"Where am I?"
"Please sit and make yourself at home."
"Hmm. Is all this food for me?"
"No. All this food is for you and three other invited guests."
"Guests? Who else is coming?"
"That's on a need to know basis. You'll know them when you see them. For now you must eat and regain your energy. Croak is on his way to retrieve the helmet of salvation as we speak so it won't be long until you're reunited with your physical body!!"
"Chaplain, it matters not what I eat here now because once I come back to life the food here will be meaningless."
"Hopper, the food is not for your body but more for your soul. This food will give you energy for whatever may lay ahead and whomever you meet."
"That makes sense when you put it like that but don't expect me to eat most of this food alone."
"You won't be alone. The first guest is arriving shortly. He's at the front gates right now. Eat up while I go let him in."
And with that the chaplain left, the rest of the servers set the food down on the table then left;and I was alone with my thoughts. My mind couldn't sit still as I wondered who was coming, where was I, why am I in a huge banquet hall and why are there so many seats around the table if there is only going to be four of us eating? Nowhere was I close to answering any of my questions before my tummy rumbled and let out a lion. Now my body may have left me but when your tummy does the sacred cry for help it is your duty to answer the cry by never saying no.
Hours ticked by and I was already in my second tray of mac and cheese but the doors never opened. Where was he? The chap said he'd be right back did he not? I wonder what's taking them so long? My spoon got halfway to my mouth when I heard the doors swing open and a familiar voice rise up.
"Hopper my boy. How's life been treating you?"
"Hello dad. Couldn't resist dying just so you could come up here and tell me that I screwed up yet again. I should've thought first before charging in blind."
"That knockout must've messed up your memory, son. We were having a moment back there. We clicked and I couldn't have been happier. The past was behind us and we were moving forward. Just look at me please."
"Come over here and look at the water in this cup. The water is so refreshing and cool. Here it sits frozen in time and so easy to get while we toiled for days trying to find this source for ourselves. The water is there for a moment then gone the next. It's just like life. Life is a series of moments but it all passes in a blink of an eye. Like a ripple in the water it is there one minute…...then vanishes. We weren't clicking back there. It was just a moment and nothing more.
That's why I dont stick my neck out for someone; without first having a plan. When you do that it never ends well."
"You take that back this instant. You're my son Hopper. MY...SON!!!!!!"
"No!"
"What?"
"I'm not your son. We don't even share the same dna!!"
"Are you at least going to welcome your old man to heaven by giving him a hug?"
"Fine, I'll give you a hug but not to welcome you here. Can't welcome you to a place you don't even know."
"Hop, we're in Heaven are we not? In the Bible it says when you get to Heaven there will be a grand feast awaiting you."
"Ha. I thought the older you get the wiser you become. Instead that just means there is more for you to forget. You said it yourself old man;the gates of Heaven will stay closed until judgement day so spirits and souls have to go somewhere. Please sit and have a drink with me. We're going to make a toast."
"What are we toasting?"
"Let's toast to your good health. May it always prevail….in times of need."
"If I may, can I ask one question before we wrap up this...friendly meet and greet?"
"You may proceed."
"Thank you. What has evoked this sudden change of behavior in you? Certainly death hasn't knocked this adultness in you; has it?"
"No! No!! Nothing like that father. Let's just say I had a chat with Swift earlier today and Aaron wasn't able to stop him again because he had already turned. Unlike Aaron though who missed his mark I did not miss mine. They should be arriving here shortly considering all goes well. Don't worry! We're dead so they can't hurt us here I think."
"Hopefully what you speak is true and I dont have to defend you again."
"To the waters of life!!"
"To the waters of life!!"
"May it rinse our bodies and cleanse our souls."
"Amen!!"