Feeling good. Or, as Kramer said in a Seinfeld episode, ‘Here’s to feeling good all the time.’ We humans are euphoria seekers. ‘A mood of contentment and well-being.’ ‘A state of great happiness, well-being, and excitement.’

Euphoria is sought in many ways. People look to drugs for a sense of well-being. There are biological weapons that have a euphoric component to them, which causes the victim to socialize after being infected. Deindividuation: ‘A psychological state where a person loses their self-awareness and individual identity in a group, aligning completely with the group’s collective behavior and mood.’ This happened in Nazi Germany.

‘Come and visit our church; we will treat you like family,’ Catherine Cult said with a winning smile. ‘We are the set apart, the chosen, the Ones God loves,’ CC continued. ‘Do you want to be part of something greater than you? We will tell you how to live, how to spend your money, who to love and who to hate,’ Catherine Cult said with passion. ‘Soon you will not have to think; just obey; we will show you the way,’ CC laughed. ‘Our music will transport you to heaven on earth. We sing choruses over and over until they get into our hearts, often over an hour in our church service,’ CC noted. ‘You will forget your worries when you immerse yourself in the spirit flowing,’ CC promised. ‘We will get to know you totally; you will have no secrets from your brothers and sisters; we are one,’ Catherine Cult danced. ‘You will feel ecstasy, well-being, and purpose in our church,’ CC said with tears in her eyes. ‘We are different; Jesus was different. We are in the world but not of the world, set apart and special among humanity,’ CC whispered.

‘Trust me,’ He said. ‘I know what you need better than anyone,’ He continued. ‘Affordability is fake; I alone decide what is real,’ He continued. ‘At night I have visions, dreams, premonitions; I consult myself,’ He laughed. ‘My followers and I are special on Earth,’ He proclaimed. ‘Do not believe your eyes or your ears; believe me alone; I will tell you the truth,’ He promised. ‘I am a bit like Jesus, King David, and Superman,’ He laughed with delight.

This is the day we have been waiting for. We gather at the sound of the silent whistle. Listening for what the noisy do not hear. We look for becoming. There is a Secret we want to learn. Our fathers and mothers told us of the Secret. We are a part of the Secret yet do not understand its dimensions. The Secret is behind the clouds. Not how to live, but why. Our purpose is greater than our parts. Our role is dynamic. There is a coming together. Days of Peace, a Peacable Kingdom, are just beyond the horizon.

‘Well, today is the day; tomorrow may be too late,’ Billy B said. ‘Sunday, today we will extol the grandeur of summer and visit the State Fair,’ Billy B continued. ‘There is a solemnity after the fire,’ Billy B observed. ‘It is not the same, but we soldier on,’ Billy B remarked. ‘The Clouds are strange today; they portend change,’ Billy B explained. ‘I heard a Voice from the majestic clouds today saying, ‘You are not forgotten.’

‘The Clouds looked strange wonderful when was a teenager during World War II,’ Neva J said. ‘None of us knew what tomorrow would bring first the Great Depression then Pearl Harbor,’ Neva J mused. ‘We looked to the sky just like our ancestors for answers,’ Neva J noted. ‘Many feared the end of the world was soon to be,’ Neva J said softly. ‘Grandma A was watching the Clouds one day when a voice said, ‘Not Yet.’

‘So we wait watch ponder the truth in our hearts,’ Jane said. ‘The Secret will be revealed it is close enough to touch,’ Jane laughed. ‘The Mystery will be sovled or perhaps the Mystery is contained in a larger Mystery,’ Jane danced. ‘Who brought us here and when will they pick us up,’ Jane giggled.

Something is happening near Brooks Pond. The clouds have an ethereal glow. An owl hoots. Mylo barks. Change is coming. September will soon be a week old, yet it’s 100 degrees. Could we be in Dante’s Inferno? Too hot for man or beast. No hot apple cider; too hot. No campfires swapping ghost stories; too hot. The cloud is watching.

The Old Ones speak of such a Cloud in their day. It hovered between earth and sky. Many feared the Cloud, while others believed it spoke of future events. ‘I saw angels in the Cloud,’ Ethel said. ‘They were looking right at me. I decided to do better, be better,’ Ethel continued. ‘The Cloud was in the sky at night with a light of candles in the middle of it that radiated,’ Ethel noted. ‘The night had a spectral glow from the Cloud with the mysterious light in it,’ Ethel whispered.

As the President spoke in the Rose Garden, the Cloud appeared behind him. Many in the audience became distracted as the light from the inner glow was like nothing they had ever seen. The President spoke of revenge on his enemies, getting even by inflicting more pain on them than they had inflicted on him. The Cloud grew increasingly dark. Lightning lit up the sky. The outdoor event ended.

A Voice came from the Majestic Cloud that spoke one word, Peace.’ The fighting stopped. The President bowed his head and sat down.

Everything was normal. Halloween was coming. First midterm elections. The hallmark of democracy. Let the people decide the rule of the people. It has been thus since our founding. You may not agree with the winner, but he or she played by the rules; acceptance was the rule. All adults get a vote. It took a long time for everyone to have a vote. Elections are a good thing. People watch with respect as power transfers peacefully. If we do not like the policies of our politicans we vote. A beautiful thing. No fear or favor democracy. Politicans campaign, tell us their plan; we decide if we want it. Then the hunger crept in. Quiet at first. Invisible at first. Imperceptible at first.

Money is power. The people had no money. Their elected leader spoke for them. ‘A chicken in every pot and a car in every garage,’ Hoover told us. The Depression came. People were hungry. People were sad. The President’s words were hollow. Business learned they could purchase influence. The elite learned they could have things their way. Lobbyists discovered many politicians had little money; they wanted more. The Hunger lurked in the shadows.

‘I must take care of my constituency,’ Mr. Politician said. ‘They are the ones who put me in office; I must heed their call,’ Mr. P said. ‘The Man in the Shadows does have some good ideas; it would not hurt to try some. I will think about it on my holiday to Bermuda,’ Mr. P mused. ‘My wife and kids deserve a good vacation; they suffer so that I can hold my high office,’ Mr. P laughed. ‘I need to move to the good gated community to ensure that I can reach the big donors. ‘ If you have no money, you have no power,’ Mr. P danced on one leg and then the other.

‘Religion mixed with politics is the answer, the TV Preacher extolled. ‘We must turn our government into a theocrachy,’ TP continued. ‘When our people are the decision makers christianity will be paramount and evil doers will shudder for their sins,’ TP laughed. ‘The saints of God have money a lot of money we will put it to good use electing those who believe like we do, ‘To all our friends we wish them well and all the rest can go to hell,’ TP said as he rocked and rolled on stage.

‘Trick or Treat the familiar looking Ghost said,’ the Old Man recounted. ‘I have been on Holiday but I am back,’ Familiar Ghost said. ‘I am the Familiar Ghost of Christmas Present,’ Familiar Ghost continued. ‘I have weilded much power and yet do from my hiding place,’ FG laughed. ‘My words hurt the Republic some say while others call me a Hero of the Cause,’ FG blinked.

‘This is it; this is the big one,’ Chet announced. ‘Four days left to swim at Pounds Hollow,’ Chet continued. ‘Labor Day is Monday,’ Chet observed. ‘Where did the summer go? It began yesterday and ends soon,’ Chet noted. ‘We must have an End of Summer Swim at PH,’ Chet proclaimed! ‘Perhaps we will see the whole town there for this event,’ Chet observed.

Well, I will bring Salameats along with the Oscar Mayer Wieners and Merlot,’ Neva J said. ‘Salameats have a hidden recipe that no one knows except the makers of the sausage,’ Neva J winked and grinned. ‘They are an experience like none you have ever had…Salameats are where the culinary mysteries are,’ Neva J laughed. ‘Once you try one, you will settle for nothing else,’ Neva J danced.

‘Mrs K said Look for a surprise at the lake. ‘ There’s a big dark hole near the beach that people are entering and not returning from,’ Jane said. ‘Some say it is a Wormhole,’ Jane said cautiously. ‘Billy B entered the Wormhole as a kid, and now he is a man running Billy B’s Emporium of the Unusual,’ Jane noted with a strange look in her eyes. ‘Billy B says he went in the Wormhole in 1963 and came out in 2026. When I explained to him that he would be nearly 70 years old if that had happened, he said he knew,’ Jane explained. ‘He looks his age,’ Jane mused.

‘I have never seen anything like that hole in the air near the beach,’ Neva J confirmed. ‘Pounds Hollow Beach is empty, as everyone has entered to explore where they will end up,’ Neva J continued. ‘Let us follow them into the vortex and see what happens,’ Neva J encouraged.

‘Remember when we entered the strange Wormhole on Pounds Hollow Beach in 1963,’ Chet asked. ‘What happened between 1963 and 2026? I have no memory of the time passed,’ Chet mused. ‘We were young, and now we are old,’ Chet observed. ‘And when did we pick up our little friend Zog?’ Chet laughed.