With the aliens disarmed attention shifted for a moment to the Church and Pastor Joan. Very quickly the announcement came " It's a boy". They were expecting a girl but a healthy boy is fine.
Pastor Joan was having trouble in the delivery and the old midwife didn't know what to do. That's when the other midwife showed up. Her name was Rebecca W. Oops. Nobody had ever seen her before but she took control of the situation. She and Herman delivered the baby. After that it was almost like magic as the baby was born with no further problems. Rebecca went to the rest room to clean up and neve came back. Nobody has seen her since. She has become a mystery woman to be talked anout at Nancy's over coffee.
With the birth now over. Tommy turned to the alien leader. You do understand that we could have destroyed you as easily as those weapons. We could have made you our slaves, a fate you might deserve. But we chose not to do that . Instead we send you unarmed back to your home planet. By the time you arrive a group of Guardians will alreay be there. They will have destroyed your stockpiles of weapons. They will have dismantled the factories you make them in. They will destroy any other rocket ships you have.
One of our Guardians will go back with you and destroy these ships when you arrive back. Special instruments will be installed that will alert the Guardians if you test rockets or weapons and regular inspections will take place.
Now get on your ships and leave before we change our mind.
The aien leader, one of the Guardians and the alien soldiers returned to the ships and left.
Will we ever find out how Tommy pulled this off? Who was that strange midwife? How special is this baby? Where did the extra wooly elephant beasts come from? Is Tommy to be reunited with his birth father only to see him leave?
Perhaps some of these questions will be answered tomorrow. One can hope.

Tommy, still smiling. I can see that you really want to see what else we have. He then waved his hand and the door on the Masonic Building opened and out came not one but three men in black.
They came and stood one on each side of Tommy and Herman and one between them,
"I'd like to introduce my father and his two Guardi9an friuends" Tommy said. " Of course Oscar you already know him as you betrayed him a long time ago . Now I am giving you one more chance to surrender. Lay down your arms and we will let you depart unharmed. Of course the Guardians will remove all the weapons from your ships as well."
The Alien leader looked at him with a look of pure hatred then signaled his men to begin laying down their arms. As that went on one of the Guardians transported himself into the rocket ship and began destroying the on board weapons.
When all of the weapons from the ground troops were piled up Tommy's father focused a blue beam on them and they were gone, disintegrated.
As all of this was taking place Herman was summoned to the Church. The baby was coming. What a wonderful day on which to be born.
Where did all of Tommy's troops come from? How did his father and friends arrive ? Will it be a boy or a girl? Shouldn't Oops be there? These and other space taking questions might be answered tomorrow.

Tommy turned to the man in black and said " Why don't you go stand with your boss Oscar? You know which side your on."
Oscar walked slowly down the street to stand next to the alien leader.
" Then there are only two of you against all this firepower, three rocket ships, and the unbelievable power of a Guardian so you have no choice but to surrender." The alien leader announced.
Tommy smiled and said " Since you have been so nice as to let us surrender we offer you the same possibility. Lay down all your weapons and we will let you go back on your ships and leave unharmed. Otherwise we will wipe you from the face of the universe."
The alien leader began to laugh. " You do have guts boy" he said." But let us demonstrate our power".
A door opened on the side of one of the ships and a large weapon emerged pointed at the barn. The alien leader gave the command to fire. A blue ray moved from the end of the weapon toward the barn but then turned back and the ship began to glow.
" I'd have them turn them off if you want a ship to fly home in" Tommy said." Now you have felt the power of our poltergeist. It has enveloped all three of your ships and they can't help you."
" That means it can't help you either and we have superior firepower and a Guardian" the leader said.
" Look behind your men " Tommy directed.
There coming down the road was row upon row of woolly elephant like creatures each with a rider with a weapon that looked equal to that of the weapons the aliens had.

" Do you want to surrender now or do we need to bring out our last surprise?" Tommy asked looking toward the Masonic building.
What surprise can Tommy possibly have left? Where did all those troops come from? Will the alien leader surrender?
Tomorrow a few answers or more questions.

THe war to end all wars began yesterday at 4;00. The bouncing heads information was correct.
Because they were ready when the first people appeared on the street Calab and group moved out wearing and carrying the hats with the giant spider spider webs in them and carrying the blankets covered with the same. They put hats on the some poeople threw blankets over others and moved them into the Church which God promised Herman He would protect. It was a beautiful operation to ewatch and went perfectly.
By the time the first rocket ships arrived the street was clear.
Herman and Tommy stood in the middle of the street in front of the Masonic building. Before the Alien leader landed and without any warning the man in black came and stood between them. Tommy turned to Herman and dais " I told you he would show up."
Then the Alien leader showed up thirty feet away facing them. Behind him row upon row of alien soldiers with horrible looking weapons began to appear.
The aliens were not as ugly as the ones in Tommy's dreams but they had four arms instead of two. So they really didn't look human.
" We do not want to destroy you!" the Leader announced ." We are willing to let you surrender."
" What makes you think you will win ?" Tommy asked.
" Well there are only three of you and despite your power you can't fight us all." The leader responded.
" What makes you think there are three?" Tommy asked
The leader laughed " I hope you don't expect any help from that rag tag bunch you have in the barn. We have a three weapons from the ship aimed at the barn and if the door opens we will vaporize it."
It was Tommy's turn to laugh." No I meant what made you think there were three of us when there are only two."
Has Tommy lost it? Can't he count? What is going on. Is the war lost before it starts ?
It is possible tomorrow might answer a question or two.

Tommy UK skipped school today. One of the bouncing heads brought information that their intelligence people are convinced the alien attack will come this afternoon. They are trying to verify that information.
So Tommy is meeting with the group over at Last Lutheran going over the game plan. They are ready with the special blankets and some special hats. They hope to have the street cleared and the people safely in the sanctuary before the first Alien lands.
Given Tommy's nightmares they are discussing how to best use the group in the barn.
The man in black hasn't shown up yet but Tommy is sure that he will. Herman is not so sure.
Also because of Tommy's nghtmares they are discussing the possibility of Herman and Tommy blocking the aliens while the street is cleared if the aliens land before that is completed. Their first priority is to protect as many people as possible.
Herman is also worried aboutr Pastor Joan. He is afraid that just when the battle begins she will go into labor. He has made sure there is a midwife in the church at all times.
Now they have to wait .
Is this it? Is the battle finally going to take place? Will the man in black show up? Can they possibly win?

Poor Tommy knew the battle was lost but didn't want to surrender. If he turned off his power that was the same as surrendering but that's what the voice wanted him to do. He looked at Herman but Herman didn't seem to hear the voice. He knew the voice. It said it could help. He needed help.
Finally he decided to trust it really was Oops.
He turned off the power.
He felt himself being shaken then he was sitting up not on the street but in his bed. His mother was shaking him.
" You had a bad nightmare" she said. " You put out some kind of shield that kept us out of the room as we tried to help you."
Tommy hoped it was only a nightmare and not a vision of things to come otherwise he had seen the end of Pigeon Falls. He couldn't understand how he had projected power without the rock which was in the desk drawer well out of his reach. Another mystery for him to solve later if they lived through this battle.
How many more nights of this before the real thing?

Tommy looked to his right and suddenly he could see Oops standing there but she was somewhat transparent.
" Tommy! I cam help you" she said. " I cvan use my power in one of two ways and I'll let you decide. I can wipe out the aliens on the ground and two of the spaceships. The other will go back where it came from . All of mankind will be saved but Pigeon Falls will be gone, forever.
Or!
I can push time back to just two hours before the battle started and allow you and Herman to remember everything.
That means you can get the people to safety in the Church as you originally planned. You can warn the man in black to put his shield up. You can use your troops in the barn differently. You can warn the dragons. You might be able to win.
So choose save mankind for sure or save Pigeon Falls and mankind possibly. But either way I can't enter your dimension until you turn the power off.
Tommy was still not sure it was really Oops and if it was what he should do.
Is it really Oops.? Will Tommy opt for the sure saving of mankind if it is. Is Pigeo0n Falls gone forever? Spme of these annoying questions might be answered tomorrow.

Tommy UK looked at Herman and knew they were doomed. They could protect themselves and even destroy a few aliens but around them was nothing but destruction.
The town was now on fire. People lay dead on the streets. The dragons which had tried to take out the space ships had been vaporized. The man in black was gone forever.
It looked like the end of Pigeon Falls and all mankind.
That's when Tommy heard the voice.
It said " Tommy! Release the power."
Tommy had no idea what the voice meant. If he turned off his power the aliens would vaporize him. It must be a trick.
The voice came again. " Tommy! Release the power now! I can help but you must release the power".
Tommy wanted to trust that voice but it made no sense.
He would not surrender. He would not give up.
Again the voice. " Tommy! Stop the power now! Let us in. We can help."
But who are they? How can they help? What should he do?
Is this the end of Pigeon Falls and Tommy?
Is there somebody out there that can help ?
What will Tommy do?
Tomorrow these question may or may not be answered but one can hope.

It started this morning.
Tommy UK was having breakfast when suddenly his parents left the house and stood in the middle of the road.
He put on his special hat, took his bicycle and pedaled as fast as he could to Last Lutheran. But by the time he got there three space ships were unloading alien soldiers, rank after rank. There was no time to get the people off the streets. All those carefully laid plans for nothing.
Quickly Tommy and Herman stood between the enemy and the people of Pigeon Falls. They would do their best to protect them.
Suddenly the man in black appeared and stood between Herman and Tommy.
"I told you he would show up " Tommy said to Herman.
They studied the aliens in front of them. They looked almost human. Tommy hadn't expected that. There was something odd about their faces but they had two arms, two legs, and looked right. They could pass as a rather ugly human being.
Without warning a purple ray came from one of the rocket ships hitting the man in black and he dissolved into a puddle on the road. Instantly Tommy and Herman acted to shield themselves. When the purple ray hit them it was reflected back to the first row of alien soldiers who then became puddles on the road.
But the next row stepped forward.
The doors of Danelson's big barn opened and out came one of those woolly elephant like creatures ridden by a strange creature with a weapon.
They charged the first row of alien soldiers smashing them to the ground while using the weapon to destroy the second row. But before they could turn and start again the purple ray from the ship hit them and they became a puddle.
Then the next woolly elephant creature with just a bouncing head on top charged out and took out two more rows of aliens before becoming a puddle.
Then the huge spider came throwing out webs. Every alien touched by the web died on the spot. The spider took out four rows of aliens and a few in the rows behind before being puddled.
But still the aliens kept coming from the space ships. Every alien destroyed was replaced by another.
All that was left now was Tommy UK and Herman.
Behind them lay dead and dieing Pigeon Falls residents, hit by the alien attempts to defend themselves.,
Is this the end of Pigeon Falls?
Can Tommy and Herman do nothing?
Is our entire world doomed?
Will the next ugly person you see really be an alien?
Some of these questions might be answered tomorrow in Pigeon Falls.

None of the group that is waiting for the great battle has been sleeping well. They have had bad dreams and nightmares. They really wish the battle would happen soon.
Herman is worried about Pastor Joan so he had a bed put in the room that used to be the Intern office back when Last Lutheran had an intern. The old desk has been pushed into a corner. The bed has a clean sheets and a comfortable pillow. If Pastor Joan goes into labor at the church there is now somewhere for her to have the baby rather than on a table in the fellowship hall or a desk in her office.
Tommy TW is beginning to wonder if the man in black is coming. He expected him to be here by this time. They would certainly feel better if he was ready to meet the aliens with them.
When will they come? That question is being asked over and over even as they plan in detail what they intend to do.
Today Tommy TW stayed home from school. He persuade his mother to tell the school he was sick with flue like symptoms. He couldn't concentrate in school in any case.

Eino called his friend at Homeland Security and told him that there was an indication that Pigeon Falls was going to be attacked by an alien invasion force. His friend just laughed and asked what Eino had been drinking. There will be no help coming from there.
And where in the world is the man in black. Will he arrive in time ?
It looks like our little group is on their own.
Where is that alien force? Why hasn't it come?
As if things weren't complicated enough it is almost time for Pastor Joan to have her baby. The group is trying to get her to go and stay with friends in Iron Mountain until the baby comes but she absolutely refuses to leave them. She says she is Pastor of Last Lutheran which alone can give sanctuary when the battle comes. She has an obligation to be here. Besides if the battle comes and they lose, the entire world will follow and Iron Mountain will not be a place of escape. Herman is afraid she will have the baby in the midst of the battle and they may not be able to get her some help.
She answered that by pointing out several of the women who should be at the church have midwife training. And if everything goes right the Nurse Practicioner may be there as well.

It iis a quiet Monday morning in Pigeon Falls. Tommy UK and Tammy are getting ready to go to school but both think they should stay home. The alien attack could come at any time. Wonder if it comes when they are at school out of the community. The consolidated High School is fifteen miles from Pigeon Falls. But Tommy can't say to the Principal I'm waiting for an alien invasion you'll have to excuse me until the big battle is over.
People are telling mrs Trumble they are hearing strange noises in Danelson's big barn. She has responded that the twon is thinking of buying it so it is being cleaned but how long can they keep the creatures in the barn hidden?
The man in black has not been see and the group is not at all sure he will show up for the battle but Tommy UK is sure. He says that you can rely on the Man in Black's showing up.
The tension is building and building and the group has reached a point where win or lose they would like to have the battle over with.
They have no idea of how many aliens or the extent of their firepower. There is no way to find that out.

It is Saturday and time to look back on another week in Pigeon Falls. Despite all the planning and plotting concerning the coming aliens life went on pretty much as normal in Pigeon Falls.
Monday- Grandma Moose hung up her washing and did the spit thing with the bouncing heads. She is really getting to like them and the spit has just done wonders for her arthritis.
Tuesday- Bonnie McGregor's daughter came to stay for a week so that Bonnie and her husband could take a mini vacation away from the twins. The family paid for the parents to stay at the Ramada Inn in Marquette and just rest with a pool.
Wednesday- A hungry bear got one of Jon Bergall's cows. First time that has happened since he started farming there. The DNR came and live trapped the bear and moved it far away from the farm.
Thursday-Jack announced he might be closing his Sauna for good this winter and moving to Florida.The news was more disturbing than the possible alien invasion.
Friday- Tommy TW told Nancy, his wife, that when he finishes his current novel he is going to write one about a poltergeist in a coffee shop. Nancy told him nobody would read it as it is too unbelievable.

One would expect Mrs. Trumble to be worried. She is, after all, part of that small group of people who knows the full extent of the alien menace and the nature of the rag tag defenders. She should at least look somewhat sad but instead people are commenting on the fact that she has never seemed so happy.
It could be the visits from Tommy UK every day, after school , have reassured her that they can win. Tommy UK also seems happier and almost as if he was in a hurry for the battle to begin.
The man in black has not shown up yet but then in the past he has never shown up until Tommy UK really needed him. So that is not much of a surprise.
Tammy , Herman, Calab, and Pastor Joan also seem to look less worried.
It could be that they have done all they can.
The special blankets are piled on a table at the Last Lutheran. Tammy, Calab, and Herman have rehearsed what they are going to do when the time comes. Everybody knows what is expected of them. Pastor Joan and Herman have been doing a lot of praying.
The question of trusting or not trusting the man in black has been left open. At the moment it looks like they have to trust him.
The rag tag bunch will be waiting in the barn and if everything goes right Herman, Tommy UK, and the man in black will face the aliens on a main street cleared of people. The small group in the barn will be their surprise weapon such as it is.

The group held another meeting after school last night. After much discussion bordering on arguing they decided that if and when there is another attack they will have blankets at the Church covered with that special spider web. Calab and Herman will take and throw the blanket over a group of people on the street breaking the alien control. Then they will walk them still protected by the blanket into Last Lutheran and Sanctuary. As rapidly as possible the men in the group and some ladies will be given special hats and blankets and sent out to bring in more. They will in this way get as many off the street as possible before the battle begins.
As far as the man in black is concerned Tommy UK insisted that they trust him and assume that though the heads are on their side they got the story of the man in black wrong.
Late last night both Tommy UK and Tammy left their homes. Tammy returned at 4:00 in the morning and Tommy UK didn't come home at all.
When the first person came to the town hall looking for Mrs. Trumble she came out of the storage room and it looked like she had been crying.

The piano tuner and his equipment arrived on the morning milk train along with a full contingent of ghost groupies. He was taken first to the town hall and then to the back room of the museum . They wanted him to hear the piano being played but they didn't want him to see that it was being played by a ghost. He was told that people had paid to sit in on the concert and so he would have to wait until it was over. He listened to the concert and remarked that whoever was playing was a master but even such a great player couldn't hide the fact that piano needed tuning.
When the concert was over and the ghost groupies had left then they ushered him and his equipment into the room. Under the agreement he was allowed to look at but not open the piano until he put the blindfold on. He sat down, played each key, opened his equipment case and put on the blindfold.
The lady in charge lifted the top of the piano for him so he could get to the strings and he started.
One hour later he finished. The piano was in perfect tune. They handed him his check. He commented that he felt like he was cheating since they had that expert there guiding him and even tuning some keys for him. He was alone in the room the entire time.

The Monday night meeting of Mrs. Trumble, Calab, Herman, Pastor Joan, Tammy, and Tommy UK was held. They have decided:
1. To trust the bouncing heads and wear the caps when they are out of the Church.
2. On hiding their rag tag fighting force in Danelson's big barn on the edge of town.
3. To continue to put off deciding about the man in black.
4. To continue to work on ways to protect the people on the street.
5. To meet again Wednesday evening.
After the meeting Tommy TW went to see Eino and asked for the old video disc.s of the trench when it was active. He intends to study them to see if they can help him make a decision about the man in black. Of course, they might show he was wrong about the bouncing heads and really shouldn't trust them. But the rest of the crew is fairly sure they are on the side of Pigeon Falls.
He spent the rest of the night studying the discs

Despite the threat hanging over the town life in Pigeon Falls goes on.
Mrs. Trumble has contacted the Piano Tuner in Milwaukee and offered him a hundred dollars over his usual fee if he can tune the museum piano blindfolded. He has agreed to come and try and should arrive on the milk train on Wednesday.
Yesterday ,after Church, Herman, Calab, Tammy, Tommy UK, and Mrs. Trumble met in the fellowship hall of Last Lutheran. They went over the driblet together and then they brainstormed.
A real argument broke out over the man in black. Tommy UK wanted to trust him but Mrs. Trumble was now having some doubts. Calab really trusts the bouncing head and if they say the man in black is not what he claims to be he believes them.
They went on to discuss how to get the people off the street and into the Sanctuary of the church. The aliens have to know that they will be reluctant to fight them if the fight could result in the destruction of all the people on the street.
They agreeded to meet again Monday night after school.

Saturday in Pigeon falls

It is Saturday and time to look back on the week in Pigeon Falls.
Monday- All kinds of strange things happened. People missed fifteen minutes of a program they were watching, a number of people had water overflow and do small amounts of damage, two people were talking on the phone and just stopped without hanging up, some farm animals escaped from gates left open, and according to the cleaning crew at Last Lutheran people went and stood on the rod for fifteen minutes but non of them remembered it later. It was a strange day for Pigeon Falls.
Tuesday-Mrs. Pemberthy had a vision and it scared her half to death. She was looking out at the beautiful sky when these things appeared. Huge spaceships with strange markings circling Pigeon Falls. Strange creatures seemed to drop from the ships to the ground where everybody was just standing on the road. But it was just a vision and it ended. Though she is a Methodist she attends one of Herman's Bible classes and she told Herman about the vision.
Wednesday- Mrs. Trumble contacted a Milwaukee Piano Tuner to see if he could really tune a piano blindfolded. She is still waiting for an answer.
Thursday-Calab gave Tammy and several others new hats.
Friday- Tommy UK gets a new hat.

Herman explained to Tommy UK all that Calab had told him. Tommy really wanted to believe that what Calab said was true. If it was true then his father was still alive but trapped beyond time in a rift between worlds. Indeed it might have ben his father who got Tammy and Tommy out of the rift they were in. If that was true he might be able to save his father.
On the other hand he had adventures with the man in black. He had shown up whenever Pigeon Falls needed help and had always been part of the solution. He had learned to trust him. Now he wouldr have to forget all that and plot against him.
Further if Calab was telling the truth then Tommy UK had helped seal the opening through which help was coming for Pigeon Falls. The town's destruction would be his fault. It was worse than that as the destruction of all mankind would be his fault.
But he had to decide. If the man in black was evil then Tommy should try to reopen the doorway. If the man in black is good then Tommy should destroy the talking heads. He went back to reading the driblet.

Calab , with great reluctance, told Herman that the man in black was not a friend and not a Guardian. Instead he was part if the alien force that was coming. He had been sent ahead to do three things.
1. Get rid of the Guardian for this sector. The true man in black.
2. Prevent any other dimension from attacking Pigeon Falls.
3. Prevent any dimension from sending help by sealing off doorways.
The real Guardian he had trapped in a rift between worlds while convincing the Guardian Council he had been destroyed by demons.
The bouncing heads, woolly elephant like things, and the giant spider were part of a group coming to help defend Pigeon Falls not attack it. The man in black got Tommy UK to help seal the opening to prevent that help not save Pigeon Falls.
Herman knew that Calab believed what he was saying but was it true? Or had Calab been mislead by the bouncing heads? How could one tell?
Perhaps the driblet would help.

The ARmy

Yesterday Calab's bouncing heads brought him a hat. It contained what looked like giant spider webs . When he put it on the communication between the heads and his mind became much clearer. They assured him the hat would also protect him from the power that caused all the people to stand on the road. Then they told him that a great battle was coming that would begin with Pigeon Falls but if it was lost here the alien force would go on to take over the world. The future of mankind now depended on Pigeon Falls. They revealed other things to Calab as well which he had a hard time believing.
Calab then went to Last Lutheran and shared with Herman what he had discovered. Herman listened but had to wonder if the heads had mislead Calab. According to Calab when the battle came Pigeon Falls had Herman, Calab, three bouncing heads, three woolly elephant type creatures, one giant spider, one alien with a weapon, the dragons, Tommy UK and possibly the poltergeist on their side.
Herman asked " What about the man in black?"

Aftermath

Herman, Pastor Joan, and Tommy UK are convinced they have seen the beginning of Petrovich's latest driblet. The other people in the Church cleaning crew are not at all sure of what they saw but they are very much afraid of what is coming.
The people who stood on the street and the highway for fifteen minutes seem unaffected by the event. They don't remember anything about it. Their life continues as it did before.
Old Mrs.Pemberthy was watching and old tear jerker on TV and can't understand how she missed the best part but she assumes she fell asleep in her chair. She does do that sometimes.
Tom Olson was watching a football game and can't understand how he missed two touchdowns. He is blaming the network.
The entire town of Pigeon falls and visitors seem to have no recollection of the vent.
Calab says that his friends the bouncing heads have been asking him why he stood on the road but he tells them he didn't. At least he doesn't think he did. They further point out that while he was on the road his mind was closed to them. They tried to contact him and couldn't. They promised him they would study what had happened and try to protect him in the future.

Strange Day

The strangest thing happened in Pigeon Falls yesterday. At 4:00 in the afternoon everybody left their houses or cottages, or places of business and stood for fifteen minutes in the middle of the road. That everybody except the cleaning crew at Last Lutheran and Tommy UK. They are the ones that noted what time it started and how long it lasted.
They just stood there. They looked like statues. they didn't say anything and they didn't do anything. When it was over they returned to what they were doing and nobody remembers even standing on the road.
Tommy UK says that part of him wanted to join his adoptive parents and sister on the road and part of him kept asking why. So he ended up just watching. After it was over his parents were sure they hadn't left the house, as was his sister.
Nancy who was seen from the Church standing on the road swears she never left the coffee shop, but she can't explain how a batch of saffron buns burned .

A Cross

Despite Petrovich and Herman’s vision life goes on and Pastor Joan has a sermon to preach today. Here is a part of that sermon:
“ I saw on television last week a man who had cancer three times and was fighting to stay alive. He said to the announcer that this was his cross to bear.
I remember a mother who after being told that he only son was serial killer said “ He has always been a heavy cross to bear for me.”
There was a skier who lost his foot in an accident who remarked “ this is my cross to bear.”
My question this morning is what is your cross?
Then what does that cross have to do with Jesus?
There are two kinds of crosses in our life.
Those we are stuck with.
And those we choose.
You see when you hear this text that I read this morning you almost always think of the first kind of cross.
You think of illness or bad things that have happened to you.
You think of what gives you pain and over which you have little control.
The kind of cross Jesus speaks of in the text is not this kind.
The kind of cross Jesus speaks of doesn’t happen to us we choose it.
We take it up and follow Him.
We choose to suffer in His service.
There was a great English Doctor who was in great demand. He could have asked for and received very large fees but he gave all that up and went and worked in a leper colony. He choose to work in a leper colony.
He ended up with leprosy. He choose this cross.
He choose to follow Christ into a life of service.
He took up a cross.
What difficult thing does God want from you today?
Perhaps, He wants you to forgive somebody you hate. To make the first move to bring reconciliation. The person may reject you. Rejection hurts.
Take up your cross.
Perhaps God is calling you to help the homeless but the way to do that is costly, hard, even dangerous.
Take up your cross.
What does God want you to do that you don’t want to do for whatever reason.
Take up your cross and follow Him.

End of Week

It is Saturday and time to look back on the week in Pigeon Falls.
Monday- The bouncing head showed up in Grandma Moose's driveway again while she was hanging up sheets on the line. It spat and she spat back. They both smiled. She isn't afraid of them anymore and she swears that the spit is the best cure for rheumatism in the knees.
Tuesday- The poor DNR Agent has no idea how a woolly elephant like creature can move in the woods without leaving a trail of some kind. But it seems to be doing just that. He knows there is at least one out there . He saw it in the Pigeon Days parade. But Calab isn'yt talking and he can't find a trace. His boss in Lansing wants a picture. He doesn't have one of those either. Soon he may be called in to see the agency psychologist.
Wednesday- Nancy noticed that people were becoming less and less concerned about the latest Petrovich Driblet. People coming in were now more concerned with ghost piano tuning.
Thursday- Herman and Tommy UK met to talk over the driblet. Herman shared his vision with Tommy and Tommy noted that when the event came the Church would be a sanctuary. He wanted to be sure his adoptive parents and Tammy got to the Church.
Friday-Tommy UK tried to use his rock to take him to the man in black but the attempt failed. He needed a vision of where the man was.

Prayer

Since Petrovich posted his latest driblet Herman has been setting aside time every day to pray for Pigeon Falls and Last Lutheran. He is praying that God would protect Last Lutheran from whatever is coming. He is praying that God would protect Pastor Joan and her unborn baby. He is praying for power to fight the evil.
In the midst of such a prayer he had a vision. A black shadow fell over Pigeon Falls but Last Lutheran put out a light of its own. People in the Church could not be touched by the shadow.
Herman shared his vision with Pastor Joan who was doing her own praying. She believed Herman had a real vision.
She knew most of her fellow pastors and her Bishop would think she was crazy but they hadn't lived in Pigeon Falls. Pigeon Falls changes your perspective on things.
She told her husband that at the first sign that something was happening she was going to the Church and would stay there until it was over. Her husband knew better than to argue with her.
Mrs. Trumble continued to look for some way to tune the piano. She read all the adds by piano tuners in the Milwaukee paper and one add jumped out at her. It said:
" So good we can tune a piano blindfolded".

Tune that Piano

So the piano at the moment remains untuned . Mrs. Trumble has no idea how to find a sane person that talks to ghosts." Where?" she wonders , " Would you advertise for such a person." Perhaps one of the ghost groupies that keep coming in to hear the piano player would know. She'll have the museum attendant ask them.
The other possibility, a blind piano tuner , also seems impossible to advertise for. They wouldn't be reading the help wanted adds.
In addition to the piano nonsense, Petrovich's driblet, and the day to day tasks that come with being Mayor of Pigeon Falls Tommy UK is driving her nuts. He keeps asking her if she is sure his father is dead. She was sure but Tommy's constant pushing has begun to raise questions in her mind. Did she accpt the man in black's explanation too quickly. Should she have pushed for more information? Perhaps, the next time he stops by ,and this latest Petrovich thing is almost sure to bring him, she will ask again about the end of Tommy's father.
Tammy , on the other hand, is telling Tommy to accept the fact that his birth father is dead and stop obsessing over it. She thinks he needs to grow up.

Ghost Piano

Mrs. Trumble and Nancy were joined in their conversation by a lady named Quilly. She is in Pigeon Falls visiting from Hawaii . She said she didn't mean to intrude on their conversation" but what if the ghost whisperer sends the ghost away? Then the shoes will be lonely and they'll probably never dance again."
Neither Mrs. Trumble or Nancy had thought of that. But then that might be the right thing to do. Perhaps, it's time for the piano player and the dancer to go home. They would be missed, of course, but it would be selfish on the part of the town to hang on to them when they could move on.
But then the whole question is academic since they don't know where to find a ghost whisperer.
Quilly also suggested they ask the ghost to call a ghost piano tuner. The problem is they don't know how to talk to the ghost. He plays and he is silent. He pays no attention to them. At the moment he doesn't seem to notice that the piano is out of tune.
It has been over a week since Petrovich posted the driblet and nothing has happened. People are starting to relax. It could be this time the driblet doesn't apply to Pigeon Falls but to some other city of the birds. It is possible the translation is bad or the Seer had a bad vision. One can always hope.

Piano Tuning sort Of

Mrs. Trumble stopped in to Nancy's for a cup of tea and a saffron bun. She shared with Nancy the problem with tuning a piano half of the parts of which are there but aren't there. Nancy suggested they get a Ghost Whisperer like they have on television to help them. Mrs. Trumble pointed out that it was just a TV show and not real life. In real life there probably are no such things as Ghost Whisperers.
At that Nancy began laughing. We livge in a town that dragons fly over, that has a whale in the lake, where a ghost plays a piano, where bodyless heads roll around and spit and you don't think there can be Ghost Whisperers in real life.
The conversations was interupted by a cup of coffee rising from the table and then smashing to the floor.
" Woops!" Nancy said" And where a poltergeist inhabits a local coffee shop, and a sensative poltegeist at that."
" So how do we find such a person?" Mrs. Trumble asked.
" I'm willing to bet that the governments men in black have a list. You know Eino's friend sent them when our piano playing ghost first showed up." Nancy quickly stated.

The Piano

The Piano Tuner came from Iron Mountain this morning. He got to listen to but not see the morning concert. He told Mrs Pirtilampi , who was the volunteer in charge, that the piano was only slightly out of tune. He didn't think he would have any trouble tuning it. He really did want to meet that fantastic piano player.
Mrs. Pirtilampi understanding that he didn't know the piano player was a ghost simply told him that it wasn't possible because the player had to rush off to another engagement.
The piano tuner opened the piano and looked confused. " Are you sure this is the piano that was played this morning?" , he asked " Because I don't see how that was possible as half the pieces are missing." He sat down at the piano and playe a song. It was just slightly out of tune. "That's impossible", he said" It plays things that aren't there. I can't tune things I can't see ". He picked up his tools , closed up his case and left.
Mrs. Pirtilampi called Eino and he called Mrs. Trumble. She thought they either needed a blind piano tuner or a ghost that tunes pianos and she didn't have the slightest idea where to find either one.

14th sunday

Sunday morning and Pastor Joan is getting ready to preach. She loves preaching. She hates the thought of giving up her pulpit while she is out having the baby. On the other hand she is really looking forward to the baby. This is part of her sermon:
In the last half of the gospel for today we meet a deaf man. Jesus takes him aside and heals him. I’m glad TV Evangelists aren’t using this as a model for healing services. Just think of all the spitting they would be doing not to mention the sighing.
The healing is a pretty much your ordinary healing. He couldn’t hear. Now he can. He couldn’t talk very well. Now he can Just your ordinary healing. But then Jesus orders them and him to tell nobody about the healing. He doesn’t ask. He orders!
Now If Jesus had just performed a miracle for you wouldn’t you obey Him? Wouldn’t you happily do what he ordered.
But instead they run around telling everybody.
The surprise here is that Jesus doesn’t take the healing back. The healed failed to obey. He shouldn’t be allowed to keep the healing.
I know Christians who think like that.
It’s Get saved! Get in Line! Get things right! Or lose it.
God doesn’t take back His miracles.
He doesn’t.
We would if we were God.
Thank God we aren’t God.
If you were in the hospital dying of cancer and Jesus suddenly appeared and healed you. Then he ordered you to tell nobody it was Him. Could you keep it quiet.
When the Doctor’s probed and tested. When they decided the chemo had worked at the last minute .Would you still keep silent.
When your atheist friend says to you that you should thank science for your healing. Can you still keep silence ?
When your little girl says daddy where was God when you needed Him? Will you hold it in?
When the Pastor asks people to share the little miracles in their lives can you sit on this big one ?
I really doubt it.
We are what we are as human beings.
We are broken, imperfect , sinners. But God never takes back his blessings.
When we fail he picks us up.
He forgives.
He restarts us.
Praise God.

Pastor Joan

With roughly a month and a half to go Pastor Joan is wishing it was time already. She has tried to keep a full schedule and not let her pregnancy interfere with her ministry but she feels so tired. She looks in the mirror and thinks that she looks like a balloon. She feels the baby kick and she is excited but she is still tired. Her last check up showed that the baby was doing fine. If only it were late October and she could hold him in her arms. But it isn't. She has an appointment later this morning with Herman. She wants him to fill in while she is having the baby and spending some time with it. She is going to have the congregation commission him to do Communion and if the Bishop doesn't like it, TOUGH. She doesn't plan on being gone long and Herman will do well.
She sits back and marvels at how God works. It wasn't too long ago that Herman was one of the town drunks, drunk more than sober. But now he was a spiritual soldier in God's army. One of God's marvelous surprises. How can people keep from believing?
She trys to set all those thoughts aside and get back to working on the sermon for tomorrow.

The piano that the ghost plays every morning needs tuning. It has slowly gone out of tune. Old Ilmari Noronen who tunes most of the pianos in Pigeon Falls won't touch it. He says it is too fancy and he doesn't have the right tools but rumor has it he is afraid of ghosts.
Mrs. Trumble has a piano tuner coming from Iron Mountain. It's going to cost $100 but he assured her he has the right tools and will have no trouble in the tuning. She didn't mention the ghosts. She did arrange for him to come in the afternoon when the ghost is quiet and the shoes just sit there.
The ghost groupies don't seem to care that the piano is out of tune but the museum volunteers have and it bothers them. They worry that it will keep getting worse until the piano simply can't be played then they will lose a large source of musuem income. It's always about the money.

Life Goes On

Chief Ican stopped by Mrs. Trumble's office to ask about the driblet. He thought the entire thing was crazy and couldn't understand how the entire town seemed scared by it.
Mrs. Trumble explained how previous driblets had proved to be sort of true or at least true enough to convince people not to disregard them.
Chief Ican said that it was like trying to solve a crime that hadn't been committed yet. Where do you start.
Mrs. Trumble suggested he go down to Nancy's and just listen to the rumors.
So all morning Chief Ican has been having coffee with Nancy and has discovered he has lots to pick from.
From the moment Pastor Joan read the driblet the word Oops kept popping into her mind but she had no idea as to why. " What in this world or out of this world is an Oops?" she thought. She was sure it was not a biblical reference. But it had to have some kind of meaning.
Poor Tommy UK was now wondering if his birth father was still alive. He was sure Mrs. Trumble hadn't lied but the man in black might have lied to her. But why would he do that? Why did he want her to think Tommy's father was dead? Tommy was basing his hope on the feeling that the man that got them out of the other dimension was his father. Being with him had felt different than when he worked with the man in black the other times.
Tammy told him it was his imagination. Things were different because they didn't think they would ever get back and were under a lot of stress.

Fear and the Driblet

The newest Petrovich Driblet translation has everybody upset.
Rumors as to what it means abound.
Nancy gets a new rumor almost with every cup of coffee.
Some believe there will be an air borne plague. Only the " others" whoever they are will be immune and can provide an antidote.
Some think aliens from outer space will come and the town will need the usual super heroes to save it. They are the " others".
Some believe the problem will come from the bouncing heads and the big woolly elephants. Only the man in black and those like him " the others" can save them.
Mrs. Trumble has made copies of the translation and is giving them to anybody who wants them. She thinks that the more people working on the problem in advance the better.
Tommy UK hasn't seen the driblet yet. He has been staying in his room except for meals. He is trying to work through the fact that his birth father is dead. He had really hoped it was the man in black. He wanted it to be the man in black. But now he knows, but doesn't want to accept , the fact that his birth father is dead. Perhaps, it was better not knowing.
Herman, has been in prayer since he read the driblet. He is asking that the Holy Spirit would fill and protect him so he could join the " others" .

Petrovich is Back

Today's Saying

No ones afraid of heights, they are afraid of falling, no ones afraid of swimming they are afraid of drowning and no ones afraid of loving they are afraid of not being loved back.

On this beautiful September morning Petrovich posted his latest driblet.
It reads as follows:
It was a beautiful day in the city of the birds.
Leaves were falling.
Then the evil came.
From above it came.
Strange things from above.
The town can not escape.
Evil covers it.
Evil controls it.
Trust the others.
Trust the free one’s.
Without them there is no hope.
All are slaves.
Evil wins.
First here and then.
The world.
Trust the free one’s.
I awake. I am terrified. I need a drink.
Translated from driblet 184 of the great seer Alexis Grengicoff

Monday in Pigeon Falls

Today's Saying

Solvitur ambulando, St. Jerome was fond of saying. To solve a problem, walk around. ~Gregory McNamee

The Pigeon Day’s Parade on Saturday was certainly one of the greatest parades ever in Pigeon Falls.
It started with a surprise . Instead of Vicki East riding in an open car and singing the Pigeon Falls song. It started, instead, with Calab riding one of those huge , wooly, elephant creatures and carrying a bouncing head. One poor lady was so surprised she dropped her pasty. The animal raised its trunk, trumpeted and the building shook. At the end of the parade route Calab rode off into the woods.
Apparently the only one’s who knew this was coming were Mrs. Trumble and Vicki East. Of course, everything else was sort of anti climax but still fun. Last Lutheran’s Youth Group had a beautiful float built around the theme saved by grace. The Liar’s Club had a giant mouth. People were very creative but Calab still stole the show.
It was a very good day for the Methodist ladies who sold a lot of pasties. You can’t beat a good Methodist pasty made from an old Cornish recipe.
Today they will name the potato farmer of the year and all the summer festivities will be over.
The only other thing to be announced is the winner of the Liar’s Club Contest. Rumor has it that Jon Bergall got a 9.7 but that’s only a rumor.

13th Sunday After

Today's Saying

26If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. James 1:26

Over at Last Lutheran Pastor Joan has just finished putting a few last additions into her sermon . Here is a part of that sermon:
I look out over the congregation and I am so glad to see you here.
You are the good church members.
We have members who only come once or twice a year.
We have members who never come.
We have former members up to no good at all.
Some of them are drunks, some fornicators, some just rotten people.
But you’re here because you’re the good people.
God has to love you and me.
I’d be surprised if he even likes them.
Some of you look a little uncomfortable.
Perhaps you are one of them.
The rest of you know I’m right.
Is there anybody here that doesn’t see us as better than them?
Raise your hand so we can know who you are.
Only Herman.
Please don’t tell me that only Herman knew the truth. Please tell me, over coffee , that you were just afraid to disagree with me
Tell me you didn’t want to upset the pregnant lady.
Tell me you are really Lutheran and believe in salvation by grace.
Tell me you know that you aren’t any better but you are forgiven.
Tell me you don’t look down on anybody.
Tell me your not one of today’s Pharisees.
Please!Please tell me.

The Parade

Today's Saying

When it is dark enough, you can see the stars.
Charles Austin Beard

Today is the day of the big Pigeon Falls Day Parade. All over town people are dressing up or hauling out floats. You can here Eino’s Stanley Steamer as he fine tunes the motor. That is one noisy car. There is no celebrity to lead the parade this year so it will begin with a float by the Musicgals on which Mrs. Vicky East will be singing the not yet revised Pigeon Falls song. Rumor is that the Liar’s Club has a giant pigeon on their float this year. But with the Liar’s Club it is hard to get the truth. The Big Liar Buddy East has announced that all the stories will be in and told by tomorrow. So Monday if there is one clear winner he or she will be announced. It looks like the parade is shaping up to be the greatest parade ever.
Looking back over the week.
On Friday Mrs. Trumble noted the great work that Constable Ican was doing and told the town Council they now had a real police force. She moved to change the name from Constable to Police with Ican as Chief. She really wants to keep him here.
During the week people, usually tourists, reported seeing a large wooly elephant like creature but that has not been confirmed.
There is some fear that one of the giant spiders is still running around but where can a giant spider hide?
A lot of people did their “ I remember when” stories but the bad judges seemed to have returned and they didn’t score well. Lots and lots of complaining this year that the judges were just too low scoring.

Ican Learns

Today's Saying

"Worry is like a rocking chair--it gives you something to do but it doesn't get you anywhere."
-Anonymous

Constable Ican met the Physician's Assistant and the nurse at the door . He told them he had found Calab unconscious at the foot of the basement stairs and had carried him upstairs and laid him on the couch. Further he pointed out that since he called them Calab had regained consciousness but neglected to mention the spitting heads. As Ican left to go back to his office he said “ You probably should give Calab some oxygen”.
“We’ll determine that “ the PA said in a somewhat disturbed voice.
Soon after Ican left Calab began to have trouble breathing and the nurse was sent to bring in the oxygen from the ambulance. As they administered the oxygen his breathing returned to normal.
Calab could remember going to the basement door and then he had no memory of anything until he found the PA giving him oxygen. He did not remember Ican, or the spitting heads. That entire part of his memory was just not there.
Constable Ican went to see Mrs. Trumble and told her the entire story, complete with the spitting heads.
She laughed and said “ Now you are really part of this town. You can expect stranger things to happen and we are glad you’re here when they do. You aren’t thinking of quitting are you.”

Saving Calab

Today's Saying

Money buys everything but good sense.- Old Yiddish Saying

Constable Ican , still not sure why he was doing it, rushed into Calab’s house. Everything looked fine. There was no sign of a struggle. No indication of any kind that foul play had taken place. It looked like he kicked in the door for nothing. “ Well”, he thought” This was a good job while it lasted. Door smashing just wasn’t in the job description.”
After he had looked through all the rooms and even the upstairs closets he started for the door.
Then he though “ Look in the basement you idiot. Are you all this dumb.”
Well he had broken in and it wouldn’t hurt any worse to look in the basement so he turned back and headed for the basement door.
There at the bottom of the steps was an unconscious Calab. He had , apparently, fallen down the stairs.
Constable Ican called for what passed in Pigeon Falls as a crack emergency response team, consisting of Herman, a nurse, and a Doctor’s assistant. He carried Calab upstairs and laid him on the couch. He was barely breathing. It would take the team a half hour to get there and he wasn’t sure Calab would last that long.
That’s when he thought “ Hold the front door open”.
That made as little sense as anything else did. So he opened the front door and held it open.
Suddenly two bouncing heads appeared and bounced by him to Calab. They spat on Calab’s head. Constable Ican swears he saw puffs of smoke as the spit landed.
Suddenly Calab sat up. His color was returning.
Constable Ican thought “ Now he needs oxygen and a rest”. The heads bounced out the front door and into the woods.

Save Calab or Not

Today's Saying

I know what men want. Men want to be really, really close to someone who will leave them alone. ~ Elayne Boosler

As Constable Ican stood on the front porch he kept getting this thought “ Break in. He needs you.” He kept telling himself that was silly. He didn’t know enough to think that Calab needed him. He couldn’t break in without cause. He just couldn’t. But the thought kept coming back only now it got weirder.
He was thinking “ We are telling you he needs you”. He never had “we” thoughts before. Perhaps, he was working too hard on this case that might not even be a case.
Then he thought “ Are you stupid get in there and save him before it’s too late.”
Now he knew his mind was going.
So he decided to go back to the office and take an aspirin.
But as he started back toward the car he thought” Stupid ! If you leave he dies. Get in there”.

So he decided to throw caution to the wind and go with his gut or to be more exact the voices in his head.
The worst that could happen is he could lose his job. Try explaining to the Mayor that “I know they couldn’t use the evidence I found there . It being the fruit of the poison tree or some such legal thing. But the voices made me do it “. That defense would take him a long way.

But he went back up on the porch. Stared for a moment at the door and then kicked.

Poor Calab

Today's Saying

People should take time to be happy. - Grandma Moses

Calab Hendrickson has disappeared. He hasn’t been seen since his last Wednesday. His relatives are worried and have asked Constable Ican to investigate.
Of course this being Pigeon Falls rumors abound.
He was eaten by the bouncing heads.
He was taken by one of those giant spiders.
He was kidnapped by the bouncing heads.
He was stepped on by one of those big, wooly elephant like things. He lies crushed in the woods.
The government agents have him in a secret government location and are trying to force him to tell them where the bouncing heads are.
He got drunk and fell into a ravine somewhere.
He has a secret girlfriend and is spending time at her place.
He went to Disney World ( Amanda –six suggested this)
Nancy says at least Ican has a lot to choose from.
Our good Constable, however, has some problems. He needs a legal way to get into Calab’s house. The man has a right to privacy. There is no proof he is dead or kidnapped. There is no proof any crime has been committed. So he can’t just pick the lock or break the door. Calab's relatives, on the other hand are sure something terrible has happened and want action now.
So Ican went out to Calab’s place. There was one small house and two barns , all locked up tight. No signs of a struggle outside. There is some kind of stain on the front porch which could very well be blood and tests as blood with Ican’s limited equipment. But whether it’s human or not is another question. The town has no crime lab and Ican has to send a sample out to the crime lab. That takes time.

The Big Race

Today's Saying

What is the difference between unethical and ethical advertising? Unethical advertising uses falsehoods to deceive the public; ethical advertising uses truth to deceive the public. ~Vilhjalmur Stefansson, 1964

Saturday was one of the most interesting race days since Pigeon Falls Days began. There were more participants than ever and there was the new wheelbarrow relay. That was a wild event. There was this out of town team. In the wheelbarrow was some guy named Doctor John clutching an oxygen tank and looking totally frightened. His daughter Pennie pushed the first round and she seemed to be limping so that round gave them horrible time. But then his wife Betty took the next round. Wow could that old lady run. She certainly made up a lot of the time Pennie lost. A lady named Quilly, odd name that, took over next. She ran like the wind and they might have been ahead at the end of that round but that's when it happened. On the passing some guy named Thom , who was taking pictures of the whole thing got to close. He tripped and fell into the two people making the pass. They pushed and the wheelbarrow suddenly shot loose and down an embankment. The poor old guy , oxygen tank and all , got dumped on a pile of rocks. Now he can't walk. Thom kept apologizing and taking pictures.
The judges offered to let them run the last round again with the time starting from when the accident happened. But Dr. John refused to get back in the wheelbarrow. He kept saying " a guy could get killed."
The winners of the event were the Bergall Family. Jon's father rode in the wheelbarrow.
The Maki's won the three legged race as they have for the last three years.
Buddy East almost won the sack race but tripped just before the finish line. He was beaten by a six year old kid.
In the big baseball game. The local Catholic Church defeated Last Lutheran. In fact of the three teams that played, Last Lutheran was last. They gave that their best players were all in the races and were just plain tired out.

Twelfth Sunday After

Today's Saying

Discipleship means allegiance to the suffering Christ… It is a joy and token of His grace. …Dietrich Bonhoffer

It is Sunday in Pigeon Falls and Pastor Joan is putting the finishing touches on her sermon.

Here is a part of that sermon:

I was at a Wedding reception a few weeks ago and a man , who had had a little too much to drink came up to me. He stuck his finger in my face and said “ What about dead babies, huh? What do you have to say about them”

How do you answer that?

I said “ That’s a good question come to my office during the week and we’ll talk about it.”

He walked away muttering “ Stupid Pastors never give you a straight answer.”

I assume the question behind his finger was “ How can you believe in a good and loving God in a world that is not good, not loving, and certainly not kind.

How can you believe when babies die?”

Usually I am asked that question by people who don’t want to believe.

They always have that smug , now I’ve got ya, look.

And they do.

I don’t know why babies die. I don’t.

I don’t know why the poor suffer. I really don’t.

I don’t know why God gave us free will. I really don’t.

I could spend this entire sermon telling you the things I don’t know.

But this I do know.

When the guy with the smug look walks away having stuck it to the preacher I hear a voice saying “ Will you too go away?”

Will I throw it in and become a teacher or a social worker?

In this age of unbelief walking away is far easier than staying.

But I suppose it always has been.

But then I hear myself joining Peter and saying “ Lord where shall I go. You have the words of eternal life.”

I don’t follow Jesus because of proofs.

I follow Him because he is for me the Truth and the Way.

He gives me joy and peace. He sets me free.

In Him I am alive.

Lord where else can I go. Your it.

You’re the One.

Saturday

Today's Saying

Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. ~Harold Whitman



Today is going to be a fun day in Pigeon Falls.
In the afternoon all the crazy races are being held. All week Father’s and sons have been working at getting ready for the three legged race. Other’s have been practicing pushing somebody in a wheelbarrow. New this year is the wheelbarrow relay race. The race is four miles long and each of four people push a lap. The fifth person sits in the barrow. There will be laughing and screaming. For the most part just plain fun.
In the morning the Liar’s Club stories continue. Rumor has it that some non local named Thom is in the lead at this point. But The Big Liar Buddy East is not saying anything.
A lot of time was spent in the week gone by getting ready for the big parade next Saturday. Anybody that belonged to any kind of group got called to come work on that group’s float. Eino has dusted off and fired up his Stanley Steamer and says it is ready.
They still don’t know who will lead the parade.
The Tommy Club is working on a float but they , so far, have worked without Tommy UK. He spent last week working through his own problems.
The Parade theme , like the Liar’s Club story theme is Remembering When.

Tommy's Dad

Today's Saying

There is often less danger in the things we fear than in the things we desire. ~John C. Collins


Mrs. Trumble wiped a tear from her eye and then said “ No Tommy. It is not the man in black. I really wish it was. You can’t believe how much I wish it was.
Then she went on to tell Tommy how the man in black was Tommy’s father’s best friend. How he was there when his father was dying and how he had promised to watch over Tommy . She pointed out that he has been very good at keeping the promise.
It seems that Tommy’s father had also been one of the men in black. They were not from our dimension but were special beings whose task it was to keep the beings from one dimension from invading another. They were called Guardians. Their biggest problem was with the demons who seemed to think the entire universe belonged to them.
A group of demons had ambushed Tommy’s father and by the time other Guardians arrived to defeat them Tommy’s father was dying. He got his friend to promise both to watch over Tommy and to tell his one true love Mrs., Trumble what had happened. That’s when she went to live with her parents.
Tommy was both sad and happy with the information. He was happy he knew who his father was but sad that he would never meet him. Now he had to come to grips with the fact that he was only half human.

Just a Normal week

Today's Saying

To bring up a child in the way he should go, travel that way yourself once in a while. ~Josh Billings


So far this is one of the weeks that people in Pigeon Falls cherish.
There has been no pronouncement from Petrovich.
The dragons have flown over every evening.
The whale showed up in the Lake of the Loons.
The ghost piano played right on time and the empty shoes danced.
Tourists kept coming.
The Liar’s Club story tellers entertained people on main street.
Just a normal week.
Well that is if you don’t count the two government men who have been harassing Calab. They want him to tell them where the bouncing heads are. Calab claims he doesn’t know as they haven’t given him that information. He did tell him that they don’t talk as such. When they want him to know something the words just appear in his mind. “It was their idea to do the juggling act in the variety show. I don’t even know how to juggle.” Calab pointed out.
Despite their threats to have him arrested for harboring aliens Calab hasn’t told them anything more.
Tommy UK has been getting all the information he ccan from his birth mother Mrs. Trumble. It really made him feel good that she had come to Pigeon Falls to watch over him. She even showed him her album of pictures she took of him as he was growing up.
But finally hhe asked her the one question rthat was left.
“Who is my birth father? Is it the man in black?”

Mayfar

Today's Saying

Now that it's all over, what did you really do yesterday that's worth mentioning? ~Coleman Cox

Either the judges are getting more generous or we have a better group of story tellers. Yesterday there were a number of people whose stories rated high eight's and another over nine. The over nine was achieved by Josh Pemberthy. Here is his story:
I remember when the entire town of Mayfar disappeared into that fog and vanished forever. Some of you must remember Mayfar. It was thirty miles down Higgins road . If you go there now you will see a huge field where the town used to be.
When I was a kid I used to go to Mayfar once a week to visit my uncle Bob and his wife Stella. They ran a little grocery store there and he always had a treat for me. I would get on my moped early in the morning and spend most of the day with them. I got to know most of the people in Mayfar. They were a nice lot. I really liked them.
But then came my last trip to Mayfar . It was a beautiful day and the sun was shining bright but as I came up to Mayfar it was shrouded in a dense fog. You just couldn’t see the town at all. Then suddenly the fog lifted and there was no town at all.
My uncle’s store was gone. The Odd Fellow’s building which was a big as our Masonic building was gone. The Happy Logger Lumber Yard was gone. Every single building was gone . Taken away by that fog.
Well I raced home to tell my mother. I hollered “ Ma, Ma , Mayfar has vanished. Uncle Bob is gone.
She said “ Are you off your meds again?” She said that a lot.
That’s when I understood the magic or the invisible alien rays had gotten to her. She even said I didn’t have an uncle Bob. And he was her brother.
See I was protected by this aluminum foil in my hat. The rays couldn’t get through that. But they got to everybody else. Even the pictures in the family album of Mayfar all fogged up.
But I still knew.
A girl, Heloise, I met at the Institution is the only one , other than me, that remembers Mayfar.
Don’t look at me like that I took my meds this morning.
And I do remember when Mayfar vanished

Obama born where?

Today's Saying

The memories of men are too frail a thread to hang history from. ~John Still

Sophia Polaski who is her visiting her relatives did a Lion’s Club Liar’s Club story. She got over a 9.
Here is her story.
I remember when I found out what President Obama really was. I have to swear all of you to secrecy because if they find out I know they will destroy me. In fact if you listen to my story you are taking a real risk.
As my relatives may have told you I worked for the Obama campaign. I did such a good job I was even asked to accompany his main group on some campaign trips. It was on one of those trips that I made my discovery. I had left some of my material in the conference room and went back to retrieve it. That’s when I heard them. They were concerned about being sure they could prove he was born in the US. Finally one of them said we’ll go back in time and set the documents in place. They won’t be able to doubt that.
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. How could they go back in time and tamper with official documents? It made no sense.
The door was open a crack and that’s when I saw them. They had dropped their human shape and were there as the aliens they were, almost human but still different. They had plans on taking over the world. It started with getting one of them elected President. Well I got out of there before they saw me. The next day I made an excuse about an illness in the family and left the group.
I never went back.
I know what he is and that he was born on another galaxy.
Now I do have a picture of me and the President. I also have a very blurry picture I took through the crack in the door but if you look close I think you can see they aren’t human.
I remember when it all happened and I’m reminding you to tell no one.

Catching Up

Today's Saying

If there were no schools to take the children away from home part of the time, the insane asylums would be filled with mothers. ~Edgar W. Howe

On Saturday Patrick Marvel, son of a former Pastor of Last Lutheran won the 4K Yellow Brick Road Race. Only one contestant twisted an ankle and he was treated in the local clinic.
Jon Bergall won the spouse carrying contest . People were surprised to see them entered since the last time they ran he ended up dropping her . Runner up was Hilda Salmi from Detroit whose husband is just a little guy. She might have won but when they were going through the kiddy wading pool he made some remark about her not getting him wet and she paused to think about dumping him in the pool but then went on. That cost her ten or eleven seconds and she only lost by five.
The Teddy Roosevelt Train was a great success . With all the old costumes you felt like it was really that time. In fact some of the tourists really looked confused.
The last night of the Variety show has been hailed by most of those who were there as the greatest Variety show ever. This time Calab stood alone on the stage and the heads came bouncing to him. It was spectacular, really spectacular. The Choirs were great. The Abbot and Costello Act finally got its lines right and was hilarious. The only thing missing was the new Pigeon Falls song whick Vicki East didn’t get finished. She did, however close the show with the old one.

Today's Saying

A man who asks is a fool for five minutes. A man who never asks is a fool for life. - Chinese Proverb

It is Sunday in Pigeon Falls. On this the last day of Old Timer’s week Pastor Marvel used to put on the old robes and wear clerical tabs like they did years ago but Pastor Joan says she can’t look like a pastor of one hundred years ago because the Lutherans had no woman pastors. She’d have to put on a fake beard and it would cover the tabs. But she did put on an old black robe in place of the white alb she usually wears. Here is part of her sermon for today:

“How many of you believe Jesus is really present in the Communion you will receive today? Raise your hands. Wow! Everybody
How many of you understand how Jesus is present in the Bread and Wine ? Will you please raise your hands. What! No hands raised.
Your going to take Holy Communion today and you don’t understand how Jesus is present.
It might surprise you but so am I.
I don’t know how Jesus can be there for us in the Bread and Wine.
I’ve read a lot of books with a lot of explanations but none of them satisfy, not one.
And yet I know He comes to me in the Bread and in the wine.
I know that somehow they are his Body and Blood.
Luther teaches that in the Small Catechism without ever explaining the how.
He says: What is the Sacrament of the Altar?
It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread and wine, for us Christians to eat and to drink, instituted by Christ Himself.
I guess we need to settle for that.
He who gives life is there to give us new life.
We do not need to understand or explain to receive.
We just need to receive.
Come Eat.

Saturday in Pigeon falls

Today's Saying

Having two ears and one tongue, we should listen twice as much as we speak. Old Turkish Saying

Today is one of those really active days in Pigeon Falls. There is the Yellow Brick road 4K run. It has over 200 entrants. That’s odd because it is hard to run on those old bricks. Last year two runners ended up with sprained ankles and never finished the race. They got their sweatshirts anyway. Along with that is the Spouse carrying contest. That takes place on main street and one has to carry one’s spouse over various obstacles. This year fifty three pairs are entered. If we are lucky nobody will drop their wife in the mud like they did last year. As far as we know that couple is still together although she swears he did it on purpose.
There is also a rumor that on this the next to the last day of Old Timer’s week that the Bull Moose campaign train is going to make a quick stop in Pigeon Falls and Teddy will address the crowd himself. In any case there is a brass band waiting at the station and great big signs have been put up saying vote Teddy for President.
The variety show which has been sold out every night has gotten better and better .Mrs. Trumble’s little comedy ski brought down the house
it was so funny. People cried when Last Lutheran’s Senior Choir sang a medley of old time romance songs. And Calab added another one of those heads to his act last night so he was juggling three of them .At the end they stuck out their tongues and spit in unison. How often do you see that?
The only problem was Vicki East still didn’t have the revision ready but she says she wants every word to be perfect.

Finally the Truth

Today's Saying

Problems always look smaller after a warm meal and a good night’s sleep.- Old Saying

Poor Tommy UK almost burst into tears when he saw the look on Mrs. Trumble’s face. He had been so sure. But then she threw her arms around him and began to cry and laugh at the same time.
Finally she stopped and asked “ What took you so long? “
He responded “ Why didn’t you just tell me I gave you plenty of opportunity”=. You know.”
I couldn’t “ she explained “ I promised a long time ago I wouldn’t tell you unless you confronted me and already knew. But I’ve been trying to help you. I even hummed the song I sang to you when you were a baby.”
Then she went on to tell of her falling in love with a wonderful young man. They seemed perfect for each other. They talked of marriage. She gor pregnant with Tommy. He told her why he couldn’t marry her and why he had to leave. So there she was in Hollywood, pregnanyt with no husband so she packed up and moved home. Tommy was born in her parent’s house. They didn’t dare go to a hospital where she might be recognized so a good friend who was a Doctor came there. The Doctor knew your uncle and arranged to take the baby to him and he arranged the adoption. She disappeared from public view altogether.
At a private party she met Mr. Trumble. He knew nothing of her history . In fact he had never been to a movie. They dated for a bit and then they married. She talked him into retiring in Pigeon Falls so she could keep an eye on Tommy and when Mr. Trumble died she stayed on.
This was almost more information than Tommy could process but it did help him to see why Mrs. Trumble had always been so important to him.
Now he needed her to tell him who his father was.

Tommy Gets Brave

Today's Saying

Christmas is the time when kids tell Santa what they want and adults pay for it. Deficits are when adults tell government what they want and their kids pay for it.
Richard Lamm

The variety show got off to a less than spectacular start last night. A lot of the acts didn’t go as they were supposed to. Wednesday turned out more like a dress rehearsal for the rest of the week. Even Vicki East wasn’t ready woith Pigeon Falls Song revision. There was , however, one highlight that will never be forgotten . Calab Hendrickson who lives near the end of road did a juggling act that was literally out of this world. He juggled two of the bouncing heads that had come through the dimensional door but couldn’t get back when Tommy TW and the man in black sealed the doorway. As he juggled the heads went higher and higher crossing over from one side to the other over and over. But when they came down they always ended up in Calab’s hands. When he ended the act and bowed he held his hands out from his side and they seem to bow as well. The audience clapped and clapped. The heads had great big smiles and then both spit. That seems to be their expression of gratitude. People wanted to talk with him afterwards but he and the heads had vanished.
Tommu Uk was visiting Mrs. Trumble in her office, the one with the big window. After a lot of small talk about the Pigeon Fall Days program she asked if he had gotten brave enough to confront his supposed mother.
Tommy replied “ You know I haven’t”.
Mrs. Trumble responded “ What do you mean I know?”
Tommy stood up straight , looked her in the eye, and said “ Because you are my birth mother”.
Mrs. Trumble looked at him like he was nuts.

Almost

Today's Saying

Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. That is not our business and, in fact, it is nobody's business. What we are asked to do is to love, and this love itself will render both ourselves and our neighbors worthy if anything can.
-Thomas Merton

The Pigeon Falls Lion's Club wishes to announce a story writing contest for anybody interested in writing short stories. The Story can be anywhere between one hundred and six hundred words. 'The title must be " I remember when ........"
The story should be obviously false but with a ring of possible truth. ( Figure that out)
There are no real prizes but your story will become part of the ongoing Pigeon Falls story.
More information is available HERE

Yesterday Tommy UK almost confronted the woman he thinks is his birth mother. Twice he went to where she was working and could see her through the window. But both times he chickened out and went to Nancy’s and had a cup of tea and a saffron bun. Nancy told him to pull himself together and just go and do it.
Tonight the big variety show starts. Various people are down at the theater rehearsing their acts. The manager says they will be lucky if they can hold the whole thing to three hours.
Vicki East is working on a revision of the Pigeon Falls song to unveil at this variety show.
Nancy is a bit sad today. It is the anniversary of her first husband’s death. She had been married to Henry Johnson for only a month when he went back to his job as head mechanic for the M&LC railroad . He got careless and somehow fell under the train. Sometimes she believes it was her fault because he was thinking about her instead of paying attention to the job.
Because of the large number of people wishing to tell " I remember when" stories the Liars Club extended their deadline to the end of the month sort of. Well it is the Liar's Club so who knows if they really mean it. They might give one to the middle of next month.

Dr. John DDS

Today's Saying

Remember, we all stumble, every one of us. That's why it's a comfort to go hand in hand. ~Emily Kimbrough.

The Liar's Club Contest continues and yesterday Thom Robinson who is visiting from Honolulu Hawaii took his turn. Here is his story:

I remember when, Dr. Betty, DDS, whom had the local dentist office, fell in love with the travelling carnival clown Bill, and decided to move on with the carnival. That very next week, Dr. John, DDS, set up shop in the exact location. It just so happened that the day after he opened his doors for business, I had a problem with my teeth. Walking to his office I see his sign on the door:

I XTRACT

YOU GET A MIRACLE

I kid you not I was scared. But I decided to go on in. Entering I see a pretty filly with a name tag of Melli. And she was a filly. Every time she spoke the room filled with blue bubbles. Sitting next to her, with a name tag of Cherie on her, was a puffy panda. A real panda mind you. Everytime that Cherie spoke these huge red lips, all puckered up and ready to kiss would float across the room. I looked over and everyone in the waiting room was ignoring all of this and it was as if nothing was happening. So after checking in, I sat convinced I was just imagining this.

Soon thereafter, the door to the examination area opens and out comes Nessa, an orange butterfly. She calls my name and all these tarot cards start floating across the room. I decide to follow her and say it’s just my imagination. Walking down the hall we pass a room where the hygenist was. Her name tag said Quilly. She said hello and all the books in the office start opening and pages begin turning. Was there no end to this?

Nessa guides me to the room and orders me to sit in the chair and says, more tarot cards now, Dr. John, DDS will be right with you. She flutters away. About two minutes later the door opens and in comes an Octipai with 12 arms. The name tag says Dr. John, DDS. I feel like I’m going to faint here. Dr. John, DDS, says nothing and one of his arms gets in my mouth and within seconds the words “Impacted Widsom Tooth” appear right before me.

With no novocaine or gas, Dr. John, DDS grabs a pipe wrench, that was the size that could open any 16” pipe, opens my mouth, pulls the tooth and with his outstreched arms sends it across the hall to Baron, the 12” Giraffe. Meanwhile, Quilly and Nessa come into the room and all of a sudden while Baron starts to hammer away at the tooth, their skirts begin to twirl. I guess when he hummed, the skirts started twirling as the minute he stopped the skirts stopped. In less than a minute, Dr John, DDS, stretched his arm out grabbed the tooth and put it back into my mouth. They all left the room. I felt like a million bucks. It was as if nothing had happened.

I walked out to where red lips and blue bubbles filled the air and settled my bill. Melli and Cherie say goodbye and thank me for coming. Opening the door, all the people were gone. Had I hit the bottle too much last night? Was I too tired? Was I dreaming?

Later in the day, I get a note from Dr. John, DDS, delivered cash on delivery, which I happily paid, stating:

“The event’s were real. The footage of your ixtraction is preserved on 16mm film and is stored in the vault at TP4WW Bank and Trust, a Sarcastic Corporation.” I have a copy. Now if we could find a 16mm reel to reel camera. I Remember the day I got my miracle.

His exact score seems to be unavailable but he did score over a nine and the judges gave him more than one ten. He is almost surely going to be one of the finalists.
Three others tried as well but all fell below nine. Dang low scoring judges.