Baubles

The gathering of white puffy clouds that resembles a giant, bald-headed old man’s wrinkled face drifts lazily across the desert morning sky. It isn’t the first time they’ve appeared, but they never leave their mark with rain.1

Occasionally, one can detect the sound of thunder coming from the center. The thunder generally lasts for only the blink of an eye. But whenever it does occur there is also a flash of lightning, which is strangely blue in color.2

Deep inside this cloud formation where no man can see there is the transparent image that vaguely appears like an office. The image, like the clouds themselves, is temporarily visible at times and then others it is not. A fact that might be more significant if the formation appeared anywhere that man’s eyes could witness, but as always they only manifest themselves in places where no heartbeat can be heard. They have done this for eons as if some intelligence was powering their existence.3

In the cloud’s transparent office, two vaporous beings with silver auras sit at chairs and are busily typing away computer keyboards only they are shaped like small harps. They too are transparent and made of an ethereal essence instead of any physical substance. The two beings, when the light hits them just right have change to appearing like columns of gray smoke. However, they seldom maintain any given shape for more than a second to two at a time.4

“How do you think they would react if they knew there really was a cloud nine?”5

“Oh not that again. Look, we already talked this subject to death about this five centuries ago. Why do we need to do it again?”6

“I guess it helps pass the time to wonder. After all, that is our job, isn’t it? We do our duty to create wonder where none exists so hope will blossom like a flower.”7

“You are so good at reciting our standard, ethereal corporate themes.”8

“Some corporation we have. We are the spirits who work for the Muse with a cloud for our office and she’s the only one who gets all the credit with the mortals. They don’t even have a clue that we are the ones who actually inspire. Even our divine superiors sometimes can’t remember our names. That isn’t the way corporations are supposed to function. Look at how the mortals do it. Now they’ve got the right approach, which naturally was our idea to begin in a more noble sense. Leave it them to give it that greed oriented mutation and mess up all our good efforts.”9

“When don’t they manage to end up taking something we inspire and change it from our lofty suggestions to something totally unfamiliar to what we intended? Look, Celestoid, these verbal detours of yours aren’t really helping us concentrate on our jobs. It is any wonder we have never ascended beyond the temporal realm of illumination? That kind of attitude is one reason we have been cursed to stay as spirits of inspiration instead of being promoted to more important duties in the scheme of Heaven’s purposes? Now if you could simply concentrate for a century or two we might actually do some impressive and finally get a promotion or perhaps a chance at wings eventually.”10

“I’m sorry, Thurmes, but it is a consequence of futility. I just can’t help lamenting how things didn’t work out quite as the original plan intended or was designed. We all had such hopes that this project with the humans would be so much more profitable. That it would be a success, which would be a real glorious tribute to the Muse and our division. Then it would bring major concessions from the ethereal corporate board on the merits and value of our labors. So please grant me a little indulgence here for have a few regrets over the stalemate in progress and how it leaves its mark on my senses.”11

“Well it was unfortunate how the mortals ended up being such a disappointment. On that I agree Celestoid. Mankind did turn out to be far more unmanageable and unpredictable than any of us calculated. Still, the basic concept of his creation was very sound. The wedding of flesh and soul in one creature had so many possibilities. We all had expectations that with the right amount of inspiration they would become the exactly the end product envisioned. But no one expected such bizarre side-affects. How could we be expected to know that the marriage of immortal and mortal elements with their souls and flesh would end up in only confusing them? It sadly didn’t enhance their abilities in a positive way as was the theory.”12

“If only we could have corrected the problem in some way.”13

“You have to admit that we’ve tried that on countless occasions. We gave them reason, laws and the inspiration to love to the degree that their silly, little brains could handle the concepts. Unfortunately, they filtered the inspiration through those confused senses of theirs and allowed their passions to turn it to darker purposes. So instead of peace and compassion we got greed and the kind of abuse of each other that left all of us dumbfounded by the consequences.”14

“Personally, I’m still hopeful for us coming up with some inspiration that will alter that course of behavior even if it is too late to honestly correct the long term problems. And I thought I was on the right track with my last offering.”15

“Cable television did have a certain value I suppose, Celestoid. However, it was not the kind that is going to suddenly make these mortals abandon years of bad habits I’m afraid. It was a noble gesture and a nice commendable fresh bauble of creativity with good intentions, only so far it hasn’t improved things. Once again they filled the airwaves and channels with all kinds of absurd nonsense instead of ones with pure uplifting qualities. I wish they could have stayed with our ideas of the home shopping network. Shopping is, after all, the primal drive we all have as a joy. I wish they could have gotten that part correct at least.”16

“I was just trying to help with the cable television.”17

“I was too when I gave them the idea of sugar and look what happen with that one?”18

“You did have the best of intentions and I think it is important to remember Thurmes that even as immortals we aren’t perfect. This whole project has been as much of a learning experience for us as it has for the mortals.”19

“I know, but it doesn’t mean I feel any joy over it. After all, if these mortals only knew the truth that we aren’t perfect and make mistakes it would only depress them and they seem to manage that little quality without our help.”20

“I don’t think any of that is as frustrating as having to put up with THEM.”21

“Shhh, we aren’t supposed to talk about THEM, remember?”22

“That isn’t a policy that I’ll ever agree with Thurmes. Just because our ethereal management put it into force doesn’t mean I have to like it. First of all, we work very hard at this inspiration business, yet just because we are lesser spirits and have not earned any wings, they don’t want mortals knowing how utterly diverse Heaven is as a corporation. Where would the harm really be in them being conscious of just how many hosts there are in the employ of Heaven besides the angels?”23

“Ah I agree that was a problem in terms of us getting the credit we should have. But you know they want to maintain the continuity of the corporate image in the minds of the humans. So they only give them the big picture. There really wasn’t any need for them to know how there were other defections in the ranks than angels when that nasty strike took place instigated by that person whose name we aren’t allowed to mention. Ever since he was black listed along with the fallen angels he got to rebel, we aren’t suppose to even talk about them. The official position is that it is contrary to the spirit of positivism that corporate wants to maintain for the future. So naturally they don’t want to discuss those lesser spirits that joined in the strike and ended up deciding to start inserting all those demented forms of inspiration into mortal minds. They are just part of the control problem that management has to contend with to try and keep our image with the mortals one that will convey strength and something they can trust. Image is everything you know when you are trying to inspire faith.”24

“Nice speech, Celestoid.”25

“Thank you. Actually, I was merely reciting it from our last spirits meeting. You know how our supervisor is so fond of speeches in defense of the company position.”26

“We are all aware of that reality. In the meantime, are we almost done with this project for this season?”27

“I think so. We did introduce several crinkles in the old inspiration baubles. Perhaps not exactly new maybe, but improved that’s for sure.”28

“Do you really thing it matters anyway? I mean we all are aware that despite our efforts management is about to pull the plug on this whole mortal experiment anyway. Oh we can talk of hope for fixing things, but it is just talk. These fresh baubles we come up with are in reality more just to keep them busy so they won’t sense the end is near.”29

“We aren’t here to establish policy, merely to be faithful to our duties. Let the halo publicity department handle the details on that one.”30

“I suppose you are correct. And I imagine we can all look forward to working on the next project once doomsday has occurred. I know that I am.”31

“I agree it will be nice for a change to have some fresh mural of life on which to tinker. Plus it will make our job easier for a while since we will be able to simply pass on the existing baubles and hopefully this time they will not confuse them as much.”32

“Have you heard Celestoid the details yet of where they have begun the new project and what form life will take in that situation?”33

“No, just rumors. I’m told in is far away though. They don’t want to risk this one somehow infecting it. Even though the termination phase will pretty much take care of that problem, they don’t want to take any chances. So you can believe that the new planet under construction is in a entirely different galaxy.”34

“Sounds reasonable to me. How about life forms have you heard what type they are going to concentrate on?”35

“Um, I think they are going to experiment with something other than mammals this time. That seems to complicate the whole process.”36

“I hope they don’t try their hand at dinosaurs again. Those poor creatures were such a mistake in calculation. Their brains just couldn’t handle the complications of inspirations.”37

“Maybe we could try a nice plant again?”38

“The last time it ended with talking plants that could only speak meaningless dribble. Hardly an improvement.”39

“Does it really matter Thurmas? After all, when you immortal you have all eternity to work on becoming perfect. So if this new project doesn’t work out better than the last, they will no doubt start over.”40

“It is almost as if they have embraced that mortal saying about try, try again and how practice makes perfect.”41

“Yes well, we did give them the illusion of perfection for the purpose of inspiring hope. I guess it is a good thing that they don’t know how far it is from the real truth.”42

“And the good thing, pretty soon it won’t matter. For like those that we creative in other experiments that failed, their ghosts will never be able to warn the future race of our flaws.”43

There is a soft sound of laughter coming from the office. In the distance it takes the form of thunder as it normally does, but like always, no human ears will know how humor is the real origin of such sounds.44