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N – Narcissistic

My name is Norman. You should have heard of me because I am a wealthy, wonderfully talented, great-to-know person. There is nothing that I can’t do and won’t do when asked.

Ask me about any of my experiences. 

Did I climb Mt. Everest? Yep. 

How about breaking the speed record for running a mile? Yep.

I can hold my breath for over five minutes. 

My invention of spy satellite technology has amassed a fortune. If you look me up in the book Who’s Who in the World, I’m listed. You might find that book hard to find, but I assure you, I’m listed in it. 

I’m not afraid of heights. I’ve scaled the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, which is the tallest structure in the world, by myself with nothing but my strength, agility, and endurance. 

I’m an unlisted name on the patent for the first Apple computer. I trained Steve Jobs, but you won’t find that listed in any biography of Steve.

Most of my wealth comes from my astute knowledge of the banking world and well-placed investments. I didn’t even need an advisor to guide me. 

Women fawn over me. Too many famous women to count wanted to marry me. Men are just jealous of my success. I could easily have been elected President of the United States during the last election. That’s how popular I am, but at age 24, I wasn’t eligible to run. And don’t think I won’t in 2032.

So, remember my name, Norman Hackenforger.

If you haven’t heard of me before, you certainly will soon enough. You’ll have to wait until this bogus trial for forgery and hacking into the U.S. Treasury system is resolved. It’s amazing how witnesses lie just to make their names known and sell their books. 

By the way, my new book, You’re the Best: The Official Biography of Norman Hackenforger will be released about the same time I am. 

M – Message for Truth

The older we get, 

the more things we forget, 

is an adage that someone once said.

Words misunderstood, 

simple things that we should 

know are wrong, we continue to spread.

When the noise just abounds

with cacophonous sounds,

it is hard to distinguish what’s right.

So you think what you heard,

even though it’s absurd, 

is the truth, and from there it takes flight.

Then the others so near, 

words you share they all hear, 

and the falsehoods and lies they all spout.

There is no way to stop, 

ear to mouth the words hop, 

till the message that’s sent casts no doubt.

This must be the truth, 

all opposed are uncouth, 

we must change everything that we’ve learned.

Let our thoughts fill the air; 

People’s rights? We don’t care. 

Everything that is wrong should be burned.

Age isn’t the cause, 

young as well should take pause; 

forgetting’s not true in this case. 

If you share without thought, 

ignore all that was taught, 

your actions are what’s out of place

But real truth, when it’s known, 

has a way of its own 

to come out when one listens and hears.

What we claimed was just wrong; 

Why did we go along? 

We should not have reacted to fears.

Being old’s not a crime, 

it may take us more time, 

but our wisdom once sought is still there.

Put us not on a shelf, 

check those facts for yourself; 

if they really are true, show you care.

When the facts remain true, 

then it’s all up to you, 

to rely on your own state of mind.

If it’s not and we lie, 

look us straight in the eye; 

say to us you’re no longer aligned.

Be it elder or youth, 

your goal must be the truth, 

if you wish to go on with less strife.

Listen well, be aware, 

show the world that you care. 

And be honored the rest of your life. 

For this piece, I was asked to use the last line of a book I own as the last line of my writing. I will give credit for the last lines at the end. 

K – A King’s Trust

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King Kaden sat on his throne, wondering what the inhabitants of his kingdom thought of him. Was he doing a good job? He had plenty of riches and trusted all of his advisors when it came to running the kingdom. But deep down, he felt a disconnect with the populace. He decided to try to find out firsthand what their thoughts were. 

He changed his appearance as best he could. He would dress as a peasant and wander the kingdom.

For three days running, he announced that he had some important work to do alone and was not to be disturbed. He changed clothes in his chambers and exited the castle through a secret doorway. 

Walking through the streets and alleyways of his kingdom was fascinating. There was so much that he had been unaware of. The places were all run down. He saw little cheer. Some people gave greetings when passing him, and others just ignored him. Periodically, he would stop and make conversation. 

“I am a stranger to this land and am considering moving here. How fares the kingdom?” he would say.

The answers seemed rather consistent.

“Go back where you came from. You’ll find no joy here.”

“There is no communication with the one that rules here and his money-grubbing advisors. All they do is take from us.”

“Look around you; this place is a shadow of what it was and could be. Look at the palace, for that is where the money is spent. There is no thought to spend it on us.”

“We are insignificant; we may look well, but we struggle to survive.”

King Kaden had enough after three days of hearing these descriptions and complaints. 

How could he have let this happen? It was time for things to change. But first, he needed to know why it happened. The king had trusted his advisors. They informed him of what was happening and told him all was well. Yes, they did ask for more money to be taken from the population, but, as it was explained to him, the people could afford it, for this was a rich and prosperous land. 

It was time for another disguise. This one had to be more stealthy, for there would be contact with his advisors this time. He enlisted the aid of his closest friend, Sir Hector. Hector would infiltrate an advisor’s meeting and report back his findings. 

What Hector found out supported the people’s claim. There was much talk during and after the advisors’ meetings about their wealth and how they could dupe the king into getting more for themselves. They even made fun of the King’s naivety and how easy it was to get what they wanted without reproach. 

Of course, if King Kaden called his advisors out, they would deny it. How could he make change happen?

He decided he would again disguise himself and roam among the populace. Maybe something would inspire him. And as it happens, in these kinds of tales, something did happen. 

As the king was walking past a tumbled-down cottage, an old woman stepped out and hailed him. “Stranger,” she called out with a knowing look. “You seem to be troubled. Why don’t you come inside for a bite to eat and some cool water and share what’s on your mind?”

The king looked the woman over, ignored misgivings, and took her up on her offer. He was quite surprised when she presented him with food and drink and said, “So, King Kaden, this is the fourth time I’ve seen you in this village in the last two weeks. What is it that you are so desperate to find?”

“How is it that you know who I am?” he asked.

“I’ve been following you since you were born. As I did your father and his father before,” she replied. 

The king had heard stories of such guardian spirits, but up until now, they were just stories. Without any hesitation, the King unburdened himself to the old woman. 

“The answer is simple, but not without risk.” She said, “You must do what your heart tells you and become the person you were meant to be.”

And so it was. King Kaden removed all of his advisors. He left them with some money and small plots of land, giving them each the choice to leave the kingdom if they desired. With insufficient funds to live in the luxury they were used to, most departed to find places elsewhere to work their lies. Once the truth is out, liars and cheats must pay the consequences. 

King Kaden named Sir Hector his chief advisor, with the instructions that the populace choose his fellow advisors. The one criterion for the position of advisor was honesty and truth. 

It took time for the people of the kingdom to change their opinions. When the king walked amongst them, he was not in disguise. He knew that trust had to be earned.

As King Kaden stood and looked up at the sky that shone over his kingdom, he could have seen the miserable place he had ruled. But the sky was bright, and he somehow felt he was headed in the right direction.*

As for the kingdom’s people, they eventually came to accept and enjoy their fate. They could only say it just “happened to happen” and was not very likely to happen again. **

The last lines are taken from:

* – Stuart Little by E. B. White

** – The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins by Dr. Seuss

H – Heck in a Handbasket

Wallace and his wife, Eileen, were walking in the park one day. What had started out as a nice sunny day suddenly became cloudy, and it began to sprinkle. 

They had been married for over twenty years, but those years weren’t the happiest in their lives. Wallace and Eileen may have loved each other at one time, but recently, their conversations always ended in arguments. Today was no different. 

“Did you bring the umbrella?” Eileen asked. 

“Why should I have brought an umbrella? It was sunny outside.” was Wallace’s reply. 

Eileen was quick to respond, “I told you it might rain! You never listen to me.”

Wallace replied, “I would listen to you if you had something to say.”

This conversation was getting slightly more animated than usual and went on for a few more minutes when Eileen decided she had enough.

“You can go to HECK!” she screamed at Wallace, which was not exactly the word she was thinking of saying, but considering they were in a public park, she showed some control. 

Wallace was quick with his answer and controlled himself as well: “If anyone in our family is going to HECK, it’s you, not me!”

The rest of the day was a blur to them. They hadn’t noticed a strange-looking old man sitting on a bench near where they were arguing. After overhearing their comments to each other, a playful smile appeared on his face. He got up, walked between them, excusing himself, and uttered a few unintelligible words. 

They paid little attention to the man as he walked past, so they had no inkling of what he had said, not that they would have understood anyway. But, had they paid attention, they might have recognized the word “Heck.”

Ten years passed. Wallace and Eileen continued to live together as their children grew up. Wallace was 78 when he passed away. 

The funeral was short, and the speeches of remembrance from family and friends were also. Wallace was peacefully laid to rest in the family plot. And life went on. 

Eileen lived for another fourteen years. Her funeral was also brief. Friends and family attended, and her children and grandchildren delivered speeches of remembrance. She, too, was peacefully laid to rest in the family plot next to Wallace’s grave. And for the rest of the world, life went on. 

Eileen found herself in a marketplace. She looked around, and all she could see was emptiness, no people. It was like she was part of something, but not sure what it was. Looking out, she could clearly see the marketplace. There were different stalls, each containing some items to sell. Some were fruit stands. Some were gaming stalls. Some stalls had flowers arranged in beautiful bouquets. Some had lots of colored and varied yarn, with beautifully knitted and crocheted apparel samples. There was a gated area with lots of animals and other living creatures.

“It’s about time you got here,” said a familiar voice slightly below her position. 

“Wallace,” she said, “Is that you?”

“Who else would it be,” was his reply. “I’ve had a lot of time to think about you while I was gone. I missed you.”

Considering how tainted her memories were, this was a shocking revelation to Eileen. “Where are we? And how are we here? You died 14 years ago?”

“As did you two days ago,” was his response. “As I understand it, we are exactly where we said we would be.

“What?”

“When you can manage it, try to twist around and look up over this enclosure we’re in,”  said Wallace.

It took a moment for Eileen to realize she did not have human form. She could hear things going on in the marketplace and see everything around her: behind her, in front of her, above and below, inside and outside. Looking opposite the market she noticed that she was in an enclosure made up of woven fiber, possibly of reeds or plant material. She also became aware that she was part of that fiber. Following Wallace’s suggestion, she looked above her at a sign that read. “Heck’s Baskets. They’ll hold all your precious possessions. They last forever.” Eileen was stunned. 

“As I said,” Wallace spoke out a few woven fibers below her, “I’ve had time to think about you and what you meant to me.  This basket is ours. Granted, there are some flaws in its design, but on the whole, it is a strong, well put together, and meant for the two of us.” 

“But why? And how?”

“I believe it had to do with a discussion we were having in a park some twenty-four years ago. All I can say is that I’m glad we used the language we did that day. As I recall, we debated who would go to heck when they died and who wouldn’t. It turns out we both told the truth.”

Eileen thought a while about what Wallace had said. As she did, vivid memories of their life together flooded her mind. Her feelings and resentment toward Wallace began to change. She began to relish the years when they first met. As those affections flourished, she could see and feel the basket she was part of growing. 

Wallace also felt the change. Instead of being a separate strand in the basket, his position moved closer to Eileen’s until they were directly connected. 

Somewhere in a park sat a strange-looking old man. And he smiled.