“What would you do if you witnessed someone harming another person?” Bubba asked as he read a newspaper about a knife fight at a school that ended in gunfire. “Would you step in and say something? Or act to stop the violence? Would you report it to the authorities? Here is a story about a similar confrontation.”

The picture of Terry Waters showed a smiling, happy man of 67 years. The collar-length silver hair framed sparkling grey eyes accentuated a mischievous smile. Deep dimples in the cheeks and crow’s feet around the eyes added character to the face of a part-time handyman, a part-time janitor, and a full-time friend to a select group of people.

The downside was that the picture was 20 years old, and Mr. Waters died three years ago. And yet, the person reading this obituary looked exactly like the person in the picture.

After Terry Waters finished the obituary, he walked a few blocks to the big city park where two groups of protesters clashed over abortion. The clash turned louder and then more physical. Police were called to separate the two groups and restore the peace. All the while, Terry sat on a park picnic table observing the situation and making mental notes. He heard Pro-Life proponents claim something called the Ten Commandments says it is wrong to kill. He heard people say abortion violates one body that has no say in the matter. Women’s Rights supporters countered with the claim that their bodies are theirs and not subject to the will of someone else. He heard people say an unborn child may threaten the quality of its life and the life of the mother. He never said a word — he just listened.

***

The following day, Terry Waters sat on a park bench at Grant Park in Chicago sipping a bottle of pineapple juice, something he had never tasted before. The drink was a ruse — he was listening to all the conversations swirling around him. Two women discussed childcare. Two men argued about last night’s Cubs game and how many bad calls were made by umpires. He spun around when he heard someone scream. He saw a woman jumping up and down as a man knelt before her to propose marriage. Several teenagers discussed varied topics (as they always do) from dating to horrid teachers to drugs to fast food diets. He never said a word — he just listened.

***

It was a beautiful day on the campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando when Professor Amazi took the Aging Studies Class outside to the Quadrangle. He asked the class, “How do you intend to convince your parents that it is time for them to move out of their home and into a senior care facility? Because if you cannot convince someone you know, how will you convince someone you don’t know?”

Wally Pickering said, “I would quote them statistical studies that demonstrated the benefits.”

“I would use logic,” Kathrine Case offered. “They took care of my brother and me when we were little, and now it is time for them to be taken care of.”

Professor Amazi said, “Both answers are right, and both are wrong.” He noticed a man sitting on a bench at the edge of the Quadrangle, then said, “There is no pat answer. Every elderly person you will work with will be different from the last person and the next person. Each will require an individual solution because every person you will deal with comes to you from a different set of experiences.”

“But how will that be possible?” Peter Rash asked. “I anticipate I will have a caseload of 50 or more clients. I won’t have time to delve that deep with each one.”

“You will have three choices, Mr. Rash,” Professor Amazi replied. “You could shortcut the intake process and risk failure on your part, you can complete a thorough intake and still risk failure on their part, you can find more time to service those 50 or more clients, or you can find work in another field. That is not the answer you wanted. But it is the correct answer.”

Terry Waters stood up from the bench. He never said a word — he just listened and walked away.

***

Many homeless people lived under a bridge near Interstate 80 and the San Francisco Bay. A man named Louis stirred soup in a campfire pot while others in the camp were angry and frustrated because no one seemed to care about them and their plight. A woman tried to console her two crying, hungry children. Three other children played and rummaged through a pile of trash scattered from the tents and sleeping bags to the water’s edge. One bearded man in an old Cleveland Indians baseball cap sat in a broken beach chair and stared at the waters in the bay all day. Three people slept in a small broken-down car in a parking lot two blocks away but spent the day here in the camp. Social workers dropped off water bottles and insect wipes during the summer months and blankets during the winter months. Terry Waters sat under a nearby tree. He never said a word — he just listened.

***

Two days later, Terry Waters sat on the last row of the United States House of Representatives gallery. The 435 elected men and women supposedly reflected the values of their constituents back home. For six days they had been arguing the sensitive issues of immigration. Some representatives called the situation ‘a blight on America’s image’ while others complained the mass numbers of illegals were taking jobs away from ‘real Americans.’ Some quoted a verse from something called the Bible that said, “’For I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you welcomed me; I was naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me.’ Ladies and Gentlemen, if we are not doing that for these immigrants, then we cannot call ourselves Christians.” 

Some countered that many of these illegal immigrants are circumventing the laws, are thieves and murderers, and are a threat to law-abiding citizens. Terry Waters sat in a chair for two more days. He never said a word — he just listened.

***

Nellis Air Force Base outside Las Vegas, Nevada had 100,000 solar panels to generate 40 million kilowatt hours of energy annually. The public did not know those panels plus others concealed in the surrounding desert could be linked up to produce a laser force stronger enough to destroy satellites around the Earth and bases on the Moon. A guard at the base’s north gate yelled, “Halt! Who goes there? Slowly turn around and be identified!” He queued his radio com on his uniform and said, “Security breach at Gate Zulu! I request immediate backup support!” He pointed his M4 assault rifle at the intruder as he growled, I order you to turn around with your hands in the air and drop to your knees. If you fail to comply, I will empty all thirty rounds of bullets into you and make Swiss cheese out of your body. Do it now!”

Mr. Terry Waters raised his hands and turned. The same smirky smile that was on that old obituary picture was still on his face now. He dropped to his knees and clasped his hands behind his head. Three jeeps full of Air Guards quickly rolled up followed by an armored carrier with more guards. Soon, every M4 was pointed at Terry Waters who said nothing. He was manhandled into the personnel carrier and taken to the base’s Office of Special Investigations for interrogation. He was peppered with questions, but he never said a word — he just listened.

Late that night, a tall tired-looking woman entered Interrogation Room #2 and pointed a finger at the handcuffed man seated at the table. “I am Thelma Jamison, Senior OSI Agent for the Western United States. I just flew in from Houston, and I am damn tired and hungry, which means you have already pissed me off! Who are you and why did you illegally enter this secure base?” Terry Waters never said a word — he just smiled and listened. Ms. Jamison sighed and said, “Your reluctance to answer my questions will not go well for you. As a suspected terrorist, you have no legal right to counsel. If you do not cooperate, I will have no hesitation in using chemical injections to get the truth from you. Now, answer my question.” Terry Waters never said a word.

Ms. Jamison looked at the one-way mirror and said, “Okay, Dr. Fuentes. Bring in your medical bag of tricks.”

Dr. Fuentes filled a syringe with a combination of scopolamine, midazolam, sodium thiopental, and a little something extra he had cooked up. Yes, his concoction had been used many times and only resulted in three deaths, but he was always ordered to get results at any cost. Sometimes that cost was high. He had a sly grin on his face when he started to inject his ‘special truth serum’ but his sly grin turned to shock when the needle did not penetrate the skin. Terry Waters never said a word, but the room changed from a shaded gray color to a bright lime green.

Fifteen Terry Waters walked through the walls or simply appeared from fifteen different places in the room. One touched the handcuffs on the seated Terry Waters, and they disappeared. Dr. Fuentes fainted and Ms. Jamison stammered, “Who are you? Where did you come from?”

Not one of the now sixteen Terry Waters spoke, but Ms. Jamison could hear a voice in her head. “We use a collective mind transference by which we communicate with other species. We are part of an analysis team from far beyond your planet and electronic reach. We are here to visit.”

“What is the purpose of your visit?” Ms. Jamison demanded as she calmed down some.

“We have taken the image of humans in many countries to assimilate into the societies in many of your planet’s countries. We have made countless, unnoticed observations and will soon present our determinations to our High Council for their final decision.”

Ms. Jamison brightened up. “I am sure my government would relish the opportunity to develop a relationship with your planet. How can I help?”

“You misunderstand,” another Terry Waters said telepathically. “In the past, your species has only acted if the outcome would be in their favor, not for the best interest of all. Your actions and non-actions have resulted in the slaughter of children, famine, and the spread of diseases across your planet.”

“These actions are nothing new. We have been visitors who have witnessed your intolerance and greed for generations,” addressed another Terry Waters.

Another said, “One of our visitors witnessed religious zealots beating and killing other religious zealots. Another witnessed one group involved in genocide because previous generations had hated each other.”

“We witnessed gangs robbing, assaulting, and killing simply for the thrill of hurting people,” added another.

“You have treated your pets better than your neighbors.”

“Your constant fighting, hatred, racism, neglect, and repudiation of your own species have forced us into a judgment decision.”

“What does that mean?” stammered Ms. Jamison, yet hesitant to learn the answer.

“We cannot allow the evil you inflict on your own people to be spread like an infection across this galaxy and beyond. Your fate will be determined by the High Council.”

“What does that mean?” an annoyed Ms. Jamison now exclaimed as she swallowed hard.

“The High Council will decide the complete elimination of your species and your planet or the elimination of your ability to leave the confines of your planet.”

Jamison was stunned. She slowly asked, “Surely we will be allowed to present a defense?”

“No,” was the rapid reply from the chorus of Terry Waters replicas.

“When and how will we learn of the decision?” Dr. Fuentes asked as he searched the eyes of each replicate.

“Will that matter? When the decision is made, you and your planet will simply vanish.” And with that, the sixteen Terry Waters look-alikes vanished.

Dear Reader: What do you believe will be the decision of the High Council?