October 2002: The Shore

           Marswasadistantshore,andthemenspreaduponitinwaves.Eachwavedifferent,andeachwavestronger.Thefirstwavecarriedwithitmenaccustomedtospacesandcoldnessandbeingalone,thecoyoteandcattlemen,withnofatonthem,withfacestheyearshadwornthefleshoff,witheyeslikenailheads,andhandslikethematerialofoldgloves,readytotouchanything.Marscoulddonothingtothem,fortheywerebredtoplainsandprairiesasopenastheMartianfields.Theycameandmadethingsalittlelessempty,sothatotherswouldfindcouragetofollow.Theyputpanesinhollowwindowsandlightsbehindthepanes.

           Theywerethefirstmen.

           Everyoneknewwhothefirstwomenwouldbe.

           Thesecondmenshouldhavetraveledfromothercountrieswithotheraccentsandotherideas.ButtherocketswereAmericanandthemenwereAmericananditstayedthatway,whileEuropeandAsiaandSouthAmericaandAustraliaandtheislandswatchedtheRomancandlesleavethembehind.Therestoftheworldwasburiedinwarorthethoughtsofwar.

           SothesecondmenwereAmericansalso.Andtheycamefromthecabbagetenementsandsubways,andtheyfoundmuchrestandvacationinthecompanyofsilentmenfromthetumbleweedstateswhoknewhowtousesilencessotheyfilledyouupwithpeaceafterlongyearscrushedintubes,tinsandboxesinNewYork.

           Andamongthesecondmenweremenwholooked,bytheireyes,asiftheywereontheirwaytoGod…