I guess we’ve all been there. We’ve been where explanations search for answers. We’ve been at a point at which we’ve allowed ourselves to start over. And we’ve been where we’ve found new possibilities, and new constructive areas near the sun, but inside the heart.

            And sure, it would be nice to say that what follows here follows traditional literary forms. And, arguably, readers have the right to hold such an expectation before they begin processing a written piece. But, from what I’ve learned, style and format were never terribly significant to the person to be discussed here. Thus, I fear the chaotic and formless lifestyle this person sometimes necessarily, and other times without necessity pursued, will now set a vague tone for this admittedly rather “choppy” second installment of homage to the underground’s newly crowned monarch.

            And today recognition will be granted to the king. But today this writer also can’t help but note the unfound black cat looking out at the overcast. And the writer, I believe, should also note how that cat sees unbound black birds on the lawn on a day when it may have been May, but perhaps it was another time – another time when it was difficult to determine what time it actually was, and when those who were so concerned about the misdeeds of some, then had their own misdeeds, or at least their verbalizations of gossip revisited.  

            I was supplied with some memories of the past, some beliefs about the present, and some conjectures concerning the future. And from those I proposed to submit my second installment of  tribute to a man I consider a friend – a man whom the leader of our city says should be looked upon as a king of much that’s unknown, and much that’s been left unsaid, and much that’s been related via half-truths and fabrications. And, I believe he’s surely earned his crown. Thus, all hail king of the underground!    

            No one can ever know anyone substantially. To me, that’s a known fact, but I also know that some disagree with that statement. Yet, if pressed to tell the truth, most would have to agree that much more remains undocumented than has ever been learned of through sight, sound, the written word, or verbal communication.

            And frankly, I don’t care what all the “good guys” and “good gals” may think about the man I’m about to reference. In my opinion, his is a richly deserved monarchy. Still, I do have some concerns for him and the existential crown he’s been granted.

            Stay far from him all you of the far right and far left of the political spectrum! And don’t try to place him at the gas chambers, or at the federal buildings that were bombed, or at the non-federal buildings which were deliberately hit by airplanes, or at the places of mass murders committed by people of mental defect.

            And don’t write him into scripts in which he’ll need to walk down treacherous walkways from which all who’ve treaded there before him have long since walked away. And don’t expect him to show an abundance of caring now – now, that it’s too late to reciprocate what was and wasn’t given.

            And keep him safe from a growing multitude which says “If we can’t beat them in the arena of public opinion, and if they still continue to elect candidates to public office, then we’ll simply ridicule them. We’ll say all sorts of nasty stuff about them, accuse them of breaking laws they didn’t break, and try to remove them from public office by using as evidence against them phony dossiers which we and/or our friends ourselves wrote.”

“And we’ll settle extra Hispanics in certain swing states to make sure we win the presidency next time. And we’ll start a number of ridiculous rumors, such as that numerous animals and fish will be extinct by the 2040’s; when what really should be feared about that decade is how a non-Hispanic minority will be treated by what may become its class of Hispanic overlords. And of course we’ll continue to write about and verbalize all the usual supposed environmental threats.”

            But I want to be sure you understand that for a while now I’ll wish to leave guesses behind. And I’ll opt out for what seems to be verifiable truth.

Yet, I know nothing for certain except that time continues on. And I have a picture of Time. She’s standing before me. She’s drying her dark blue eyes and black hair.

And she’s entangled amongst some wires and improperly plugged in plugs. And she says “Give me your full mental attention. Don’t have, as FJ used to say ‘your mind not on your work.’”

But once, a long time ago, FJ and two others were walking back to his car which was parked in an outer portion of Montreal when suddenly they heard what most assuredly must have been a drunken man singing “What A Friend We Have In Jesus.” And through a drunken gaze the inebriated man spotted FJ and the others. “Do you know that you have a friend in Jesus?” he asked of FJ.

And FJ replied “Yes, I believe He’s my friend and Savior, but thinking about Him and people like you doesn’t make any money for me.”

Oh, just now I’m looking through a window here. And I’m seeing what I’m sure is an unreal face staring back at me. And because I don’t believe it’s real I’m imagining it’s an approximation of what someone imagined the image of a so-called “common man” would appear as were it to be personified.

And the personification of common man speaks, “Is it true that most commoners prefer to remain faceless? Maybe by continuing on in non-descript fashions, those commoners feel they can best leave their marks upon humankind. But then again, why should it be important to mere commoners to have an impact upon society?”

Once, a long time ago, FS, who had the lifestyle in his mid and later years of becoming drunk on each of the five weekdays (never on Saturday or Sunday), apparently lost consciousness and experienced a nasty fall upon a concrete floor in one of the non-house structures that were located on FJ’s property. And he must have lain there for some time then, as in his inebriated state he was unable to get up. Yet, he was fortunate in three ways that day:  One, a local non-conformist, who happened to be walking by, spotted him, and assisted him to his feet. Two, he hadn’t broken any bones or injured himself, though he had a number of bruises, and Three, he and the despiser of conformity were able to “cover up” the incident such that it was never learned of by anyone – until now.

Yes, until now when we’ve finally realized that so much we suspected may have occurred, has now appeared as truthful. Oh, I guess in those days we were grasping at straws that were slightly beyond our reach! And maybe sometimes we succeeded, but usually we failed to recast ourselves as different players, playing different roles than those which the so-called common day role players expected us to pursue.

And many years went by then. And we learned then of all the great crimes and political manipulations which had been perpetrated over the course of those years. And many of us came to believe in the right, and fear the left. And in that fashion of rightness many of us spent our working years.

But there are times of reflection. And sometimes no doubt some of the following scenarios return to one’s recollection:  Maybe it was the last day of one’s enrollment at a certain educational institution, or the last day of one’s employment at a certain job or profession, or maybe it was the end of one’s romantic involvement with someone else, or, maybe it was even one’s realization that not much time remained in his or her earthly life, or in that of a cherished friend, relative, or loved one.

And yes, as earthlings we did commit some evil deeds. Yet, we asked forgiveness from those who were impacted by those deeds. And, we asked forgiveness also from our Spiritual Master, but not from the “status-quo,” nor from Lucifer and his apostles.

And I’ll end here with a confrontation which may or may not have ever occurred. It was reported to me by the king of the underground himself, but before he began to relate it, he winked his right eye.

Apparently the king was, without accompaniment, enjoying a meal at one of his favorite restaurants one day when a young man approached his table and asked if he might join the king. The king replied “Sure,” but immediately noticed what he termed a “substantial strangeness” about the stranger.

And before the king could ask the stranger who he was, he noticed that his guest was becoming older! He was actually changing from a young man, probably in his twenties, to a middle aged man, and then to an elderly, and then to a very old man! And after he’d become extremely old in appearance, he reverted back to being a very young man again, and continued this process for the duration of his chat with the king.

“Who are you?” asked the king.

“I am the greatest nemesis known to mankind, though nowadays many say their greatest nemeses are such things as environmental and/or over-population concerns.”

“Oh God!” shrieked the king.

“Please don’t use the G word in my presence” replied the stranger. “I, and some of my followers revolted against his laws and mercies long ago.”

“Then you do admit you and your followers made a mistake?”

“Yes, we made a mistake,” replied the prince of darkness. “But, unlike humans still alive today, we’ll never be able to find forgiveness for what we’ve done. And what we did was certainly the greatest mistake, violation, crime, or whatever you may wish to term it, that’s ever been committed. And it can never be undone!” And with this said, Lucifer disappeared into thin air!

The king then finished his meal. He left a tip at his table. He went to the counter to pay his bill. He exited the restaurant. And outside he acknowledged how time continues to pass by.