GREENHAMMER: SECTION 8 DIAOIR (ON THE ROAD, Less Traveled)

DIAOIR

A diary and a memoir

ON THE ROAD, Less Traveled.

Section EIGHT

WRITING PROMPT

I seem to be thinking about work issues lately. This section seems wide open. First off, it seems I haven't added Unitarian Earth Day anywhere yet. So that's first. I haven't written the story of how; after a back breaking summer, I go to hand in my bill for October and was told "we're not paying you any more." that's kind of weird, since it's against the law. But more on that later.

Something else that pisses me off is. Ooops I forgot. That's happening a lot so I want to stop writing in 2028. I'm fixin to turn some of these stories into videos which could be fun.

Section 8. Now I can start rounding up what I have. Discard or finish. By Dec 31, 2027. There's a goal.

Maybe I should do a chapter review. 13 articles and seven sections is 91 articles. I have to stop. Toss or finish.

So first is the UU story. With updates. I have three blog posts as I kept trying to make it more palatable for the public. So next I'm going to glean as much as I can from what's left. The problem is I can't help but make up new shit. But I need less activity so turn it off on 12/31/27.

Section 8 will probably be a bit gobbledy gooky with bits and pieces of things.

First is "The Parasite Class"

section1story1

"The Parasite Class"

The Parasite Class

DEMONIZING THE POOR ///

Yer darn tootin’ I call it class war

I’m speaking for those who are told to pull yourself out of poverty by “pulling yourself up by the bootstraps”. They have this puzzled look on their face that says “but I got no boots.”

Facebook battles from people who accuse us of being jealous of illegitimate wealth will never end. Mike Mysterioso says “bullshit, our democracy is called the plural-elite system. Depends on whether or not you are willing to work and sacrifice. People with a class problem in America are total losers. “

These people have been isolated from most of their fellow Americans and this will be the first DEPROGRAM 2026 TOPIC.

My response to him was this, “I’m going to guess you have been isolated from most people in your work and haven’t had many experiences with the lower middle class people in this country. People with far greater talents than you or I, people caring for a disabled person, people who have gotten few raises slaving away for one Simon LeGreed or another. People reeling from abuse at home.“Pull yourself up by your bootstraps sounds a s vulgar to me as calling people "illegals".

Needless to say, “Mike” turns out to be a trust fund baby who failed at most of his attempts to hold a job. Ex-military of course, turning wrenches in Greenland to get the benefits of the military socialism that is nearing a trillion dollars a year in its expenditures. The military that is a honeypot for entitled white people and I’m willing to bet one third of Rush Limbalks awedience falls under a similar demographic.

The mantra from the golden microphone during the years 1992 to 1996 was “the rich are the job creators”. I was a listener during the Roger Ailes era when Roger was Program Director for Rush the Tush. Every afternoon his audience would relate how the Clintons are responsible for lots of deaths and horribly rude characterizations of Hillary were a daily fare. He constantly played a clip with Bill Clinton saying “I loath the military” while his roided up audience would call and say “I took Bill Clintons place in Vietnam.”

It’s got nothing to do with Mexicans, but everything to do with the system. In the dying world of Manifest Destiny. the capitalists have harnessed the resources to dominate markets and have reduced humans to be cogs in their machine or an underpaid Brick in the Wall.

Thousands of people I have worked with on twenty five jobs on hundreds of job sites have shown me the lower middle class as a rule are extremely industrious people. Libertarian Social Darwinists have not worked with these people and it shows. Bossed them, hired them, fired them, but never with them. Grown up spoiled brats showing open contempt when their every need is not met. “Use that bottle of ketchup from the empty table sir”.

Where is our mass transit system so everyone can get around to care for children or parents or both? Everyone has to have a license and a car? What! We are all supposed to go to night school and become fiduciaries? Well, how else are you going to invest in stocks like Boeing Raytheon Grumman and the others that produce weapons of mass destruction so you can retire in comfort?

Now that you've retired comfortably

Capitalism has created an economy on top of the people who do the actual work. The people who cook and serve the food, the ones who clean the houses, the driver who puts 30000 gallons of gasoline in the big tank next to the convenience store. Let’s not forget to mention the minimum wage CNA caring for your dying parents or the underpaid and inexperienced child care worker holding your crying child for an hour. Then to hear Nit “corporations are people” Romney or Newt Skintrich calling for poor kindergarteners to stay after school to sweep floors to earn their lunch money, you really have to wonder where the hell have these people been all their lives? Now head hunters and lawyers and other white collar parasites and medical fraud functionaries are the upper middle class of America.

Half of America are considered worthless slugs and layabouts because they get tax breaks? You’d think so from the Libertarians who make too much money and the sheltered trolls who inherited money like the person in the quote at the beginning. I’m setting out to prove the lower middle class that has expanded by 30% the last 40 years are the ones who do the work. Once upon a time they were the middle class but today, only upper middle class incomes and above have increased dramatically.

Down here in the underpaid working world we have adjusted in many ways to the vagaries of the market. Capitalism for the poor and socialism for the rich is the system we have. Bankruptcy and foreclosure, aw too bad say the bankers who are gouging the American worker and depressing the small market economy with outrageous interest from loans. It’s not like the 1800’s when banks hired stagecoaches and security to move money across the western states.

Usury Should be a crime, used to be. One mouse click and another sap has a 35 overdraft fee.

For instance, in a world awash in excessive clothing manufactured by 25 cent an hour workers from Bangladesh and China, we go to thrift stores now to buy much of our clothing in 2020. I buy three dollars shirts and pants on the regular and they are normally only nominally worn.

I got storm shoes and a nice pair of shorts for less than $5. We go to Dollar Stores and church rummage sales and reliable second hand exchanges. We love bargains, but let the buyer beware with the guy who has the frozen shrimp in his trunk, we all have our particular discernments.

The whole scene is changing from below. There are more distribution sites from groups that are taking in food. If you can turn over tons of food with volunteer labor in thousands of sites, we can begin to lessen the reliance on government programs and eliminate as much waste as is practically possible. The problem with the bush and t***p tax cuts for billionaires, was that the wealthy were theoretically supposed to step up with more charitable donations, and of course a handful have, but the dark heart of capitalism always says, “no thanks not today, the guest house needs new furniture.”

The system is big and its loyalists redrew the maps of the middle east to acquire the oil it would take to make Americans dependent on their cars, and of course this created many more problems. This is the system that unconstitutionally allowed a central banking criminal cartel to control the money supply that adds 5 trillion yearly to our national debt in interest alone, when the constitution says we should coin our own money.

Instead a corporation loans the US money. Unconstitutional. Convince me otherwise.

This is also the system that erased the criminal war records of many Nazis after WW2 who then immigrated to America and implemented the anti communist initiatives that aided right wing operatives such as John Foster Dulles. A system that has destroyed the small business community in nearly every town and in most cities. Wall Street devoured Main Street and now capitalism is shitting itself .

WETKO VIRUS AND THE INFUGEBOUS TASMANIANS

I noticed on my 3300 mile journey to find America, most local gas stations were now selling local products. I bought a Pumpkin Turnover to die for and Apple Butter somewhere else at a reasonable price. I noticed home made items standing near the register in many places. The Apple butter was so good I drank that shit right out of the bottle when I needed a snack while I was driving.

My point being is that we are drifting back towards buying locally sourced products again, Market Socialism, if we possibly can. We are buying hand made quilts for xmas presents. We buy reconditioned bicycles. The over credentialed, over certified white collar world isn’t going to rule us with their stuffed and mounted academic validations forever. We can and ARE creating a Market Socialism structure, the triumphant successor to Capitalism and Communism.

To implement Market Socialism, I would have each person exempt from taxation for the first 20,000 dollars of income, and $40,000 for small business. In addition, we would lift the cap on social security from $156,000 to a gazillion $. Let everybody make a little money … for crying out loud, and give them food stamps if they need them. Make the Republicans fill the social security fund back up. Let the billionaires give back what they stole from the languid, complacent, servile, no longer unionized American. See how that works?

Socialist Eugene Debs actually went shoulder to shoulder with the workers and spent nights in jail as needed. Progressive, ‘fightin’ Bob LaFollette, in his role as governor of Wisconsin in 1900, actually implemented Progressive Pro Worker ideals into action and reform.

There are no other theorists for the workers revolution? Maybe someone who goes outside once in a while and recognizes an impending environmental disaster when they see it. Another thing I noticed about people I’ve worked with is that people simply don’t talk about marx. I’ve worked and taken breaks in three corners of this country with plumbers and gardeners and property managers and security guards and Electricians, janitors & administrators and store managers and even homeless people I find sleeping in the bushes. Not a one of them talked about Marx. The homeless dude was among the more articulate of this bunch. Martin.

The working people don’t talk about Marxism, they talk about what is going on in their life. They articulate the problems with the system however, usually better than your average politician.

The maids, the sandwich makers, the floor polishers, the CNA’s, your finishers your starters, the kitchen crew and clerical staff. Gardeners get around, we are usually the last to go onto a project and people unload their problems on us. The ferry captains, the car washers turned computer techs, the vegetable growers and organic chicken egg producers. I can’t ever remember talking about marx, but we did talk a lot about unions. I saw a union go in where I was working in 1975 and I discuss this time period in the article “Taboos Exposed.”

America IS different and no longer exceptional with the right-wing coup eating us alive like a tapeworm and we need more than Marx to stem the tide. Small business has been destroyed and a minimum wage for all will be the final nail in the coffin of small business. We could have a minimum wage cap for small business as I mentioned previously. Call it an apprentice wage.

Progressives, Greens, and Independents are poised to lead the world out of its miasma but the left/right tennis match (back and forth back and forth) Marx or Mussolini? The billionaires have shown their hand, and they don’t care if we all die and everyone knows it now. So what has been undone will be put back together twice as strong. They are stripping the earth without regard to the trillion people that will be born on this planet in the next 50000 years. Leave it in the ground.

Make a showcase for ending government intrusion of the market place with these market-based community centers. Really, why can't I sell produce from my house? Or make Moonshine? Land of the Free? It doesn't sound like it.

We are strangling from an over-tweaked, law debilitated paralysis that destroys too many small businesses and keeps communities separated socially. We are dependent on 8 companies to feed us, fuel us, fleece us and forget US. The four F’s.

I remember the Hardware stores and the lumber yards, (my dad was a bit of a carpenter) and along with his full time and part-time jobs, he had a 1000 square foot vegetable garden. I watched my folks canning every summer and have vivid memories of coming indoors on a hot August day and the pressure cooker was hissing and steaming and weaving and bobbing and I was told “stay back in case it blows up.”

The oldest seed nursery in the United States was near my paper route. The furniture place down at the intersection on the way to the church sold American made I’m sure. Richards Donuts and Puritan Maid and many others thrived before the mass production of Dunkin Donut Shoppes. Having a successful small business model with multiple stores is capitalism. Destroying small diners and coffee houses and Homestyle restaurants because you can, is not.

Paying minimum wage with no benefits while stockholders reaped the fruits of our labors tells me that NEO FEUDALISM HAS BEEN RECREATED IN THE UNITED STATES. Relatively few people have more money than they need.

I could have been an accountant, school aptitude tests showed a distinct talent along with 95th percentile math skills. I could have spent 30 years in a cubicle and now I’d have a 30-foot boat sipping daiquiris complaining about “service has gone to shit in America” and every other goddam grumpy bubble busting thing. Nope. I didn’t want to be a white-collar parasite. Fuck that BMW. "I ain't gonna wear a suit Ma"

"You gonna be a ditch digger with the Italians?" I'll figure something out I told her.

American service has gone to the stockholders who insist on lowering wages for the workers. That employee selling the propane, running the register handling cranky customers is regarded as a machine that does work that’s all, stockholders and owners see us as work units, not humans. This is a system devoid of looking out for people's dignity.

Eugene Debs “to whom do the Wall Street Junkers in our country marry their daughters? After they have wrung their countless millions from your sweat, your agony and your life’s blood, in a time of war as in a time of peace, they invest these untold millions in the purchase of titles of broken-down aristocrats, such as princes, dukes, counts and other parasites and no-accounts. Would they be satisfied to wed their daughters to honest workingmen? To real democrats? Oh, no! They scour the markets of Europe for vampires who are titled and nothing else. And they swap their millions for the titles, so that matrimony with them becomes literally a matter of money.”

NIXON fucking with the gold standard and making health care profitable during his second term kept his wallet full and endless dinner party invitations during his post-resignation time. So who are the participants in this parasite, white-collar, white bread, white sugar, white people economy? It’s the real estate people at Orchid Island becoming millionaires while being reluctant to even spend $10,000 to do mainstream environmental efforts. I proposed over and over to remove Brazilian Peppers from the property. The Pepper Tree is an invasive tree and in Florida, a combination of government and environmental groups eliminated 750 million acres of them, but not Orchid Island.

It’s the salespeople for many years in doctors offices selling the prescriptions that made many people illegitimate millionaires and billionaires. The System embraces everyone who overcharges on medical equipment and services. It’s the lawyers making 300,000 a year who consider themselves as valuable as the three maids, the landscapers, the plumber there to check the leak, the cabinet maker making new kitchen cabinets. The person cutting the marble and the person delivering furniture for the guest house are all making one-tenth of what the lawyer makes.

IS THERE ACTUALLY A PRODUCT BEING PRODUCED BY LAWYERS? Physical objects to repair? Handcrafted goods to hawk? Like religion, they are basically selling air. On the other hand doctors seem like hard workers, but why do they make five times what anyone else in the operating room makes. Yet, nurses seem to know five times what a doctor knows with regard to patient care. THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THE WORK AREN’T MAKING THE MONEY.

Class war? Yer darn tootin’ its class war.

section eight story two

ELDER FUTHARK I PRESUME

Elder Futhark, I Presume

{The Heathen and the Christian /// Vikings and Saints … not just football}
This is a story about a Heathen and a Christian. The Patriarchal religions, Christianity and Islam, are not about God; but politics, and suspiciously both of these religions originate from the same region of the world.

Their plan seems to be to split the world in two and have a perpetual war that will last forever and ever, amen. As Huey P. Newton said “War is politics with bloodshed." Religion is politics.

Whereas a shield can deflect a spear or sword and a Kevlar vest can protect vital organs from a gunshot, it is difficult to unburden a mind that has been riddled with spirit crushing deceptions forced on them since their youth.
A question came up on a forum, Yahoo Answers, wondering where can a person go for help when recovering from these misogynist and nature hating religions?

I was trying to think of how a person can firm up their resolve and restore their pride in themselves. I was going to suggest sighchiatry, but then realized that it has been humor that has gotten many people through the nonsense in life and therapists just aren’t that funny.

When George Carlin talked about religion he used to say this about God,"....He'll send you to burn and scream and cry and choke for all of eternity........but he loves you" Here’s the solution, I said, tell your friend, to try and imagine what heaven is actually like.

Two people died and ended up in the same afterlife space. One as a follower of the Norse or Northern Tradition who has died. He wakes up as if from a dream and begins walking on a marshmallow cloud till he sees a green pasture coming into view and a bedraggled man with a cross around his neck.
Last thing he remembered, he was coming home with some chips and…then he realized he was able to fly and was about to take flight but Christian says "Hey, where's Jesus? Hey fella. We're dead..... right? Where‘s Jesus?"

"Let's go find 'im dude. No appointment calendar here," the Heathen said, but was just a bit puzzled at this behavior. 'Hope this dude doesn’t harsh my afterlife mellow' he thought to himself.

A flock of birds go by and the Heathen and the Christian join them, easily lifting into the air. "Hey , where's Jesus?" the Christian kept repeating to the flock. "This is the way of the birds" one of the birds finally says and then, "Fly with us."

"Where's St Peter, and the angels?" The birds fly away and the Heathen realizes this Christian is somehow getting stressed out in heaven and may need some help. After standing around a bit, they walked down a quiet country road and came on some gypsy wagons. "Hey, where's Jesus!!" A dancer spins over to him without stopping her dance and placed a silly hat on his head. "Cerridwen is here with us today--be at peace and embrace the spirit of the goddess."

The Christian was still restless but seemed to have bonded with the heathen, so they leave that placeand walked down the road and then the slowly winding path began to climb upward. Suddenly they look to their left and a glowing presence in a grove beckoned them. She has a bow and arrow, and the Christian instinctively goes for his gun, but the heathen suddenly realizes that it is Diana of myth.

"Diana?"

How can this be, he asks himself and remembers the rejection he felt when his coven became 'Dianic' and he was told to find another coven. "Aren't you a womens only goddess?" the Heathen asks as the Christian seems more puzzled than ever.

"We are balancing the male and female in the material world as it has always been in the spiritual world. Go, find the answer." Stated Diana.

So one of the heathens life traumas has been resolved but what is next? If there is such a balance of male and female.... then where are the Gods? Why are we only seeing Goddesses?

A dude on a mountain bike clambers by and suddenly the Christians eyes light up. "It's Jesus, it's Jesus! holy moly bagoly it's my personal savior!!!" There wasn't enough exclamation points to express his delight.

The Heathen gamely tried to keep up after conjuring up a bicycle and the three of them come upon a campfire where a bunch of men were drinking mead and yelling OOGA! Go Vikings! OOGA OOGA OOGA. SKOL SKOL SKOL.Then the Heathen remembers he was riding home to watch the Packers and Vikings Monday Night Football game and ....then the car hit him and....

"Jesus...is that you? Who are all these idiots?"

Jesus says, "Excuse me. Rude much? Yes, I am Jesus and what did I say about loving your neighbor?"
The Christian looked down contritely, "...oh ..sorry."

"Let me introduce you to Odin ...and Thor is over there passing out hot wings and there is Svarog tapping another keg. There's Buddha and Perun and Joseph my father (waving, so proud of that boy), and there's Pope Paul the second with the Saints cap on." Walking further into the outdoor sports bar we meet Giles Corey and Jacques DeMolay and all the rest of the gods and by now the Christian has forgotten the myth about St. Peter and the pearly gates and how pagans and atheists were all going to hell. Finally the Christian turns to the heathen and says-"I was lied to."
"Ya think?"

EVERYONE ELSE WAS INDEPENDENT AND PAGAN

"Get these fellas a drink....Arrrr!!!" Jesus puts his arms around the Heathen and the Christian both, pretending he was going to knock their heads together.

Suddenly a giant noise erupts, "Turn it up" said one of the gods. "The Vikings have scored first in this game and the kick is up and it's...gooooood. Vikings lead 7 nothing." A thunderous roar and a head-ringing clap of thunder interrupted the scene.

       It was late January 2020 and the Vikings beat those fucking Packers on Monday Night Football and it seemed that the Fates were setting up for the Vikings to get their first Super Bowl victory. FinallyThe gods were on their side at least.
       "Couldn't Lamar Jackson have an 'accident'" the Heathen gamefully asked Jesus. Ravens are hot and favored to win the Super Bowl.
       "Can't do that shit from here.' he said dismissively even though the Heathen was a Vikings fan and it was the only question he asked.

Jesus turns to the Christian who couldn't stop asking questions, "Now be respectful will ya...and watch the game. You got the rest of eternity for questions.

This is one of the greatest pleasures in the universe. NFL playoff on earth! Hot Cheese Golden Mead and Nachos!” then he turned to the christian and said,

“Trust me I will banish you to a bowling alley in Cleveland if you can’t keep quiet.”

By halftime, things were going well for the Vikings and Odin got up to tell a story. The screen went blank during the lame-o halftime show.
"This is the true story of Crowbone...."

Battlelore - "The Mark of the Bear" (Lord of the Rings)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OJS8U30Yxk&list=PLEFF27C06AF78150A&index=9

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reOLeLX0Q9U&list=PLEFF27C06AF78150A&index=10

Did Viking women and children talk about the violence the men were perpetuating? Did they ask why their Viking husbands and fathers drove gigantic nails into peoples heads or pulled out victims lungs to watch them flap as the person died? The extreme violence was a shameful face to the regular Joe type of Viking that wasn’t pillaging and burning. We never hear about the more sensitive paganism of the Norsemen, or their rugged self sufficiency.

Women were much more highly regarded in Viking society and unlike christian strictness, Viking society clearly had more fun. People dealt with each other as people, not co-religionists in someone's fantasy.

Perhaps the villagers had no idea of the scope of violence. Maybe only a small segment of Viking society were homicidal maniacs. Maybe there was nothing the folks in the village could do to stop the enthusiastic approach to gore, or they simply didn't know. These people and many others weren't savages but regular folks who were mischaracterized.

Some Christians believed the Vikings were an advance guard of what God was sending to begin the apocalypse.

This is so good . 1983 a Merman I turn to be

The Christian and the Heathen walked away after the playoff game was done and eventually came across an ocean shoreline. Vulgaris Magistralis (Bonus Track)
The Heathen saw the mermaid first and they found no trouble following her when she beckoned. On the ocean floor they saw Neptune and Jurate the ocean goddess. There appeared to be a panel or council of sorts that were asking Jurate and Neptune some questions. Apparently, it was a training session for spirit guides. "Where's the angels?" asked the Christian.

"That's them," he said as they looked at a wide variety of people and animals. Jurate was trying to take Neptune to task and was imploring him to slow down volcanic outbursts in the Pacific and to try and calm down the Caribbean tectonic plate.
"Humans need to be away from the shore. The estuaries and bays and inlets are for migrating birds and pollinating insects. Besides I can't help, only the Mother can direct the plates." replied Neptune.

"Let's warn them about the Tsunamis” pleaded Jurate. The next great 9.0 quake will be further east, closer to the Puerto Rico Trench, the deepest subduction zone in the Atlantic. In a few short weeks Tsunamis would wash over Bermuda and the Bahamas and then Florida. A normal geological event that would have gone unnoticed 100,000 years ago however

"We can't baby them, there are lessons they need to learn," insisted Poseidon, one of the three male ocean gods.
Jurate is a gentle goddess and THE female ocean Goddess, and she is in anguish when her oceans create havoc. Neptune has also threatened to magmatize the Seamount Volcano off the coast of Oregon. Undiscovered till fifteen years ago, it is the biggest volcano on earth. About 333 miles northwestwest of Port Orford.
If that blows, there won't be any air travel for six months not to mention a drastic drop in food production. Probably won't pass council, luckily for them.
The Heathen wanted to ask Jurate about the legend of the Fisherman and the Amber Castle, but she seemed pretty busy.

"What about global warming," asked someone on the panel.
"Global warming is happening in an unpreceded manner due to the petroleum suicide of the humans, but the real problem is the pollution caused by a billion cars and the factories of Industrial Capitalism, starting up every day" stated Neptune. "All our floating friends have plastic in their gut and I'm getting pissed."

"Filth from boats too," added Jurate, I feel so unwell at times and it's rapidly getting worse," she added. "My reefs are dying at a mass extinction rate...." This was all too interesting but the duo got the itch to move on.

They swam on and came upon a sign in front of a giant underwater stadium. Inside Jimi Hendrix was the Ringmaster for the "Neptune Games" and they watched. What a show.

Now what do they do, they wondered to themselves? Another mermaid was leading a large crowd of spirits and they followed her. She swam along the bottom and they followed her and saw an incredible variety of the oceans living creatures. Soon they came upon a large outlet for a river, the Amazone. Vegetarian crocodiles and toothless Piranhas floated by, then they came across the Queen of the mermaids herself, Yemaya.

They talked about the variety of starfish. "I never heard of the Brittlestar."

What do you think of evolution now Christian?" Yemaya had showed them how the evolution in the oceans happened. The Brittlestars are our ancient ancestors.
The Christian was surprised to learn another starfish, the Feather Star was also one of the ancient creatures that helped the evolution of sea life. "Well, I'll say one thing about the afterlife.....I'm glad the atheists were wrong." The voodoo mermaid Yemaya waved over to them and said, "Come on back when you can."

They had flown out of the water and recognized features of America--the land of their birth. Flying west it had become dark again and the Christian said, "Heaven sure isn't what I thought it would be."

"I don't think we've seen it’s entirety my friend. I guess you got here by default because this is kind of what I wished for with Odin and Thor and I knew a little about Jurate and Perkunas of the Romuva tradition. That wasn't exactly Valhalla back there with Odin. I would love to ask someone about Freya. She was my favorite." Suddenly they were over Hopi land in a small niche of soil against a southern facing cliff. At the bottom, a Hopi elder was planting corn.

He held his old planting stick he has been using for nearly 50 years and began poking holes in the ground and throwing corn kernels. The Christian and the Heathen felt a looming presence behind them and when they looked, a Goddess appeared to them.

“The Corn Mother?” Knowing some native American folklore, this was a good guess.

“I am Freya, goddess of all that lives in the earth.”

The Christian chuckled to himself and said, “the bugs and worms and…”

“….and all the roots of every plant.” The sun came out and she hastened them to leave as the Christian contemplated what she said. “Heat and cold, sun or moon, there are no limits for you now, journey onwards.” She left them and became a mist that settled on Larry Two Hawks field while Larry stood there and was silently thankful.

“Where do you want to go now Christian?”

“Hawaii, American Samoa and Australia.”

“And you?”

“Mt. Everest and the North Pole, Hail Boreas.”

They flew over more time zones till the waxing moon came into view and by merely wishing they were at the moon in seconds. Then they heard, “I am the voice of the Ancient Mother. The one eye open as she sleeps. My sister Zorya greets the dawnm and Our Father the sun brings life and I am Zvoruna, goddess of the Moon.”

They asked her how many goddesses were there altogether and she explained, “I am not a goddess but an aspect of the Ancient Motherand there are 9 goddesses and 23 gods, and more sub-deities than I can count.” She had a large retinue in tow and so they diverged and continued their afterlife vacation.

After Everest they went to the North Pole and encountered Sedena, protector of the Innuits. The Goddess of the cold north, she showed them an arctic mirage.

“What’s that?”

“That is Greenland off in the distance. This is how the Vikings discovered Greenland. They saw the land reflected in the sky and sailed for the land that appeared on the horizon.”

Sedena said, “well Mr. Christian, guess who was the first European to discover America?”

“I guess it was the Vikings,” he said begrudgingly.

“No it wasn’t. The history books never recorded that an Irish monk born in 905 A.D. was the first European in North America in 936 and he spent 45 days looking for Iceland but found Newfoundland instead. There are no written tales of him, but he was there.”

“A monk?”

“Yes monks were early explorers of my land looking for heathens to convert. His ship was battered and he never sailed again after marrying a ‘skraeling’ and eventually becoming a heathen himself calling himself Treegeld.”

“So a Christian discovered America? Well, hush my puppies!” The Christian still held out a little hope for his long held beliefs.

“The Indians discovered the Americas, of course, and the Great Spirit was strong then, but yes, a Christian was the first European to discover America.”

Other recently dead clamored for Sedenas attention and the crowd wandered away.

In an instant they were transported to an unrecognizable place. A sunny day and what appeared to be coliseum seats in a giant park filled with fascinating brickwork they marveled at.

“The Protestant Deformation,” said a Goddess derisively. The Christian slowly turned and there appeared to be Mary, the mother of Jesus. The golden threads of her gown glowed as she addressed them.

“Baptist, what IS IT with you people? Catholics are not Christians I see here on your blog.”

“Well….”

“It’s okay, things are changing soon. I can’t reveal the details but Baptists and Catholics will soon have some common ground to agree on.

There’s just us, “ she admitted waving her arm to the horizons. “My son Jesus, such a good boy, and Thor and Freya and the elementals and angels and all the rest abide here, as does the Dude. There are no demons bro. Period, End of story. People bouncing their negative energy against the wall that keeps that shit there, on Earth.

Have you seen Jesus yet?” she asked the christian. “Uh, ….he was busy watching a game,” he sheepishly acknowledged while realizing his personal savior would rather watch a game then greet him into heaven.

“Where is your fan club Mary? Aren’t you the most popular goddess?”

“Well, keep in mind I don’t need breaks or sleep and after people talk with mem they generally are ready to move on. People don't stay here very long once they realize life on Earth was just an initiation and there is so much more ahead.

In regards to your question, Usually there is a crowd, but for now it’s just us. To truly live is to live forever and you only need to wish it as you gentlemen did. Like here, wish for anything you want. You can never go back and change anything, but do what you like here.”

“Can I have a bag of runes then?” asked the Heathen.

A bag appeared in his hand. “Elder Futhark I presume.” said Mary with a wink.

The Christian was wondering about his wife and how she was dealing with his death and then remembered about his mom and dad. “Mary…can we see our relations that have passed on?”

“Yes, eventually, if they are still here or the level above.”

“How about our pets, I swear my dogs were better humans than many of the touchholes I met in life,” added the Heathen.

“In some form they may be. You will find them if they are here. Love is all you need to bring you back together.”

“Is Jesus coming back to Earth soon?” the Christian wondered.

“Yeah, is it the end of the world?”

“Even up here we don’t quite know what will happen. Everything in the past can be viewed but the future is not for anyone to know. Shamans on earth have been summoning the Mother and she will awaken soon. We know she will not be happy and there will be earthquakes, solar flares and volcanic activity that people have not seen in a long time. There will be chaos, but the humans will survive. My advice is to eliminate all nuclear and chemical weapons."

“Jesus will be working behind the scenes and a chosen few will see him. Now shoosh” she said looking at a nearby sun dial, “It’s time for an earthly visit."
Being dead didn’t seem to matter anymore, and the stress of life had completely evaporated but they were somehow tired. “I need a rest compadre.”

“I’m telling ya,” agreed the Christian plopping down on a mossy bench.

“This could be where we part company. I have a lot of history I would like to see and our souls need to…. Recharge or something. I don‘t know, what is next?”

“I don’t know either. Do what you like, I’ll wander off when I’m ready. I wonder if they have facebark here. How are we going to keep in touch?”
"Let's find a way, friend"

“I’m going to invoke a goddess, I wonder who we haven’t seen yet?" He began, 'Venus Diana Hecate,” repeating this ceremonially like he used to do when he was living, “aid me in my magical quest.” Then, they both heard a voice.

“You need to journey back to yourselves.” The Heathen was gratified to see that a lot of what he believed in was sorta true with his encounters with Thor and Freya but now...appearing in front of him was a truly impressive goddess. Sunlight moved around her and the winds were visibly swirling everywhere around her. She reminded them of Glinda the Good Witch, and the Heathen asked, “Who are you then?”

“I am Dexsiua of the warm life-giving southern wind. I travel everywhere and am part of everything. She waved a wand and people started gathering around.

“We are definitely not in Kansas anymore,” said the Christian and they both laughed.
She addressed the growing crowd, “We will break into groups of 13. I will sift through your minds and answer as many questions as I can. Just relax,” she intoned, “…as we fly.”

This was the big history ride and they saw dinosaurs and beatniks and Socrates and the actual ministry of Jesus, the half human. There was Druids and the signing of the Magna Charta and even the secret of the pyramid builders was finally revealed.

It was many days and they rested and experienced these great moments. They saw snapshots of their own lives and other peoples days on earth, learning very much in a short time.

When they were done flocks of birds would occasionally fly by. “They fly beyond the solar system and the Milky Way. The Universe waits for you and your source also waits. Join them now and find Nu-Kua. Go the way of the birds.