‘Grandpa, tell me about when you were a child,’ said Grandson. ‘Well that was a long time ago…in a place far far away,’ Grandpa said. ‘We lived in a nice neighborhood in a Chicago suburb and it reminded me of Leave It To Beaver,’ Grandpa said. ‘I watched Bozo every morning and led a carefree life with my friends,’ Grandpa continued. ‘I also enjoyed Captian Kangaroo and Mr. Green Jeans…chocolate milk in the afternoon and then a little lay down for a nap,’ Grandpa winked. ‘What years did you live in Chicago,’ Grandson asked? ‘Oh, I guess that is about 300 years ago or thereabouts,’ Granpa said. ‘How have you lived so long…Grandpa, Grandson asked? One-A-Day Vitamin and a good cigar,’ Grandpa said.

Grandma asked, ‘What are you telling Grandson…one of your tall tales?’ ‘Did you see the news that President Kennedy was assassinated…they shot him in the head,’ Grandpa asked? ‘Yes and I feel so sorry for Jackie and the children,’ Grandma said. ‘My primary worry for you Grandson is that you do not have to go to Vietnam,’ Grandpa said. ‘What is Vietnam,’ asked Grandson? ‘A terrible war that was fought a long time ago,’ Grandma said.

Grandon asked, ‘What is a Church?’ ‘Grandma and I attend church most of our lives,’ Grandpa said. ‘Yes we ended our time with the Presbyterians…they were hard-working and very nice people,’ Grandma said. ‘Salt of the Earth…I say…Salt of the Earth those Presbyterians,’ Grandpa said. ‘You went to Church to learn about God and study his word and worship with others,’ Grandma said. ‘Are there any churches left,’ Grandson asked? ‘Grandma…get those Bible Story Books out and show them to Grandson, ‘Grandpa said.

‘Snow is beautiful,’ She said. ‘Yes…Grandpa often told me about it,’ He said. ‘Sometimes it feels like life repeats itself,’ She said. ‘I have questions on why we can not seem to travel more than a few miles outside our town, He said. ‘I have seen that weird girl in my dreams,’ She said. ‘Have you seen anyone else recently,’ He said. ‘Only the little girl who was bouncing that grotesque head…and that…I think was in my dreams,’ She said.

‘What time is it,’ She said. ‘What year is it…,’ She asked. ‘Where are we,’ She said.

‘Einstein said that time is an illusion,’ He said. ‘Or perhaps it is circular and we visit where we have visited…before,’ He said.

‘Deja vu…,’ She said…

‘I am telling you that something is in the middle of the road,’ She said. ‘Oh I think it is just the fog, He said. Clunk and then a sound of steam escaping. ‘Get out and see what we hit,’ She said. ‘I think it was a small deer,’ He replied. ‘Come here and look…you are not going to believe this,’ He said. She exited the car and walked slowly to the figure laying in the road. ‘It is Him…he looks like he is asleep,’ She exclaimed. ‘How could it be Him…he died thirty years ago,’ He responded. ‘Well just look at the smile on his face…that is Him, She said. ‘We must get Him to a hospital while he is still breathing,’ She said. ‘First of all, where are we…I do not remember ever being on this road before and there have been no road signs for hours,’ He said. ‘The last road sign that I saw said turn left and we would reach our destination,’ She said. ‘Oh my God…he has disappeared,’ He said! ‘What day is it…you know…when did we leave on our trip,’ She asked? ‘We left when your Mom said that she could not come with us…she was sick…I believe her terminology for her illness was, ‘Spitting Up Yellow,’ She said. ‘Were we at Mom’s at the time of our departure or was that a dream…Mom has been dead for many years,’ He said. ‘Your Mom is not dead…we had dinner with her this evening,’ She said.

‘There has not been another car but ours for a long time,’ He said. ‘Well that is to be expected when you insist on traveling at night,’ She said. ‘Someone is tapping on our window…I can hear them whispering,’ He said. ‘What are they saying, She asked? ‘They are saying for us to turn around and don’t drown, He said. ‘The newscaster on the radio reported that there is a flash flood along the Little Muddy river,’ She said. ‘I used to swim in the Little Muddy when I was just a lad,’ He said. ‘Do you have any more of those delicious brownies that you brought,’ He asked? ‘Here is the last of the Coffee Cake…I have not baked brownies since I was in Brownies in school,’ She said. ‘It is only fifty miles to Eldorado…yet this trip seems that it will never end,’ He said. ‘You have not lived in Eldorado for nearly 50 years,’ She said. ‘Now I hear a little girl laughing,’ He said. ‘Is she saying anything,’ She asked? ‘They are cute and so funny with their simplistic fears and delusions…I am going to meet them and bounce my ball,’ the Litte Girl said.

Stop…there is a Little Girl in the road…and she is bouncing…a Head…

Begin Again is a quaint concept. We have been raised with many good and not-so-good ideas that our parents bequeathed to us. Often we stop at that jumping-off point of our lives. Especially where prejudice and bias reign supreme. We know we must be the best people and the ones that God loves simply because we have been told as much. Later in life, we identify with those who have a similar lifestyle to our own. Surely the way that we do things must be the best way. Our peer group informs us who to love and who to hate. After all, our peers must be right after all they are our peers…

Religion is notorious for the judgment of humans against other humans who do not have the same sins as they do. Some churches have excellent headgear. Apparently, Christianity must be connected with hats…and nice ones. One faith will sprinkle you on your forehead when you are baptized while another insists that you must be fully submerged underwater to be really baptized. Many churches insist that you must never allow a drop of alcohol to touch your lips…unless you are in your basement closet and have the light off…or on vacation somewhere far away. The heterosexual will protest that they can not worship with the homosexual…but their married friends who are ‘sleeping around’ are simply victims of their healthy libidos.

Wink we do at our sins and shortcomings. Point our fingers we do at others who do not meet our standard that was developed by a group of as fallible leaders as any human being that you can find.

Chicken Little of the fairy tale was certain that the sky was falling…and from his limited perspective, it seemed right. I had a manager when I was working at University who insisted that soon our department would be contracted out and that we would all be out of a job. Later he was fired and I understood his perspective.

A parishioner leaves the congregation and the others disown them. They ceased to follow the precepts of the leader and were guilty of imbibing Saspirilla on Sunday. Shaking of the heads and constructive criticism ensues. They have backslid and are a bit doomed…while the person who left has a wide smile and a dance in their step…they have been let out of jail…

The abundance of rain yesterday has provided waterfalls in the Giant City Creeks. I can literally sit and watch the water cascading over the old sandstone rocks and hear its music for hours. A simple life is a beautiful life. The more I look…the more I see. Living in the moment is a powerful illumination of our miracle.

‘We need to help our town,’ Billy B. mused as he drank the dark and rich coffee from the electric percolator. ‘Eldorado is a gift and often I either do not see its potential or I choose to ignore it,’ he continued. ‘We could start with re-erecting the sign at the entrance of Eldorado that said, ‘Home of 5,000 friendly people and One Ole Sore Head,’ Chet suggested. ‘I have always believed that we should embrace our roots and not try to be Carbondale or Champaign but taut our lustrous heritage, Jane offered. ‘We have a rich history of Coal Mining and our Eldorado High School sports teams are renown,’ Neva J. mused. ‘Our education system has some of the finest teachers in Little Egypt…and our Town And Country Days are the envy of our region,’ Chet said with a smile. ‘Halloween is special in our town and there is always a mysterious event that occurs that none of us can explain,’ Daryl said. ‘I have an idea…why not have Halloween in January…somewhat like Christmas in July,’ Neva J. postulated with a wicked laugh!

The Orpheum Theatre was up for the novel idea of Halloween in July and promoted it both in the Eldorado Daily Journal as well as the Southern Illinoisian Newspapers. It soon seemed by the plethora of responses that our group received that this particular idea was welcome by many Southern Illinois residents. After all, it was original! So Saturday, January 21st was designated as the Winter Halloween Spectacular. It was a good day for the event as Winter was a third over and people wanted to get out of the house. The Orpheum was showing a triple feature of; Frankenstein and Dracula and the Creature From the Black Lagoon. At the last minute the Bride Of Frankenstein was added in place of the Creature From The Black Lagoon…to preserve continuity. There was bobbing for apples outside Muckley’s Ben Franklin Dime Store and Hot Cider…which many remembered from Christmas. The kids and adults alike broke out their Halloween Costumes that had not been in storage long. The guest of honor would be a Houdini portrayer. He was said to be almost as good as the original Houdini and many believed that it was indeed Houdini…returned from the grave.

Houdini had a stage in the Town Square and seemed oblivious to the fact that the temperature was 20 degrees. He was dressed in swim trunks and nothing else as he was lowered into a humongous bottle that was filled to the top with water…and he was lowered with both his feet and hand shackled and he was upside down. Now Houdini had spent his life debunking life after death and the charlatans who proposed the theory such as seances and other sundry methods of giving false hope to the departed’s loved ones. After his death, his wife held a yearly seance in an attempt to contact her departed husband if indeed there was life after death. He had told her that he would do his best to contact her if he could. ‘The final Houdini seance took place on October 31, 1936, on the roof of the Knickerbocker Hotel in Los Angeles, at 8:30 p.m. Bess was accompanied by her ‘manager’ (and lover) Edward Saint. The event proved unsuccessful, and at the end of the recording, Bess solemnly states, ‘Yes. Houdini did not come through.’

The Houdini portrayer struggled and wrestled with his padlocked chains and shackled legs. The crowd of five thousand gasped and some fainted as it appeared that all was lost for the poor actor…when suddenly he freed himself and fell out of the watery grave…gasping for air. There beside Houdini was an etheral figure of a little non-descript woman…smiling.

‘Bess…we did it again…’

Cold rain is falling today. I noticed it profoundly when while in the woods I began to shiver. I sat in the Subaru for a while and engaged the steering wheel heater and held it eagerly. As I often do I thought of what it is like to be homeless in a cold rain. I noticed with some interest that some politicians are saying that they desire equal opportunities for all of our people…but not equal outcomes. That sounds logical on its face, doesn’t it? The first sentence is the one that is problematic. Our country does not afford the equal opportunity. Or as Dr. Margtin Luther King said it is hard to pull yourself up by your bootstraps…if you do not have any boots.

Cold commands all of my attention when I am feeling its bitter wrath. Hunger tends to have the same effect on me. I vividly remember what it feels like to not be hungry because I missed a meal…but the hunger that comes from missing several and wondering where I could find the next one.

I downloaded the most popular camera application in 2020. It is called 1998 and replicates what photos looked like before our smartphones. 1998 Camera even time stamps each photo with the date of the photo but instead of the year it replaces it with 1998. Light streaks are built into the finished photo. The granular image is part of the package. While reading the same article that led me to the Retro 1998 Camera there was also a surprising statistic that the current generation is returning to the flip phones of the 90s. They eschew the glitz and glamour of the IPhones and desire the simplicity that the Flip Phone affords.

We are searching for real. Simpler times are our heart’s desire. Information is at our fingertips…but much of it is damaging. Our minds are captivated and captive by the tiny screen.

Yet…the homeless have much more serious and immediate concerns. Forgotten people they are. What if God tells us that in our next life…we will be homeless…and that he believes in equal opportunity…not equal outcomes?

Just before Christmas it was below zero degrees and the chill factor was 20 and more below zero. I thought that we were indeed going to have a hard winter. This morning it is in the 50s and the forecast is to be near 60 in temperature. I do not know if there is a name for it but I would term our environment an early spring. I grew up in Southern Illinois and the old folks always said that if you did not like the weather just stick around a few hours and it will change. Now that was the truth as we certainly are accustomed to living through four distinct seasons each year…and that is nice. However, the weather changes are much more pronounced than when I was a child.

I have created a new custom of visiting the woods on almost a daily basis since this past summer. I watched the leaves turn from green to multicolored and then to brown and fall onto the earth. I assumed that I would cease my woods walks in December due to it typically being a winter month for our region. Now I did not traverse the State Park on the zero days…but that is about the only ones that I have missed. I enjoy going in the rain…I like rain…rain is soothing and peaceful and promotes reflection.

MJ and I have talked about renting a condo in Florida for a month in the winter…but it will not be necessary while we are experiencing Florida weather in Little Egypt. I was reading with pleasure a posting from a good friend who commented that she had been walking for health for 20 years. The posting caused me to reflect on how long that I have been doing the same. Forty years and counting is what I came up with.

The Bizzard of 78′ was fierce. The roads were gone and driving anywhere was akin to driving through a field. I was sparking MJ and doing my dead-level best to impress her with my mature demeanor and witty repartee. Her little Maverick car was buried as well as the driveway where it was parked in. Off I trekked to her home with my warmest clothes on and weighing 169 pounds. Many people admonished me to gain some weight…which I have not been so admonished for many years. Shovel… I did it for several hours. MJ wanted me to come in and rest and drink a not cup of Coco…but I would not be deterred until I had accomplished my mission. Finally, the great Blizzard of 78′ Shovel was completed and I enjoyed the Hot Coco and of course, my Bride to be smiling at me and admiring my exploits…made it all worthwhile.

‘Did you see Mr. Spock cause that Klingon to faint just by putting his hand on his shoulder,’ Chet asked Billy B.? ‘I think that ability to incapacitate an enemy is fascinating and logical,’ Billy B. answered in his best Mr. Spock imitation. ‘Star Trek is my favorite show and I especially like Lieutenant Uhura,’ Jane said. ‘Mr. Spock is my favorite character and I want to emulate him…he always seeks the logical and that is what I think we humans should do rather than be controlled by our emotions,’ Billy B. postulated with a Spockian Wise Gaze. ‘It seems to me that Star Trek is a prophetic look into the future…we have already sent men to the moon…space exploration is next,’ Neva J. laughed as she sipped her Merlot. ‘Edgar Cayce…The Sleeping Prophet foretold many of the mysteries of space,’ Neva J. continued. ‘Why don’t we see if my magic mirror still works and ascertain if we can enjoy a little space travel,’ Neva J. asked with a wine giggle? ‘Look there is the Milky Way and the universe beyond it,’ Chet said. ‘Edgar says for us to walk through the mirror if we want to explore space,’ Jane noted.

‘It is interesting to find you Eldoradoians here on Vulcan,’ said Mr. Spock. ‘Did you come through Edgar Cayces’ mirror portal,’ he continued? ‘We not only came through Neva J.s’ magic mirror but you were our inspiration to do so…Mr. Spock,’ Chet replied. ‘Well first we must indulge in the Vulcan Mind Meld for me to discover what are your motives for appearing on Vulcan…we have been at war with the Klingons for two Millenium…and we can not be too careful,’ explained Spock. ‘You are of good and logical motives…what can I do for you humans from the ancient town of Eldorado…you do realize that Eldorado existed a thousand years ago and we have studied your history and the lessons of your town,’ Spock explained. ‘Mr. Spock, we come from the 1960s, and we seek an understanding of our future and the future of our town and our planet…the Earth,’ said Billy B. ‘Logic will forecast the future for you good Eldoradians….humans continued to mistrust each other and fight each other and even kill each other…this leads to the destruction of the species,’ Spock said with sadness. ‘Laughter was replaced with tears and joy with sorrow…hope with despair and peace with chaos…for the many of your race…of which I am a partial member,’ Spock said with a tear in his eye. ‘The beauty that was Eldorado faded for lack of interest…much as what you folks call the church did also,’ he continued.

‘What can we do Mr. Spock, to slow or halt the disintegration of our towns and our human species,’ Chet beseeched. ‘It may sound strange for a half-Vulcan to say…love each other…love your fellow man and woman like you love yourselves…this is what keeps towns and societies and species alive,’ Spock said as he turned and walked away from Neva J. and Billy B. and Jane and Chet.

‘Oh my goodness…I must have fallen asleep…and I so wanted to hear Dr. Martin Luther King’s speech in Washington,’ said Neva J. ‘It was great and he spoke of having a Dream…,’ Chet said…

Billy B. thought about age. It creeps up on you in the night while you are sleeping. It lines your face and greys your hair while you have the best of times and think of everything else but age. You walked two miles than four and more and thought little of it. Neva J. made Billy B. bacon for bacon sandwiches before he went to eighth grade and high school. That is about the time he began drinking strong coffee. She made it at 5:00 am and by the time Billy B. poured the first cup…the coffee could walk to school with him. Billy B. had a little black and white television in his bedroom. You could plug earphones into it and listen late into the night…until the test pattern came on…that is. He felt like the master of the universe as he sat in bed and watched Johnny Carson and no one else could hear.

Billy B. had a little pool table. It came from, Western Auto and was a Christmas gift. There were little pool cues and even chalk. He just could set it up in his bedroom and with the Billiards game progressing and the black and white TV playing…well think of Frank Costanza and Kramer on Seinfeld.

Winter was movie time at the Orpheum Theatre. But then again…all seasons of the year were movie time at the Orpheum. Billy B. and Chet sat through three showings of Barbarella with Jane Fonda…they were Sci-Fi fans. The Show was the biggest game in town. There was The Show and Dairy Queen and later Billy B. discovered Billard Hall. Dennis W. introduced him to the Pool Hall. The Pool Hall had a lot of men and some women who were busy smoking and the smell of liquor was in the air…although Eldorado was a Dry Town. Flasks I assume. Billy B. warmed to the idea of playing pool on a full-size table. Often he and Dennis W. would visit the Billard Palace after sharing a pack of Marlboro cigarettes that they purchased at the Dairy Queen. The Marlboro’s came with twenty cigarettes to the pack and that equaled ten each for the almost men. They were secret smokers and thus they walked down the railroad track and feverishly and furtively smoked the cigarettes as fast as they could puff. It looked a bit like the smoke that was coming from the locomotive that was barrelling towards them on the track…and they were cavalierly on the train trestle. Now the Train Tressel was about twenty feet above the ground and it was much too far to jump. So they ran and puffed and ran some more. Finally, they looked behind them and discovered that the Locomotive had taken a side track and they were not in danger. Talk about something that will make you want to shoot pool! The stories that were swapped that day at the Billard House were extraordinary…and some of them were true…

Lanny W. mentioned that Billy B. and Chet and Dennis his brother should visit the Spillway. Now Billy B. was accustomed to swimming at Pounds Hollow every summer but this was only spring and still a bit chilly. Lanny W. said that it would be exciting and that he would bring some Peppermint Schnapps that was left over from Christmas. Chet said let’s do it and so they did. Lanny W. was older than the rest of the explorers and had his own car. They drove out to the Spillway which was hidden in some woods. The Schnapps tasted like a peppermint stick. Billy B. and Chet kept sipping from the colorful bottle. The more that they sipped the better that they felt. It seemed that they had a revelation regarding the adult world and its’ mystery. They considered that they too would be driving soon and life was beckoning them to adventure. There was the Spillway and Billy B. lept from the car with a mouthful of Peppermint Bliss and started to scale the glass slick stone wall of the waterfall. He was kissing the wet stone before he realized that he had fallen and his upper lip was split open…and he has the scar to this day.

The church was a blessing! Inspired singing and lovely piano…and the added extra of the Spirit of God. I left the sanctuary feeling refreshed and renewed. I have often pondered the difference that God’s anointing has on a worship service. ‘He asked me, ‘Son of man can these bones live?’ I said, ‘O Sovereign Lord, you alone know,’ Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.’ Ezekiel 37

Words are simply words…until God makes them real to our hearts. It often is not in the rushing wind or the clap of thunder or the faux manifestation of excitement…but perhaps a still small voice. Indeed we are ethereal souls walking around in clay huts. Virtually all of the joys of life involve a quickening of our spirits. Mother Teresa ministered to the lepers and forgotten of India for many years and through arduous labor…but the Spirit of God fueled her journey.

The eyes of a child on Christmas morning are the eyes of wonder and mystery and hope. The eyes of the person in hospice who counts the days of their earthly path…are the eyes of amazement at how their walk back to Jerusalem was enjoyed with their Guardian Angel beside them.

Birds sing for a reason…they are enraptured with the Secret of God.

When we, ‘speak with the tounges of men and angels and yet have not charity…the Bible tells us…we are as sounding brass and tinkling cymbals.’ But when those same words come from love…they are a balm of Gilead.

Have you ever been lost for words and suddenly they come to you…and when you say them you can see the transformation in the person that you are talking with? Inspiration comes quietly and on little cats’ feet. It comes to the humble and the poor and to those who know that they do not have the skills to make a difference…without God’s Spirit.

‘Well, it is entirely too cold to collect acorns this afternoon, Elbert said. ‘I am used to 60 degrees and a light breeze and today it is in the ’20s,’ he continued. ‘Elbert…you know that we need to polish the silver tea set that my mother gave us and then attempted to call back to her possession,’ Evangeline noted. ‘It seems like yesterday that the giants were all over the forest and we had to be careful to not get stepped on,’ Elbert bemoaned. ‘And they all had a camera and they roasted their hot dogs and drank a lot of beer,’ Eskell noted. ‘I had a plentiful amount of the beer that they left behind in their half-consumed beer cans…I was in good spirits all through the summer and fall,’ Elois laughed. ‘I was afraid to take Bruiser out to do his business and had to be on the lookout for their humongous feet…at least you could hear them coming a mile away,’ Eskell smiled. ‘As usual, the humans are not aware of our existence as they never look down and certainly do not focus on their environment,’ Evangeline said. ‘A little girl picked me up one day and looked at me with her saucer eyes for some time…and then she set me down under a leaf and ran off to enjoy her family picnic,’ Eskell said. ‘I almost peed my pants, he proclaimed!

Do you remember our days in Eldorado…when we lived in the Orpheum Theatre,’ Elbert asked his family? Nothing could stop us then…we had all of the popcorn that we could eat and Coca-Cola and our fill of free movies,’ he continued to reminisce. ‘It was cool in the summer and warm in the winter and only the occasional mouse to share our food with,’ Evangeline laughed. ‘I remember when Billy B. and Neva J. and Jane and Debbie and Chet took us home with them for Christmas and we had such fun,’ Elois said with a wistful gaze. ‘Winter was fun at Neva J.’s and Billy B.’s house…they had Neva J.’s Famous Coffee Cake and Roast Beast and Merlot to drink…and homemade divinity too,’ Elbert reminisced. ‘Neva J. had purchased us some doll’s beds from a Doll House Factory and we slept in the New Room which was resplendent in red and black. ‘I was so startled when on the first morning of our stay with them…Neva J. hollered for us to, ‘Hit the deck your rubbernecks,’ said Eskell.

‘I miss Eldorado…Neva J. and Billy B. believed in us…and thus they saw us…we were as real to them as we are to each other,’ Evangeline commented in little more than a whisper. ‘I remember Billy B.’s good friend Steve coming each Christmas…he joked with me and called me, Little Man, and he said that he was coming to the woods when we returned home to visit,’ Eskell said with a sigh.

‘We are a bit hidden from the humans…don’t you think, Elbert asked? ‘Yes, not everyone has time for Gnomes…