Metaphysical Cafe'

A single mother was driving her two children across country for a weekend visit to her mothers house.The car breaks down along the highway leaving the mother & boy & girl having to walk a mile to the nearest roadside Cafe. The year was 1962, before cell phones so she needed a telephone to call her insurance company. Setting her kids down at the diners table, she spotted a phone booth outside. She was talking for awhile where the boy wondered over to the cafe counterbar where a middle aged man sat revealing a glowing tattoed arm that the boy found interesting. "Whats that?" boy asked standing a few feet under his arm. The man wearing just a undershirt

motioned around in his stool with a few drops of Texas persperation on his face. "Its a tattoo kid, now get a move on." The boy went back to the table where the mother was returning from finishing her phone call. She let her kids know that someone from the car company will be there shortly. A waitress brought water & menus to the three, streatching her arm down placing the water, she revealed a glowing tattoo. The boy told that it was the same tattoo as the man at the counter. Outside there was a gust of wind when the door opened letting in a group of migrant workers. They all too had the glowing tattoo as if stamped like branded cattle. The waitress with a beehive hairstyle chewed her pen, waiting for them to order. Her name tag on her cotton uniform read, "Birtha" while the mother's name was Charlene. "excuse me, but what kind of tattoo is that?" Birtha batted her lashes and took out her order pad. "Why Everyone has the lights tattoed on their arm in Meryl county. " "What does it mean?" Their was another gust of wind when the Cafe door swung open where a police officer strud in. He had a stern look on his face. "I better get back to my customers" She nervously shruged away from their table, leaving them with just water. The insurance man showed up , driving them to their car where he filled the radiator and checked the oil. Starting up the automobile for her, he followed her safely to the small town of her destination.

It began to snow even though their was a hot burning sun as she parked her car in the driveway of her mothers A frame cabin. The boy and girl were happy to be done with the driving & snuggled into thier beds after grandmother served them a hot meal. Sitting at the dinner table, mother & daughter conversed. Outside the wind picked up blowing Texas tumbleweeds that bounced like puff balls in the fresh snow. Charlene looked down at the table and noticed a drawing her son had made of the strange tattoo he had seen. Her mother, Grandma Brandy asked her what he had drawn. "Its a drawing of a tattoo that all the folks had in roadside cafe . We were waiting there when our car stalled out. Charlene traced her index finger along the S design. " I wonder what it means?" "Sometimes men get drunk and get a tattoo that dosnt look so good when they sober up. " Brandy told. "But what does it mean?" "You can take it to the police station and see if anyone knows. Tattoos often identify a person. ""Id like to , but with the snow & wind gusting I will have to wait." Suddenly there was a knock on the kitchen door. As the wind must have heard her wish, outside stood the county sheriff with his pancho & duty hat. "Howdy folks." He tipped his hat at the two ladies. "Why what brings you here Sheriff?" Brandy asked as the sun began to set. "Im making my rounds checking up on the community, letting you know theirs a storm brewing outside that will last the weekend. " HIs thick eyebrows said with a concern. "Have you met my daughter Sheriff? She drove from Arizona for this snowy weekend." "Hello." Charlene smiled a big grin at the Sheriff. "Any daughter of Brandys must be special" He brushed some snow from his hat. Charlene still held the drawing of the tattoo in her hand . "Have you seen this symbol before?" "No I havnt but it looks like a road of some sort." Charlene explained that while in the roadside cafe all the folks had the symbol of what looked like glowing pearlywhite paint. "Let me get my map, I think I know the road" Sheriff went out to his vehical and brought back his map. Placing it down on the table he located a area with a road that resembled the symbol. "It could be here." "Whats the name of the road?" Grandma Brandy asked as she took out a homemade pie from the oven. "It dosnt say but I know the area and I can have a look for you if you like." "You just might find something." Brandy winked as Charlene had a worried look, telling Sheriff to be carefull."Ill have a drive out there as soon as the storm passes, and dont worry about me, Im a professional " He reasured Charlene. "It was nice to have you check in on us, would you like a piece of sweet potato pie?" "I cant resist a womens cooking." The three sat down and had pie & coffee as the local sheriff took the drawing and bid them a good evening.

The next few days passed quickly as the Sheriff was able to drive to the area once the snow had melted. He wasnt quite ready for what he found once he drove down the S street where he found a structure that was shapped like a steel mushroom.He had never seen a structure like it, as he got out of his duty car with gun & holster to investigate further. The sun was shinning brightly as his Sheriff star reflected the suns rays that matched the shiny steel building. It had a horseshoe shaped arch with two doors that had no doorhandles or windows. He pressed his palms on the door where a humming sound seemed to run electricity across the steel. The static made him jump back where a mechanical sound slowly opened up the heavy doors. Slowly Sheriff entered the oscillating domed structure entranceway. With his gun at his side, the only light he could see was a watery portal where he stuck his hand into the threshold. It seemed to pull him further, out of his realm as he took a step and submerged onto the other side of the event horizon. He transisted into another world where everything looked more vivid within a dense forest. Suddenly a band of figures appeared, all strangely dressed with rag-tag clothing and wooden like faces. The figures moved in and surrounded the man with the shiny star.

Moving in closer they resembled a army of some sort with primative weapons and that inky dark tattoo stamped on their handmade robes. They were all speaking a different language that made the lawman wish he had never gone through the portal. Theyhad a offensive attitude as the leader pointed a crossbow at him and took away his side arm. The leader of the pack grunted , gesturing to him to go back through the portal. Sheriff gladly agreed, feeling that he was not wanted in their territory. They next thing he knew he was back in the steel dome with the swirling pool of water sealed shut. He had only strange memories of his encounter. He was able to drive back to town where the next day the mother and daughter spotted him in a diner underneath the neon lights of a gas station. The storm had compleatly blown over as it seemed like summer outside. Charlene & mother Brandy just had to talk to him.

"Hiya Sheriff!." Charlene & mother walked up to his table where he sipped at his coffee. "Well...Did you find anything?" Brandy stifly asked. Looking tired, Sheriff looked up at the ladies and shook his head. "Naw..There aint nothin there." The two women looked at each other confused, then noticed a tattoo he revealed by his short sleaved off duty shirt. The same glowing tattoo they had seen before. It frightened the two as they ran back to their car. They didnt see the Sheriffs eyes change and turn glowing white . The same glow as the tattoo. He just sat there staring as if the experience had transformed him. Mother and daughter were back at the cabin discussing the strange abnormality "Why I never!" Charlene was piping mad. "Dont you fret honey, lets just forget about the whole thing." Her mother reasured, poring her a cup of warm tea. Outside, The sun in the sky doubbled to where their was now two suns burning its fuel side by side one bright yellow, the other with a glowing S symbol high in the sky.