I've run across this cute little story before, and now for the life of me I can't find it anywhere. It goes something like:
Two people are looking out onto a mathematical landscape, and there are these hills/towers that represent problems. Some are unsolved, but some are solved and have little staircases that lead up to their tops---proofs. As they watch, a mathematician comes along, considers one of the unsolved problems, and leaps to the top of it! Then the mathematician builds a staircase down from off the top of the hill/tower and walks away. The onlookers marvel at what they have witnessed.
My Google searches are just not turning this up, and I'd really like to find where I found this, or some other source. Maybe you know where to find it, or maybe your Google fu is better than mine? Thanks!