Segment
A segment is a piece of writing that may eventually become part of a longer piece.
The longer piece might be a short story, or might be a delivery, or might be a composition, or in some distant time be a book.
The purpose of a segment being here in the flow of story is to remind ourselves how seeds can grow, in the flow.
When I had completed my 3 hour long dissertation speech, I bowed to the Abbot and the monks.
I turned to face the north, then the east, then the west, then the south, looked up and looked down, closed my eyes, and opened them again, as custom ordained. I sat back in my allocated place. The temple bells began to ring. Then silence. Finally the ancient Abbot began to speak. His face was severe.
"We who protect the illumination stream have a deep respect for supreme wisdom."
The Abbot paused, and seemed to be trying to recall the details of the dissertation I had just presented.
"But our respect for supreme wisdom is over-ridden always by our respect for absolute emptiness."
He grinned, "The college of illumination Masters thus grants you your Ph.D."
The monks tumbled over each other in mirth.
I frowned, then smiled, then shook my head in mock bewilderment.