November 2005: The Luggage Store

           Itwasaveryremotething,whentheluggage-storeproprietorheardthenewsonthenightradio,receivedallthewayfromEarthonalight-soundbeam.Theproprietorfelthowremoteitwas.

           TherewasgoingtobeawaronEarth.

           Hewentouttopeerintothesky.

           Yes,thereitwas.Earth,intheeveningheavens,followingthesunintothehills.Thewordsontheradioandthatgreenstarwereoneandthesame.

           "Idon’tbelieveit,"saidtheproprietor.

           "It’sbecauseyou’renotthere,"saidFatherPeregrine,whohadstoppedbytopassthetimeofevening.

           "Whatdoyoumean,Father?"

           "It’slikewhenIwasaboy,"saidFatherPeregrine."WeheardaboutwarsinChina.Butweneverbelievedthem.Itwastoofaraway.Andthereweretoomanypeopledying.Itwasimpossible.Evenwhenwesawthemotionpictureswedidn’tbelieveit.Well,that’showitisnow.EarthisChina.It’ssofarawayit’sunbelievable.It’snothere.Youcan’ttouchit.Youcan’tevenseeit.Allyouseeisagreenlight.Twobillionpeoplelivingonthatlight?Unbelievable!War?Wedon’theartheexplosions."

           "Wewill,"saidtheproprietor."IkeepthinkingaboutallthosepeoplethatweregoingtocometoMarsthisweek.Whatwasit?Ahundredthousandorsocomingupinthenextmonthorso.Whataboutthemifthewarstarts?"

           "Iimaginethey’llturnback.They’llbeneededonEarth."

           "Well,"saidtheproprietor,"I’dbettergetmyluggagedustedoff.Igotafeelingthere’llbearushsalehereanytime"