Edwin was lost in thought, staring
down into the hardly moving water of the deep pool before him. He had enjoyed
bank fishing since his boyhood on the farm. His fishing line drifted, untouched
in the water. The quiet solitude provided ample opportunity for reflection,
thought, dreaming. The leaves in the surrounding trees, rustled gently in the
breeze. Birds called from their flight overhead. Somewhere, he was sure,
someone was about to play a flute and chimes.
His mind drifted, shifting from one disconnected concept to another. Nothing really in focus. Nothing really travelling deeper than the surface of his mind. Just brushing along the fringes of conscious thought.
It was one of those times when you arrive at a concept but never sure how or why. You can't replicate how you got the idea but yet seem so clear. Edwin was startled at the sudden flash of insight that fell to him, and then chilled, afraid that he might possibly, could be, almost may be, correct. There is nothing so frightening to a man, as having a thought that no one else has had.
There were hundreds of sightings a year. Every one from the President of the United States to Uncle Fred on the farm had spotted one of them. A UFO, a flying saucer, an extra-terrestrial, an alien, what ever they were called, they were there. Little green men from outer space were trampling the marigolds of Earth.
Despite official denials by domestic and foreign governments of their existence, they had to be there. By sheer mathematical probability, some of the reports had to be accurate. Had to be real. Had to represent travelers from somewhere besides the Earth that he knew.Had to be something other than a disguised Frisbee in the night sky.
Once their existence was accepted then why are they here? For what purpose? They didn't care about contacting the citizens or governments of this world. They would have already done that if it were there intention. They had not interfered in any military action or saved a single person from a natural disaster. They hadn't cured disease or solved world hunger. They had not provided a lottery number to a single poor mother. They were not the Galactic Welcome Wagon. They were not going to be our best friends.
But something else. Something else really bothered Edwin. Something a great deal more. The damn ships didn't hide, didn't try to conceal themselves. In some cases it was if they were playfully showing off for their own amusements. Astro-joyriding over major cities. Having lopsided drag races with 747 airliners. Playing tag with the best aircraft that could be launched by the Air Force. Yet, a couple of bucks at a hardware store during one of their infamous nocturnal visits, could get them a few light bulbs that would allow them to easily pass for a plane in the night sky. A few lousy lights would easily disguise them. Surely a culture that could fly among the stars could manage some 100 watt GE soft lights. Which means they didn't care! Either they were the absolute worse players of "hide-n-seek" in the galaxy or the bastards simply did not care if they were seen.
Edwin's vision focused on a young boy not far from him. The lad was very intent on watching newly hatched tadpoles, swimming in the shallow water. The tadpoles swam mindless of the observer above them and the boy was not particularly careful about being seen since it was obvious his presence had no influence on them. The boy twirled his fingers in the water still no response from below.Childhood frustration must have set in, cause without warning the boy picked up a rock and hurled it at the swimming creatures who prompted scattered all about in mass confusion. The boy laughed in delight at the hysteria he had caused the harmless creatures.
That was them, and Edwin froze. They were tadpoles. The entire billions of the human race were no more than tadpoles swimming before an alien race. So far below them in the chain, they didn't even merit the courtesy of a little subterfuge. Tadpoles! From caveman to the brightest genius, all were reduced to slimy, swimming creatures.
Of course, if anyone else heard Edwin express this fear, they would laugh him off as a nut, or worse! He couldn't tell anyone, not yet. Maybe ever. To be the only person in the entire world, or at least of its native inhabitants, to have this knowledge! The terrible flash of insight that would be destined to keep him awake nights for the rest of his life! He wished that he had heard the flute and chimes, fallen asleep in the leaves. Well at least it was not something that he would have to be concerned about at this instant. It could wait. Maybe till after the World Series. That would be a good time to let everyone know. Or maybe the Super Bowl. But it would wait.
Little did Edwin realize, but at that very instant, very far away, someone was about to throw a very large rock into his very small pool.