Welcome! We hope you enjoy this collection of short stories and bits of wisdom passed down a generation of storytellers.

"For certain you have to be lost to find something that cannot be found, else everyone would know where it is." - Captain Barbossa (Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End)

Update Log

WRITTEN BY MADELINE MARZ
1978
Copyright 2020, Lynda Marz

It happened seven years ago that Gram came from her walk in the mountains, a changed person.Have you ever seen North Lake, home and site of the old Mountain House located in Haines Falls of the Catskill Mountains? The beautiful old hotel was burned to the ground by the Haines Falls Volunteer Firemen at dawn several years ago. It was a controlled fire and many an old timer gulped a tear back because it had been a much treasured place for them, at one time. But it had seen its time and now it had to be destroyed, a tattered and dignified Grande Dame.Gram loved the place with its many paths and beautiful view. She grew up near there. On this particular afternoon, my mother, my brother and myself, had decided to go swimming at North Lake and of course Gram came with us. Gram was sixty-three, a vigorous old lady who loved to run, swim, play tennis, garden and go bicycle riding. But this afternoon she decided to take a walk along the mountain side instead of swimming. She would take the path along the side of the mountain, she said. We watched her run across the parking lot, jump over a small log and enter into the woods. Two hours later she came back from the woods and sat down beside us. She looked tired, quiet, and small. “She’s getting old” I thought. “The walk was too much for her.”“How did you like your hike” I asked? “GREAT” she answered and turned her head and looked at me. I was stunned by her eyes. They were so different. They were not blue anymore but seemed to reflect the colors of the mountains, lake, sun and everything around us. I looked away quickly and pondered this change. Her eyes seemed full of Love, mystery, and sorrow. I tried to get her attention again but she continued looking across the lake. I saw that she was holding something in her hand. I asked her to show me her hand. I asked her to show me the object she seemed to be keeping so tightly held. She slowly opened her hand and I saw several pretty brightly colored pebbles. “Where did you get them?” I asked. “From a pathway to the sky.” What a queer answer I thought. She put the pebbles in the pocket of her Jeans. From her other pocket she brought a carrot and absently started to nibble on it while staring across the now darkening lake. Now Gram was always eating apples or carrots but this carrot was different. It was so very yellow and its stem a pretty and shiny green. Without looking at me she broke off a piece and gave it to me. I popped it into my mouth and instantly an exquisite flavor filled my mouth. I was Ecstatic, “Where did you buy these?” I asked. “I didn’t” she answered.” “Well where did you get it?” I insisted. She shrugged and moved her head toward the path. “You picked it?” I inquired. “Yes “she answered. “It could be poisoned” I said. “No” she answered, “Have no fear.”01 of 10

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WRITTEN BY MADELINE MARZ
1978
Copyright 2020, Lynda Marz

After our visit to North Lake I noticed that Gram did not jog anymore and she was so terribly quiet. I asked her why she had stopped running. “Too noisy” she said. “How could running or jogging be noisy?” I thought Gram didn’t talk much anymore and she continually stared at the sky. “How do you feel Gram?” I pestered her. She never looked at anyone anymore and turned her head away from me. “Gram, look at me!” I said. She slowly turned around and lifted her eyes and gentled stared at me. There it was again. Her beautiful eyes told the untold mysteries, kindness, and love enveloped me. “Oh Gram” I whispered and put my arms around her now frail body. “Never fear,” she said, “I am very well, but please I would love to go to North Lake and walk on the path.” “Not Alone” I muttered under my breath.I forgot about my promise to take Gram to North Lake and the winter passed. Gram continued to do her house work and lovingly washed and ironed my clothes. She carried the pebbles she had found in the pockets of her clothes. They were very pretty as I had examined them quite closely. What color they were I could never make out. They shimmered and glowed and changed from blue to yellow to red and brilliant green. Then the pebbles would change from pink to silver to gold. I asked Gram what they were and her plans for them, since they might be valuable. “I’m taking them with me,” she answered.We all loved Gram so much. We worried about her, but she seemed to manage to get around nicely. She was ever calm and often she spoke with such great wisdom. “Whatever is happening to her?” I thought continually. “Her body is shrinking - her mind is growing. She’s ahead of us.” “ Gram you know you’re getting smarter as you grow older?” She nodded at us seriously and we all laughed.Gram began to change physically. Her head was getting bigger and she was losing hair, I kept insisting she get a check-up with our doctor. But she would have none of it. I do not think she had been to our doctor since the birth of Aunt Priscilla, her last child. Truly an amazing woman. But the size of her head was beginning to be of great concern to us. She was well otherwise and her strength continued although her body seemed so much smaller.A weird thing Gram had a habit of doing. She would stretch out her small hands to any of the grandchildren who happened to be near her and asked them to place their hands upon hers. “Then she would ask if they felt or heard anything. They also said “No” and she would sigh and say “Neither do I.” I wondered what we were supposed to hear or feel.02 of 10

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WRITTEN BY MADELINE MARZ
1978
Copyright 2020, Lynda Marz

The day came when we knew we really ought to corner Gram and ask her what was going on. I had the dubious honor since I was the oldest Granddaughter, my mother said. “What has being the oldest granddaughter have to do with it?” I asked my mother. “Because children don’t pry but maybe grandchildren can” answered my mother. “Well OK” I said and proceeded to track my grandmother down, having followed her out – doors to her favorite flower bed. “Gram, you know you have changed in the past year, don’t you?” I asked. “How?” she asked. “Well”, I said “you use to run a lot, now you never even walk fast. You are so quiet, you hardly ever laugh. Although you seem well you look awful.” There, I said it at last and I felt better.Grandma turned her big head and looked at me. “Wham – I floating into those heavenly eyes. I was at peace and thought no more about interfering with Gram’s state of health. But she answered me. “My lovely sweet grandchild, I will tell you some day. Don’t worry about me because I have been invited and I will be settled.” I went back into the house. My mother said, “Well?” “Nothing is wrong with her” I answered. “Leave her alone and let us not concern ourselves for the moment.” My mother looked at me and said, “I know what happened.” She glanced at you and you couldn’t think. I thought it was my imagination but even the little ones are asking her to look at them. My God, What is it I wonder?”Came the day we went back to North Lake. Gram was elated. She wanted to go alone on the path but we would have none of it. So we all walked with her. Up Jacob’s ladder we climbed and soon we came to the place where the view was excellent. Gram decided to sit down on a rock and enjoy it. A little further on was a patch of huckleberries and we decided to pick some but Gram said she would rather sit there and wait for us. There were so many huckleberries and they tasted so delicious that soon we were wondering quite far away. Suddenly I felt a slight breeze and looked at the sky. It was a brilliant blue, but still I was a little worried as I continued to feel the swishing of a wind. I told the rest of the family that I would go back to Gram.
Gram wasn’t there. That was seven years ago. We never found any trace of her or her body. There was absolutely no sign of physical contact. She was just gone and despite all the help of the forest rangers, local groups and a helicopter, she never was found.A few days ago I looked through the pockets of her old jeans that were not discarded and I found this note. Read it and wonder with me.03 of 10

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WRITTEN BY MADELINE MARZ
1978
Copyright 2020, Lynda Marz

Gram’s StoryIt was a lovely summer’s day. I was the only one who wanted to take a walk. The rest of the family would rather relax on the beach or take a swim in the cool waters of North Lake.I walked across the parking lot and entered into the dark woods. The trail followed the edge of the mountains and the view from the different spots was breath taking. As I went along the twisting path I thought how lucky I was to live so near to such a lovely place. As I climbed to Jacob’s ladder and entered into a particularly shady and private place, I sat down near the ledge and prepared to spend a few moments meditating when I felt a slight movement to the air. Was it going to storm? It couldn’t be - the sky was so blue. But one could never be sure of the fast moving mountain vibrating thunder storms.I got up and moved cautiously to the edge and looked over and down the side of the mountain. I felt as if I could see forever it was so clear. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes and thanked our Indian’s Great Spirt for this beautiful mountain day. Suddenly I heard a movement like a gentle swish of an ocean wave and quickly opened my eyes to see the trees dancing and pulsing near me on the side of the terrain. All of a sudden I was horrified and terrified. I saw a moving object camouflaged like the trees and sky imposed upon it. I could barely make out its outline so cleverly did it blend in with the immediate country side. I was looking at a flying saucer. It was swaying near the edge where I was standing - hovering ever so smoothly.I wanted to run. I wanted to call to anyone near and yell “Look-look a flying object.” I couldn’t take my eyes away from it so afraid was I that I was imagining all this. So I stood there and watched and waited with my heart thumping so loudly and it hovered and swayed, watching and waiting so it seemed.Finally what seemed hours but probably only moments, I noticed a movement near the edge of the machine and quickly a long object shot out of it looking like a three foot wide ruler and stopped near my feet. “Oh God” I thought “It wants me to board it.” I didn’t know what to do. Part of me wanted to run and the other part said, “What can you lose?” So I took a cautious step on the strip and immediately pulled to its side, a small door opened and I was inside it.Well, you have heard of little green men with antennae protruding from their heads – here they were. But they weren’t green- their suits were. And the antennas were thrusting from oversized helmets. They were standing in front of a large panel covered with many instruments and they didn’t look my way at all.04 of 10

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WRITTEN BY MADELINE MARZ
1978
Copyright 2020, Lynda Marz

They were so small – about three feet tall with very large heads covered with these big helmets. I felt like a giant beside them. The ship was small and my head was touching the ceiling or whatever it was called.We were moving. At least I had the impression we were. I sat down on the floor because there was nothing around to sit on, the space ship being completely bare. There were three little people very busy with their instruments, so I just waited. Finally one turned around and faced me. He had on dark glasses but I could see his face. It was small and just like ours so I knew they were our human race.Not knowing what to do I lifted my hand in greeting and said “Hi.” It was the last and only word I said during my stay with them.It seems noise is a no-no to them. When I had said ”Hi” they immediately grabed the sides of their helmets and put their hands over their mouths in a gesture that said “Don’t speak” – so I didn’t.A panel in the wall opened and a shelf slid out with a helmet on it like theirs. They told me to put it on which I did and found it most comfortable and I liked the feeling of security it gave. It didn’t, of course, have any antennas protruding from it. I can’t really describe it – it was on my head and I knew I was expected to keep it on. I did and I liked it.Later a panel lifted ever so quietly near me. It seemed everything was behind lifting panels. This one had plates of food on it and I was offered one. They ate their food slowly and seemed to relish it thoroughly. My plate (like theirs) consisted if vegetables so small and perfect. I ate mine and know that I tasted the most palpable food I have ever eaten. I get hungry when I think of it now. The carrots, potatoes, lettuce, green beans and broccoli were out of this world as it really was. My portion was small but very sustaining. I was given a blanket (from the panels) to lie upon. I spent most of the time kneeling by a window also brought into view by a lifting panel. Once in a while one of the little men would come over and put his small hand upon my shoulder in a gesture of reassurance. I was not afraid.It seemed I had been traveling days with them but the time came when I assumed we had arrived at our destination. My companions were sliding panels over their instruments and preparing to leave. They took off their flight helmets and immediately don their helmets that seemed to be like mine.We stepped from the ship and walked down a small ramp. Everything was so quiet yet there was activity. I saw many small round ships in the air and there were many on the ground. Evidently, the ship I Was in was larger than the rest. I saw only a few larger ones. Probably they were the ones which brought people like me up here – trucks I guess you could call them. This must be an airport. We got on a moving walk and we proceeded toward a large low building. The doors were small and I had to bend. Inside were many small people with green suits and very large white helmets.05 of 10

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WRITTEN BY MADELINE MARZ
1978
Copyright 2020, Lynda Marz

I could not see any roads. Amazingly, when we came out of the building I saw numerous well cared for gardens (vegetable mostly). My escorts got on a moving walk but I decided not to so I walked beside them. We went passed the gardens and then entered another pathway that was covered with tiny colored and glittering pebbles. They fascinated me. I scooped up a handful and repeated my actions all the way to where I was to stay.The house I was to stay in was a creamy white—very pretty. It was small, clean and bare. I entered a room where my escorts left me. I was alone, but not for long. After a few moments another small person entered. He was so very tiny with such a big head and a puckered little face. He, too, had on dark glasses which he removed and for an instant we had eye contact. I looked into small quiet, kindly eyes that made me feel at ease instantly. His eyes were of many colors and I seemed to be floating with him into a heavenly calm. But he put his glasses on right away and I was back there with him in this small house. He touched a panel and a chair unfolded for me to sit upon. He did the same for himself. We faced each other.I towered over him and I felt like a giant. I had a small hole in the toe of one of my sneakers which embarrassed me. My jeans and overlarge sweater was not very proper attire I felt.For some time I sat there while he seemed to be thinking. Then a tiny voice in my head said “Hi.” It was my favorite salutation so I said “Hi” in my mind. He nodded at me. WE were communicating with thoughts, I was jubilant and he was pleased. We talked (so to speak) for a long time.He told me I was there because I tried to be a good person so in trying I was one. This pleased me immensely. I said “Do you choose only good people? Don’t you choose people who are very, very intelligent but also good?”“Our main theme is to choose a person who has a speck of goodness,” he answered. “How much of this goodness do I have?” I asked. “Only a very small speck of it” he answered “but enough.” I felt deflated.He told me to walk outside. He told me to look at the flowers. He told me to feel the atmosphere but first I must have my suit to put on. So out of a recess of the well slid my green suite neatly folded, also a pair of boots. So with my suit covering my jeans and sweater and my light boots over my sneakers and my helmet in place I looked exactly like the rest only I was much taller.I came and went as I wished, sometimes walking, sometimes sitting on their small steps. I was extremely happy and very relaxed. I accepted everything as it was as he had instructed me to do and it was not hard at all.06 of 10

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WRITTEN BY MADELINE MARZ
1978
Copyright 2020, Lynda Marz

Sometimes “my friend” took me out in a space ship (very tiny little machine) and we traveled around this new planet. I always looked out of an enclosed window and what I saw was quite interesting. There were no cities, no cars, and no pollution. I saw lots and lots of gardens. There were many low buildings which housed their technology and way of life. I saw snowcapped mountains, pretty valleys, lakes and rivers. Somehow the terrain looked similar to ours. So I asked my friend if this planet was like ours. “Exactly” he said. “Were you always here?” I asked. “No” he said. We came from planet Earth. So he told me this: “A long time ago we traveled from Earth with all the things you have now but much, much more. We were far more advanced and inter-planetary travel was common. We discovered this little planet so similar to Earth and put a colony on it. But Earth was greedy and there were wars and finally it destroyed itself. Our little colony here survived but the people on Earth that managed to live through the holocaust, hovered in caves and became what we people now call cave men etc. They would, through the years, strive and build a society that would in time destroy itself again. “But” he said “our technology improved with time and we are very far advanced. Earth has improved also but we see in the near future a terrible destruction of Earth again. We do not choose our people for their minds. We can teach them here. WE want people we know we can trust. We screen our new arrivals thoroughly and you have been chosen. You will take my place eventually not in what I do but as a person replaced. Do you wish to stay?” “I don’t know. I didn’t think I could adjust so quickly. “Can I go back and think about all this?” I asked. “Anytime you wish” he answered. “I can return then again?” I asked. “Yes, we will anticipate your arrival back here with pleasure.”So it was decided I would go back but would in time return. I was to go to the mountain and they would bring me aboard again at any time I could get there.Then he held out his hands and I held out mine and I immediately experienced a great sensation, very difficult to describe. I could hear children laughing. I could feel the love of two people. I could feel the great maternal love for a new baby. I felt all the sensations of well-being and I knew he did also. I was extremely relaxed. In that pose of hands upon hands we were happy. I soon found out that this was something they all did. It was contentment- their happiness, their enjoyable pastime. Something in the binding of hands brought memories of only the best that life had offered. My mind was boggled.My friend and I continued our discourse on several items. Since he and all the little people came from planet Earth- I wanted to know when. He took a picture from his pocket and showed it to me. It was he when he lived on Earth. I saw a very tall man dressed only in skins with dark tangled hair and a very long beard. He was standing on a ledge the same as I had been. He had a club or stick in his hand and looked as if he was ready to throw it. “My heavens” I said “How old are you?” “Very old” he answered. Then he told me to look in my pocket. I did and produced a picture of myself standing on the ledge at North Lake. It must have been taken just before I entered the ship. There I was; old blue jeans, over-large sweater, torn old sneakers and my hair tied back and covered with my bandana. I looked scared and inquisitive. In his photo he had the same expression I did. We exchanged smiles.07 of 10

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WRITTEN BY MADELINE MARZ
1978
Copyright 2020, Lynda Marz

I said or rather asked “Do people die here?” He nodded yes. Then I knew. He was dying. I got down on my knees in front of him. I took off his glasses. He didn’t look at me, yet neither did he seem offended. I put his little glasses back on him. I sat back on my heels and felt deep sadness. “When I come back will I see you again?” “Yes” he nodded. “We must study together.” Then I asked “Are there any children here?” “No” he answered. All new people are our children. You will be one of them.” ‘ And I will grow smaller as time goes by?” He nodded assent.I walked outside and sat down on the little steps. I leaned over to scope up a handful of pebbles. How exquisite they were. I shook them in my hand watching a little person working among the carrots. Since I couldn’t communicate with anyone except “my friend” I used sign language. I took my picture from my pocket and showed it to him. Then he or she would take his or her picture from their pockets and handed I to me. I was amazed at some if the photos. There were people who were covered with long hair and of a bent over posture. There were cave men and women. Some people were clothed with a style I had never seen. And there were some clothes I recognized from paintings. One picture of a man with a curly wig, a snuff box in his hand and high heels on his feet, had such an arrogant expression on his face that I wondered how he could be here on this planet. I looked at him and he smiled gently at me. He knew what I was thinking. They were all nice to me and treated me like a child which to them I was. I had to learn their ways. One time in a mood of fun I started to run up their path. The noise of my feet pounded the ground and all the little folks near me grabbed their heads and bent over. I had done a no-no again and walked quietly back.My suit kept me always comfortable. I think the main thing about our suits was the protection it gave us from the snow and cold weather. The green was a pleasant color. We all looked alike but that didn’t matter in the least.Then there was the time I discovered an extremely beautiful flower on a path I rarely used. I looked at the flower for quite a while then quickly hurried back to my building to get my friend. He was kneeling in front of a small pedestal with a tiny book placed upon it. He was reading. But in a burst of energy I leaned over and picked him up and carried him outside. All the people smiled behind their hands as they watched me carry him to the flower. “Your flower” I said as I placed him in front of it. Then I picked him up again and carried him back into the house and put him down by his small pedestal. “I must go back” I said. He got up immediately and we walked out of the building and towards the airport.08 of 10

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WRITTEN BY MADELINE MARZ
1978
Copyright 2020, Lynda Marz

“Don’t forget me” I said. “No, no, you will be back soon,” he answered. “Can I have a few pebbles from the path?” He handed me a small handful. Then I bent over and picked a carrot. As we neared the airport I said to my dear friend, “I cannot understand why I was chosen. I am not the least intelligent. I don’t have too much of an education and to ask you any more about this planet would be silly. I wouldn’t understand at all.” I ended my comment in frustration and despair at my lack of knowledge. “Well” he answered and lifted his hand and waved it slightly as we walked (I walked- he was on a moving walk) and said, “You were able to communicate with me almost immediately.” I said, “That just happened without any effort on my part. You did it all. You talk to me in my own language with I suspect all the grammatical errors I make to give me a sense of wellbeing. Are you a big shot here?” “No” he answered, “but thank you for the compliment. I’m only a small person among a lot of little people. We devote our time to peace and travel, medicine, crops, science and mostly devotion and loving our fellow man.”“Why are you so small? Do you like being so tiny?” “No” he answered, “I don’t mind being small. WE have improved so much with our brains that our bodies are getting smaller and our heads larger.” “Doesn’t it scare you to see your body shrinking?” I asked. “Yes, it did at first” he answered “but soon I adjusted. I’m very old, as you know, but there are some people who are a little older then I am. And this head of mine is getting harder and harder to carry around. Yes it is time and I think of being laid to rest in my own home planet, Earth.”My saucer or ship was in sight so I turned and bowed to my friend. He nodded his head slightly in return. I entered the ship, sat on the floor and waited. The crew seemed to be the same people who brought me here. We were air born in no time so I knew what to expect. Meals were served and I spent most of the time looking out of their little window.Then all of a sudden I knew we were hovering near the ledge. I took off my suite and helmet, tied my hair back in my bandana and I slipped my boots from my sneakers. I stood near the door. The door opened and I turned and bowed to the crew and before I could catch my breath, I was on the ledge. I looked over the ledge and saw the ship dipping to me in sort of a good-by. I waved as tears stung my eyes. It was over and I was back. Now, I thought, how was I to explain my absence? What month was it, I wondered? Was I gone about a year because here it was summer time again?My first encounter startled me no end. There were people I had seen still bathing near the water when I had gone. I had to stop and get my bearings. There was my daughter and grandchildren lying on the beach. It couldn’t be I thought. My granddaughter called to me and asked, “Where have you been? You were gone almost two hours.” I thought, “Oh my God. I dreamed the whole thing.” I put my hand in my pocket and felt the pebbles. No it was true.09 of 10

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WRITTEN BY MADELINE MARZ
1978
Copyright 2020, Lynda Marz

And so I lived and pondered and waited. I know I must go back and yet my family meant so much to me. I know I would be still living when my family had long passed away including my grandchildren and great grandchildren. This was what bothered me so. I couldn’t get use to the idea. I would be a little person on an incredible planet dressed in a green suit with a large helmet. I would become one of them and I knew it was what I really wanted. It would be pure happiness.So who ever finds this- read and wonder and disbelieve. I know you won’t believe this-how could you, really! I wish I could have taken all of you with me. Maybe someday, I’ll meet a grandchild or someone close to my family who has a speck of goodness. Then I shall give him or her a handful of pebbles.Gram---------------------

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Everett C E

As I peered into those new eyesI saw very deep downA smile that seemed to say “Oh my, am I here now?”So powerful the aura, so comfortable the sighSo peaceful the stillness, I knew the reason whyThe calm spread to all who looked you in the eyeIn awe of your newborn presence; the casual yawn and all,The perfection of time, the perfect surrounding, the warmth, the LoveAnd stillness aboundsYes, Everett, you are hereTo add to the universe your special touch, your sparkle and your trustI feel the power and the need for your place in this sceneI feel before my eyes that you will become a major catalyst for all to be doneBut you know this alreadyYou arrived with this giftNow relax and enjoyNo sweat– you’ve got this!Lynda Marz
August 14, 2022