Keep Working....Keep Learning....Don't Let Others Keep You Down

Everyone gets up each day with a clean slate ahead of them. We are faced with literally hundreds of choices that we can make from what to wear, what to eat, and how to interact with others. One thing that I find interesting is that we not only have an effect on ourselves with these decisions. We also have a major impact on other people around us. For example, let’s imagine that you are really grumpy because you didn’t win the Power Ball jackpot. Because of this, you are very rude to the waitress at Hardee’s while you are getting your morning biscuit and coffee. This brings down her mood and so she takes it out on other customers who innocently walk in wanting some breakfast. These people might feel bad enough to snap at their kids when they get back in the car.

Wow! Your one little action just created a big negative vibe for several people in the community. What a bummer. Just imagine what we could do if we took the time to always be aware of how we are acting. If we tried to be positive and have a great outlook on life even when we didn’t really feel like it, just imagine the possibilities. You may have heard the term, “Fake it until you make it.” That isn’t what I am talking about here. I am talking about taking the time to be genuinely caring to others around us. It doesn’t take as much effort as you might imagine. And believe me…people can tell when you fake it.

Now that I have gotten this little tidbit off my mind, I want you to focus on why you do the things that you do. What is it that drives you to be the person that you have become? For me, the answer is pretty easy.

When I was growing up here in Breathitt County, my family didn’t have a lot. I wouldn’t say that we were poor, but I never had everything handed to me either. Like a lot of other people, I knew what it was like to do without. One positive aspect in my life was school. I had some wonderful teachers when I was growing up who really showed that they cared for me and encouraged me to grow.

At Caney Elementary School, Ina Southwood was one tough woman who really took the time to stand up for her students and who also took the time to show her students that she cared for them. She was always looking out for me and encouraging me to work hard in school. She was the best teacher that I ever had and I still appreciate her to this very day. I try to pattern a lot of my teaching practices from what I remember about her. It isn’t easy though. It’s hard to compete with someone as great as Ina!

When I decided to become a teacher, I knew that I wanted to teach in Breathitt County. There are a lot of kids in this county that are growing up and facing the same things that I faced when I was their age. So, I guess that I could say that the main thing that is driving me to do the things that I do is the fact that I want to help others the way that I was helped. I want to be a positive influence in their lives. I really care about the future of this county.

Today, I was telling my students that there are a lot of outside powers that would love nothing better than to keep people in this region poor and uneducated. If people are poor and uneducated, they are easier to control. I told the kids that they owed it to themselves to work hard and to get as smart as they could. Smart people ask questions. Smart people are not easy to control. Smart people work to better their lives and the lives of the people around them.

If you happened to see the latest 20/20 on television that portrayed a lot of negative stereotypes about our region, you often wonder what happened to all of the good things in our area? We have people in Eastern Kentucky who make a great living, live in decent housing, and drive pretty nice automobiles. We have professionals…and yes, we have poverty. But then again…so does every region in the United States…and the world. Why does the news feel the constant need to berate and belittle people in the Appalachian region? It makes good ratings, and that equals more dollars for them.

So once again, I ask you….what drives you? What makes you do the things that you do each day? Take a moment to think about it. The answer may just surprise you. Until next week…class dismissed!

Hiccups in Life

Sometimes the world gets the hiccups. Everything is going along in a relatively frictionless slide with each day passing smoothly into the next. And then – hiccup – everything changes.

If we are lucky, these changes will be positive. Perhaps Fate has decreed that the winning lottery ticket will find its way into our hands. Maybe we get that long-deserved and hard-earned promotion at work. And for some, the news of a new baby in the family brings tears of happiness. For example, my cousin Christianne just had her first child, a little girl named Nicole. Congrats Christianne!

But what if we aren’t so fortunate? Then the hiccups in life can bring about near disastrous events. The loss of a job doesn’t seem too far out there, especially in the downturn of today’s economy. How many lives and dreams have been ruined because of this very fact?

Then again, the economy can improve. People can get new training and new employment. What if – instead – the hiccup is more personal and more direct? What if it is sickness or even death?

Human beings are remarkable creatures. We go through each and every day of our lives knowing our mortal frailty and limitations. We even know that life is not infinite on this earth. We each have a certain set number of days that we are using up at a constant rate.

But, as I have stated before, we are remarkable. We go about our lives without seemingly giving these things a second thought. True, the religious sects often preach and wail about such things. In turn, this brings about uncomfortable and forced acknowledgement. But as a whole, we do not spend each and every minute of our days thinking about our limitations. To do so would bring about madness.

So we are often surprised when life’s hiccups bring about these less than desirable changes into our own lives.

If this is the case, then you may be wondering what keeps everything from completely disintegrating when we are faced with such. In my experience, there is one force that is powerful enough to soothe any hiccups in life. That is the power of love.

In the past few months, I have experienced several incidents of sickness and death with members of my family, my friends, and even coworkers. In each case, there was enough cause to justify a breakdown in the lives and mental well-being of everyone involved. But I have also observed how love has instead strengthened these individuals.

The drawing together of family and friends at the bedside of the sick or dying allows them to express their love and give their support. With each person supporting just a little, the group as a whole is able to bear quite a bit.

My wife and I used to own a couch which we purchased basically because it was cheap – and we were poor at the time. It wasn’t a very comfortable piece of furniture, so when it came time for us to move, we decided to get rid of it.

You should have seen us trying to get this thing out of our apartment! It was three times as heavy as it was uncomfortable. I joked with Lisa that the reason it was such a lousy sofa was because it was made of solid rock!

This thing was impossible for one person to move and even for the two of us to lift. So, we did what anyone would do. We called over some of our friends and got them to come and help. What was an impossible task for one was nothing when there were six of us doing the work. We were easily able to pack that old sofa out to the dumpster.

So what does this have to do with our lives and those unexpected changes? Well…everything! Don’t try to face these challenges alone. What may seem to be a Herculean task to one may not seem as trying when we are able to draw strength from friends, family, and loved ones.

We are all in this thing called life together. None of us are immune to the unexpected. And as soon as we think we are, life will come along and pull the rug out from under our feet!

We are all connected. Today, I may be in one of life’s high phases while you may be facing trials. Tomorrow, the situation may be reversed. But if we all stand by each other to help each other up, we will all come through this a little easier than we would alone. So the next time you are down, I will do my best to offer you my hand in support. And by pulling you up, I pull myself up also.

Dragonfly Dreams, Part Twenty, The End of the Story

“Don’t do it Chuck,” Frank said as his friend took a step toward the large, lush tree….supposedly the Tree of Life, “If she wants that Fruit bad enough…let her get it herself.”

Chuck paused, but only for a second, “Sorry mate. But she who holds the gun…makes the rules!”

Janet Jones just smirked again and waved her pistol. She had the upper hand. She had won. Soon, she would have the Fruit from the Tree of Life…and then she wouldn’t have a use for them anymore. She had said that she would let them go…but Frank seriously doubted it.

“Hurry it up!” Janet snapped, eyeing the soft, full, golden fruit that was hanging heavily from the branches of the tree. It looked so appetizing. Frank’s mouth was watering…even as he stared death in the face.

Frank couldn’t believe that it was all going to end this way. All of his adventures. The police in the airport…the race through the city…the trek into the jungle….the flight with the large dragonfly…and meeting Oprah Winfrey’s clone. It had all been for nothing. He felt angry and weak at the same time. Maybe he should just rush Janet and get it all over with….take her down once and for all!

“Don’t even think about it,” Janet turned her gun toward Frank’s face, “Take one step toward me and I’ll blow your head off!”

“Hold on now, old girl,” Chuck said, “I’m getting you what you want.”

The sound of arguing made the monkeys in the trees overhead start their squawking again. It sounded like they were directly overhead now….looking down at the commotion on the ground.

Frank and Janet both looked on in wonder as Chuck walked closer to the Tree of Life. Wasn’t it supposed to be guarded or something? Frank knew that at any moment that Chuck was going to be attacked by something. Would it be another large monkey like the one which had killed Gordon? Or would it be something mystical…a large angel brandishing a flaming sword?

But in the end, it turned out to be nothing. Standing on his tip-toes, Chuck reached up and plucked the largest piece of Fruit that he could get. To Frank, it looked like a cross between an apple and a pear. Except the color was all wrong. It was golden. Not yellow…it looked like it was made of real gold. The smell….a mix of honey and spice….increased and made his head spin. He wanted the Fruit for himself!

“But you know that it isn’t for you to eat,” he said to himself. Somehow, he knew that it would be wrong to take the fruit. It would be wrong to eat of it.

Now that she saw that Chuck was in no apparent danger, Janet raced over to him and snatched the fruit out of his hands.

She started to laugh, “It’s mine! It’s finally MINE!”

Lifting the Fruit to her nose, she inhaled deeply. Chuck looked like he was about to attack her…take back the Fruit that Janet had snatched from his hands.

“Chuck…NO!” Frank called, “Get over here. Something isn’t right! Don’t end up dead…like Harry.”

Maybe it was the sound of Frank’s voice…..or maybe it was the mention of Harry’s name…..but the result was the same. Chuck snapped out of his daze and quickly made his way over to Frank’s side.

Janet watched him walk away, but she didn’t make any move with her gun. She was too enticed with her prize.

“Oh my god!” her lips quivered, “It smells so GOOD! I can’t believe that it is finally mine…all mine!”

“Janet….wait,” Frank said, “Don’t eat it. Something isn’t right about this. I can feel it!”

Her lips curled back in a defiant sneer, Janet just chuckled, “The only thing that you feel is the fact that you are a LOSER. I won. I have the Fruit. I’m going to live FOREVER!”

And with that, she took a huge bite from the Fruit. Dark juice squirted out and ran down her chin as she chewed noisily.

“It tastes so GOOD!” she crowed, taking another large bite, “It’s like sunshine exploding inside my mouth.”

Slurping and spewing small pieces of fruit, her mouth worked feverishly to eat the Fruit as quickly as she could. It was like she couldn’t shovel it in fast enough. With a third bite, she had finished off more than half of the fruit. Her throat worked to swallow it just as quickly.

“Looks like our goose is cooked mate,” Chuck said, “We lost. She won. End of the game…you know?”

“Not so fast,” Frank said, his eyes never leaving Janet’s face for even one second, “Look!”

Something was happening. Slowly, a change was taking place. For a second, Frank hadn’t seen it…but now it was very apparent. Fur was starting to grow on Janet’s face. Fur!

Sensing the change, Janet stopped chewing. Throwing the fruit down on the ground, she began to cough and splutter….spitting pieces of half chewed fruit everywhere. She was choking…..choking on the Fruit that she had been trying to cram down her craw just moments before.

“What’s….what’s going on?” she screeched, her hands drawing up….fingers creaking…..turning black. Her gun dropped…useless….onto the Garden floor beside her.

Amazed…unable to say anything….both Frank and Chuck watched as the transformation sped up. Fur sprouted all over Janet’s body. Her eyes turned black and beady….getting smaller and closer together. Her nose shrank and turned black as well…..a moist film growing over it. It began to twitch excitedly. And then Janet….began to shrink. Slowly at first…and then quickly….she got smaller and smaller. She shrank into her clothes….slowly disappearing into her large blouse which now served as a tent.

“Nooooo!” she screamed, “Help me! Please…..it hurts! It hurts! It burns! Aaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

And then her screams turned into screeches. Screeches that sounded somewhat familiar. Screeches that sounded like…

“The monkeys,” Chuck whispered, “She sounds just like those monkeys that have been swinging around us all this time.”

And so it was. With one last convulsion, the transformation completed itself. Springing from her blouse, Janet Jones….now a small, plump monkey….quickly ran across the grass and climbed the Tree of Life. She stopped midway to look back and give one final screech of anger before disappearing into the branches. Overhead, the rest of the monkey pack began to wail….greeting their newest member.

“My God!” Frank said, “Do you think that all of those….those monkeys….were once….”

“People,” Chuck was scanning the tops of the branches, trying to see Janet Jones and the rest of the pack, “Yes….yes I do. This must be the curse that was placed on the Tree of Life.”

Frank tried to imagine it. To live forever….but as a monkey. To never die. But to be an animal. To be immortal. But never, ever leave the Garden.

“This isn’t what she had in mind,” Frank said, “She wanted power….and instead she found….”

“Living Hell,” Chuck said, “But…I have to say…it couldn’t have happened to a more deserving person.”

“And one more thing,” Frank said, “I think I know who…or what…is taking care of the Garden.”

“You mean…..the monkeys are doing it?” Chuck asked.

Frank nodded. It made perfect sense. What else did they have to do? When you live forever, time has little meaning. He shuddered suddenly like someone had walked over his grave. He tried to imagine the life of the monkeys….living forever…trapped in servitude to the very Garden which had changed them.

“Come on mate,” Chuck continued, “Let’s get out of this place.”

And so, turning back toward the staircase which would lead them out of the Garden of Eden….out of the temple which had brought only death and misery….Chuck and Frank began to make their way back to the outside world. Frank wasn’t sure what he was going to do now. There was so much swirling in his head that he couldn’t think…..but one thing was for sure. He was going to be looking for another job.

“Nobody needs a job this bad,” he murmured to himself.

Just before they walked out of the temple door and back into the Brazilian jungle, Frank turned to take one last look. It was no surprise to him that he saw….hovering there in the air….the largest dragonfly that he had ever seen in his life. The dragonfly…the Face of God. This is what Mizzus Irza had seen. This is what had been leading him all this time. Bowing his head and closing his eyes, he turned and stepped out into the warm, Brazilian sunshine. He really needed a vacation.

“How about a trip to the Caribbean?” he asked Chuck as they walked down the steps.

“Now you’re talking mate!”

The air had never smelled sweeter. Frank smiled.

Elk Herd in Breathitt County

My wife Lisa and I were driving back home from Jackson the other day when we saw this herd of elk at Clayhole. It was magical!

Dragonfly Dreams, Part Nineteen

There are moments in our life when time seems to speed up, bringing each new day crashing into our existence without reason or mercy. Then, there are those when time seems to stand still…almost stop. This was one of those moments for Frank Mason. Slowly….carefully….he led the way deeper and deeper onto the lush green floor of the inner temple. Supposedly, this was the Garden of Eden. At any other time, he may have been ecstatic to make such a discovery. Of course, at any other time, he wouldn’t have had a murderer holding a gun toward the back of his head.

Janet Jones let out a small grunt from behind him. “Don’t try anything foolish or your other pal here will get it!”

Frank knew what she meant. Janet had already killed one person…Harry, the shapeshifter. She had put a bullet into his brain as easily as a kid putting quarters in a gumball machine. He knew that she would probably end up just killing both him and Chuck anyway. But he had to stall for time. He had to think of some way out of this mess.

“Mate,” Chuck whispered from his left, “I can’t believe that you are actually leading her to the Tree of Life! Come on mate! You should know better than that.”

“I’m trying to come up with a plan,” Frank whispered back.

A shot fired and a bullet whizzed over their heads. “Stop that whispering!” Janet ordered.

As they entered the Garden of Eden proper, Frank got a better sense of the place. At first, he thought that the trees and plants were just growing up between the stones in the floor. The soft cushion beneath his feet told him differently. There was actual soil underneath there! He wondered if this temple was built by man or angels or by God Himself? So many unanswered questions!

As if agreeing with him, the swarm of monkeys in the branches overhead started their squawking once more. They kept their distance, but Frank could tell that the band of monkeys was following them. He wondered if they were going to attack them like the huge monkey outside the temple had attacked and killed Gordon Jones. Maybe these monkeys would rip the head off of Ms. Jones.

“Excuse me,” Chuck called out so that Janet could hear him, “In the Bible, doesn’t it state that the Tree of Life is guarded or something? How do you even know that you are going to be able to get near it?”

“I don’t,” Janet said, “But that is where you two come in. I need Frank to find the Tree…and I need you to test the waters…so to speak. To see if there really is a trap.”

“Oh,” Chuck said, “Glad that you’re keeping me around for something.”

“Don’t worry,” Janet said, “I just want the fruit. Once I get it, you two are free to go about your business. I won’t have any further use for you.”

Somehow, Frank didn’t think that she was telling the complete truth.

On they trudged through the Garden. For some place which hadn’t supposedly had any human interaction for thousands of years, the grounds were remarkably well kept. The grass was cut short, the trees were trimmed into a pleasing shape….even the flowers seemed to be well tended.

“Hey Chuck,” Frank whispered, risking the wrath of Janet Jones once more, “Have you noticed how well kept this place is? Who do you think does all of that?”

“I don’t know mate,” Chuck whispered back, “But I see what you mean. This place doesn’t exactly look deserted…does it?”

And then, the music started. Soft at first…and then it quickly grew louder and louder. Frank could recognize it anywhere. It was the voice of Billie Holiday. Once again, he was lost in the song.

There’s a saying old, says that love is blind
Still we’re often told…seek and you shall find

And suddenly it became effortless. Everything else disappeared for him. In his mind, he wasn’t thinking about Chuck….or poor dead Harry….or even Janet Jones with her deadly gun. Everything in his mind focused on one thing…the great and powerful Tree of Life. And then his feet started to move….almost seemed to float on the grass as they carried him first in one direction and then another. Deeper and deeper into the Garden he traveled.

And then, there it was in front of them. The most beautiful tree that he had ever seen in his life. The leaves were so green that it hurt his eyes just to look at them. The branches curved out from the great and sturdy trunk so gracefully that they seemed to be about to break into a ballet at any moment. And the fruit….so full, so ripe, and so golden. And it wasn’t just appetizing to the eye….the scent was full of wonderful things….honey, spices, and a touch of zest that he couldn’t quite identify.

Instantly he was struck with a hunger that he knew nothing on the planet would ease…except for this fruit…this fruit of the Tree of Life. His mouth began to water. He glanced over at Chuck and Janet Jones and saw that the Tree was having the same effect on them. They both had a glazed, faraway look on their eyes.

Shaking her head, Janet suddenly snapped out of the daze that she had been in. She took two steps toward the Tree….anxious to get her hands on the Fruit. But then…she stopped. She looked around at them and grinned an evil grin.

“You know…this is all too easy,” she said, “And I DO think that there will probably be a trap.”

Her hand snapped like a cobra…holding her gun toward Chuck. “I need you to go and be my gatherer. You are….expendable.”

And as if to make her point come across even more, she cocked her gun.

“You have until the count of three,” she said, “One….two….”

Until next week….class dismissed.

Dragonfly Dreams, Part Eighteen

The temple was a stone finger pointing accusingly toward the sky….toward the very face of God Himself. Time has ravaged the rest of the city into ruins. The temple, however, seemed to be frozen in place…in a moment…immortal. Even the dust and dirt of the Brazilian jungle did not settle upon its stones. Frank slowly climbed the stone steps one at a time so that he did not lose his footing. At a certain angle, they all but disappeared into one another (since they were so small) making the steps seem like one long ladder threatening to swoop him into a pile of broken bones and agony.

“These people must have had very small feet,” he heard Chuck puffing behind him, trying to keep up.

“Or else our feet are just freakishly huge,” Frank called back. He was trying to take his time on the steps, but he knew that they had to hurry. Janet Jones was already inside the temple. She could very well already be there…the Tree of Life. Did it even really exist? Months ago, Frank would have laughed in someone’s face if they had brought up the subject. But now….

Soon he was at the top. He turned to help Chuck and Harry as they struggled up the last of the steps. Especially Harry, since he was the fattest of them all. His face was red with exertion and his breath was coming in ragged gasps.

“I should….should… have turned into a bird…..and flown….up,” he panted, trying to catch his breath.

“Awwwww,” Chuck grinned, “Quit trying to show out in front of us. We know that you can change into any animal you want. But come on mate…you need the exercise. That big belly of yours isn’t going to lose itself.”

Harry glared at Chuck but was too tired to do anything else.

“Come on guys,” Frank said, “We’ve got to get into the temple. We’ve got to stop her before she finds it.”

Stepping through the crude doorway at the top, Frank found himself in another world…a world of sheer darkness. The stale air clawed its way into his lungs, making him cough. There was a strange scent in the air….one of decay and mold tinged with something acrid that made his nostrils burn. What was that? He remembered that Gordon Jones (now dead thanks to being ripped apart by that wild monkey) had said that this temple wasn’t always here. Sometimes it was in other places…even other planets.

What if it disappears while we are in here? Frank thought. What if we suddenly find ourselves on a planet without air? Was he willing to die just to keep the Tree of Life safe from the clutches of Janet Jones? He only had to think about it for a second, if that long. He took another step forward and started to feel his way down the dark passage. He could hear Chuck and Harry shuffling along behind him.

“Hey mate,” Chuck whispered in the darkness, “Do you know where we are going?”

“Not really,” Frank said, “But everyone keeps saying that I’m a Finder. In that case, I’m trying to find the Tree of Life….and Janet Jones.”

“While you’re at it,” Harry wheezed, “Why don’t you try and find us a light?”

“Okay,” Frank grinned in the darkness. And then, up ahead, he saw…a light!

“By jove, I think that the old chap actually did it!” Harry proclaimed.

As they neared the light, they saw that it was a flickering torch attached to the wall. Carefully taking the torch off of the wall, they continued on down the narrow stone passageway. Every so often, another smaller passageway would lead off to the left or right, but Frank decided that the main passageway was the best for them.

“Come on guys,” he said, “I’ve just got a feeling that we should go this way.”

As they walked, Frank couldn’t help but notice strange carvings on the walls. There were carvings of strange plants and animals that he had never seen before. One carving that kept being repeated over and over again, however, was the strangest of all. It looked just like….but no, it couldn’t be….

“Hey,” Chuck said, pointing to the carvings on the wall, “Isn’t that the Pillsbury Dough Boy?”

“It sure looks like it,” Frank said. But how would people thousands of years ago have known about the Pillsbury Dough Boy? In some of the carvings, it looked like people were worshiping the figure of the Dough Boy. How weird! And yet, just seeing the Pillsbury Dough Boy figure made him feel at peace.

He was so deep in thought about the carvings that he was startled to find that he didn’t need his torch to see in the hallway anymore. It was getting brighter. Up ahead, a doorway was spilling sunlight into the darkness of the stone passage.

“Guys,” Frank said, putting the torch in a niche on the wall, “I’m not for sure, but I think that this is the place.”

“Alright Frank!” Chuck patted him on the back, “You found it! Go on then mate. We’re right behind you!”

The coolness of the dark hall left him unprepared for the heat and stickiness of the room as Frank stepped into the light. He gasped. It was a room….probably the central room of the temple….but it didn’t seem like a room at all. The top of the temple was open, allowing light, heat, and rain to enter as needed. And down a flight of stairs, at the bottom, was a garden….a field of lush trees and exotic plants. Birds were flying through the trees and animals were prowling lazily among the branches. He caught sight of a group of small monkeys swinging happily though the vines that hang down from the top of the temple ceiling.

The garden hadn’t seen human hands….well, if the legend was true…since Adam and Eve. And yet….it looked well tended. Frank could make out lush fruit trees….apple, orange, mango, and plum. There were some that he couldn’t identify. Was one of those the Tree of Life? He didn’t think so.

“Oh my God!” Chuck said, stepping up beside of Frank, “What is this place?”

“Gentlemen,” Frank said softly, “I think that this is the Garden of Eden!”

“That’s right!” a shrill voice snapped behind them, “And you….my friend…are going to find me exactly what I need….the fruit of the Tree of Life!”

Frank knew who was talking even before he turned around. It was Janet Jones….and she was holding a gun. Her pasty face was colored with dark red circles. It seemed that her large girth had made this trip very hard for her as well. Frank wondered if it would be asking for too much to have the sow drop dead with a heart attack.

“And just what makes you think that he’s going to do anything to help you, old girl?” Harry said.

Janet just smiled and Harry and then pulled the trigger. A shot rang out and reverberated on the stone walls….making the monkeys squawk angrily and run for cover in the trees. And although it seemed like time was frozen, Frank watched in horror as Harry slumped over and fell to the floor.

“HARRY!” Frank and Chuck cried out together. But it was too late. Harry was lying on the floor of the room in a quickly spreading pool of his own blood. The hole in his head told the dire truth….Harry was dead.

“Now,” Janet said, pointing the pistol at them again, “Are you going to find me that Tree….or am I going to kill the other one next?”

Staring at Harry’s dead body, Frank knew that he had no other choice. He had to help her. He had to help Janet Jones find the Tree of Life.

“Frank….no!” Chuck yelled out, “Don’t do it….don’t listen to her!”

“Let’s go find that Tree then,” Frank said to a smug Janet Jones.

Until next week, class dismissed.

Dragonfly Dreams, Part Seventeen

Frank Mason was standing in the middle of a carnival. Around him was a dizzying collection of rides….tilting and whirling. The air was riddled with screams of excitement. He inhaled deeply. The smell of popcorn and cotton candy made his mouth water.

But he couldn’t get anything to eat right now. He was standing in line to ride the roller coaster. Strange…he couldn’t remember there ever being any roller coasters at these small country carnivals. How in the world had they set this thing up? Because it wasn’t just a small carnival ride like most he was used to. The sign in front of him proclaimed this ride to be “The Devil’s Highway.”

And it sure looked like it. The coaster rose hundreds of feet in the air, twisting and curving to impossible heights. He didn’t want to ride it…and yet, he couldn’t get out of line. Everyone around him was pushing him forward. He felt that little nervous flutter of butterflies in his stomach as he felt himself prodded to his seat.

Sliding in, he felt the cold bars come down around his chest and arms. They clicked in place. At least he felt safe for the moment. But he knew how these things worked. These rides were meant to thrill. He knew that any moment the wind would be whisked from his lungs as he screamed and fell in a free-fall.

“These things sometimes feel like the end of the world,” a voice said softly beside him.

He turned. Oprah Winfrey was sitting beside him. No….not Oprah Winfrey…..but someone who looked a lot like her.

“Mizzus Irza,” he grinned back at her, “What are you doing here?”

“What?” she asked, “And miss the ride of a lifetime. I love these things. The feeling of flying…of being dangled in midair!”

Frank’s grin grew wider. It was sure nice to see Mizzuz Irza again. She looked so young. Much younger than when he had seen her before. But for the moment, he couldn’t remember where he had seen her last. He tried to think….had almost thought that he remembered. But then the ride started.

Slowly, the roller coaster climbed higher and higher. Frank looked over the side. He saw two people on the ground below waving at him. Two men. Were their names Chuck and Harry? He couldn’t remember…but he thought that they were trying to tell him something. They were both waving their arms and shouting, but he couldn’t hear what they were saying. One of them was holding a balloon. He could just make out the shape of a dragonfly on the side of the balloon.

And still the roller coaster was climbing.

He felt like something was wrong. This ride shouldn’t be going so high. He looked over at Mizzuz Irza and saw with some surprise that she was eating a caramel apple.

“I don’t think that you should be eating that thing on here,” he shouted over the rising sound of the wind as it started to whip around them, “It might not be safe.”

Caramel was dripping down her lips and chin. She grinned at him, shrugged, and threw the apple over the side.

“HEY!” Frank yelled and looked over to see if the tossed treat was going to hit somebody in the head…but then he found that he couldn’t see the ground anymore. It was just a black, inkiness that was underneath them…like a dark ocean. And yet, the roller coaster kept climbing.

“I don’t think that this is right,” Frank said, looking around, “We’re going too high!”

And then he noticed that everyone was gone. There wasn’t anyone on the roller coaster except for him and Mizzuz Irza. She was looking at him, licking the caramel off of her lips with great smacks of satisfaction.

“Yep,” she said, “This isn’t right. You aren’t supposed to be on this ride…just yet.”

“What do you mean?” Frank said, “I had tickets to ride.”

“No you didn’t,” Irza said, “Your tickets were fake. Just take a look.”

Frank looked down at the tickets which he had been clutching in this left hand. They weren’t tickets at all. They were just plain yellow pieces of paper. There was only word written on them…FINDER.

“You need to get off of this ride,” Mizzuz Irza suddenly yelled.

Frank looked up…confused. Mizzuz Irza was a mess. She was no longer young…but old, just like she had been when Frank had seen her in the jungle. NOW HE REMEMBERED! He had seen her in her hut in the middle of the Brazilian jungle just hours before. So what was he doing here? Before he could think about it anymore though, Mizzuz Irza let out a whoop. Suddenly, he felt the metal bar come loose from his chest and arms. It flew up…leaving him without anything to hold him into the coaster.

“This is where you get off!” Mizzuz Irza yelled.

Suddenly the coaster reached the top of the hill and with a whoosh it started to fall back toward earth. Frank didn’t yell….he didn’t scream….he didn’t breath. He couldn’t do anything except hold on. But as the coaster turned up in a corkscrew, he felt himself slipping….felt himself falling….felt himself flying through the air. Everything was black. He closed his eyes and waited for the impact with the ground to break every bone in his body.

Instead, everything began to get warmer…and lighter. The sound of the rushing wind grew fainter and fainter. Soon, it was replaced by something else…the sound of a man’s voice.

“Frank!” a man was saying his name over and over, “Frank! Wake up Frank!”

“Is he dead?” another voice sounded.

It was Chuck and Harry! Frank opened his eyes. He was lying on the ground staring up at Chuck.

“Naw mate,” Chuck said, “Frank is still kicking. What about the other one?”

“Gordon Jones….our beloved leader?” Frank heard Harry’s voice, “No….sorry old chap. I’m afraid that he is dead.”

“Well that’s just great,” Chuck muttered to himself, “We have one dead boss, one passed out Finder, and a missing crazy woman. And just where in the heck are we anyway?”

And then it all came back to Frank. The ruins of the ancient city…..the temple……Gordon and Janet admitting that they were siblings and were working together…..and the monkey which had saved his life. And one final thing…..Janet Jones was already in the temple…..and she was looking for the Tree of Life!

Until next week....class dismissed!