Breakfast
and the paper.
0907
hours. It's the Ides of May (if there was such a time) and time to change the
furnace filter.
You have listened to two interviews about
Dan Brown's new book. Inferno. You are excited because the focus is on
one of your favorite books Dante's Inferno and it takes place in one of
your favorite cities, Florence. In one interview Brown said that there is more
art based on The Divine Comedy than any other literary work but the Bible.
This thought (fact or not) is an irritation to you because you would like to
think that Paradise Lost would win out in the art field.
I would,
but that's because I like Milton better because he focuses on the psychology of
Satan, which provides more human interest and depth. I like to think that The
Inferno was important for the church because the artwork is built to scare
the hell out of you so that you might do good works instead so you can better
get into heaven with good graces. I have read a couple of translations of Dante's
work; I like John Ciardi's translation best because it is in wonderfully built
blank verse.
Time to shut down, boy. Change the furnace
filter then head to the dentist. Later. - Amorella
1145
hours. I am at Performance Honda and had time to look at the 2013 Avalon
Limited Hybrid and drive it around the lot. I think I am on my way to being
sold. Performance Toyota is right next door to Honda; I never paid any
attention. The fellow I talked to, Dave, had a brochure so I am taking it home
to Carol.
Let's work on Pouch 17. - Amorella
1236
hours. I feel this segment is better.
Add and post, boy. You are still waiting on
the car but it is time for a break. - Amorella
***
Diplomatic Pouch 17
Dusk, the same day. Friendly sits in a chair at the
dark walnut round table. The others quickly adjust to a seat. Friendly looks to
her immediate left and sees Blake, and Yermey sits in the chair beyond. To
Friendly's immediate right is Justin with Hartolite sitting beyond. To Yermey's
left and Hartolite's right sits Pyl who is closest to facing Friendly directly.
"Where's
Ship?" asked Friendly, and Yermey pulled, what appeared to be a small
translucent marble, from his right trouser pocket and placed it near the center
of the table.
Blake
and the others watched as the white as paper round marble lifted slightly and
adjusted to the exact table center equidistance from the surrounding people. It
rose to the average height and size of the sitting humanoid species and took
the outer shape of a globular mirrored through electronic tricks, thought Blake
each person appears to be looking at Ship's iconic face directly.
"I
am ready, Captain Friendly," said Ship intuitively.
She
spoke more formally, "Thank you. In a few minutes Ship-O-My-Mothers."
'Polite
form in flight,' reckoned Ship. He replied. "Ready when you are, Captain
Friendly, crew and honored guests."
Why
don't you call Ship 'SOMM' thought Justin, or SOMM 10, a name of some kind.
Ship is so machine-like.
Too
polite, reasoned Blake. I think this may be a set up. He smiled politely at
Hartolite who returned a similar expression.
We
hardly know you people, thought Pyl. We were in casual conversation and I was
feeling good but when this Ship Machine speaks I get goose bumps on my shoulder
blades. She glanced at her husband. Look at me Justin. Help me out here.
Looking
across at Justin then scanning the table, Yermey grinned like he was
comfortably sitting in the middle of a joke. He commented, "The point of
this little production is for your entertainment, nothing more. We want you to
feel at ease on board, but perhaps we should play a game of cards or dominoes
with some refreshments."
"We can do that," continued Friendly in an
attempt to be more casual. "Then you three can get a good night's sleep
and tomorrow we can go for a short ride."
Blake's
eyes lit and excitement measured his voice. "You are going to take us
around the world as if we were in the space station. That would be awesome. Do
you have windows we can look out of? I don't even know how high we are."
"We
could be setting on the Moon as far as we know," echoed Justin and
grinned, "Where do you think we are, Pyl?"
"Good
idea," said Hartolite. "A guessing game. Where do you think we
are?"
"Each
guess, then we'll show you," laughed Friendly. "I'm sure you are all
wondering."
"This
could be like a Mission Impossible. We could be sitting in a warehouse
somewhere on Earth," said Blake.
"Or,
on the Moon," added Justin secretly hoping it was so.
"I
think we are hovering at eighty to ninety thousand feet," said Pyl. She
couldn't help smiling with the others. "Where are we Captain
Friendly?"
"Good
call," responded Friendly. "We are in Earth atmosphere at seventy
thousand feet, hovering over Cleveland, Ohio. Straight down are your local Rock
and Roll Museum and the Great Lakes Science Center."
Yermey
added, "It sounds like the two men would like a short ride with the window
shades up. We have them down because we are in Blackanot. We cannot be detected
by Earth built electronics or human sight."
"Besides,
we thought it might be disorienting to have them up," explained Hartolite.
"We would be happy to give you a short ride."
"You
already have us nearly out of the atmosphere and I never felt a thing,"
said Pyl.
"You
and Blake are experienced pilots, but Justin is not. He does not enjoy flying
like you two do," said Friendly matter-of-factly.
"Is
this true, Justin?" asked Pyl. She observed his small sheepish grin.
"It is. Why didn't you tell us?"
"I'm
fine. Friendly is right though, I do get apprehensive. I trust you and Blake
but I don't trust the plane. Things can go wrong. Planes do crash and sometimes
the reasons are not clear."
Ship
added, "You are safer up here with us than you are on your own
planet."
"Let's
go to the dark side of the moon for some sight-seeing said Friendly.
By
the time the shades were filtered for the best of human eye viewing they found
themselves silently witnessing the dark side. Smiles stood all around and no
one uttered a word.
767 words
***
You and
Carol ran some errands, bought a diet Coke and a vanilla ice coffee at McD's
and are presently sitting in the north Mason Police lot under a shade tree
enjoying the warm breeze and looking north to a farmer's so far uncultivated
field. Rose Hill Cemetery is to the west and Pine Hill Lakes Park is to the
east, the city municipal building is to the south -- a typical summer day in
the middle of May. Saturday you and Carol are to Westerville where Mary Lou and
Carol are creating artificial flower arrangements for the graves of Grandville
"Scotch" Hammond and Jean Cook Hammond at Otterbein Cemetery. Carol
brought two books to read but is playing a Sudoku app on her iPad instead. She
has been busy cleaning and doing clothes because she though you might have to
go to Cleveland for a 'not so well' Brennan tomorrow, but so far Kim has not
called. - Amorella
1716
hours. I am ready to begin Dead - 18.
No, you are not because Carol was asking
about the price of a new Avalon Limited Hybrid and you are being too timid to
tell her it could be as high as forty-three thousand dollars if you paid full
price with no trade in. That's almost thirteen thousand dollars more than you
2005 Honda Accord EX cost eight years ago. - Amorella
I'm
thinking she won't want to spend that much. Andy asked how much it was the
other day when she was sitting in the room and I said forty thousand without
batting an eye. Carol made no comment. Forty- three would be top price so I'm
sure it would be lower but then when you add tax (out the door) it would be two
thousand six hundred and five dollars more. I could almost buy a top of the
line Lincoln MKZ Hybrid for the same price. I hate money. It always makes me
anxious. Besides, it is Carol's car not mine. She'll probably want to stick
with an Accord EX because it will be a lot cheaper. I don't even know if she
really wants a hybrid. It's Carol's way to keep people guessing. I think she
takes secret delight in it. We don't deserve that fancy of a car. I don't think
I would be comfortable spending that much money on one.
Now you are being more honest. You don't
want to spend the money. - Amorella
1730
hours. I had my bright red 1985 VW GTI with the sport seats and road hugging
high performance Eagle tires. That was my gift to myself. She never said
anything about it at the time, the price or anything. I loved that car. How
many cars-to-love does one need? I loved my 1965 dark green (think British
racing green) VW Beetle too. It had everything, leatherette seats, an FM radio,
a rear speaker, pop out back windows and a sun roof. That was the first new car
I ever bought and owned. I'm tired of thinking about cars.
Relax and enjoy the afternoon, Carol is.
Later, dude. - Amorella
Home
and about time for the news. Post. - Amorella
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