August 2001: The Settlers

           ThemenofEarthcametoMars.

           Theycamebecausetheywereafraidorunafraid,becausetheywerehappyorunhappy,becausetheyfeltlikePilgrimsordidnotfeellikePilgrims.Therewasareasonforeachman.Theywereleavingbadwivesorbadjobsorbadtowns;theywerecomingtofindsomethingorleavesomethingorgetsomething,todigupsomethingorburysomethingorleavesomethingalone.Theywerecomingwithsmalldreamsorlargedreamsornoneatall.Butagovernmentfingerpointedfromfour-colorpostersinmanytowns:THERE’SWORKFORYOUINTHESKY:SEEMARS!andthemenshuffledforward,onlyafewatfirst,adouble-score,formostmenfeltthegreatillnessinthemevenbeforetherocketfiredintospace.AndthisdiseasewascalledTheLoneliness,becausewhenyousawyourhometowndwindlethesizeofyourfistandthenlemon-sizeandthenpin-sizeandvanishinthefire-wake,youfeltyouhadneverbeenborn,therewasnotown,youwerenowhere,withspaceallaround,nothingfamiliar,onlyotherstrangemen.AndwhenthestateofIllinois,Iowa,Missouri,orMontanavanishedintocloudseas,and,doubly,whentheUnitedStatesshranktoamistedislandandtheentireplanetEarthbecameamuddybaseballtossedaway,thenyouwerealone,wanderinginthemeadowsofspace,onyourwaytoaplaceyoucouldn’timagine.

           Soitwasnotunusualthatthefirstmenwerefew.ThenumbergrewsteadilyinproportiontothecensusofEarthMenalreadyonMars.Therewascomfortinnumbers.ButthefirstLonelyOneshadtostandbythemselves.