Are we there yet?

        It was a little after 7 P.M. Eastern Standard Time Monday, September 4th as the five childhood friends relaxed on the dock on the shores of the Great Sacandaga Lake, in various states of intoxication. The group hadn't been all together in several years,  as the demands and commitments of life that interfere with once-daily relationships took their toll. This was especially true in this case- ten years out from graduation. College,  jobs,  relationships, and the nightmare years of COVID had sent them on separate paths that made the occasional get-togethers a little more awkward,  although full of enthusiasm.  Melinda,  Ashley, Carrie,  Bethany,  and Kaylee managed to evade any other responsibilities that otherwise would have killed their reunion plans on Labor Day weekend.  Melinda's parents owned a lakeside camp that had been in the family for years and no one else had plans to use it. The quintet met at Melinda's  Albany apartment on Friday morning and made the forty-five-minute drive to their great escape in Melinda's Honda. 

       They weren't the partying crowd- they all loved school and trended toward the nerdy.  Ashley and Kaylee were teachers. Bethany and Melinda were working while going to graduate school. Carrie was the agreed-upon genius. She had been their valedictorian and accumulated several graduate degrees, mostly in science.  She worked in a lab in Boston making a boatload of money while going through medical school. They arrived in high spirits at the Adirondack-style camp that was rustic yet homey. They were loud and hysterical,  reverting to their teenage behavior with their inhibitions fading.  There were great expectations for the weekend and their hopes were not dashed.  The weather cooperated fully - it was warm and sunny with the hint of autumn coolness that made the evening campfires a much-looked-forward-to activity.  They agreed upon a 10 to 10 schedule- with only minor objections.  They stuffed themselves from dawn till dusk - with mostly gluten-free or vegan options.  They grossed each other out with extreme food combinations,  were in and out of the lake all day, managed to capsize the kayaks, and played Dungeon and Dragons, Catan, and Sushi-Go. Carrie was almost hit in the head with an errant horseshoe.  It was a magical time as if they were transported back to their high school years without missing a beat.  

     Their collective state of euphoria dampened a little on Monday when they learned that the singer from Smash Mouth a band from their childhood- had passed.  The fact that they would be driving home and going back to their separate lives was giving them a dose of reality.  There were several boxes of flavored alcoholic seltzer yet unopened- so they hit upon the awesome idea of playing, "Never have I ever." They headed down to the dock in the late afternoon and sat in a circle,  ready for the last fun activity of their weekend.  Carrie was the master yet again.  She had a photographic memory of what her friends had done and she had not.  It also helped that she was a goody-two-shoes and had a more serious demeanor,  so it was less likely that she did any crazy,  embarrassing,  or risky things.  Carrie didn't have to take a drink when the questions of using someone else's toothbrush,  kissing more than one person in 24 hours,  stealing something,  cheating on a test,  or clogging someone else's toilet were posed.  Ashley made Carrie chug at the statement,"Never have I ever broken a bone."  Bethany fared well also- she had a rather religious upbringing that managed to curb some of her natural inclinations.  The remaining trio was more or less in the same boat- not completely drunk or sober, just more than slightly buzzed.  Their laughter echoed over the lake-  a combination of their childlike delight at each other's company,  the absurd questions, and the alcoholic seltzer.  As they watched the sun sink further and further on the horizon,  the group seemed to be suddenly injected with a dose of seriousness.  Ashley sighed,  "I wish this day and the summer would never end!" Bethany broke into the song,  "Walkin' on the Sun", by Smash Mouth.  They all joined in, with their varying abilities and knowledge of the lyrics.  They started the song over again and were halfway through when Carrie yelled suddenly, "The sun is going in reverse!"  This sobered up the friends very quickly as they watched this horrifying phenomenon unfold. Slowly but surely,  the sun seemed to rise gradually in the sky,  heading east instead of west and casting light instead of darkness all around them. They all stared hard at Carrie, waiting for the scientist amongst them to provide answers. 

       Carrie shouted, "The sun's magnetic field might be reversing!! The tilt of the earth could be shifting!! Maybe extreme sun explosions are causing solar flares!!  I don't think the sun is dying out,  though!!"  She fumbled for the cell in her shorts pocket.  It had been agreed upon,  pre-game, that Carrie would be the only one to bring their phone on the dock.  They didn't want to be distracted but needed one in case of emergency.  She was also most likely to win, be the most sober,  and least apt to fall into the lake with an electronic device.  They huddled around her while she searched the internet.  There were reports from Australia and Asia, which were on average 13 and 14 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time,  sliding back into darkness.  Most of Europe was still mercifully asleep.  The other three American time zones were experiencing the same event as the friends- everyone was in a panic that the sun was rising in the sky and scientists were scrambling to figure it out. Many of the 70000 people trapped in the mud at the Burning Man Festival in the Pacific Time Zone were convinced that it was the end of days and started partying harder. 

     Suddenly Bethany blurted out, "It is God who is doing this! Joshua asked God to cause the sun to stand still so the Israelite army could fight by daylight! A miraculous sign from God was offered for Hezekiah to make the sundial go backward!" The others looked at her in shocked disbelief. They were stupefied that she had such biblical knowledge. They became believers that this was a good omen because there were no atheists in foxholes. In a mad dash, they sprinted back to the camp to grab their cells. Bethany's track experience paid off and was off like a shot. Kaylee stopped mid-sprint to help Ashley get to her feet after she stumbled over a tree root. When they almost collectively squeezed themselves through the door,  they rushed to locate their phones that had been abandoned for the game.  The noise in the cabin rose to ear-splitting levels in everyone's frantic calls to their families. The television was snapped on to hear news of what the hell was happening. Everyone ran from the camp as fast as they entered, so they could make their declarations of love to their families and significant others in private,  perhaps for the last time. 

       Melinda was the only one left in the camp - she had not been able to reach her parents in North Carolina. Instead, she left a heart-wrenching message and flipped the channels for news.  The first station had three scientific experts arguing varying theories about this cataclysmic event and were almost coming to blows until the host separated them.  She pushed the remote button to the next channel.  A very agitated political operative red in the face with veins popping was yelling with the host nodding in agreement.  He screamed, "It's the environmentalists' fault with their damned wind turbines and solar panels!"  The next station explained that aliens were messing with us and the human race was most likely doomed.  Just then, logically Carrie ran in and outlined the plan agreed on by the others outside.  They were waiting in the car and would drive to Clifton Park to Carrie's parents' house,  which was centrally located.  Their families would meet them there and they could leave or hang out - Carrie and her mother had science contacts in high places.  Melinda was grateful to be going there and hugged Carrie hard. She handed the keys to sober Carrie. Melinda took the shotgun seat to guide them over the back roads to avoid potential traffic jams of panicked and desperate travelers.  Instead of "Never would I ever ", they played an improvised game of * Why do we love Melinda,  Ashley,  Carrie,  Bethany, and Kaylee? "  They took turns telling funny and touching stories about everyone in their special circle. The extreme emotions of the situation intermingled to create a maddening roller coaster that hurled them into unknown territory with the inability to get off the ride,

 Greece- September 1st 

       Zeus was sitting on what was once a happy fluffy Cumulus cloud that was now Cumulonimbus- also called a Thunderhead. The rain, lighting, and thunder matched his foul mood. Even the three-headed dog, Cerberus, licking his face with three tongues didn't improve his dark mood. He sat with his head in his hands, with the weight of the world on his shoulders.  He didn't hear his name called until the second time. His cousin,  Helios,  bellowed it from his golden chariot in the sky, drawn by four winged white horses. He circled and guided the creatures gently and carefully down to touch down beside Zeus.  Four feed-bags were strapped on the hungry beasts and Cerberus ambled over hoping for any stray droppings.  A quick check to ensure the sun was safely ensconced in the chariot was made before Helios took a seat beside Zeus. They both enjoyed each other's company and the inclement weather came to a halt. 

      "Isn't he supposed to be guarding Hades-keeping the dead from getting out?", inquired Helios, jerking a thumb at Cerberus. Zeus replied, " I don't give a rat's ass,  he deserves a break"  Helios continued his line of interrogation and asked, "How's Hera?"  Zeus shot him a  look that would kill and said in a loud whisper, " How many times have I told you not to mention her name? She has better hearing than this six-eared hound dog and she's liable to come here snooping if there's a bit of gossip.  She likes getting into my business.  Well, she went home for a visit- it's her mother's birthday." He rolled his eyes at the thought of his mother-in-law while grinning at the same time due to the fact Hera was gone. All rational thought seemed to leave the brain of Helios and he asked,  "How's Leto ?"  With that,  Zeus shot up and started kicking the cloud beneath them,  stirring up lightning bolts in his temper tantrum. Helios slapped his hand against his head and exclaimed, "I can't believe I screwed up again! You have relationships that are, well, complicated. " Helios meant that in the figurative and literal sense. Zeus was married to Hera and she was vengeful and jealous.  She also happened to be his sister.  Leto was his mistress and the mother of their twins, Apollo and Artemis. She was kind, mild and gentle. Zeus and Leto's relationship was less incestuous than his marriage- they were merely cousins.  

       Hellos struggled to gather his thoughts and the light bulb finally turned on. He asked in a low whisper this time, "Isn't Labor Day weekend the time you always visit Leto and the twins on the Island of Delos?"  Zeus nodded his head up and down sadly.  "Leto sent me a message saying the Greek wildfires were sending up a ton of smoke.  She was concerned about my asthma and thought I better not come. This climate change stuff is a beastly business." Helios nodded in agreement and the light bulb appeared for the second time.  "Hey, look what I have here !" he said. He reached under his tunic- Zeus wasn't sure if he was wearing underwear- and pulled out a travel brochure of the Adirondacks. "Nico gave me this last week when I flew by and invited me to use his place up there for the weekend",  Helios said.  Nico was also their cousin and made a fortune operating a chain of Greek restaurants.  They pored over the guide that described the delights the Adirondacks had to offer.  Helios said the camp was directly on the waterfront of a place called Lake George.  This area,  they went on to read,  long attracted the wealthy and famous since the 1800s. Nico claimed this scenic wilderness was even good enough for a Supreme Court Justice.  Zeus grew more and more excited about this positive turn of events.  He boomed happily, " We're going!!"  Suddenly, he sunk to the ground like a beaten dog,  totally forgetting Hera might appear.  He breathed a sigh of relief when they seemed to dodge the bullet once again.  They jumped in the golden chariot and Zeus whistled for Cerberus to hop in. He couldn't quite make it, and Zeus had to lift his hind end to assist him. They compiled a list of guests they would invite and pick up. The requirements were that they should be fun and not take themselves too seriously.  They also needed for them to be able to keep their mouths shut.  This whittled the amount down considerably.  Hellos yelled,  "Giddyap " and off they flew like Santa's sleigh to their end-of-summer adventure. 

       They first picked up Leto,  Apollo, and Artemis, who were ecstatic about their new exotic travel destination.  Poseidon, Dionysus, Hermes, Hercules, Aphrodite, and Athena rounded out the rest of the excursion.  Zeus was tempted to bring Eros, but his adolescent twins were going and he wanted a family-friendly vibe.  Helios made a great time and the party arrived at camp- more like a mansion-  Friday afternoon.  Nico's sons,  Junior and Nicos, gave them a tour of the palatial estate and guesthouse and got them settled in. Over the next three days,  the Greek Gods were introduced to the delights of luxury camping.  They were blown away by the novelty of American food- hot dogs,  hamburgers, corn on the cob, and smores. Poseidon adored lake swimming and fishing.  Dionysus was impressed by the variety of craft beers and insisted on sampling every alcoholic beverage in the house.  Everyone initially wanted Hercules on their team for cornhole, horseshoes, and beach volleyball,  but he didn't seem to know his strength and Hermes had to fly off constantly to retrieve items that were thrown a mile away.  Aphrodite was "Goddess Divine " in her bikini and no one could take their eyes off her. Athena read trashy novels. Artemis was gravely disappointed to find out that it was not hunting season.  Her dejection turned to elation when Nicos introduced her to photography and was almost as thrilled at capturing wildlife with a camera instead of a bow and arrow.  Everyone agreed their favorite thing to do was to sit around the fire pit at night,  stuff themselves with toasted marshmallows, and entertain each other with epics and family gossip.  Junior introduced them to ghost stories-which caused most to pull their hoodies up over their heads.  Cerberus waited for more hotdogs to sneak up on him or fall on the ground.  It was a magical time indeed. 

     Late Monday afternoon rolled around and the epic getaway was nearly at an end. Hera was due back from her mother's and Zeus didn't want to take the chance she'd come look for him. Everyone was playing beer-pong and Apollo asked Helios if he could take the chariot for a spin.  Helios and Zeus were engaged in heavy competition and both yelled, "Sure!!", without paying much attention.  Zeus added, "I wish this day would never end!!" 

       Helios flew off and headed east,  while the Gods partied on. It was nearly two hours later when Helios looked up and yelled,  "Holy Crap !! Apollo is flying the wrong way!! "  Zeus didn't seem to grasp the whole picture and asked, "What difference does that make?"  Helios said,  "You don't understand!! Time is reversing and people will be in a panic!! They think the world is ending and there will be chaos!! " He told Hermes to gather everyone together to leave and then he let out a decibel-piercing whistle.  They watched the sky as the chariot appeared, circled, and descended quickly. Zeus lit into Apollo and yelled, "What were you thinking? You flew east instead of west!"  Apollo said, "I did it for you because you said you didn't want the day to end!!"  The group's anger softened and Helios said,  "No harm, no foul. Probably nobody noticed. "  Athena put her arm around Apollo's shoulders and said, "We all have great power and can wield it for our benefit.  Consideration should be given to the greater good.  Many in power disregard this philosophy. "  The group nodded assent, climbed into the chariot,  thanked and said goodbye to their hosts,  and flew west into the sky.  They enthusiastically made a pact to return. 

      The Honda arrived at Carrie's house around two hours after the sun went backward.  Everyone's families were there except for Melinda's, but she had a heartfelt deep conversation with them by phone. The reunions were full of joy, tears, and uncertainty for the future.  They discussed news reports about people killing themselves,  looting, mass panic, and warnings not to look directly at the sun. Carrie motioned for her friends to join her in the backyard to look through her family's powerful solar telescope while everyone else went back inside to watch the news coverage. After about five minutes,  Carrie exclaimed,"I don't believe it!! "  The five took turns and all agreed they saw the same thing.  They yelled, "The sun is setting and we saw Santa Claus!! " Their eyes were filled with happiness and wonderment,  exactly as they looked when they met on their first day of kindergarten.