Oxford spent most of his life irritating the fairies.  He was a stubborn creature who was set in his ways and thought little of anyone else.  For example, there were many things. Oxford could have done to keep fairies at bay, such as finding a four-leaf clover, wearing his clothes inside out, or carrying a piece of bread in his pocket. These simple solutions were a source of irritation and never pursued. It seemed this frustration had been resolved after a band of fairies tied him down in a field and left him to the pleasure of the forest animals.  

     Fortunately, a group of travelers came along and offered the fairies a gold ring for his release.  Oxford might have believed his problems were over, but he totally misjudged the tenacity of fairies.  After discussion, the band of spirits concluded that one gold ring was a small price for all the wrongs Oxford committed and planned further vengeance.  Be it known that this decision would not sit well with poor Oxford.

     The fairies decided on a devious plot to lead Oxford astray in the woods until he would become so lost, he would wander forever.  Fairies could do this, you know.  So, while Stephen and Adital were talking about their adventures, the fairies led Oxford down a side path in the forest and filled his head with magical music.  Poor Oxford stumbled along with a mindless smile on his face, oblivious to his own doom.   Could it be that Oxford was lost forever?

     After a while, Stephen noticed that Oxford was no longer out front. They did a quick about-face and searched, but found nothing. The fairies had skillfully` hidden his path.  

     In desperation, Adital and Stephen shouted into the forest. They listened, but there was no answer.  “Where could he have gotten to,” stammered Adital?

     “There is something mysterious happening here,” answered Stephen.  “I do not detect Oxford‘s presence, and that means there must be foul play afoot.  We can’t go on and abandon poor Oxford in the forest, so we must continue our search.”

     “We have to watch the time,” said Adital. I don‘t want to be caught  here after dark.  There is an inn close by where we could stay tonight.  If we don’t find him, then we will leave him to his fate.  Who knows, he may have gone to the inn already.”

     “So be it,” replied Stephen.  “Oxford‘s disappearance makes spending the night here a poor choice.  We must continue our exploring.”

     They set off with renewed purpose and soon found a path into the forest.  They didn‘t know where it would take them but it mattered very little.  They were about to begin an odyssey of inconceivable proportions.

     It was a strange path.  There were signs neither could read, trellises covered with fantastic flowers, and the subtle hint of a chorus singing in the distance.  The hair on the back of Adital’s head stood on end and he was tempted to forget about Oxford.  On the other hand, Stephen was not affected by the theatrics and encouraged Adital onward.

     They came to a different arbor, and paused before going through.  There were no flowers, but it seemed to glow with an unnatural light.  The background chorus sang soothingly and reassuringly. They walked through the glowing trellis and found themselves on a busy sidewalk in Cleveland, Ohio.

     Adital and Stephen stopped, stared at one another in complete disbelief, then quickly turned around to go back through the portal.  They were confronted with a sea of pedestrians, and to their profound surprise, no portal.  They quickly changed direction and followed the crowd.  Eventuality, a park offered refuge.

     “What happened, and where are the blazes we,” Adital blurted out?

     “The last portal we walked through has taken us to another world,” observed Stephen.

     “This is not good,” answered Adital, “I have no experience in a world like this.  I will have to eat, and we need a place to stay once it becomes dark.”

     They walked over to a park bench, and watched the people hurrying down the sidewalk.  An older man, leaning on a cane, emptied the bag he was using to feed the pigeons and walked over to Adital and Stephen.  

     “Excuse me, young fellow, top of the morning to you!  I couldn‘t help noticing, but is that a robot sitting next to you?  Visiting the city with a robot is quite an unusual thing. Are you from a college around here?”

     Adital was thrilled they had made contact with a native who spoke a language they could understand.  He knew they must make friends with this person.

     He looked up and smiled.  “Why, top of the morning to you, too,” he responded. “We come from a distant place, and androids are our companions.  I want to introduce you to Stephen.”

     Stephen was listening, made mental contact with the older man, and filled his mind with pleasant thoughts. “Hello,” he responded, “It is a beautiful day, isn’t it? “

     The old man stared at Stephen in amazement and mumbled, ” My goodness gracious!  What will they think of next!”

      “You know, young man, I‘d love to know what you do and how you use robots  Say, how would you like to come over for supper?  It wouldn’t be anything fancy, just some Lake Erie baked fish, but I would love to talk.  Why, you know, that thing seems really intelligent!” 

      Adital let out a s sigh and retorted, “To begin, the “thing‘s” name is Stephen, and he is more intelligent than both of us put together.  However, we do accept your generous offer for supper. It’s so kind.  But first, let me introduce myself. I am Adital and this is, of course, is Stephen. May I ask who you are? “ 

     “Oops, sorry about that! My name is John, but you can call me Pop.  I live just a few blocks away in the Terminal Tower Apartments.  Why don‘t we walk over, have a cup of coffee, and talk without all this traffic noise?  It’s just on the other side of Public Square.  Say, where are you fellows from, anyway? “

     Adital signed and confessed, “Mr. John, it‘s a long story, and I’d like to save it for a cup of your excellent coffee.”

     “Young man, call me Pop!  Don’t let the grey hair fool you. I’ve spent most of my life either going to school or teaching youngsters about this mysterious world.  Say, speaking of mysteries, are you guys’ aliens or time travelers?  That would be a real honor to have aliens visit me.  Where did you park your flying saucer?”

     “Sorry to disappoint you, Pop, but we don’t have a flying saucer.  I‘ll explain everything when we get to your place.”

     They made their way through a maze of buildings and speeding cars.   Pop led them to a huge tower with four giant doors. They entered a great hall and walked to a golden door. It opened, and they entered a small room. Pop explained that he lived on the fourth floor, the doors closed, and transported them to another world.  

     The elevator doors opened, and they were confronted with an amazing spectacle.  Pop was expecting the hallway to his apartment.  Adital and Stephen were simply amazed by what confronted them. 

     They did not see a hallway, but a large field, overgrown with weeds with a line of trees that stretched endlessly in the distance.

     Happily, there was civilization. A short distance from where they stood was a red farmhouse that sat near a tumbledown barn. In the backyard, a woman was hanging clothes on a washing line.  The new arrivals immediately turned to re-enter the elevator, which of course, was no longer there.

     A skinny and determined young boy, who was chasing a chicken, came to a grinding halt, and stared at the trio in the field.  “Ma,” he shouted, “we have visitors!” 

     The chicken, realizing she had lost her pursuer, flapped over to the lost travelers and began searching for grubs and worms.  Pop reached down, scooped up the bird, then instructed Adital and Stephen, “wait here while I deal with this.”

     He sauntered over to the boy, handed him the chicken, and said, “Look what I found!”  By this time, his mother had walked over and stood hands-on-hips and demanded, “What can I do for you?” 

     Pop looked her square in the eye and said, “Excuse me, Señora, but we are terribly lost.

     “You can say that, again,” she observed, “traveling with a robot and some guy, dressed as he came from another universe.  We’ve had some unorthodox visitors at this Way Station, and I‘m used to surprises.  So, why don’t you invite your friends, and we can figure out how to send you back to where ever you came from.”

     Pop grinned and declared, “My whole life, I‘ve dreamed of something like this happening!”  He turned and motioned to his companions. “Hurry over. We’re saved!”

     “The woman shook her head and told her son, “Find Jiral-Hanae.”

Before we go any further, some of our avid readers might ask, What is a Way Station, and what is it doing in the middle of nowhere?   A few of you might know a way station is an intermediate stop along a rail line between two cities.  A clever reader might suggest that this station‘s location does not fit any of those requirements. Therefore, it must be made clear that this was not an ordinary Station but a doorway of intergalactic proportions.   This field proved to be a terminal between the Epsilon system and Antares area in Scorpius.  It was used exclusively by agents of the Interstellar Federation.  One can only guess the irritation the Way Station operatives experienced with the hitchhiker’s arrival from Cleveland. 

     “Where was I.”  observed the laundry woman? “My name is Harishka, and I am an agent of the Interstellar Federation.  What brings you to Eridani ?  This portal is used exclusively by agents of the Federation, and it is quite surprising to see you.  Soon, Jiral-Hanae will arrive and determine what we should do with you.”

     “Do with us, exclaimed Pop? “Why, the only thing you can do with us is to send us back to Cleveland!  I have no idea where Eridani is. Way station? This appears to be a giant wasteland in the middle of nowhere.  Why I haven‘t touched a live chicken since I was a small boy in Newbury, where my father chopped their heads off for dinner.”  It was quickly apparent that Pop had become extremely irritated.

     Adital watched Pop getting redder and redder and decided to ease the situation.  “You see, we were on an elevator in the Terminal Tower and were going to the fourth floor.  We had no intention of going here…” 

     “None of all that matters,” retorted Harishka sternly.  “You violate Federation regulations and must be subjected to the consequences.  Here is Jiral-Hanae now.  Sir, what shall we do with these trespassers?”

     Jiral-Hanae was a gaunt, nervous drudge who had better things to do than deal with such a minor problem. “I don’t have time for this. He fumed, “just send them to Sra‘azon!”

     “Stop! No!” shouted Stephen, “send us to Earth!”

     “Earth?  I can do that!  We have portals on Earth, enjoy your trip!”  Harishka fiddled with the dials on the Mukeha37 she carried in her apron pocket, then Stephen, Adital, and Pop disappeared.  

     In a blink of an eye, they were standing on a muddy path in the middle of a forest.  It appeared that it had just rained, and was late in the afternoon.  Adital turned to Stephen and asked, “you told her Cleveland, but where do you think we actually are?  I don‘t see any tall buildings or zooming vehicles.  Maybe she got the wrong planet.”

     Stephen signed and confessed, “That is a distinct possibility.  I’m as lost as you are.  Pop, do you have any idea where we are?

     Pop looked around in a wide circle and observed, “Look! I see a light through the trees.  Where there is light, there should be people.  Let‘s take a walk, and perhaps whoever is there can tell us where we are.  Let’s hope they have some left-over supper.”  The three made their way carefully through the murky, quickly darkening forest.  They were in luck because the trees were spread further apart and it was easy to keep the light in view. Soon they were hiding next to a cabin.  Pop whispered to Stephen and Adital, “wait here while I knock on the door.  If they are friendly, maybe we can get some information and if we’re really in luck they might have leftovers.  Pop took a deep breath and walked to the front door.

     He knocked twice and waited, but there was no answer.  Another series of louder knocks followed: which led to “just a minute, JUST A MINUTE, ALLREADY!.”  Pop smiled because he knew he was dealing with a senior citizen and he knew all about senior citizens.  The door opened, and revealed an older man who was leaning on an ancient cane. 

     “Well, what ‘da ’ell do you want this time of the night?” 

     “My good sir, my friends and I are lost.  We were let out on the road a while back. We have no idea where we are and seek directions to civilization.”

     “Beatrice, reheat the meatloaf. we have visitors,”

     Pop motioned to Stephen and Adital and they came out of hiding.  The white-haired, old man quipped, “you‘re in luck, we’re just about ready to sit down to supper.”  This, of course, brought smiles to everyone. 

     The old-timer ushered everyone in and said, “my name is Max Beaver, and this is my wife, Beatrice.  We don’t get many visitors out here, but your story sounds interesting so far.  Like, where have you come from, and where are you going? That might be a good place to start.”

     We so appreciate your inviting us in, and we’ll explain all that during supper.  This has been a hectic time for us. We started in Cleveland on an elevator, ended up in another world, and then found ourselves on a dirt road about half a mile from here.  If you think that sounds confusing, you should be in our shoes.  By the way, you can call me Pop, and this is Adital and Stephen. “ 

     “Let‘s sit around the kitchen table while Beatrice gets supper together. Tell me, who dropped you off on the road?  There’s really no traffic there, it’s just a county dirt road that connects to the highway. There’s only a couple of houses out here. 

     At that point, Beatrice brought dinner, Max asked blessings for their bounty, and it was time to eat.

     The multiverse travelers sat down to one of the best meals they had in a long time.  There was a huge platter of meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and a pitcher of golden beer.  They explained all their adventures, and Max exclaimed…

     “Why that clears up everything!  There are mysterious happenings on that road, like people and strange animals appearing and disappearing, bizarre laughter in the middle of the night, and the weirdest cars you’ve ever seen.  Some of the younger kids think the place is haunted.  Now, I don‘t believe in ghosts, but there is definitely weird stuff going on.”

      Max and Beatrice began clearing the table and started to make coffee.  Stephen took Adital by the arm and led him outside.  “Something bothers me,” Stephen said, “I don’t understand those two.”

     “Why?  What do you mean? They seemed like regular folks to me.  Why they even said grace before the meal.”

     “I know,” said Stephen, “but I have trouble believing what they are.  Their behavior seems most unnatural, and I don‘t know what to think of that. This is most disturbing.” 

     “According to Harishka, we should be on Earth.  Remember Amos? He was from Earth.  I wish he were here to shed some light on these people,” pondered Adital. 

     Stephen replied, “of course you can interact with him.  We gave you this faculty a while ago, don’t you remember?  Open your mind so you can communicate with him.”  Reach out with your mind, then call out to him.” 

     Back in Oxford’s castle, Amos suddenly heard his name being called.  “It‘s Adital!  I hear Adital!  How can I let him know I can hear him?”

     Echnamic, sent to open Amos’ mind, laughed and said, “Think of Adital!  Picture him in your mind and speak to him using your thoughts.  This might take a while to blend both of your minds, but it is something androids do all the time.  We are in constant communication with one another.”

     Adital and Amos both thought of each other.   A few seconds later images formed, and at last, Amos spoke, “Adital, my friend, what is troubling you?”

     “Amos, our journey has taken many unexpected turns, and we have encountered beings that have flabbergasted Stephen. They appear to be human, yet they have welcomed us into their home, fed us a wonderful supper, and treat us as if we were old friends. How can this be?”

     “I would think they are indeed human, good, god-fearing humans.  There seems to be only one solution for you, talk to them and ask for their help.  From what you have said, Max and Beatrice are trustworthy.  I will stay close and see if there is anything else I can do.” 

     Adital related this conversation to Stephen.  “I hope this clears some of your misgivings,” he said.  “I know this is a far cry from anything you have experienced at the inn. I am inclined to follow Amos’ advice; I don’t know of any other options.” 

     “You could say they are beings with another variation of consciousness and purpose,” answered Stephen. Human beings see consciousness as having thoughts and feelings, mindfulness of the external world, and, most importantly, self-awareness.“  

      “Fine!  You’ve told me what consciousness might be, but who are Max and Dorothy, and why are they so welcoming and generous?

     Stephen thought about these questions for a bit and replied, there is a history of people doing kind things wherever they are.  To be sure, there is evil everywhere, but these beings bring kindness.  Remember the ancient custom of “coals of kindness?”  It is everyone’s purpose to be such. Max and Beatrice exemplify this quality. “

     At that moment, Pop stuck his head out of the door and exclaimed, “coffee is ready, and Max said he could take us to Cleveland. “

     They followed Pop back into the cabin, and Adital confessed, “I remember that story, and you’ve explained everything perfectly.  It seems we have acquired a pair of guardian angels at this late stage in our adventures.  Somehow, we have to find a way to get back to Piscary and rescue Oxford.  Do you think Max and Dorothy can do that?”

     “Well,” said Stephen sagely, “there is only one way to find out. “   

     Everyone was gathered around the kitchen table, and Pop and Beatrice brought out a steaming pitcher of coffee and a plate of chocolate chip cookies… a perfect ending to a fine evening.