Making Wishes

Once, there was a tree, great and strong. This tree was on the property of a wise man. The tree was mature and large. But, as trees sometimes do, after a long and powerful storm, the tree came down. It lay on its side, with the roots upended.

The three daughter's of the wise man were picnicking by the tree, one day. As the three were mid meal, the tree gave a crack and a snap. Part of the trunk had fallen away. From the middle of that trunk, a piece of metal glinted in the sunlight. The three young ladies ran over to the tree trunk to see what it was.

"Look!" said the eldest. "It's a bronze medallion. How on earth did that get there?"

"It's so beautiful," said the middle sister. "It is inlaid with lapis lazuli."

"It would go very well with my favorite dress," said the youngest.

"Oh no," said the middle girl. "I saw it first. It's mine!"

"Don't be ridiculous," said the eldest. "We must share it. Otherwise, father will see us fighting over it and take it away. He will give it to some one else or sell it." The other two went quiet for a moment.

The middle girl looked to the youngest. "She is right. We must not fight over the medallion. We must chose who will take it and when before we go back home."

"I want it first, though." said the youngest.

"I want it first," said the middle.

The youngest started to whine and throw a tantrum. The eldest looked to the second sister. "If you do not agree to let her have it first, she will whine and cry for it at home. Then, father will ask questions. Just let her have it. Then, you can have it. I am the eldest child. I am expected to be last to have it. This is how it has been since you and she were born."

The second sister pouted. "Fine! Let her have it."

The youngest sister stopped pouting. The eldest sister looked to the youngest and said, "Swear to us you will have it only one month. Then, you must give it to second sister. Second sister can have it for one month. Then, she must give it to me." Each sister agreed and made an oath to keep it.

The three sisters pried the medallion from the trunk. The youngest sister took possession of it and they went home.

The next day, the youngest sister was all smiles. Her demeanor had changed. Her way of speaking changed. Everyday, she dressed as if waiting for someone. She was behaving in a very odd manner. Her sisters questioned her but she said nothing. Her parents questioned her but she said nothing. The youngest sister said nothing more than, "Wait and see."

Just before the sister's time was up, there came a stranger to the door. He claimed to be a prince. He said he was in love with the youngest and asked for her hand in marriage.

This surprised everyone. It took much whining from the youngest but the father finally agreed. The prince was married to the youngest. He took is bride and her dowry away. But before she left, she gave the medallion to the second sister and said, "Clean it with your fingers before you put it on."

A week after all the excitement was over. The second sister changed. The second sister did the same things as youngest sister. Her parents became suspicious and questioned her. Second sister said the same, "Wait and see." Eldest sister questioned her but second sister only said "Wait and see."

At the end of the month, right before it was time for second sister to hand over the medallion, a sad message came to the father. One of his great aunts had died of natural causes. The family mourned the loss of the great lady. But after the funeral, her last will was read. It was her final wish that the second sister was to inherit her home and fortune. Everyone was surprised. The great lady owned many businesses in a far away city. The second sister would have to move away from home. The second sister was happy to do it. Before the sister left, she handed the eldest the medallion and said, "Clean it your fingers before you put it on." Then, she went away to the city.

The eldest sister remained at home with her parents. She took the medallion to her room, put it in her jewelry box, and left it there. She was suspicious of it.

It wasn't long that her father received a letter from his youngest daughter. It was letter pleading for help. The prince that had taken her away was a prince but he was a prince only in title. He had no money, no kingdom, and his isolated keep was in horrible ruin. The prince took her dowry and squandered it. He had not been faithful at all. He kept her isolated in his ruined keep, alone with no one to help her. The father made a plan to go save his youngest daughter.

A short while later, a message came from second sister. She was in trouble too. The great aunt had many businesses and those businesses had many debts, too many debts. There was not enough money to cover the debts and keep the businesses afloat. The grand estate the she had inherited was going to be taken away. Father and mother of the sisters were shocked. "Something is amiss here. Something is not right." They looked to their eldest daughter. "Do you know what this is about?"

The eldest lied. "No. I know nothing," she said.

The eldest sister went to her room. She took out the medallion. She turned it over in her hands and studied it. The front was as it was the day they found it. Engraved and inlaid with lapis lazuli. On the back, there was another engraving in words she could not understand. She flipped it back over and ran her fingers along the edge.

A great warm mist began to emanate from the medallion. The mist flicked a gentle blue light. Then a voice came from it. "Who awakens me?" It asked.

"The eldest of three sisters," she said. "Three sisters who found a medallion in the trunk of a fallen tree. I know what you are. You are a Jinn. Our father used to tell us stories of our great uncle in Egypt, with his Jinn companion. We thought they were false tales to amuse us as children."

"So your sisters have told me before," said the Jinn. He took a mist form and hovered in the room. "The tales may or not be true."

"The tales said you grant wishes and you protect the one you serve. My sisters made wishes, didn't they?"

"Yes."

"You also told them that they could not speak of the wishes they made, or they would not come true. Is this so?"

"Yes."

The eldest sister thought for a moment. "The tales of my Uncle include that Jinn are not be entirely trusted."

"This may be so," replied the Jinn. "The wishes of humans are not mine to control. Jinns only provide the means."

The sister narrowed her eyes. "What does it say on the back of this medallion?"

The Jinn's blue light flickered. "A question not asked by your sisters," he said. "The words translate as "Treasure does not often shine."

"The exact translation may be that, but the meaning is, all that glitters is not gold?"

The Jinn flickered again. "That could be a translation."

"I see," she said. "That is why their wishes have not for filled expectations."

"What humans expect and what is provided can be in opposition," he said. The sister went into silent thought. The Jinn continued. "I can provide three wishes to you. I cannot interfere with human hearts. I cannot grant wishes for more wishes. I cannot..."

The sister held up her hand. "I am familiar with your code."

"If this is so, make your wishes that I may return to the medallion. When you are finished, you must put my medallion in a place so as I may not be disturbed for many years." The Jinn's light flickered as if it were sad.

"I imagine that you are sad because too many have abused you. Do you want to be free?"

"No."

"You are looking for something," she said. "No, more like waiting for something."

"Yes."

"Interesting and curious," she said. "What are you..."

"My lady, please just make your wishes. Don't you want to be rich? Don't you want to be married to a king? Do you want to be famous? I can give..."

"No. I do not want any of that," she said flatly.

"Then you want to save your sisters? Save them from..."

"No. Their choices are their own," she said. "It would be folly to help them. They must learn what I already know and the purpose you serve."

"Tell me, lady, what that would be?"

"Treasure does not often shine."

The Jinn's light flickered brighter. "So, then, what will your wishes be?"

"If I could make three wishes, it would be these. To learn, know, and understand my own heart. To learn, know, and understand wisdom. And to learn these two things in proper time and course, while being as safe as possible, without debilitating and malicious interference, while taking that path."

"You are very much like your great uncle," said the Jinn. "You are not like others."

"Can you grant those wishes?"

"I will grant those wishes. And I will go with you on that path, if you so will it," said the Jinn. "I offer my service to you."

"Lift the curses," said the sister. "Lift them and I will take you with me."

"Done," he said. The Jinn went back into the medallion.

The two sisters came home. They had lost what they had gained. But in time, it was replaced by better, more sustainable, things. They lived the rest of their lives as most people do, and were happy. The eldest sister, on the other hand, left home in search of adventure. She lived an adventurous life, full and happy.

The Torch Girl

In a land not too far away, there was a young girl. She grew up on an isolated farm. When she came of age, she told her parents that she wanted something more than a farm. Her parents told her that the world was not safe. They told her that a girls place was at home and married. Then, they arranged for her to marry.

The girl did not want to marry but she obeyed her parents. The marriage was not happy. Her husband did not want to marry either. He wanted to be a soldier. Her husband left to become a soldier. He left her alone, on the farm. After many years of loneliness, she ran away to seek her fortune. She wanted something better for herself.

The girl went to the nearest town. It was dirty and crowded. She tried to find a job. But she was not educated or pretty enough. Many people in the town told her to go away. She gave up on this town. The girl went to the next town and was told the same. She did not give up. She spent many years traveling and looking. Until, she was very far from home.

While she traveled from town to town down many roads, she discovered that where ever she went the roads were filled with torches. Some were used up and tossed to the side, but there were many that were only used partly or not at all. The girl had no home. She was hungry and had no money. She did not have a job. She also had enough of crying. She looked along the road, with its many discarded torches and said, "If I can't find a job, I will make one!" The girl gathered up all the torches she could. Using bits of other torches, she made new ones. She walked the road gathering up old torches and selling new ones. It was a heavy load but she endured.

The girl discovered that selling torches was not as easy as she thought. The roads were very dark at night, that part was true. But people will only want a torch, when the roads are the darkest. Some people already had torches. There were some people who had too many torches. Some people were willing to carry used torches that did not burn. There were some who did not have money to pay for a torch, but needed one just the same. Then, there were some who needed torches, but pretended not too even though they had money. This confused and frustrated the girl, enormously.

The girl finally stopped selling torches. Instead, she gave them away for donations. The problems changed but did not go away. She would spend many hours making new torches and after, have nothing to show for it. People came to her and took torches they did not need and left no donations. Some accused her of trickery or called her "crazy torch girl." A few did come who needed a torch and had no money. They would thank her for her kindness but these people were so few, she often cried. Then, the worst of them would come and steal her torches, claim it was theirs, and go away not even saying thank you.

The girl decided this wasn't going to work either. So, she made many torches and lined them up on her part of the road. Every night she lit them, making the road a safer place. As people walked past, she would ask for a toll. This did not work at all. So, she changed and asked for donations. Many people would shake their heads and refuse. Some even complained that the road was not bright enough or too bright. They made many excuses not to give.

Then, one day, town officials came. The girl had made her part of the road safe by lining it with torches. The town said this was a good idea. So, the officials lined the road with new, bright torches. Then, hired someone else to light them and watch them!

This was when the girl cried the longest and the hardest. She had no money. She had no employment. The town took away her purpose. She started to walk home. Along the road, she could hear people from the town calling at her, "Go home, crazy torch girl! No one wants you here! Go back to your dirty farm!" They laughed and told each other, "She actually thought she could sell torches on the road! What a stupid girl."

You see, while the girl was trying hard to make a place for herself, she forgot that people only want torches when it is the darkest. No one wants to buy a torch in the day or during the summer nights. They only want a torch when it is cold and dark.

Winter and darkness came, as it does. The road to town became dark. The person the town hired to care for the torches did not want to be in the cold and snow. He left and did not return. At the end of December, people asked, "Where is that torch girl? Why isn't she looking after the torches? She was a nice girl."

But she was gone and they could not find her. The town's folk got angry. "Where is the torch girl? Our road needs her, the road is too dark!"

An old man looked at the people. "You chased her away! All of you chased her away. You called her "crazy torch girl" and "stupid girl." You told her to go back to her dirty farm. You did not make a place for her. You took her purpose away. She tried to find employment and you refused her. Then, when she made her own job, you took that too! Where do you think she is? Home! Where you sent her. And now when it is darkest, you want her back?" The old man pointed at them. "Shame on you all!"

At first the people were sad they did this. They went to their fires and sang. They went to their cups and drank. When spring came, and the earth warmed, the people forgot again. They forgot all about the torch girl.

The girl went home. She learned a hard lesson. "People do not like honesty and integrity. People do not like kindness and love. People are frightened by good people. It is important not to be a torch girl."

A Minecraft Mythos

If Minecraft had a beginning Myth, I imagine it would go something similar to this....



From the light of an empty place, came Notch. He came to the empty place to make a world of happiness and peace. Noch spent many years creating that world. But he was lonely. He sent out an invitation throughout the Other Worlds on the Winds of Ether. Many came in those beginning days.

The world was not completely devoid of life. Before the first men, there were pigs, sheep, and chickaducks. These animals were good and helped the first men built that world. But that was not the only "life" upon that world during the time of first men. During the creation, Notch made a mistake. He took a pig and twisted it. The creature turned green, stood upright on four legs. It moved as silent as cat footfalls. When it found the first men, it hissed and exploded. Notch could not undo what he created. He called it "Creeper" and let it out into that world.

Notch said, "Let this world have balance. For no world is easy to live in and men must have challenges to overcome." As the first men lived in the new world, they discovered that Notch words held true. In any new world, there must be a balance. Where there is creation, there must be death. And from that world and the wisdom of Notch, skeletons, spiders, zombies, rose from the ether of that world.

In those beginning days, the world was not complete. Notch and those who came by invitation were good. They helped Notch create the world, by living in that world. These first men built strong fortresses and many mountains. But they spent most of their time underground, discovering resources. Soon those men realized they were men no more. They were dwarfs. They crafted more than fortresses, mountains, and elaborate mines. They were shaping a new world with farms and gardens.

It is also true that in the beginning, Notch made the first man. His name was "Steve." Notch gave him the ability to punch wood as his first action. Then, Notch taught him how to make tools to dig and farm. All other men who came after were also named Steve and created in that image. Until Steve learned to change his skin.

The first men looked to Notch and asked, "Is this right? Is this good?"

"It is good," said Notch. "All men may choose a new skin if they so desire. For it is my will that all men have the heart of Steve and it shall remain so, always." This is why, at the moment of death, men shed their skin and return, for an instant, to the skin of Steve before expiring.

Notch and the first men continued to build the world together. As they worked, they changed to dwarfs. They added new things, like trees, animals, rain, and snow. The skies began to thunder and lightening. New metals appeared in the layers of the earth. Tools and Technology were born. These were the golden days.

But also in these days, some of the first dwarfs began to hate each other. Some grew jealous of Notch, himself. The bitterness in this world shaped seeds within those first dwarfs. This seed made them change. They turned evil and became trolls.

The first dwarfs looked to Notch. "Is this good? Is this right?"

"No," said Notch. "These trolls are not good or right. But what is made, in this way,  cannot be unmade by my hands. Nor can it be stopped by my hands. It must be unmade by the trolls, themselves.  I am able to make it harder for them."

Notch chose a few good men. To them, he taught the Code of Security. They became his army. They also helped shape the world.

But the world of Notch had become many thousands of worlds. The cubed seeds of his world had been sent upon the Winds of Ether. These seeds were planted beyond the reach of Notch. Those worlds were at the mercy of trolls. Some of these worlds became legends. The Legend of X and the Legend of Yogs are two of those.

In the beginning days, the first dwarfs made temples to Notch. These temples were made of gold bricks and gleamed in the light. The first dwarfs looked to Notch and said, "Look! We have made a place for you. Does it please you?"

Notch shook his head. "I am not a god. I am like you. I am a creator of worlds, only," he said. "It is funny that you should do this. Thank you for your kindness." and he laughed. The first dwarfs laughed too. Because it was a funny joke. It was a joke of kindness. The first dwarfs built these "temples" only to be thankful for the Cubed Seed not as a place of worship. The temples that were built were left empty and abandoned.

The trolls came. In the beginning, it was one at a time. Then, they gathered in clans and tribes. They came and ransacked the first dwarfs and all they built. The first dwarfs looked to the Code of Security.  But no matter how often they sought to make it better, the trolls still got into the worlds. Trolls came with fire, pickaxe, and shovel. They destroyed many good worlds.

The trolls are still roaming on the Winds of Ether, looking for good worlds to destroy.


Of course, this is a tongue-in-cheek version of what a Minecraft Mythos might look like if it were written a few hundred year in the future. 

Loki at the Skating Rink

It was my nephew's birthday and he decided he wanted to go to the Family fun center. This sounded like fun to the rest of the family. So grandma and grandpa, loaded up the truck, drove an hour towards civilization and the family fun center. On the way, we discussed go-karts, laser tag, and roller skating. Those were everyone's favorite things to do. Roller skating not on the list for grandparents, though.

We got our tickets and headed out to the go-karts. This time it was disappointing activity. So, we tried again with the laser tag. The local family fun center needs to update the equipment really badly. That was a little disappointing too. But nothing can be disappointing about roller skating. Still in hope for a good time, the family group abandoned the bowling alley for the roller rink.

Being the only adult on roller skates, I set out on the floor with the younger nephew. He had never been on roller skates before. He bravely set out to learn. First I took him to the small practice area, where he learned some control over his spaghetti legs. My nephew, then, wanted to go where the big kids rolled. So, I carefully escorted him out of the practice area and onto the main rink.

I followed him around a couple times. I wasn't paying much attention to what was going on in the rink. But as my nephew became more comfortable on skates, I had the opportunity to look up. There wasn't many people there, five or six at most. But then, a swift gust of wind blew by me as an advanced skater zipped past. My eyes nearly burst out of head and shock rumbled through me.

A guy with brilliant blue-eyes, long black hair, fair skin, and well defined northern features, rushed by me and spun around on skates. He was wearing jeans and a tee-shirt, displaying the logo of a TV show called Supernatural.  Handsome was the first thing that filled my head, as he spun out and continued around the rink again. His identity didn't occur to me until he came around, and slowed down to match my speed.

"Hey, glad to see you made it" he said.

It was now that I realized who this was. It was the realization that I was the only one who could see him. My nephew didn't look up at him. The five or six other people had not given him even a backward glace to his advanced techniques. My son rushed past us on his roller blades didn't ask who this guy beside me was. And my parents, who watched proudly from the sidelines, completely ignored him.

"No, you aren't nuts, Jay," he said. "I am here."

"Why?" I asked, under my breath. "What the hell is Loki doing at a skating rink in nowhere Tennessee?"  I looked around to see if anyone was paying any attention to me.

Loki laughed. "Relax. You're a Doctor Who fan, think about it."

I relax. The entire Doctor Who fandom understands what he meant. The Doctor had spoken of it before. People pay little to no attention to things outside themselves. People brains automatically delete visual weirdness. It's a science fact. There's a TV show that discusses it called Brain Games. I was in no danger of being noticed as a "weirdo talking to herself."

"You didn't answer my question though," I said. "Why are you are here?"

"I wanted to see you and I haven't been roller skating since the 70's," he shrugged. "Sounded like fun night out."

I laughed. "Since the 70's?"

"Yeah, it was fairly popular then. Check it out," he said. He zipped past me and spun around fast. His shape blurred for a moment. His spin slowed and he started to skate backwards. But now, he was wearing tight, white jeans. The white, shiny, polyester shirt was tucked in his pants and buttoned only on the bottom. His chest was at full view, so I could see the large gold chain around his neck. His hair was now a full blown afro, with a gold pick stuck in the back. His belt buckle, also gold, showed off the male symbol in silver. All of this glowed under the black light of the rink. He smiled broadly, and performed a quick recreation of John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever, on skates.

I nearly fell over. As I fought to keep my feet under me, he spun around and rushed over to help steady me.

"Sorry," he said. "I thought you would find that funny." He was back in the tee-shirt and jeans.

"I did find that funny. That's why I nearly fell over." I said, finding my balance. "Or I should say funnier."

"What was the first joke?" He asked.

"Um, how about an ancient Norse god on roller skates in Tennessee, in a Supernatural Tee-shirt?" I said bluntly.

"That's why I wore it," Loki laughed. "It's a great ice breaker, don't you think?" He smirked and then raised his brows. "Besides that, don't you think think this is a nifty invention? I mean, wheels on shoes! It was cool the first time. But with the discovery of rubber, it made the whole idea better."

I shook my head. "Don't turn this into a history lesson. I want to relax."

"And you should. I have been reading your blog," he said. "I like it. Some of the topics are weird, but I am familiar with you. I appreciate weirdness."

"Then, you also like Muppets," I replied quickly.

"You know I do," he said, just as quickly.

"Where's your accent?" We continued to glide around the rink, side by side.

"Dumped that ages ago. I am immortal and adaptable.  Accents don't prove anything. Can we skip this part? I expected more of you."

"And what part might that be?" I asked, defensively.

"The part where you try to prove to yourself that you aren't actually talking to me. Whether I am "real" or not doesn't make a damn bit of difference" said Loki. He moved ahead of me and skated backwards again, and pointed at me. "Which by the way, you have written a piece on. The article in which you say something about acceptance of the supernatural and paranormal bizarre. It is easier to accept what is happening at face value."

I sigh. He was correct, after all. Which also proved that he was reading my blog. I did write something about bizarre paranormal and/or supernatural activities. The acceptance of them, so as not to freak out. Deal with it, and move along. In the end, the idea of whether something is "real" or not isn't what is important. The point is that something, your own brain or an outside source, is trying to point something out to the observer. What the observing person believes is the outside source, glitch in the matrix or God, doesn't matter either. What matters is that it is happening to the observer and that is what makes it "real." I roll my eyes. "Fine," I said. "We will skip that part. What next?"

"Just enjoy the moment, Jay! You are roller skating with Loki!" He laughed and winked.

Loki was right and suddenly, I didn't care if it was real or not. It wasn't even weird that he looked a little bit like Tom Hiddleston (They share the same check bones and brow shape. Although, this Loki was far more muscular in the arms and thicker thighs, btw) So we went around the rink and I watched him show off a bit. Even though, deep down, he wasn't showing off as much as he was "letting his hair down." I honestly expected more arrogance to show through. But in retrospect, I think I was confusing this Loki with Marvel Loki. It wore off as we skated around the rink a few times.

My nephew rediscovered his spaghetti legs. I skated up behind him and helped to steady him once more. Loki slowed down and followed us around the backside of the rink. Falling down while learning to skate is normal. But I was paranoid about my nephew falling down and busting a bone. The last thing I wanted was to return him to his mother, crying and broken. As we continued slowly around the ring again, there was a sudden explosion of noise. Roughly nine kids, suddenly appeared on the rink. Loki sped up and skated around them, laughing and having fun. But it turned out, that wasn't such a good idea.

These kids went nuts. They didn't skate around the rink, they skated across the rink. Back and forth, with no regard for the safety of other skaters. The group of fools turned the episode into a game of "crash." They began to intentionally trip other members of their group for fun. These pile ups began to effect the other skaters. This went on for a few minutes, until the "crash" game almost put my nephew in danger. I didn't care anymore, I starting screaming for the manager. As I said, I was paranoid over the welfare of my nephew and I didn't want to spend the four hours in an emergency room with an ADHD, 5 year old, who had a broken something. Then, explain to his mother, why it happened.

The manger came, parents were alerted, kids calmed down. Loki came to a slow skate next to me again. "Sorry about that. I have that effect on kids," he said. "Wasn't paying attention."

"Not everything is your fault," I replied.

"Yeah, in this case, I was an influence. It isn't easy to regulate when I am relaxed and not paying attention."

"Never mind, kids will be kids. Everything is fine now," I said.

"Well, yeah it's fine now," he said. "They're gone."

I looked up and the rink was almost empty. "What the deuce? How the hell did that happen?"

"I merely suggested to the birthday boy that the arcade was a better place to make mischief," he chuckled. "Now, we can have the rink to ourselves."

Loki said this right before my nephew looked up to me and said, "Aunty, I want to take a break."

"Plus fifty modifier to diplomacy checks," He said and laughed harder. "Let's do some skating together."

My nephew skated off towards the grandparents. It left the rink nearly empty. That was okay with me. I sped up to do the round. Loki stood in the middle of the rink and watched. I am not an advanced skater. I haven't had the desire to skate backwards or learn spin tricks. I skate to relax, not to race. So, he laughed at me. Then, after two rounds, he joined me again. This time he took my hand.

"Why did you laugh?" I asked him.

"You reminded me of this Amazon I knew. Which reminded me of the last roller derby I attended," he said.

"Roller derby? You follow roller derby?"

"Yes, why is that surprising?" He asked. "There was this game that the Amazons played. Roller derby, is that game on wheels."

"You just like watching girls fight over balls," I replied.

"I am a dude. Dude's like watching women fight over balls," he said. "I'm the normal one." He laughed again.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You are the one talking to Loki, not me," he said.

"Very funny."

"A little joke to lighten the mood. I know you have had some problems lately."

"Life has been difficult for me. But I am here aren't I?"

"No, you aren't and that concerns me," he said. "You live through your blog. You smile when you write it. You have energy and passion when you write. It seems to be the only thing you are doing that you love," he said.

"As I have discussed with the Divine, writing doesn't support my physical living. I do not get paid to write. My disabilities..."

"You are falling through the cracks," he said.

I shrug. "It is what it is. It's not my fault if nobody reads my stuff. It is not in my control if I don't get noticed by a publisher. I must continue with what I know and hope for the best."

"I am sorry about the bees," he said.

"I am not ready to talk about that either," I said. "What did you come her to tell me? Really?"

"Jay, I came here to tell you that I like your stories. Even the one about Slepnir.  I don't want you to stop writing, no matter what," he said. "I am a fan. Truly."

"I am going to write. This year should have proved that. Why are you really here?"

Loki sighed and paused for a moment. The music of the skating rink filling up the silent space between us. "You don't know that something really good is coming. And we are afraid that when it does come, you are going to be so blinded by your past and fear that you won't be able to handle it."

"Okay," I say. "I'm working on it."

"Well, you write so much about how to handle the intangible, you have given no thought to how to handle the tangible," said Loki.

"That is my greatest weakness, I think. The inability to walk the masculine path," I said.

"Well, Echo thinks that is what you are both working on. And Medusa agrees," he said. "I shouldn't have to remind you that those two rarely agree on anything. So, we are concerned."

"My thought on that is that it doesn't affect..."

"Don't be stupid, Jay," he interrupted. "I know that defensive crap. I have pulled it myself."

I go quiet and Loki continues to lecture me. "So, all these blogs are dancing around the idea that human and their myths are symbiotic. Where humanity makes a change. so do the myths. It bounces back and forth like that. What you are doing is adjusting myths and the divine is answering you back. Why do you think I am here?" He went silent. When I didn't answer back, he growled to me. "Because you invited me here."

"What? So now I am sending invitations?'

"Yes, Jay. Whether you know it or not, doesn't matter. Whether you accept it or not doesn't matter either. You are meant to be a writer. And the only person who doesn't seem to accept that is you. We don't understand it. So, we are concerned about it."

"Fine. I am a writer. I am also crazy, too," I replied.

"Seriously, Jay. If you are going to be crazy, what a fantastic way to be crazy. Who else gets to talk to Loki, Echo, Persephone, Hades, Odin, and Thor?"

"Other writers do," I said.

"Then, that makes you not crazy because others have done it too," said Loki. "And I might point out that  other men have done it before and have started religions as a result. Why is it "crazy" for a women to do it without the intent of making money?"

Well, that was me told. Why was it "crazy" to think I was talking to Loki? And why did I have this strange need to label it "insane" when so many others before did the exact same thing, some with not so innocent intentions?

He shrugged. "It's okay, you know. Everybody does it."

"What?"

"Be their own worst critic. They spend so much time defending themselves, they leave no room for the improbable to happen. Or when it does happen, they can't see it. But you are different. You proved it already."

"Oh yeah? When?"

"Two words, Jay. Wil Wheaton."

Blast that smooth talker! He was right, despite my own reservations. I never in my whole life ever thought I would ever get to meet Mr. Wheaton, much less get the opportunity to hang out with him. But when that opportunity rose up at a Comic Con, I took that moment and made it mine. In that moment, I was literally, and figuratively, the captain of my own ship. That, for me, was an improbable moment. Yeah, it was a game. But it was also the closest thing I was ever going to get to living a dream. Captain Hayashida with Commander Crusher as my Chief Engineer, avoiding Klingons in two dimensional space.

"That moment was a test. You recognized that moment. That was a turning point for you. And that is why you had a complete break down afterwards," he said. "You are so cool and don't know it. I mean, you had an opportunity, not realizing you had an opportunity and you nailed that too!"

"When the hell was that?"

"Two more words, Jay. Adam Savage."

Damn it! He was right again! That Mythbuster didn't know it, but I had a direct effect on him at a Naka Con, in Kansas City. No-Face offered me some chocolate coins, and I turned them down. Accepting gold from No-Face is bad luck (Did you see the movie?).  And without "knowing" exactly who he was, I asked him if his name was "Adam" because I had an intense...super intense... feeling that I was supposed to know who he was under all that cloth. The poor guy had to enduring 20 questions from me, because I was trying to work out why I had such an intense motivation to know his identity. Then, later on, after teaching my class, Adam had to take back gold coins he had given out that day because I told my class it was bad luck to accept gold from No-Face (Because it is).

"If that doesn't convince you, then there isn't anything that will," he said. We both went silent and went around the rink a couple more times.

"So, you are here to tell me to have faith in myself and in the improbable," I said. "To keep my chin up and keep moving forward."

"And for a date. You desperately needed a date," he laughed. He let go of my hand, spun around in front of me, and turned into Sheldon Cooper. "And just so you  know, coitus is out of the question."

I laughed really hard. "I am going to write about this later."

"And no one will believe it either. That's what makes a story really great, don't you think?" He spun around again, returning to his tee-shirt and jeans.

"Anything else I should know?"

"I'll be around. So if anything comes up, I'll let you know," he said. Loki spun around clockwise and stopped. "You have friends in low places," he said as Garth Brooks. He took off his cowboy hat and winked. Then, he spun counter clockwise and turned into Ricky Gervais.  "Honestly, that is where you should have friends. Communication is easier and more reliable than ever." Loki spun around again, returning to the tee-shirt and jeans. He kissed my hand and skated away. "See you around."