End of the World

As I sat waiting at the Duke Eye Center for my turn for tests, etc. an 87-year-old man came in and sat next to me. His wife, a former nurse was also here for her checkup. He asked each one of us within the area where we were from and where we lived now. He obviously wanted to talk. As soon as someone answered he would have comments, personal ones to make about that place.

A bit later I happened to again sit near him in the ‘waiting for an injection’ area. The man seated on the other side of him was reading a book about angels. I was reading Beautiful Madness by James Dodson about gardening. The oldtimer apparently had not had enough of talking. This time he talked about his brother’s overnight cure of cancer by his own (the 87 year old) handling of crystals. Then he went on to tell us that a wealthy man hired 12 time travelers to find out when the world was going to end and how.

According to him, it will be this December when a meteor comes between the sun and the earth. I wanted to tell him that my card reader said I will be here until I’m at least 85 which will be into 2025. I had a few other comments to make to him but why take away his joy in delivering such news. 

I wondered how long he expected to live without the meteor prediction. Also where was he during the 'big crash of 2000' when the computer predictions were disastrous. Where do these people come from? And why do they gravitate to the seat next to me?