Louise 5-R-6 FPE

FICTION

AN FP FROM OUTER SPACE

After a year of astrophysical work at California Neo-Dynamics, I was ready for a vacation in the north woods. For a month, no scientific nor philosophical thought would be entertained. No computers nor mathematical equations.

The Grand Tetons were all that I knew them to be; glorious, top- less mountains, lush forests, lakes of blue purity, no humans around.

I pitched camp, put a burlap bag of cans of beer in a cold spring and went fishing. Caught a three pound trout in 15 minutes. A. bear sniffed around later but ran when I threw a rock at him.

In the morning

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pure air, golden and green hills and a cobalt blue sky. The lake was more a green color. Here was perfection; why should man aim for the stars? Why couldn't he be satisfied?

My coffee was delicious; so were the bacon and beans. During the day I read a novel the first chance 1 had had to do so in a year. All was tranquillity, beauty and stillness.

The next day, a strange helicopter type of thing hovered briefly over my lake and soon shot away. It had no propellers. I picked some berries and caught a bass for supper. There were cotton tail rabbits and deer about, but I didn't have the heart to shoot one. In the evening - a sudden storm. Monumental lightning, deafening thunder, then a downpour of heavy rain. I took off my clothes and walked; it was indescribably wonder- ful; a rapport with nature. The cosmic force which pervades the universe seemed to speak to me, but I could not understand. A terrified deer ran past. He too did not understand.

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