying soft utterances of others to me. Sometimes what I heard made me sad because some people muttered cruel things about me, but other times I knew I was truly liked. Those individuals became my closest friends.”

“Yes, my Son, this gift is both a blessing and a curse. Your uncle and I can hear what the winds bring our way and can read and interpret how to handle each situation. Your gift is much stronger than ours because you can converse with the four. It is an enormous responsibility, and must always be used with great care.”

Several weeks passed and Danny became better acquainted with the unrestricted personalities of his four friends. They discussed many subjects as he walked from his college dorm to class. It was during one such walk that Danny stumbled upon a man holding two students at gunpoint, attempting to rob them. Instinct took over. In his mind, he asked for help from the West wind. Instantaneously, a powerful dust devil formed around the robber, knocking him to the ground and pushing the gun well out of reach. The would-be victims ran off in one direction, the robber in another. As he was fleeing the scene, Danny heard the assailant’s words being carried on the wind, “You’re not the only one with abilities. We’ll meet again.”

Yes, Danny’s life was becoming much more complicated, just as his father and uncle said it would.