Cartel Cats: Know Your Rights
Chapter Fourteen: The Color of Truth (Expanded)
It was another restless night in Pawloma. The city buzzed with arguments—on corners, in kitchens, and especially online. Barbara Sanders scrolled through her feed, shaking her head at the latest debate: Was the alley van blue or red? The comments were on fire. Accusations flew. "You're lying!" "No, YOU are!" "Open your eyes!" "Get your head checked!"
Barbara gathered her crew for a late-night talk.
Barbara:
"Why is it that every time two folks see something different, everyone acts like one of them must be lying? Society tells us: 'Find out who's lying!' But what if that's the biggest lie of all?"
Scene 1: The Van Debate
Sneezy Lila and Rico stood on opposite sides of the alley, staring at the same parked van.
Sneezy Lila:
"It's blue, plain as day."
Rico:
"You're nuts, Lila. It's red. What are you even looking at?"
The crew gathered, each taking sides, voices rising.
Barbara stepped between them.
Barbara:
"Let's slow down. You're both looking at the same van, but from different angles. Maybe the streetlight hits it different on each side. Maybe your eyes see color in their own way. Or maybe—just maybe—something else is at play."
Scene 2: Perspective Is Point of View
Mama Patch, wise as ever, brought out her old phone.
Mama Patch:
"Perspective is literally your point of view. It's your opinion, shaped by where you stand. You're telling the truth as you know it to be. That doesn't mean you're lying if someone else sees it different."
Barbara nodded.
Barbara:
"It's like looking at the moon. If I'm in California and you're in New York, I might see the lit-up side, and you might see a different part. We're both looking at the same moon, but from different places. Doesn't mean one of us is lying—just means we're not in the same spot."
Sneezy Lila grinned.
"So if someone spends the next 500 years trying to figure out which one of us is lying, they're missing the point."
Barbara:
"Exactly. The truth is, both of you are right—from where you stand."
Scene 3: Dress Debates and Laurel/Yanni
Mama Patch:
"Remember that dress everyone argued about online? Some saw blue and black, others saw white and gold. Or that audio clip—some heard 'Laurel,' some heard 'Yanni.' All it took was a different frequency, a different filter, and suddenly the whole world was fighting over what was real."
Barbara nodded.
Barbara:
"If we can argue over a dress or a sound, why is it so hard to believe that bigger things—like the government or the media—could mess with what we see and hear? Technology can change perception in a second. But society still acts like only one person can be right."
Scene 4: The Real Insanity
Rico, ever the skeptic, crossed his arms.
Rico:
"So what, everyone's just crazy?"
Barbara shook her head.
Barbara:
"No, Rico. The real insanity is pretending there's only one truth when we know perception can be changed. It's calling people liars or insane just because they see things differently. Maybe the real trick is learning to ask: 'What are you seeing? What are you hearing? And why?'"
She looked at her crew, her eyes fierce.
Barbara:
"If you can't even agree on the color of a van, maybe it's time to stop fighting and start listening. Maybe it's time to question the filters, not just each other."
Scene 5: The Moral
Mama Patch wrapped it up with her signature warmth.
Mama Patch:
"Don't let anyone tell you that you're crazy for seeing the world your way. And don't call someone else a liar just because their truth looks different. Sometimes, the world really is playing tricks on us. Sometimes, we just need to compare notes and see the bigger picture."
Rights Recap Song
🎶
Blue van, red van,
What do you see?
Truth isn't always
Just one, two, or three.
Dress is gold, dress is blue,
Laurel or Yanni,
What's real for me
Might not be for Granny.
Perspective's your point of view,
It's honest, not a lie—
The moon looks different
From California to NY.
Filters and signals
Can mess with your mind,
So seek out perspective—
See what you find.
Don't fight over angles,
Don't battle for right,
Sometimes the truth
Is just hidden from sight.
🎶
Spoken Outro (Barbara)
If you're called crazy for seeing what you see,
remember:
Sometimes sanity is just refusing to play along
with a world that's been filtered and spun.
Keep your eyes open, compare your notes,
and never be afraid to ask
what's really changing the color of the van.