The funny thing about memory is just how clear some things are, and muddy others. Some remember every detail about the Wednesday it happened, while I can only recall what happened during.
Not that it matters what happened at work that morning. There was nothing out of the ordinary. I think Zack still had the feeling something was going to happen. But can't be certain.
It was Zack's turn to pick the place for lunch. We were at lunch at a family diner that didn't serve alcohol. Not that Willie drank that early, just that they didn't serve any.
The other two knew what they wanted, but I was taking my time going over the sandwiches. The waitress dropped off our water, while I was narrowing down my selection to a club.
Televisions were all tuned to the same channel with a kid's program on. Not having kids, I didn't know what it was. It must've been popular, since kids were watching, and laughing.
At 12:01, the program disappeared. I know it was 12:01, for the same reason as everyone else. That's when they appeared on split screens.
It was the next feather God used to get my attention. My eyes did get drawn to the heavens, but not looking where God wanted me to look. I told you I was stubborn.
The only thing anyone saw was two figures with their faces obscured. One by what looked like a hood, and the other a helmet. I know people disagree over what was covering their faces, but that's what I saw.
What stood out wasn't their hidden faces, but their hands. At least that's what stood out to me. Others took notice of the black and blue uniforms.
The one in black had four, long fingers with blue skin, while the one in blue had humanish hands with claws.
How could anyone not be drawn to those features before anything else?
"This is Commander Vrete," a mechanical voice spoke with authority from the one wearing black. "We are Atlantians wanting to return home. We seek safe passage to land."
The one in blue turned, before returning to the screen. "I am Admiral Gorth," came a second mechanical voice. "They are liars. They've never been to Earth. You can't trust them. Allow us safe passage and we'll prove it."
The voices sounded nothing like what was heard the previous day. They had to be using translators of some kind.
Just because they didn't have time for their computers to process all the languages of Earth, prior to taking up orbit, didn't mean they couldn't handle the information to create working translators by the time they took up orbit.
"The Viridians are known liars throughout the galaxy," Vrete replied. "They claim to want peace. All they want is war. Tell your governments to not let that happen."
Gorth laughed. "This coming from the people who always lie about origin of planets. Alrunians, which is who they really are, always lie about origin. If your government allows them to land, they will make war with your people."
The image ended, returning to the children's show. Both had just given warnings about the other. And both promised that they had information. Why not go through governments? Unless they had.
Only God and the various governments knew the truth. But I suspected most governments weren't capable of keeping that kind of secret.
Normally that would have happened. God uses feathers in mysterious ways. They were both supposed to be on with only heads of state and other high-ranking people throughout the world.
The mistake was made at the Viridian end, rather than government channels, the button for all of Earth was hit. Which led the Atlantians, or Alruins depending on which side was believed, to follow their lead expecting treachery.
Both would blame the other for what happened, despite the Viridian's clear responsibility.
Had the normal process been followed, they'd be negotiating with official government leaders. By the time the mistake was realized, it was too late. That was the reason of speaking to our governments came up.
The image of the aliens ended, and children's program resumed.
Other than the children who were too young to understand, everyone was quiet. At a place like that, silence sounded off. No one believed it was anything other than real.
That didn't mean there weren't skeptics in the world. No shortage of them. Just none in that diner that I could recall.
Willie shook his head in disbelief. "That can't be real, can it?"
The children's broke away, again, but that time the person was human female he didn't recognize. Those who were more interested in the show gave their children's protests that ranged awes to cries.
The woman stood in silence for several seconds. It gave him time to take in some of her features. She had brown hair that was pulled back tight and thin framed glasses over her brown eyes. Her face was tanned and wore a woman's suit in place of a dress.
She took a deep breath. "This is Silvia Hayes, President Silva's Press Secretary," she said with a calm voice that hid whatever she was feeling. "NASA has confirmed that those images came from ships that have taken orbit on opposite sides of Earth. We are not alone in the universe. There will be a press conference in an hour with representatives from NASA. Thank you."
Well, no wonder I didn't recognize her. I wouldn't recognize most people from our government. Between work and God, there's no time to follow what happens in that cesspool of a capital. That shiny city on the hill had become Sodom and Gomorrah.
"See that, Willie," Zack said pointing to the TV that returned to the children's program. "Two sentient species who used free will to get to Earth in ships they built. Nothing other than those with free will can do that."
I crossed my arms with a smile. There was no way he was going to get out of that one.
Willie looked at us with defeat. "You're right. Free will exists for us and them, which means God exists. But not necessarily your God."
Finally, there'd be no going back and forth for Willie. He crossed a line of belief there was no turning back from.
Zack sat for a few moments with eyes wide, and a grin. "You will, Willie, in time."
I gave a silent prayer of thanks to God, and to help guide His lost son to where he was meant to be.
What I missed in that prayer was to ask God to guide everyone, including me. It was only to guide Willie. I could've easily included everyone. But chose not to.
There's no excuse like how I was to know. God knew. I could've asked Him, at any time. God answers all prayer, in God's time. I don't know if He would've answered me, right away. But would answer.
Had it not been so close to needing to return to the site to continue work on the house, I would've prayed longer. Aliens, or not, we had work to do. Houses didn't build themselves.
That feather that continued to fall was missed, because my mind wasn't in the right place with God, just like the others. There was work to be done by the three of us for God.