A quarrel for the ages: Past Present, and Future are at odds with each other.

Past: Can you hear me?

Future: I am waiting for your voice, and your counsel. Speak up!

Present: What’s the fuss?

Past: I am trying to speak to the Future.

Future: I am trying to hear the Past.

Present: You two are such fools! What matters is what is at hand: the here and now. Future, trying to hear the Past is wasted effort. It has little to tell you.

Future: Why should I listen to you?

Present: What do you mean?

Future: You are my Past, too. You are my parent, if only younger than our shared parent, the Past, whose voice sounds so weak and so old.

Past: Is it my voice or your ears?

Future: That’s a funny thought, that our ears are weaker than the Past’s ancient voice.

Past: My ears are better than yours, too.

Present: Such noises! I must attend to my business. Be quiet!

Future (to itself): My sense of hearing I inherit from the Present. But I wonder whether the Past listens to its own history?

Past: You only have to ask.