Afterlife

The world would never be the same as we found out that Christmas Season. What started out as a joyous occasion for us all turned into a nightmare of epic proportions. When we should have been celebrating we were burying our dead and praying to God we would not be the next one to have dirt shoveled in our faces.

Two days before Christmas tv and radio stations across the world cut in with breaking news. Long-range telescopes had picked up bright lights speeding toward us. When they entered our Solar System they swerved around the planets on guided paths controlled by beings with intelligence reaching far beyond ours. Or so the world's top scientists claimed.

I had just gotten home from my day of teaching History at the local college. I turned on the nightly news as I made myself a Tunafish sandwich and poured a cup of coffee when the news broadcast made the announcement. So much for a relaxing Holiday season away from work and all those students who thought they knew everything, there was to know about History, but only proved they did not know crap. Maybe Mommy and Daddy should have spent their money better elsewhere.

In the middle of all this happening my cell phone rang. Glancing at it, my brother, I decided to ignore it for as long as I could. Who wanted to hear him cry about his life as if his was the only one that mattered? All of a sudden it stopped ringing Thank God. Then I noticed it had stopped working period. Dang, it! Did I forget to pay the Phone Bill again? No. I remember sending it out yesterday morning. The thing is fully charged. Why isn't it working?

I finished the sandwich and cup of coffee and had poured another cup when a pounding on my front door startled me. Who the heck could that be? I was not expecting anyone.

Opening it up there stood Frank my neighbor out of breath. "What's up, Frank?"

"Did you see the news? I always knew it would happen one day."

"Yes, I saw the news and what did you know would happen one day? And why, are you so out of breath? Did you run from next door?"

"No one ever believed me. Maybe now they will. Do you think whoever they mean us harm? "

"The planet will have to wait and see. Who are these people you hope to believe you now? And why should you care what anybody thinks about your beliefs? As long as you are here. Do you want a cup of coffee? I made a fresh pot as soon as I got home."

"I should really be getting back. Martha has dinner started."

"Okay, Frank. Nice jawing with you." He left and I closed the door. I shook my head. Frank is the neighborhood's character. The one person who is harmless enough, but you often wonder how many times he was dropped on his head as a child.

Being on Christmas break now, I did not set the alarm for tomorrow morning and slept in a bit. Must have been 9 a.m. when I finally crawled out from under the covers. Overnight the snow finally began to fall and we must have a couple inches covering everything.