A strange transformation has taken me in my later years. When I graduated from Eldorado High School in 1975 I could not wait to get away from my second Hometown. My first had been Chicago. I moved the morning after graduation. Now I can not seem to travel back to Eldorado enough times to get my fill of memories. The change occurred when I began to write fictionalized stories about my 12 years in the little town. The narratives are made up of a mixture of truth and fiction. They are based on happy times that happened throughout the 1960s.

‘You know…Kiddo…I think that we should start attending church…Grandma Askew says Armageddon is coming,’ said Neva J. ”I would like to come along with you guys…you know I have always been curious about spiritual matters,’ Chet said matter of factly. ‘I enjoy reading the Bible Story Books in Dr. Ferrel’s office,’ Billy B. added.

‘Well today is the Halloween Hike…but we will take our Bibles with us,’ Jane said. ‘I will bring my Bible with the handmade leather cover on it…Michael T. made it for me,’ Billy B. said with a smile. ‘I can not quit watching the news reports of the Russian missiles in Cuba,’ Neva J. said with a concerned look in her eyes. ‘Did you pack the wine,’ Jane asked with a laugh.

My goodness, it is dark today in the woods,’ Darryl said with some trepidation. ‘What did the news say regarding the missile stand-off, Chet asked. ‘Walter Conkrite said that the United States should prepare for war,’ Neva J. answered as she poured a glass of Merlot for each of them. ‘How could we have come to this…how could our leaders have been so foolish,’ Billy B. bemoaned.

Suddenly the woods was brilliantly lit with the whitest light that any of the hikers had ever seen.

‘Wake Up Billy B… the church is over and it is time to go home,’ Neva J. said. As they exited the massive red doors Jane said, ‘My God…it is all gone…