Journal

    ST. PETE'S BAR & GRILLE FAMILY PICNIC

    Tuesday, April 13, 2010, 6:03 AM [General]

       Standing on the back porch of ST. Pete's Bar & Grille,  Birk wonders how his Boys are doing as he has been made aware that their Mother has just gotton in her car to come and pick them up.

     

     If she drives straight to the house, she will be there in 75 minutes.

       Birk's thought shifts to Felicia's Grandmother Betty.  A Dear Sweet woman who lives just two and a half miles from the front steps of  KASSEL BIRKEN.

     As he is filled with love and appreciation, Birk sends this Loving thought to his ex wife.

      Knowing exactly where to find his Son Jacob, Birk makes his way down the stairs, and across the patio to the edge of the forest, behind a huge lilac bush where there is a large sandy strip of beach around a small shallow pond.

    Passing effortlessly thru the lilac barrier, Birk  first spots the Family Dragon, Aldread curled up in the sand,right next to his boy, taking a nap, half buried so Jacob could use him for a Mountain that is inhabited by little toy Dragons.

      Without saying a word he edges closer to the sand pit with the pond in the middle to take in his lovely Sons creation, when it suddenly dawns on Birk that he was looking at a perfect depiction of the Island of Kericho.

      The only known protected Dragon habitat in this time.

     Suddenly his Blackberry rings a familar tune, as expected...

     

      "Hello"

     "Hows it going?"

     " Great how about You?"

     "I'm Good, How are the Boys?"

     They are filthy", Birk chuckles because he knows whats coming next." But they are having a blast.'

     "OH"  Dead silence....

      "Well...   I thought I would pick up my mom and Stop at Grandma's with the Boys."

      "OH...  So you need them to be hosed down and smelling sweet in what? Two Hours?.

     "Well...  My Mom wants to stop at Hobby Lobby, and I thought I would take her out for lunch first.

     "So What 6 hours?  I will make sure they are well fed.  Its your call..."

     "Six!  No We wont be that long."

      "Are you sure?"  Birk is still chuckling.   'I have never gone shopping with you mother. but I have heard the stories.

    But I have been shopping with you. Call me when you are done and on your way...

      I promise to deliver three boys guaranteed to pass the Great Grandma Sniff test.  I would let you talk to Jacob but he is quite busy playing with his Dragon."

      "Thats Ok.  I am at My Moms so I will talk to you later."

      "Cool. Take your time and have fun.  Bye."

     "Goodbye."

     

    "Aldread...  Did you take Jacob to Kerico?"
      A Womans gentle voice suddenly envelopes the group, as Aldread responds with nothing more then a hmmph, to blow the sand out of his nostrils as he opens his Caribean Blue eyes, when he is awakened, not by Birk, but by his Mothers voice.
     
     "He Didn't.   I Did."
    A turquoise Butterfly, with red spots and yellow markings, comes floating down from the oak branches and hovers directly over Birk's autistic son, who has yet to acknowlege his fathers presense.
     "Over a month ago, the other boys were teasing him and taking his toys just to hear him protest.  I intervened and we disappeared for a little while just to give the others a moment to reflect their own wellbeing."
           "Thank You Ezra, for looking over both our boys."
          Birk bows to the Butterfly which is in fact one of only 6 remaining shapeshifting Dragons left on the entire planet. Her son Aldread,who has been Birks constant companion since his hatching was fortunate enough, not to wander off before he was capable of having his mother teach him how to shapeshift.
      Dragons must be taught how to Shapeshift as infants within days of their birth. In human time it is typically between six and nine months.
       Dragons don't need to be fed. They are born already knowing what they like. They do not need to be taught how to hunt. But Ezra was determine to to do everything in her power to allow her son to mature enough to comprehend what she is teaching him.  It was for this reason, did she allow Birk to be present at the moment of his emergence from his egg and encouraged him to feed her son oreo cookies for his first meal.


    Birk kicks off his shoes and Steps into the sand pit which is immediatly transformed to the beach at the foot of the only mountain on the Island of Kericho.

      Walking over to his Son Who appears to be a twenty first century Noah as he is surrounded by creatures from across the millenia of all shapes and sizes.

     Some are easily identifiable just as many more were not.

     Lions and Tigers and Bears are playing football with the Dragons and Raptors.

      The Brachiasaurous, and the family of Dishkadons led a group of Giraffe's to the water to give them swiming lessons

     

      The T-Rex's are freaking out because there are no trees to hide behind. They are huddled together laying in the sand as all these different creatures play and interact around them.

     Their eyes are incapable of focusing forward if there is significant movement on their flanks.

     

      "Thank You both for watching over him!"

    "Thank You for including us into your physical experience, Dear Boy.  I created a shortcut for Jacob to come and visit with his friends anytime he chooses, so if your ex calls you from work, in a panic to tell you that her husband lost track of him, be sure to check here first."

     

      "Welcome to Kericho Dear friends.  As Birk has stated earlier...

      This is the Only Protected Dragon Habitat on this planet.  Ever...

       What Birk wont tell you is that if it were not for him serving a completely different intention, this place would not exist.

     Where are we at?   We are smack in the middle of the North Pacific.  Check your Google Earth you can see us.

     

      It may look like a floating pile of garbage. Its Ok, You can say it.

     

      That is exactly what Birk wanted them to see from the water at first but had to go back 200 years later to modify the spell to include the Air.
    Ships Captains would steer wide thinking that something beaneath the water had caused the demise of so many Vessels, when in fact this is nothing more then a product of the ocean attempting to clean itself.

     

    Floating debris of all kinds, from around the worlds oceans are swepted here in one tidy little pile out of everybodys way.  It goes unnoticed for the most part, but everyone who sails the area knows it to be there.

     

      It was Birk who thought that it would be suitable to establish the worlds first completly hidden and protected Dragon habitat for Mothers to hatch and nurture their young.

      All Dragons come and go as they wish but several choose to never stray from the Islands over whelming feeling of Bliss when they are present here.

       From anything less then a loving perception and a leap of faith from the deck of a ship that boldly sails through it, will you experience anything other then a floating sea of garbage.

    With the exception of the T-Rex's, no one has ever benn brought here against their will. but I have assured them that nothing will harm them here, and that as soon as I am finished giving the nickel tour, I will personally see to it that their visit here is a comfortable one, and that they should never be afraid to come and visit.

      So much of what man dumps in the ocean will never sink to the bottom to be slowly digested by the earth.
    The island grows larger every year out of nothing more the physical mans indiffence to Mother Earth.
     From this indifference was born the intention to create something useful with the never ending stream of Asia's plastic.
       Welcome to the Island of KERICHO
    @   Creating something good out of tragedy
      www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9oSikW3eUM&feat...
     
     Birk gives two short but very loud whistles.

     "Here Dad!"   Jacobs, twin brother Ethans voice could be heard in the distance.

     "Come on over here Boys I want to show you something."

      Birk see's two blurry and colorless images coming into view as if they were walking across the ocean. They both stop just short of the beach as they appear to be hovering above the waves lapping against it.

     "What Dad.?" Says Adam as both of Jacobs brothers are now standing on the edge of the sand pit.

     Thinking that it is too funny to pass up, Ethan pulls out his camera phone to take a picture of his Dad and his little brother playing in the sand.

     "Allright fellas.  I want you to take off your shoes and then close your eyes and take three steps forward but don't open your eyes before I tell you."

     Their shoes were off before Birk could finish his instruction.

     Counting the three steps out loud together the blurry images become clear and in focus.

     "Now open your Eyes."

      "Whoa." Says Adam with his eyes as wide as his father has ever seen, maybe with the only exception being Adams first Christmas on his feet.

       Birk wanted his Son to have a Cozy Coupe.  His cousin had one, and he had a real hard time getting him out of it, when it was time to go Home on Thanksgiving.

      Adams, Uncle Eric told Birk that Farm and Fleet had them on sale, so later that week he went in and sure enough they had a stack of Cozy Coupes, but right next to them were four boxes of which caught his attention.   A Bright Red 57 Chevy convertable.  Birk looked for the price to no avail, so he decided that he don't care what it costs.   He was buying it for himself.   

      Birk and his wife, couldn't wait to see the look on Adams face that Christmas Morning,and he most certainly did not disapoint.

      Christmas was done and over with as far as he was concerned. He swung the door open and climbed right in and shut the door.         
    He Grabs the wheel with both hands and leans way back as his feet begin to propel him across the living room floor. He didn't care about opening any of his presents, as I remember him joking to his wife but directing the question to Adam.   "Who's Child are You?"  He even took his nap in it that day when he finally wore himself out.
        "COOL!"  Says Ethan who was not surprised one bit that something wild was about to happen just by the vibration of his Fathers whistle when they were summoned.

     He runs over to his Dad and and Hugs him. "Dad! This place is Great!  Me and Adam were playing laser tag with the Elves and we won!  Our team captured their flag every time. Can We come back here? Mr Neo showed me a Library with so many books you need a ladder to reach them."

      "What do you think of this place?" Birk responds knowing that the answer to his question may only be found within himself.

     "Where are we?"  Ethan asks as he looks toward the mountain and see's a gray dragon come in for a landing about 3/4 of the way up and disappear into the rocky face.

     "Kericho." Says Jacob. "They call this place Kericho. Its where Dragons go to be safe."

      "Does that Mountain appear familiar to you?" Birk directs the question to them all.

     "Look Closer to the right about a 1/4 way up... Do you see the waterfall? The pool directly below it?

      Now follow slowly to the left, you will lose sight of the stream but you know it is still there, now stop at the rock that sorta looks like Jay Leno. Ya see it?

      "Yeah!" two of the three answer in unison.

     "Now follow your eyes straight up. What do you see? "

     "Smoke?" says Ethan.

      Adam chimes in with...  "Thats the cave where we rescued the baby from the dragon and found all that gold in the story Dad would tell us when we were little."

       "That Mountain was my inspiration to instill in you that you are invincible Spirits who need not fear anything.  Least of all any judgement and critisism from someone who feels themselves to be unworthy of such Empowerment."

        "Tell us the story again."
      "Give me a Dollar." Birk replies to his son grinning.
        Adam reaches for his wallet which is his Dads old wallet from his Biker days, and pulls out a dollar and hands it to Birk who is grinning at the sudden turnabout in roles.
     Taking the Dollar from him he turns to Ethan and waits for him to give him a dollar.
      "For What?" Says Ethan, not making a move for the wad of cash in his pocket.
        "For Aldreds Oreo fund.  Now that we brought him to life we have to feed him you know."
     "What if I don't have a Dollar?" he says to his dad grinning.
      "Then just give me what you've got." Birk replies smiling not to be out conned by his son whom He knows is probably carrying more pictures of Dead presidents in his pocket then Birk ever has in his. 
     
      "Ok" He says as he pulls a wad of bills out of his pocket and fishes out the most decrepid dollar he could find and hands it to Birk.
     
       "Once upon a time there were three Noble Knights named Sir Adam, Sir Ethan. and Master Jacob."
     
      "Hey wait a minute what about Jacob?" Protests Ethan..
     
       "Oh Yeah I almost forgot.  You can give me a dollar for him too, if you want to."
     
      "How come he Doesn't have to pay into Aldreds Oreo fund?"
     
      Well son... Let me ask you...      Where did you get that wad of cash and the camera phone, and the DS, and those brand new pants you are wearing when you ripped the crotch out of the other pair climbing the tree?
      "Thank you ." Says Birk as he gratefully accepts the second much newer DOLLAR.
     


    Once upon a time there three Noble Knights whose names wer Sir Adam, Sir Ethan, and Master Jacob.  They were brothers of The Birken Bloodline traveling from the castle to the village after receiving word that a Dragon had set the church steeple on fire and that the residents were fleeing in terror.
      Just before they were about to enter the village, they encounter a woman on the side of the road holding a torn blanket to her face crying.
      "My baby, my baby! "  The eldest Son Adam draws his horse to her and dismounts as the twins, Ethan, and Jacob ride up but remain on their horses.

       "The Dragon took my baby and flew to the top of that mountain, its in that cave, do you see it?"
     She is now pointing to a small hole in the mountain, where Adam can just see a wisp of black smoke coming from it.
      "We will save your baby Maam!
     Adam jumps on his horse  and with a YA! And the snap of his heel the boys are carried like the wind to a stream at the base of the mountain.

       Tying their horses to a tree after they have been watered, Adam Ethan and Jacob make their way up the mountain to the entrance of a pitch black smoky cave.

      Adam says. Ethan, you cover the right flank. Jacob you cover the left flank. I will take point."
      Adam draws his sword.  "SHHHING"  Ethan draws his sword. "SHHHING"
      Jacob pulls two daggers out. One for each hand.  "FHIT FHIT"

       As the three Noble Knights enter the darkness, Adam slips and falls in a pile of smelly Dragon Poop.
      Ethan and Jacob start laughing at his misforture and agree that it is best to climb down the mountain so Adam can take a bath in the stream while his armor is being washed by a man who agreed to do it for a Quarter.

       After ridding themselves of the horrible stench they make their way back up the mountain and back into the cave but this time armed with a torch to watch for dragon poop.

       As they get deeper in the cave they can hear a baby crying.
     As they round the bend the tunnel opens up to a huge cavern filled with gold of all shapes and sizes.
      They enter the room and can now see the baby laying in a gold platter at the top of this massive treasure.

      As Adam and Jacob climb to the top to retrieve the child, a huge eyeball is the first to fade into Adam immediate awareness.  His first reaction was to drive his sword into it which caused the whole dragon to emerge into view.
      Adam and Ethan attacked the Dragon causing it to fly out of the cave and escape.
      Jacob scrambles to the top of the mountain within a mountain and brings the child down, tucked safely inside Jacobs shirt.

      As he makes his way to the exit of the cave he finds his brothers standing guard at the entrance.
      "He Disappeared" Adam says to Jacob.
      Suddenly the Sun is blocked by a huge shadow as the Dragon swoops down from the cloud shrouding the very top mountain.
     Ducking back it the cave, the Dragon missed his intended target,but he was not finished quite yet.
       Seeing him circle around for another shot, Adam steps out of the cave, challaging the half blind Dragon," to Come and Eat Me."

       As the Dragon swoops down for the kill, Adam drives his sword into the Dragons heart, causing him to tumble halfway down the mountain as the lifeless body of the Dragon gets hung up on a narrow out crop, its head hanging upside down and backward at a most peculiar angle, still dripping of blood.
      Adam turns to his brothers and hugs them.
    "Lets get this Baby back home to his Mama."

    "Dragon Poop!" giggles Jacob as his attention turns to the giraffe  doing the back stroke in the calm inlet ..
     " I Love that story thanks Dad." " I Love telling that story , so heres your buck back."
     "Hey what about the other one?"
     "Oh" says Birk as he calls to Jacob.  "Here Jacob we are passing out refunds.
       Jacob Looks at the dollar bill that his father is holding out for him to take.
      He giggles again as he is heard muttering "Dragon Poop" as he turns on his heel and heads for the beach to swim with the Giraffe.
       I guess that means he don't want it.
     Birk puts it back in his pocket as he anxiously awaits Ethan's next response.
     As usual His children never cease to amaze him.
       "Thats ok you keep it... It was his anyway...  I always carry his money.  He only uses it to feed and house his Dinosauer Collection."
      "Ok! then keep it I will and maybe I will be sure to notice what direction I choose to send it.
      Are you guys hungry?"
    "Naw."  Ethan is quick to respond.  Jacob might be, but me and Adam had Pizza with the elves, between the laser tag Championship Finals."
       "Ok..  Well be careful where you step.   I promised your Mom that you would be sweet smelling and well fed by the time the Guard lets her through the gate.
       "There is only Love and the wonderment of nature here my Boys."
    "Can you find this place by boat Dad?

    "Only if you were looking for it son as many people do.   But this tranquility is not what they see.
       Lets go visit my Good Friend Charlie, and you will see what I mean... Shall we?"
     Adam and Ethan look at each other and shrug.  "Who is Charlie?" Ethan finally asks.
      I credit Charlie Moore for bringing the worlds attention to our continuously expanding shore line here in KERICHO."
      "Whadaya mean?  Isn't it a good thing that tha Dragons have more Room to spread out?"
     
    "They neither want nor need more space.   Dragons are not territorial by nature. 
     They are freedom worshiping Beasts no different then you and I.

      They wander the entire planet selfishly devouring the Beauty of Nature in the moment of its unfolding.
      That awareness does not require a fence line to protect it.
        Come on, I will show you what I mean.   Do You Guys want to go for a ride?"
       "Ride?  Ride what?" Ethan looks around at the different animals Jacob brought with him, being relieved to see the horse family made the trip.
      
    "Come on I will show you. You would not believe the stuff on the bottom of the ocean that Aldread brings here."
     Birk gets up and slowly walks over to a rise on the beach.
     As he aproaches the crest on the hill, Birk turns around to make sure Adam and Ethan were following.
     Jacob was still in the water but he was riding high and dry on the back of the Baby Dishkadon.

    'Check this out fellas."
      Birk walks over to a large boulder and places his hand on it. With three of his four fingers he taps a rythym into the rock as he begins to recite. "GAH, LAH, AH ,PA ,PA, TAH MAH.
     a LOUD (((SNAP))) could be heard deep under ground as the boulder begins to roll uphill exposing the headlights of a mint condition 1942 Willys Jeep tucked inside a deep hidden cavern.
      "Welcome to home away from home. Are you guys hungry?"
    Birk disappears into the darkness behind the Jeep.
      Ethan climbs behind the wheel and exclaims that "This thing only has a hundred and thirty miles on it?" As Adam uses the rear wheel to boost himself into the back.
      Birk emerges from the darkness carrying a black canvass bag and he sets it in the back with Adam who has already strapped into the Machine gunners harness. "Does this this work?" says Adam toying with the Browning 50 caliber mounted on top.
      "No." replies Birk.
      "One of your Grampa's favorite TV shows when I was a Boy was Rat Patrol, so when Aldread dragged these containers to the beach,one of them contained crates of these machine guns.
      Well Ezra threw a fit and saw to it that none of them could ever be used to kill or intimidate another being ever.
     When I told her that I wanted one for the jeep they had given me for my Birthday, she agreed immediatly to allow me to recover one.  For good measure I disassembled the weapon to remove the firing pin, and then poured silicone sealant down the barrel."
      Adam jacks the hammer back and slides it back forward again. (CLICK) Just as smooth and crisp as the day it was manufactured.
    I used to love watching Rat Patrol With your Grampa every Saturday afternoon.  I used to think how cool is that to drive as fast as you want wearever you want with a machine gun mounted on the top.  I recall having a Rat Patrol hat. I used to wear it when I would play army with my friends when I was about your age.  Hey wait a minute."  Birk steps to the back of the Jeep and reaches into the canvass bag.  He pulls out two brand new Army Ranger  hats and hands one to each of them."Cool Thanks Dad!"  "You are welcome Boys." He watches them put them on and he wonders if his Father felt as proud as he feels in this same moment back then when he brought his son a Rat Patrol Hat.Birk stood on the drivers side as he patiently waited for Ethan, who is still sitting in the drivers seat, to secure the chin strap on his new hat.   Once he was finished he looks up to his Dad with a big smile on his face.' Are You good?"    "Yeah."  he says still smiling. "Can I Drive?""What?" Without breaking his smile he askes again. "Can I Drive?"  "Now?" Birk asks. "You are only nine, I have not taught you yet but you know this.   So if you know this and you still want to drive, then fine..." Birk makes his way to the passenger side. He hops into the seat and begins to collect the belts to fit into the single point restraint. With his  seat belt secure he looks over to his Son and says. "Ok Cartoon Boy. Lets Go."  "If you can start it then I will let you drive it."
    Still Smiling Ethan runs his hand down the steering column and then scours the dashboard before his smile gives way to a look of confusion.  'Where's the Key?" "What key?" responds Birk. "These things don't have keys." "How do you start it?"  "Oh? I thought you knew how."   "Will you teach me?"  "Me too," chimes in Adam.
          "Of course I will teach you but not today, Boys."  Birk releases the catch for the harness, and climbs out of the Jeep to makes his way over to the drivers side. Ethan watches his father intently as he puts the gear shift in nuetral and turns a switch on the dashboard. Birk depresses the clutch and the floor mounted starter swich in one fluid motion as the engine turns over four times before it roars to life. "How did you do that?" Ethan asks Birk points to the clutch pedal.  "The starter switch is on the floor. First, always make sure you are in nuetral.  Turn the ignition switch to the on position. And then you must push the clutch all the way to the floor to engage the starter."
    Birk pushes the clutch in and shifts the jeep into first gear.As the Jeep emerges into the sunlight, Adam spins around and see's that a small trailer is attached to the Jeep.  It appears to be a minature A-Frame house on wheels.  Whats that? Adam asks his Dad.  That is the Bathroom boys. The only one on the island specificly for Human use. It also doubles as a kitchen, bedroom, office and Air conditioned home theatre. "All that in that tiny little trailer?""Oh. it is much bigger on the inside then it looks on the outside.
    Birk manuvers the Jeep down to the beach where Jacob and his friends are playing in the water.

      Birk unhitches the trailer as Jacob and Aldread make there way to the Jeep. "Ki have Dorritos, please?"  "Are you hungry my Boy?"   "Hungry Yes." "How about chicken and fries?""Ki have chicken and fries please."  "Of course you can have chicken and fries.""Yippee!"

     "I love hearing you say that."

     Birk shows the boys how to drop the landing gear and unhitch the trailer.
      "Get in the Jeep Boys."   "Where are we going?" Asks Adam. "Ki have chicken and fries?" says Jacob as he is climbing aboard the vehicle. "Can I drive? " Chimes in Ethan who was purposly waiting to be told no before climbing in the back with Jacob.Giving the answers in the same order as the questions, Birk answers.  "Not far. Of course you can have chicken and fries. And finally Birk looks down at his Son standing between him and the drivers seat with a big grin and his  "Cartoon Boy"like enthusiasm, yet he already knows the answer.   Birk hugs his son and says. "I promise to teach you how to drive this thing when you guys come back in two weeks.'  "YES! Ethan pumps his right arm as it almost collides with his asending right knee.  "Me Too!" Exclaims Adam, who also knows the answer.  He looks at his eldest Son as He finds nuetral. "All For One."  "And One for ALL!"  "Just Don't tell your Mother!"

    Ethan is very observant and is equally ethusiastic about sharing his experiences exactly how he experiences them on a highly emotional level. I have taught him to never be afraid to tell the truth.

      "Don't tell your Mother" has been Birk's running punchline since the Day Adam was Born, as he  recieves the response he most expects as the engine roars to life. "Yeah right."
     Birk puts the Jeep in gear and lets out the clutch, it begins to creep forward about four meters before he reaches up and turns off the ignition.
      Jacob immediately begins to take off his seat belt and climb out of the Jeep. Adam and Ethan seemed confused as Birk announces to both of his less aware sons.' We are here!"  "We are where?" asks Adam. "WHOA!" exclaims Ethan as he had the occassion to catch a glimpse of a full size A-Frame house just inches from the gas can mounted on the back of the jeep."You guys are hungry, right?  I am so hungry, I could eat the crotch out of a dead moose." "EEEEEEEEEEWWWWWW!" Adam and Ethan respond. In a mock expression of surprise Birk responds.  What?  Weren't you ever a Wolf? Moose balls are great when they are patially decomposed."  "OH DAD!" "I'm just saying... Don't knock it till you tried it.  "Thats Disgusting!" exclaims Ethan. "I ain't hungry anymore." says Adam.  "Oh really!  We will see about that.  Come on Boys."
    Birk enters the kitchen in time to find Jacob standing on one of the stools in front of the wide open pantry door, with a bag of Chips Ahoy Cookies in his teeth as he is reaching for what ever else was getting his attention on the top shelf.

     "Jacob... what are you doing?"  He turns his attention to his father, without removing the bag from his clenched teeth and replies...           "Ki have chits ahoy cookies.?" "I thought you wanted chicken and fries?" "Chicken and fries... yes please."

    'You are not going to find the the chicken and fries in there.  Where does your Daddy keep the chicken and fries for his boy?"  Jacob is making his way down off the stool. He finally takes the bag of Cookies out of his teeth and answers.  "Ki watch Animal Planet?" "Thats right lets go see whats on animal planet." Birk turns to walk out of the kitchen stopping briefly to open the oven to retrieve two KFC Bags as the smell of fresh popcorn chicken fills the entire dwelling.  Jacob follows his dad into the livingroom were Adam had switched the TV onto the cartoon channel.  Birk sets the bags down on the oversized coffee table and begins to empty the contents of the bag.  Plates,napkins,forks,biscuits,mashed potatos,potato wedges,baked beans,cole slaw,a bucket of extra crispy, and two large orders of popcorn chicken. As Birk is wading up the bags to throw them away, when he realizes that one of the bags still had something in it.  He unfolds the bag and finds three Chocolate parfaits.  He thinks to himself. These are great, but I didn't order these. Hmm.  "Who ordered three Chocolate parfaits?" "OoooH!" I love those. Says Adam.  "Me too!" responds Ethan.  "I order them."  Says Jacob as everyone turns to look at him in disbelief, because we all know that Jacob does not do ice cream or fancy deserts of any kind. He likes chocolate. Cake or a brownie with no frosting. M&M's for sure...Pudding. Forget about it. Birk takes one of the parfaits and sets it next to his plate. If anything is near his plate, he thinks he has to eat it. Jacob picks up the desert and sets it next to his brother Ethans plate. "Thanks Jake." responds Ethan.  Birk takes the second one and sets it down, but this time Jacob gets up from his seat with a piece of popcorn chicken in one hand and hands the desert to Adam. "Thanks Jacob!"  Sitting down next to him, Birk sets the third one in front of his plate as well as in front of Jacob's.He reaches out and slides the parfait with his hand over to the top edge of my plate.  "You don't like The Chocolate parfait?"  No thank you. Daddy eat.  Birk hugs him and squeezes a giggle out of him while he's doing it. "I L@VE Being Your Daddy."   "I Love you Dad."

    "Can we stay here when we come back in two weeks" " Asks Adam after he swallows a mouthful of chicken.

      "This place is Awesome!"
      "I agree." says Birk.

     Of course I will bring you back until you figure out how to get here on your own, like Jake did."

      Can anyone come to the Island Dad? asks Ethan.  Birk replies. "Oh, You think we are the only humans on the island?""Aren't we?" "Anyone can come to the island my Boy but only a select few will have the courage of faith to step upon the Shores of Kerricho." "How so?"    "Fear." "Fear.?" "Yes fear... The emotional acknowlegement in the present moment of the absense of Love and wellbeing."
       When they had finished eating. Birk leads them back outside, turning right he follows the footprints in the sand coming from the Jeep. He grabs the canvas bag and pulls out a hat for Jacob and puts it on his head as he instructs the Boys to "Climb on and strap in."

    "Where are all the dragons? asks Ethan as he is fastening his seat belt.

      "They are all around us. Some Dragons are not comfortable coming out of their lair before sunset.There are only 6 shapeshifting  Dragons on the planet but only Ezra has a permanant home here. Many more live in caverns deep under the ocean floor,out of sight of prying eyes. And of course Aldread Lives with us.  "What about people? Is there any other people here besides us? Birk manuvers the jeep down the beach and the cuts in to the right toward the mountain.
     "People come here every year but not for the reasons you may think. They come to see a ecological disaster."   

     Birk comes to the stream that runs in front of the mountain. Turning left into the flowing stream the group emerges around a bend and into a clearing where Birk pulls out of the stream to crest a small sand dune before he stops the jeep at the top and turns off the engine. Looking across the massive expanse of sand a 60 foot Catamaran slowly makes its way across the sand dragging two baskets behind the boat. Two people on the deck with long poles keep dipping them in the sand and hook plastic bags and junk.


      "The oceans currents bring everybodys trash here in a massive vortex of plastic soup.

     It was Captain Charles Moore that discovered about ten years ago, what I had painfully ignored for two centuries.

    That Kericho was rapidly expanding because blatant disregard for the wellbeing of our planet."

    " Can they see us?" Adam asks his Father.
    "Sure they are capable but it is not likely any of the crew members on that boat will recognize us as anything more then a feeling that they are being watched.      People sail through here year in and year out picking up what they could as well as tracking where its coming from and what it turns into.  I couldn't stop it so mother nature stepped in to at least have it gather in this spot in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Aldreads Father Braymon and his two brothers patrol the island from underneath to make sure that certain larger animals stay out of the toxic soup. I thought it would be a grand Idea to turn this into the Worlds first Protected Dragon Habitat where the young had a safe place to learn to fly or swim or shapeshift, or all of the above like Ezra and Aldread. I had no Idea this place was expanding on its own until Capt. Moore sailed thru the area and reported his findings to the Media.  I had to come back to see it for myself and was astounded at the magnitude of which the island grew.  Thats when I decided to include the existance of this place more in my life, and now yours.  We have a processor that extracts the plastic from the water, then melts it down to liquid form before turning it into PVC that Aldread Delivers to Habitat for Humanity." clean pure water pours down from the top and evenually makes its way to the harbor were it receives the final blessing, before making its way thru the channel to the open Pacific.

     We all do what we can but we must pinch this off at the source, And that source is us.

        Just ask any fish that swallows a cigarette butt floating in the water. They think its food and will compete to see which fish is unable to spit it out.

    They will pass it around like a soccerball. untill one of them is hungry enough not to spit it out. Unfortuneatly there is no nutritional value in cigarrette butts so the fish become slow, making it easy prey for a bigger fish, that may one day be caught and eaten by humans, thus the old saying applies.     What comes around, goes around."


    "Is the Mountain made of garbage too?" Asks Adam.


       "No actually I got a real good deal on that mountain.  The owner just wanted it gone. He said it was interferring with his view of what his neighbor was doing so he was intent on sending laborers to the top of the mountain to pound it into gravel.

     I almost created a revolt with the laborers who where upset that the two years of steady work and wages was about to go )))POOF((( along with the mountain. So I sat down with the Govenor, and I told him that for the sum total of one years wages per man, I will remove the mountain and relocate it upon distribution. Say in about an hour.  Well the govenor was to quick to agree to my terms, and immediately ordered a cart of gold, as well as canvass, blankets and fabrics of all different colors to be prepared and loaded on the wagon. The Govenor reaches into his desk and pulls out a very detailed drawing of the front of the castle, with a Observation Tower added. "Show them this", he says, ' and Tell them that I will need 75 men to begin construction immediatly."  "Aldread and I lead the covered wagon thru the villiage on our way to the laborers Hall.  We were greeted with much distain."  "Greeted with what?" asks Ethan. "They shouted curses and hurled manure at us... well Me.  They never saw Aldread working the crowd sniffing out the quiet ones in the back just blindly lobbying manure over the crowd so as not to be seen.    They were so focused on me that the mens screams of fear fell on deaf ears as I watched Aldread hover directly over the manure cart with his tail wrapped around the left ankle of one man and the right ankle of the other.

    "I motioned to Aldread to be easy with them, so he drops down to just over a meter above the manure cart before he let them Go.

     Aldread immediatly flys across the street, to a second story widow were the lady of the house sits and waits for Me to pass under her window.  She is holding a full chamber pot and is waiting for just the right moment to dump it on the infidel."  "The What?" says Ethan.As She is leaning out the window holding the pot in both hands, Aldread flys over and flips the chamber pot back on the woman.  She screams as the emptied chamber pot crashes to the floor.  As I make my way past the window, she is no where to be found, but sobbing can be heard from the room. With just ten meters left to the door of the Laborers hall a Boy about four comes running up to me with a arm load of tomatoes and stops dead center in my path. I stop the horse's in time to prevent further tragedy and I turn around and greet my adversary who is standing fast in the center of the street. My first thought is were are this boys parents?  My next thought was, that it was his parents who gave him the tomatoes and told him what to do. I smile at the boy as he takes a tomato and throws it right at my chest. Before it could hit me it was gone. He goes to throw another and it too vanishes. There is no anger in this child.  The boy is amused more then anything else as he goes to throw a third tomato which too, vanishes into thin air as it is released from his hand.   I reach into my pocket and pulled out a tube of SPREE.   the Boys attention was immediatly drawn to the colorful shiny foil wrappper.  I bent down so he could get a closer look as I remove a yellow one and pop it into my mouth. I take out the orange one and hold it out to him.  A woman in the crowd screams "Dohcil No!" But the boy puts it into his mouth before his mother could get to him.  I offer to trade the rest of the tube of spree for the last two tomatos he was holding. As his Mother protested I remind her that the only one who sought to create harm for this child is her. She put him up to this. Her Guilt was apparent, by the cloak of fear she wrapped herself with.  The boy hands over the tomatos as his mother takes away his spree. She is examining it, as I encouraged her to try one. They are great!  I take two steps back between the boy and get down on one knee as I instruct him to watch the tomato... Holding it straight out between us I toss the fruit straight up, and )))POOF((( the tomato vanishes.  The Boy is giggling now as the crowd is now mesmerized by the impromtu magic show.  I hold the last tomato out and ask him if he wants to try it.  The boy in all his excitement and sugar buzz takes the tomato from my hand and throws it in a low, looping arc that seemed destined to land in a puddle, when )))POOF((( it vanishes just before splash down.

    The Boy is laughing out loud as I reach up to reclaim the lead for the horse and contintue to make my way up the street to the Laborers hall, where i am confronted by a very large foul smelling man named Dorvis who demanded to know what my business is with Jerivad, The Senior Engineer.

      " I am here to settle the debt for the removal of the mountain as well as contract for a tower to be built in its stead." Suddenly a voice from behind him booms. "Stand Aside Dorvis.'  Orders Jerivad. "Fetch us a pint of ale." Without another word spoken the big man spins on his heel and disappears inside the lodge, taking his odor with him.   " I am pleased to meet you Master Jerivad," I said bowing respectfully.

    "Master Birk!" Jerivad Bows as well. "Word of your great works has spread far and wide in this land.  As you have witnessed most misperceive your intention and origin, but I am not one to provide quarter for such fallacies.

     Welcome Brother, welcome.  Do come in and warm yourself.  Bring your Dragon if you wish, He too is most welcome."


     Jerivad orders a Steward to take charge of the wagon, and do a complete accounting before any disbursement is to commence.

     Well... Word immediatly began to spread that they all were going to get paid a years wages for me to "Remove the mountain with Magik." I did not feel it nessasary to explain that We, the collective US.  Are going to move that mountain and make it disappear.  Not one person asked me where it was going. I never felt the need to share that either.

      We ate very well that night as I seemed to recall and I was kept quite busy well into the early morning "Holding Court"  side by side with Jerivad so that it be known from this day forward that I was to be afforded all the respect and honor that one would bestow to him.


      He wanted to issue a written proclaimation but I jokingly told him that if he did that that I would have my Dragon set the Gambling House on fire.  Thankfully he got the joke and decided after mulling over his personal attachment to the place he leans over and says smiling.

     "It is within my power to see that the interest of the Gaming House is well guarded, my Brother. Perhaps later you may see why. Not this time around, my Brother. I am Building a nest with this mountain and there is much to do.    Next time perhaps.

    About quarter to four, when everything quieted down, and everyone had gone to bed or was passed out in the Main hall, I go to the window and look up to the top of the mountain that has already seen its last sunrise on this shore.

     It is a cloudless morning, so perfect and still.  The moon and stars are reflecting off the mountain as it appears to be sending the light back three times as powerful.

     @  I am directing loving energy to her as she begins to shine even brighter.


     Ezra appears from behind the mountain as I could not help but notice that no shadow is formed as she circles the mountain top as Ezerite is pouring across her entire wing span.

     As the sparkling dust settles on the mountain it begins to fade away from the top down, exposing a charming little river town whose residents are in for a complete surprise when they arise. By the time Aldread and I arrived here on Kericho, Ezra had just finished leveling the mountain and a spring began gushing up through the top of mountain, forming a pool at the base which slowly makes its way to the fresh water harbor and eventually back out into the ocean.

     Fresh and clean.  Only recently did the filters begin clogging up with plastic so We had to come up with a solution as to what we could do with all this plastic.

     I thought to myself that you rarely see PVC in a landfill.  PVC is designed to last indefinatly. so Ezra Brought Jerivad to the Island to see what we have done with the place. and we sent him home with a sample to take back with him. As well as another tube of SPREE for him to give to Dohcil, with my regards.

    "That was a cool story Dad." Says Ethan.  Birk turns to his oldest and asks. "Did you enjoy that?"

      "Yeah, that was pretty funny when Aldread dropped those guys on their face in the poopcart." Adams smile turns into a laugh.

      Birk pulls a Blackberry out of his pocket knowing full well that you get No Bars in the middle of the Pacific unless your signal rides piggy back on a passing ships, but he does not look at it, he just holds it for eight seconds and then slides it back into his pocket, and starts the engine.

     Still chuckling Birk anounces as the jeep begins to slowly creep forward... "We have time to show you one more thing and then we have to get you back to the castle."

    Birk manuvers the jeep around to the western edge of the island which is a huge expanse of sand as far as you could see.  He pulls up about 300 feet from the base of the mountain and turns off the ignition. 

     They are greeted with complete and total silence once the jeep coasts to a stop.  Ethan is first to break the silence "This place is huge, Dad!" And Beautiful. Adam adds.  "Yes it is,but at the same time it is incredibly sad." "What do you mean?   Where would all the Dragons go if Kericho never existed?  Still looking forward with their backs to the mountain, Birks right hand comes up with his thumb pointed back at the mountain and quickly points forward due west as he says. "That is Beautiful!"  Pointing forward.
    "  That is nothing more then a dog in a three piece suit." Adam giggles but he see's that his Dad isn't smiling like he usually does.

       " In the year 1 BP, Kericho was no bigger then this.  From where we are right now."

     " How long ago was that?"  asks Ethan. "The year before they invented plastic. so what year was that?'  "I don't know?"  Excellent! That is your assignment.  When you come back in two weeks, I want you to teach me about plastic and then give me a quiz. OK?"   "OK." Ethan says smiling."Now you understand why I am so intent on recycling. It just makes sense.

      If Nature and humanity share the same core essense, then humainitys indifference to itself can be most self destructive."

      "Huh?  You recieve back only that which you are putting out. "Oh." Birk lets them think about that a bit in silence before he says.
    "You Mother and Grandmother should be just about on their way to come and get you guys so i guess we had better pack it in and head home."  Birk brings the group back to the Eastern shore of the island that is now shaded as the sun is making its escape for the day.  As the Jeep comes to a halt in front of the A-frame, Jacob is already unfastening his seat belt.  "Allright Buddy." Birk tells him.  "Go round up all your friends and tell them that it is time to go home. "All done Kericho." responds Jacob  "Oh..  We will be back.""Ki bring Adam and Ethan?"  "Of course you can bring Adam and Ethan.""Yippee!"

     "I L@VE hearing you say that!"

     Birk reaches for the canvas bag that had been uncerimoniously stuffed under the rear seat, and turns to Ethan as he holds the bag wide open.

     "Gimme all your cash, phone, ipods,Nintendo DS'S. Put everthing you don't want to get wet into the bag." Why Dad?    (Question everything, especially authority.) Birk thinks to himself in his own personal, Thats My Boy Moment.  "Well Son." Birk pauses smiling. "We are going to have to swim home."  "Yeah Right." Ethan giggles as he drops his phone and DS into the dark abyss. "No really...  I gave away the HUMMER in a contest at ST Pete's Bar and Grille. "No Way!" "Yes Way." Birk replies grinning ear to ear. "What contest?  For what?" Ethan says as Adam tosses his shirt in the bag as he interupts his brother. "What about our shoes?"

    as Adam points to the open water.

    Answering the easiest question first, Birk says to them both.  "They are in the bag.' Birk turns to Ethan and says.  I staged a contest that whoever would be the first person to watch the Creeping Death Video and tell us what book of the Bible is Metallica refering to, would take home the Hummer to do with as they please."   "Exodus!  I win!   Where's my yellow Hummer." Just like the "Cartoon Boy" he portrays so well. Ethan starts looking around like it would just pop out in mid air.  " Miss Oddray won, which in a way is most appropiate.  She is very worthy soul who will not dim her light for anyone." Birk continues. It was her light that help guide me to St Pete's Bar and Grille to begin with. But that another story for another time."
      
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