A quote: “There is no great genius without some touch of madness.” ~~ Aristotle
I’ll start with a story …
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He pulled out his pocket watch, winding the stem. His son looked down the tracks yet again, straining to spot the white clouds marking the Western Star steam locomotive.
“Son?” The boy turned his head. There was some whipsmart intelligence behind those sky-blue eyes he got from his mom, bless her memory.
“Listen close to your professors, keep your time and yourself.”
He mumbled, half listening, “There’s so much, dad. Much to learn, to DO.”
“Son, you best remember why we have nothing but steam mechanicals and no electricity. Anywhere.”
Those blue eyes shuttered, and he was suddenly taken afraid.
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Now, it’s your turn.
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. featured image, cropped, Adobe Stock standard license.
Cameron says: “Another idea?” I asked.
He smiled at me and shook his head. “Idea? It’s a completed design.”
“You think this will work? The design kind of looks unstable. Heck, I can’t imagine it floating in the ocean.”
“Not the oceans here, boy.” He pointed up. “But out there.”
There was a flash of light and we were surrounded by metal walls. I looked out the viewport and saw five ships that looked just like the one in the drawing.
“They’re called arks,” he said. “There are worlds out there where we can live our lives. Ready to go?”
I was.
Lewis says: It took me forever to get across the country. I finally made it to the right town crossing, found the dirt road easily. I sat on the big rock and took the map out of my shoe. Trudging along I watched for the bigger rock, sure enough, took a left and headed uphill. I found the burnt tree trunk, took a right and soon came to the farm fields. Quiet, oh so quiet. I made my way to the door of the farmhouse, inside I found the desk. It was just like the note that came with the map, journals lined up on top, Grandpa’s watch was there in the secret drawer.
Every morning I wind the watch, read the journals and decide what’s up for that day. I have a little garden going, happily I already knew how to do that so I’m not starving. Now on to the other stuff: what the heck is a grindstone, where is it, and what’s it for? Fire wood is only good if seasoned, what the heck with, pepper? Roof shingles stored in the attic, how do I get up there? The journals give up their secrets little by little. Grandpa told me long ago in another world “If you can read and reason, girl, you can do anything!” God Almighty, I hope he’s right!
Dupin says: “I have a map to riches beyond measure.” Lord Farnsworth spoke, sipping his Malmsey.
“Where?” requested Lord Plunk.
“Some five hundred miles up the Amazon lay the ruins of a temple, unspoilt, for only I have the original map of Francisco de Orellana.”
“Bah…humbug. All we shall find is disease, filth, and hostiles. A map? Indeed?”
“Have you a better expedition, Milord?”
“Yes, with no ocean to cross.”
“Go on.”
“A cave at Peloponnese, entrance to the river Styx of the Underworld and beyond.”
“A known cavern and no entrance ever found. What gives you surety?”
“I have a map.”
Kitty Hawthorne woke to the clatter of the telegraph. What did Mr. Edison want now?
And then she realize it wasn’t her usual employer, for all that he’d ordered the device installed in her lodgings at his own expense. Every telegrapher’s “fist,” his manner of handling the telegraph key, was as unique as a man’s writing — and Kitty could recognize Mr. Edison’s in her sleep.
Whoever was sending this message had a fist like no one she’d ever encountered on the lines. A fist of unearthly regularity, like a machine…
Navig8r says: “Trying to figure what to get my grandson for his birthday. His mom says he’s into steampunk, whatever that is.”
“Let me show you a couple of pictures.”
“Oh, Victorian, Jules Verne stuff. Good sign. Glad to see young folks taking a favorable interest in the past. Much better than the nihilism we see so much of. Maybe I could find him a scale model of the submarine in the diagram.”
“Order one for me too.”
“You’re into steampunk as well?”
“Nope. Decorations for the Halloween party. May title it ‘Things you never want to see in your proctologist’s office.'”
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