by Mitch
Lunch was ready, the tour through their home would have to wait for later. Careah marveled at the warm glow of the dining room. The table set was finished in warm wood tones, the top had a bright shine because Won had skipped the traditional lace tablecloth and set the table with white lace placemats. A dinner setting of six white china plates trimmed in blue floral, cobalt blue crystal goblets, and pure silverware was at each place setting. Pink and white napkins, rolled with a blue ring around them, were on the other side of the plates. A gold vase was in the center of the table with different color short-stem eucalyptus, filling the room with fragrance.
The dining room carpet had a blue-gold floral with a touch of pink echoing the blue dinnerware tying the room together. A large mirror hung above the fireplace, made of blue and ivory polished granite. The mirror reflected the gold chandelier that never failed to give the feeling of comfort or from the window, depending where you were staring. Careah gazed at the print on the wall! Won volunteered, “It is vinyl wall covering, nearly like paper, but more durable.”
“Vinyl?”
“I do not know what vinyl is, but it is so beautiful. The lace interwoven with blue and gold flowers with a dab of pink on it looks so real. I see it matches the drapes on the window with the same blue and gold floral design.”
Won said, pointing to the decor, “My friend Tara is an interior decorator by profession. She designed all the rooms in this house for me personally.”
Won’s maids announced, “Lunch is ready.” Won asked their new company if they would mind eating in the kitchen since they were just having lunch.
Careah blushed, “Certainly not, we eat in the kitchen all the time at home, especially when you have four young ones making a mess.”
“Good! It will be more comfortable there. We’ll eat dinner in the dining room this evening.”
Since I spend most of my time in the kitchen, I have a color scheme of muted tones that are easy on the eyes. Only the accent colors are bright giving it a healthy look. As you can see, I use bright colored dishtowels as placemats and napkins for casual meals giving a relaxing feeling; butter-yellow kitchen cabinets, table and chairs in a pale wood scheme, with an antique gold design on the table edge and down the legs of the table and chairs. Needlepoint cushions in bright colors for the chairs were made by our daughter Te`ro."
For the first time in her life, Careah walked on hardwood floor with a high shine. She never saw valances over windows or sinks before. Looking for a stove, she saw none, but was puzzled seeing something cooking on the countertop. Won noticed her bewildered look, “It’s a stove with a solid top with heating elements inside. It automatically gets hot when I place a pot on top and turns itself off when it is done.”
“Glory be,” marveled Careah. All Kedar saw was a table piled high with sandwiches, a large bowl of soup, and cold drinks.
Getting ready to sit down, Bel’s two children came in; Ke`no, their son, and Te`ro, their daughter, all were introduced. Setting down, La`no asked the blessing. Questions began to fill the room, mostly by the Bel’s children. They wanted to know about their wings. Did their children have wings and lights? Would they ever get to meet them? After most of the questions were answered, Won suggested her husband take Kedar sightseeing. She would take Careah with her to her store at the Emporium to get a few articles she needed. The children declined going along with either one, they wanted their friends to know whom they had lunch with.
All of their teenage friends from the neighborhood were outside waiting for them but refused to move when they heard Careah and Kedar would be coming out soon. The door opened and all got quiet until Careah and Kedar waved; pandemonium broke out. La`no held up his hand and all became silent. “Be patient, you all will get a chance to talk to them later.” Won called for her air car. While going to the Emporium, they talked of women things. As they arrived, Careah marveled over the beautiful building and its size. Once inside, Careah’s eyes were invaded by very neat shelves full of antiques from top to the bottom: dishes, pots, pans, books, and new and used furniture.
Won’s boutique was in a room by itself. The floor was wall-to-wall red plush carpet. Careah’s eyes grew wild with excitement. Never had she seen so many dresses, hats, slack outfits, and other clothing and accessories. There was a showcase with jewelry and cosmetics; Careah knew about perfume but never saw lipstick. She mused, would she dare? “Yes.” She would try it. Then asked, “How can you take care of all of this by yourself?”
"I don’t, there are several ladies working for me, knowing what to charge or trade for items. We buy, sell, or trade good merchandise, making a profit most of the time. But profit isn’t everything.
If a poor family needs something and I know for sure they are poor, I charge what they can afford. Several times, I let the poor have it for nothing if they help another poor family in need. My husband says those people are taking advantage of me. I’d say, ‘You think so? I think not!’ I’m the one taking advantage of them. Getting their gratitude and love is more valuable than money. Things people thought were worthless, I would repair, paint a little here, a little there, and sometimes the people I got it from would buy it back. When I share and do for others no matter what the cost, I always end up with more."
Although the store was closed for the weekend, people came in. She asked Careah to excuse her. They needed something as an emergency had come up. At first, the people coming in thought Careah was one the mannequins, then did a double-take, pretending to shop for other items while watching her. She saw Won was more than a generous matron. Now she knew what genteel really meant, this lady had it all the way. Careah watched her operate, selling, bargaining, giving advice when it was needed and willing to help others if she could. She had told Careah many times she would allow a payment to slide by and let them pay whenever they could. If anyone owed her a debt and could not pay, finding out they had helped another in need, she would wipe the debt clean.
Careah realized right there, she had to admire her for her business acumen, intelligence, warmth, and compassion. Although her ambition was to please others, even when a few customers were a bit cool toward her, she always said thanks, even when they grumbled paying a bill owed her. Careah knew thanking someone really is a spiritual power given by God to show your personality. This lady was humble, gentle, and had more tenderness than any person she had ever known. Her gratitude reverberated softly through her entire being, day in and day out, never depleting. How lucky can a person get having a charming friend like Wonder? It would be easy to bond yourself to a person like her.
The Ekistics
La`no and Kedar went to the lake in his private air car. Kedar gasped as a strange-looking monster came up out of the water, moving toward them. In fright, he looked at La`no to see what he was going to do! La`no smiled and said, “Remember I told you about having ships that go under water and on the surface, that is one of them. This one is the Ekistics. It ensures the basic needs of both the individual and our entire country. It supplies transportation, communication, education, food, and even entertainment. Without them we could not exist here as well as we do. The men who sail them are proud seamen and love what they do for the country. The crew who are Aquanauts have scuba equipment, headgear, and a tank of air on their back so they can breathe underwater when leaving the ship. Aquatic men from Aquavitae do not need scuba gear and go along as part of the crew They, too, leave the ship, collecting materials: gold, silver, wood, musical instruments, tools, food, and anything of value from sunken ships.”
Kedar watched in amazement as he started to interrogate La`no, “I see no sails or oars. What makes it go, and…?”
La`no interrupted him. "First, it is made of a secret mixture of adamant and other strong light metals, and it is powered by atomic energy. Someday, the outside world will build them, but they will not be used the way we use them. If anything attacks them, they have atomic magnetos which electrifies the hull. Nothing can harm them except the Grog, a sea monster in the ou
ter seas.
We are working on a new harpoon to take care of it. I know you do not understand all of this, that’s okay. As time goes on, you will learn how most of this works."
Kedar asked, “Would you please give us a ride in one of your amphibian ships?”
La`no smiled his approval, “You can count on it. We have to leave now; the ladies are waiting.”
Exiting the Bel’s home, the Good News Publishing reporter, Eli, and a TV camera crew were waiting to interview the Wees. Their unbelievable stories were printed in the newspaper and aired on television.
Ambling through gardens, they saw many things of splendor. Even the people were the most handsome people ever seen, as beautiful as the flowers. La`no suggested they all go to the flower park before dinner. In the air car, Careah and Kedar were amazed riding in something that went faster than they could fly. Entering the park, Careah stood motionless, nothing in her mind could conceive what she was seeing. She was captivated by the dazzling displays that made the park glow.
The sunbeam lights began to fade and the lights in the garden came on. It was a playground for nature lovers and bird watchers. Birds singing to their hearts’ content. The spangled meadow touched the small lake’s shoreline punctuated by a sandy beach and dotted with small white pebbles. Canoes for those who wished for a romantic evening, slowly paddling around the lake’s inviting moon beam lights. A white and blue arched wooden footbridge crossed the deep blue lake. Each end had a trellis painted white and trimmed in blue, camouflaged with flowers and vines. At the bridge’s center were small platforms on each side where people could gaze at this scenic jewel attraction. From there, they saw small picturesque cottages.
Won’s eyes twinkled, giving her husband a wet-lip smile while informing Careah and Kedar that most of the newlyweds come here to spend their honeymoon.
La`no broke in, “It’s getting close to dinner time!”
Won comically giggled. “Ah, come on, let’s linger a while longer.”
Kedar quipped, “The beauty of the landscape is peaceful and quite relaxing too.”
Careah jabbed him in his ribs with her elbow and whispered, “We are guests here, we will do what they want!”
After dinner, they went into the garden room to relax before going to bed. The room had near-white walls and floral prints galore on the sofa, armchairs, and pillows. Other furniture made of wood also made you feel more than welcome. A profusion of plants and flowers were everywhere, making the room feel like you were back in the garden park. It definitely was more beautiful, giving it a dressed-up feeling in a relaxing atmosphere. The fireplace was a bower of vines and flowers hanging on the fireplace mantel. On each side of the open pit were red rose plants on beautiful hand-carved stands taken from a sunken ship. Even the bookcase was graced with flowers.
A narrow trellis round the door was adorned with exotic flowers enticing you to take a closer look. Basket of flowers hung on doorknobs. A low table in front of the sofa was loaded with nuts, cookies, and a variety of fruit in a large bowl. A laser containing a crystal, stimulated by focused light waves in the fireplace, made the room cozy warm. Talking for hours, La`no yawned—it was a polite way of saying it’s time to go to bed.
Won took them to the guest bedroom. Careah looked at Won and shook her head, “Glory to glory, are you sure you want us to sleep here? This room looks like where royalty sleep!”
Won smiled with a slight giggle, “Whether you know it or not, you two are royalty.” The room was large with sunshine yellow walls and rose lined border about six inches from the ceiling. Beautiful drapes of different green plaids with red roses created a floral in each square. The bed cover matched the drapes. The bed had a pronounced headboard in white ivory with a matching drape trellis effect from the floor touching the ceiling and a rose floral valance. A garden trellis effect over the windows and valance also matched the one over the headboard. Each side of the bed had orient porcelain lamps set on rich gold inlaid wooden stands—these too were taken from a sunken ship.
After showering, they placed their clothing on an ottoman at the foot of the bed—it too had an upholstered thick cushion matching the drapes. Kedar whispered to his wife, “It looks like I could sleep in that bed forever and no one would find me.” It didn’t take them long to drift off, dreaming of an enchanted land. In the morning, they found clean clothing on the ottoman, theirs were taken to be cleaned and pressed. After a hearty breakfast, La`no’s personal air car was ready to take them on a sightseeing tour—an adventure never to be forgotten.
They cruised on a cushion of air over hard-surface roads, through grasslands, witnessing scenes that seemed to come alive from an artist’s brushes. It displayed the morning mist rising from wet grass watered by underground systems and the sprinkling system in the ceiling. Animals of every type that God had created were drinking from pools of fresh pure water. La`no spoke to the air car which, obeying his command, whizzed by things of interest that fascinated them, and it did more than just capture their imagination.
They whizzed into a quaint picturesque coastal town of Hi-Why-D, offering clean streets, fairy tale cottages, and a sparkling white sandy beach, clean as a whistle. An upscale shopping mall had an array of cultural attractions and eye opening, scenic settings, boutiques, and restaurants were surrounded by flower-filled gardens.
Everything they looked at commanded their attention. An aquarium, the largest anywhere in the world, looked like a small lake surrounded by thick glass. Most fish and sea creatures came from the great seas. Won spoke as he smiled, “It’s a guarantee you will be intrigued by everything you see.”
Careah mused, “I’m sure we will be, just like fairy tales intrigue children.”
They entered a small town of Hi-Y-Opus. The air car audio system announced, "This is where all musical instruments are made, songs published and recorded. Of course, our radio and TV stations are here also. Solfa, our famous composer does most of his work here.
As you can see, this picturesque town along the blue lakeshore has the most stunning lakes scapes, pictorial vistas, and hometown attractions. You can admire a collection of old-style instruments; some go back to the great flood. We have a harp like the one King David played, a shofar dating back to the time of Gideon, and other things we found in sunken ships. There are tranquil gardens and an excellent swimming cove with a gorgeous beach that is a testament to opulence. You have never seen quaint shops, in and around twisting alleyways, that add charm to your shopping as they do here."
Nearing the village of Hi-Why-M, richly set along the shoreline of a crystal clear lake, it proved to be full of life. Everything blended perfectly with a rich bounty of many attractions. The field in the foreground was like rhinestones mixed with deep bright flowers; the scent was intoxicating. The flagrance of climbing wisteria blossoms invaded like tourists heading south for the winter. Even the simulated clouds reflected their beautiful colors. An awesome view from high peaks, showing off soaring white granite cliffs across the lake, added a scenic charm to the lakeside dotted with boats of every design. It was a natural playground with vibrant lakeside resorts for holiday retreats.
The audio beamed, “The backstreets will get you the most pleasure, best done on foot when wandering from unique to specialty shops. You can get a leisure ride on a horse drawn buggy over cobblestone streets. Every cut stone is fitted together perfectly making for smooth riding. Bask on nice-sized wooden benches to rest and chat. Stroll miles on soft white sand along the water’s edge.”
Won shut the audio system off. “There’s a restaurant here that will transform your eating habits. We dine in leisure. It’s ‘Des-Banquet.’ Every bite melts in your mouth.”
Eating a meal that was new to them, Careah remarked while patting her stomach, “I know what you mean by transforming eating habits. I’m glad we have a gland keeping us from getting overweight, otherwise we would be terribly overweight by now.”
Won added, “Yes, we do too, but not to waste food, we still watc
h what we eat and how much.”
Sitting on the benches provided by the village, they chit-chatted about things of interest to them and watched the sunset lights on the green grass fields fade into lavender.
The evening came alive with people and night creatures’ chirping; the chirp of contentment. The cricket is a fiddler, ventriloquist, acrobat, and a fighter. Their tiny unseen orchestra joined with the hums of others. Birds warbling in different tones and trills was something of an inspiration coming from God’s unlimited professional creatures. They had the privilege of making a joyful noise unto the Lord. The artful call of small animals for their mates was a tribute to those who listened.
Careah noticed flickering lights in the lake and went for a closer look as Kedar followed. La`no knew at once what she was investigating and turned the audio on before she asked what the flickering lights were. It informed them, "Some fish have neon light in their bodies, nearly like yours. They swim down into the deep canyons, where there’s total darkness, to find their needs.
Only God knows how many different kinds of fish there are. Our ancestors, men of renown, recorded when God created the fish, all lived in peace and harmony. Later in time, one of the larger fishes wanted to be ruler of the seas. Some of the other large fish went along with it, hoping for a piece of the action. The smaller fish didn’t have a chance. Soon there was chaos in the Water Kingdom. Fighting broke out among the larger fish, confusion and disorganization spread throughout the sea. This made God very angry, and in His wisdom, He gave all fish something to fight back with. He gave smaller fish the ability to swim faster than larger fish and others to sting or shock their enemy. Those that were slow gave off a deadly dye paralyzing the sense of smell. Others, He provided the weaker powerful jaws. Only He could implant special neon lights in their bodies, others were given phosphorescent eyes to see in great depth. It is a mystical threshold for us as we keep finding fish never seen before."
