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Despite the fact that Osmo and Sheila stood them up, Albert Zoeniga and Jane Ashton still enjoyed the beach. Truth to tell, Jane thought they enjoyed their time alone more with the absence of Mr. Wonderful. Mita Morgan, on the other hand, only stayed another fifteen minutes when it became clear Osmo Martin had other plans.

Albert and Jane didn't have the beach to themselves; tourists flocked the shoreline. Nevertheless, Jane Ashton found it so much roomier. Probably because Osmo's ego didn't blot out the alien sun, its rays being soaked up by the crowds.

Albert Zoeniga relaxed, watching the surf wash the sand. When he grew bored, he and Jane found a volleyball game going on further down the shore and joined in. These guys could play, and hard! They tired Albert Zoeniga and Jane Ashton, and yet, like Osmo, they couldn't beat Albert.

Afterward, as they sipped drinks at an old trailer-sized concession stand setting in the sand, Jane complimented Albert on his playing, her eyes bright from marveling at his skills. "I thought you were going to pop that ball, the way you were hitting it over the net."

"I can't help it. I play to win. Why play if you don't mean it? Too bad Osmo didn't show. He can usually give me some competition- before I squash him. Maybe that's why he didn't- to avoid embarrassment. These other guys were good, too, but Osmo really gives me a challenge."

She agreed, saying, "I must admit, Osmo is good at the game. But you are better." Then a thought occurred to her, causing her to laugh.

“What's tickling your funny bone, Jane?"

"I know I'm not much of a theologian, Albert, or anything like that, but that sermon this morning- Yikes! I don't even call that a sermon. I think the preacher should adopt your philosophy- 'Why play if you don't mean it?' Why preach if you don't mean it."

"So, you don't think the preacher meant what he said?"

"Of course not. Do you?"

"Well, I have to say, I don't think he was very serious about teaching the people about God, that's for sure," Albert parsed. "But he did seem serious about praising the Governor and the state, however. I found the whole service rather dissatisfying, very disappointing, and rather disturbing. He really seemed not to talk much about God. And whoever heard of edited pew Bibles?"

"Hey, maybe he did talk about god. His god. Maybe the government is his god, huh?" Jane Ashton suggested.

There was a commotion behind the food stand’s counter. In the back of the structure, an older woman complained, "Now how did that buffalo get in here? It must be a wild one- Yikes, it's charging!”

Jane Ashton and Albert Zoeniga watched the creature charge the middle-aged woman from a corner of the small room behind the customer counter. She nimbly side-stepped it and yanked a mixing bowl on top of it, trapping it.

“That should hold it!” declared the woman. “These hybrids can be pests when they attack in great numbers, but by themselves, they are easy to take care of. And very tasty. The scientists may have found a way to reduce their size and make them prolific, but they kept the taste in these new buffalo!"

The tiny animal, trapped under the bowl, could be heard bashing the sides of the bowl, trying to free itself.

"You have quick hands," said Albert. "You should have been on our volleyball team."

The middle-aged woman behind the counter gave a laugh. "Sorry, my volleyball days are over. This stand tires me enough as it is." It was obvious she had no helper with her at the stand, so she had to do everything. The lady came over and refilled Albert's iced water. "You two tourists enjoying our little planet?”

“Well, it's a nice place to visit," said Albert Zoeniga. "We are celebrating finishing our schooling. But I don't know if it is a nice place to live. I see a lot of tired faces around town. Not just yours."

"Thanks for the compliment. Just what a girl wants to hear."

Jane punched Albert's arm. "Next time think before you speak!"

In a lowered voice, the counter lady said, "We citizens no longer have that sense of optimism that we first had when we migrated here. Honestly, this world has failed to live up to its name Hope. At least for us who moved here and live here. It might benefit Earth a little because of the power fuel angle, but we who are actually on the World of Hope... I guess whether on Earth or on this rock, God seems to be telling us something, maybe, about the human condition, for it seems life is hard for almost everyone everywhere."

Jane Ashton agreed. "I noticed that, too."

The woman, whose badge read Kelli, continued, in even quieter tones, "And our state chaplains are no help. They can't give any light on how to be happy. I know you know what I mean, 'cause I just heard you folks critiquing the church service. Those services are the blind leading the blind.”

“Yeah, too bad." Albert shrugged. "Well, what can you do? I guess the congregation needs a little spark of fire from God... Maybe that would help things. But I don't mean to judge and criticize. I am merely a visitor. Now when I was a kid, the preacher at the church we went to- Now that man could preach!"

"We all can use a little spark of fire from God, all through our lives, until we reach that bright morning," sighed Kelli, somewhat joylessly. "Most of us common people lack much of a quality of life these days. Too much minding our business from the government. Too much regulation, and mandatory walking the line, so to speak. Many of the staff of the Governor also suffer from malaise. That's why the government encourages attending those state-approved services, to try and control that dissatisfaction with the way the Governor runs the show. He thinks that religious leaders can brainwash the people into believing what he does is God's will, and God's will also is that we dare not question Gov. Bright. And this will make us happy. He's gotten a lot worse since his sister died, may she rest in peace. Only God can keep us from letting the disappointment of life on this world wear us out.”

“Wow." Jane Ashton found it depressing to listen to this woman, but she and Albert stayed and talked. "So now we get a glimpse of behind the scenes on the World of Hope."

"Yah," Kelli agreed.

Albert Zoeniga had had no idea that this was how the citizens viewed life here. "You don't see that in the news."

"Of course not. Gov. Bright makes sure a cheerful spin is put on the news, so that Earth thinks we are all having a good time here. He doesn't want Earth to kick him out of his position. He says he does what he does for our own good. I have to admit, though, at least he fights Earth about how they shortchange us. He is right about that. The Earth Leaders are always finding ways to cheat us on our proceeds for the fuel ore. I suppose maybe he really believes everything that he does, he does for us. Me, personally, I prefer more freedom, not so much dictatorship. I prefer to worship the way I think God wants me to worship. And I certainly think it is wrong to censor the Bible."

Albert listened and wished he were able to do something for the people- Who wouldn't want to help after hearing Kelli's stories of oppression and poverty? However, he was only a visitor. All he could do is to try to have what fun he could while his vacation lasted, and once back home maybe he could call attention to the trouble here, whatever it was exactly that Kelli found so dispiriting.

"I heard in times past, the saints of old leaned on God for strength. But how can anyone draw strength from such a worship service like the one we went to this morning?" wondered Jane Ashton.

"Gov. Bright doesn't have a monopoly on worship services,” answered Kelli. "He wants to, but he doesn't.”

Albert Zoeniga  asked, “Do you mean there are underground churches, then, that don't get or meet the approval of the state, like when the Christians met in the catacombs under the city during persecution."

"Kind of like that."

Albert told Jane, half seriously, , "I think we should have gone to one of those this morning. No doubt a much more edifying service. We wasted our Sunday morning with the service we sat through.”

“Almost slept through,” admitted Jane Ashton.

"There should be a service there tonight time, if you're interested," said Kelli. "You're more than welcome to attend."

"Oh? Where?" Albert politely asked.

Other customers were coming over now, calling out orders to Kelli. She scribbled something on Albert's napkin and asked, "Will there be anything else, sir? Ma'm?"

"No, that's all, thank you," replied Albert. He put the napkin in his pocket and forgot about it while Kelli tended to the new customers.

(c) 2011 drk