When Alice met Apollo

When Alice met Apollo.

‘Hi! regular?’

‘Yes hi! cappuccino, oat milk, dark roast and large…no, nothing else that’s fine, thanks… Who's that guy over there ? I’ve not seen him before.’

‘Him? Dunno, he’s been here a couple of times this week…he looks hot.’

‘Different kind of look-golden curly hair and that’s some costume he’s wearing.’

It’s a look.’

‘Sure is… I’m curious now… I think I might just wander over and introduce myself’

‘Whatever…for here or take away?

‘Oh sorry, yeah… for here.’

‘...No no please don’t stand … Hi, my name is Alice, can I join you?’

‘Yes sure…grab a chair.’

‘Not seen you here before. How’s things?’

‘Okay.’

‘Just okay? You’re not from round here are you?’

‘Not too far away…just visiting.’

‘ Relatives? or just looking around? There’s not a lot to see apart from the old temple on the corner of Midden and the High Street...’

‘Yeah I visited that place and I was so frustrated that the temple I’ve known from way back was locked. I unlocked the place and it was musty, cold and empty.’

‘The temple has been unused for years …in fact it's due for demolition...the last time the place was used was ages ago …my old school put on a play …a play about Prometheus- a play about myths and gods….and you said it was locked? So how did you open the temple doors?’

‘Ahh… Prometheus. He did push his luck and got what was coming to him. You guys got fire, he got a rock...and an eagle …in my opinion that’s over the top…and you asked how did I get into the temple? .. I used my powers to open the lock on the temple. But, you know what, Prometheus is a great reminder- don’t abuse or misuse what you have been given… I have to be careful how I use my powers… push your luck and… boom… or rocks or worse.’

‘Powers? What powers?’

‘ I’m from just over there …Mount Olympus…I’ve been sent by my fellow gods - the Pantheon. We're trying to figure out why so many of you have shut us gods out of your thinking or living.’

‘Pantheon?’

‘Yes… sorry, let me introduce myself , I’m Apollo… music and poetry, healing and plagues, prophecy and knowledge, order and beauty, archery and agriculture, that kind of stuff….that’s my vibe…you can check me out on your smart phone if you like-just google Apollo or the Pantheon you’ll find me there.’

‘You’re a god!’

‘Yes sure.’

‘Prove it.’

‘You want me to prove it?’

‘Yes… prove it.’

‘Well it all started with….’

‘ No no, I don’t want a story, I want you to prove to me you are a god… do something ‘god like’’

‘ Okay, look at your hand.’

‘What the fuck! What have you done? Is that what I think it is? Leprosy!’

‘No it’s okay….don’t panic, don't forget I am a god…look again.’

‘Ohhh, it's gone, I think. Yes, it's gone. So what else can you do?’

‘Do you want to look like a goddess? I think from the twinkle in your eye that’s a yes. So Alice…..buckle up.’

‘Oh wow, I love this Columbia pictures image. And my hair! Jeez that would cost serious dollars…Okay…this is impressive… now play me some music …harp music if you’ve got one on you!’

‘On me-no…but I’ll get one…you want a harp, you shall have a harp. I haven't been asked to play that instrument for a while… and just give me a mo… the Olympians are transporting it as we speak-it’s no problem… just a bit large to fit through the ether…and, they never tune the thing before they send it…I keep telling them, look, two minutes to set it up they just say you’re the music god it’s your job- you tune it up…honestly, if we all behave like that we’d get nothing done …anyway just a minute and I’m there.’

‘Through the ether? How’s that work?’

‘Well… It's a bit like your Internet. Each of us is connected no matter where we are…we have fixed connectivity that stays there unless one of us does something Dad doesn’t like then he shuts down the network until he’s convinced we have learned a lesson.’

‘Dad? You’ve got a Dad?’

‘Yes of course- you have a Dad right? So like you guys we too have forebears and things.’

‘Whose your Dad?’

‘Zeus.’

‘Zeus is your Dad!’

‘ And mum is Leto. She goes back to the Titans… but that's another story.’

‘This is a joke, a spoof’

‘No … all true…always keep on the right side of Dad, Zeus, and don’t upset some others… like Nemesis, a lovely woman just don’t get on the wrong side of her…the Furies are a bit wild and Hades-Dad’s brother- is just plain weird…but things can come to a sudden end with Nemesis…harp has arrived! Here we go, what do you think of this sonata?’

‘ No one has played anything like that to me before-romantic or what! I’m your girl Apollo. Let's get to know each other better.’

‘Better?…not a good idea Alice…the union of humans and deity is a stretch too far. It always leads to problems, let alone any offspring that arrive.’

‘Offspring…union with a god…god! If it's anything like your harp playing I’m up for a bit of union.I’ll dress like Columbia pictures for you. You do like Columbia pictures?’

‘Alice…lets get real- and I would appreciate your help , please tell your friends and others about the Pantheon and us gods so that they too will believe and return to worship and having us gods at the center of their lives- the pantheon.’

‘Tell them! my friends !...that won't work Apollo…they will say we don’t believe you Alice, or,they will say what are you on! Or they will tell me to ‘get your mate’ Apollo to come here- with Zeus- then we can talk.,I tell you now that’s pretty much exactly what they will say.’

‘I hear you Alice but please try.’

‘Alice… come on! who needs gods when we have science and the Internet… god he’s just trying to get into your pants.’

‘I offered that and he said no!’

‘Is he gay?’

‘Guys… please…. Look, all I’m asking is to keep an open mind . He's at the cafe now. I mean you all believe the story about the Big Bang-thats taken as gospel, but close minds for the gods,why, it’s no more or less fantastic than the Bang Theory-right?

‘ A god at the cafe? What’s he drinking? …flat white!’

‘ Guys come on please…look gotta go, I’m going to give your feedback to Apollo. Not sure what he'll make of it.’

‘Hi Alice…how’d it go?’

‘ Despite all my rhetoric and oratory…and thanks for those ultra cool skills… the story was not enough. They want to meet you… or Zeus… then they might think about it…believe is a bit of a stretch….. but they do believe in the Big Bang theory.’

‘No shit! , yeah the Big Bang theory puts no demands on you or them…belief in the gods brings with it commitments and obligations. So what most earthlings do is create any gods they think might exist in their own image.That’s the irony. We created them in our image and they have turned that full circle they created us in their image…Alice, look at the time! I have to go now…. I am only allowed a limited time on earth.’

‘Will I see you again? Tell me more stories about Olympus…and maybe… just saying … maybe we have a date?’

‘Alice… If you believe-have faith- you can see me any time you like. And stories…okay… I’ll tell you about the Labyrinth next time … and the Minotaur…that Minotaur still scares the living bejesus out of me’

‘So it’s a good story?’

‘Like all good stories it's so fantastic, so nearly unbelievable yet so possible that makes it so readable and engaging. It’s an experience you hear others are having and wonder how you would cope given the same challenge. But no spoilers-you’ll love it. I’m out of here. Thanks for trying Alice, I'm gone.’

‘Bye! Bye. Please come back some time soon.’