Bar Discussions

"Hey Dear, get us the usual."

"Yeah sure … beers first and later on only tea, I got it. You two are probably the strangest customers in this pub"

"Elaine, don't you think it is rude to call your loyal guests strange? We have come here for the last 20 years you know?"

"Just go to your usual spot already. The beverages will be ready soon…"

Elaine's bar was a very old place in town. Almost as old as things would get nowadays. There was not even a hotspot there. Old wooden stools and tables on a parkette floor were neatly arranged in an orderly shape. The young folk almost never visited here. Only those with an acquired taste could savour the taste of the locale.

Frank and Benjamin were exactly those kinds of men. With almost 70 years they definitely weren't young. People from the last era like them wouldn't care about connectivity, social media and checking out the most recent trends. Of course, it wasn't always like this but with the years they came to enjoy the simple but profound things in life.

"It's so nice that our corner table at the window is free. It is definitely the best spot in the room."

"Frank, no one likes to sit at windows anymore. It's not the old times when you would look outside into the blue sky with resplendent white clouds. On rare occasions only will you find the grey sky to clear up and show some of the sun."

"Ben, even if you fuck up, you need to be able to stand up to it. Even in the most depressing times there are always solutions."

"Solutions, huh? Before the year of death maybe I would have agreed on that. But only when 90% of the species in the oceans died because they became sour from all the CO-2 inside did people acknowledge the fact that they do in fact influence the environment. Death is pretty persuasive if nothing else. Especially when its humans that die"

"We did show them our simulations and calculations, but people didn't want to believe."

"…"

"You two, stop talking about all that depressing stuff in here. It's always the same when you come: 'Death here' - 'Death there'. Just drink your beers and shut up. Or talk about fun stuff!"

"…"

"Benny, why do we have to listen to that woman?"

"She did throw us out once, remember?"

"Haaaaah"

"On the topic of nice things, isn't the space elevator almost finished? Did you book your flight already?"

"Yeah, next month the tether is going to connect to the ground station and after some maintenance the first ride up to space will commence. My company booked for me and my family like 2 years ago."

"Your team did develop the method of producing stable and continuous graphene. So of course, you get to ride first."

"Nothing to special. It's not like we solved the hunger crisis of climate problems…"

"Frank, remember? Fun stuff…?"

"So now one can't even mention it anymore? Times sure have changed."

"At least you didn't go into elementary physics that one was a total fiasco."

"Hahaha, so talking depressing stuff on physics is alright? Okay then…"

"… Na useful physics is fine. It's just that particle crap"

"What crap? Crap your sister. Only because we didn't find them doesn't mean they don't exist. Yeah sure we wasted trillions on that accelerator and didn't get anything new. Not even a single step closer to understanding gravitation. But we did confirm our standard model further."

"Sure… tell yourself that. The public didn't believe in it. Anyhow - and when the climate hit, nobody cared about that anyway. Material sciences for the win is say!"

"That elevator is just escapism. I heard the plans on the 'Heavens Project' and the start on the Dyson Swarm. That 'million-year' project will never finish. We are already lucky if no third world war hits.

Oy-weey, poor earth…"

Benjamin who was already downing his second beer gave Frank an annoyed look answering.

"Are you sure you are not going senile? This rock we are on has no feelings and doesn't care even if we dismantle it for parts. Aren't you a physicist? Or are you going to come at me with that soul and spirit stuff again?"

"I just find it very likely such things exist even though we can't really measure them"

"Says the physicist…"

"I know… But how do you explain all those supernatural things that happened over the years? People remembering past lives under hypnosis, mothers with a sixth's sense for their kid in danger, or all those ghost stories. You can find these things in almost all cultures"

"Frank, we had this discussion already. It all originates from evolutionary development. A man hears a strange noise in the wild. There is one who thought it to be the wind and the other thinks it's some mystic beast. If it's the wind nothing happens to anyone but if there is actually a predator then the one who didn't prepare to run away dies. Very easy! Over time reactions like those intricated themselves into our brains and our subconscious thinking."

"Yeah sure I heard that one but you can't really remember a whole language like that? Like medieval Spanish?"

"That's all fake!"

"All of it? Even if only one of those stories is true, it changes everything. Don't you think one should acknowledge that?"

"That sounds a lot like Pascal's wager to me. Are you sure you don't believe in a god? Weren't you a believer in your childhood?"

When both glasses were empty again Elaine was already on her way with cups of freshly brewed green and black tea respectively. Placing the cups on the wooden table she chipped in.

"Oh, I know that one! Isn't it something like: There are two possibilities either god exists or he doesn't. If he does and I believe in him I go to heaven and if I don't I go to hell. So, if you think about eternity in heaven or hell it becomes logical to bet on his existence and behave yourself following his rules."

Taking a sip out of his cup of green tea Frank answered:

"The question would then be which god is it? There are thousands of directions in Christianity alone plus all those other religions? Which rules do I follow? The ones I was brought up to follow? Yeah I don't think so…"

Elaine: "Just take one you feel best with…"

"Believing in god does measurably increase your lifespan and life quality. Relaxation and Happiness are really helpful in life you know? That's the only reason I am not talking you out of your spirituality thingy." Benjamin followed up.

Hearing that Elaine nodded. After a brief moment she seemed to remember something and said:

"For scientists you both a pretty irrational. Frank, if I remember correctly didn't you buy some really strange saplings from a crazy old man once? When was that?"

Ben took a sip from his English Earl Grey: "Yeah didn't you like pay him a fortune? Like a month's salary or something? I remember your wife roasting you for months on end, haha…"

A slight red hue crept on Franks face remembering his wife's tirades then.

"That monk sold me 12 identical saplings and a manual how to plant and care for those trees that day. Good thing we have like the biggest courtyard ever. I was running around with a compass in hands for a whole day and measuring distances and angles. Very strange indeed…"

"Monk? Pffff, more like scammer…"

"Hey don't laugh! Ben didn't I invite you to determine the species a couple of times? You still can't tell me its origin!"

Frank took another bigger sip this time.

"So what? That guy probably just ordered some genetically modified random plants and sold them to you. Must have been the deal of his life. Your monthly income then was like half of that a normal guy like him could earn in his whole life…"

GULP *cough* *cough*

"You guys are cruel. I am ordering green tea to calm down and you drive my blood pressure up…"

*cough*

"Don't be so whimsical. As if you'd have any problems with your health. This old man runs around with a pacemaker. Do you see me complaining?"

*cough* *cough*

"Eh, if say it like that you are right. My health insurance company sure did collect some money from me over the years without having to give me anything. But I do work for it. See, its already 8 o'clock."

Standing up Frank finished his cup of tea and turned to the door.

"Eehhrrr - yep, Ben it's your turn paying. See ya!"

When Frank exited the bar, he looked up into the sky.

'I wonder whether there will be rain today. The weather forecast didn't say so but the clouds sure do look like it. Hmmm, gotta hurry!'

Using his old model smartphone, he ordered a cab. The App told him to wait 2 min for the nearest passenger car to arrive. Frank closed his eyes murmuring:

"If they knew I had all my brilliant ideas in the midst of those trees, I wonder how they would react. But I guess I did spend a lot of time sitting there."

Reminiscing about the past he stood still looking in to the sky, until…

BEEEEP

"Hey old man, are you going to stand there forever? This is a self-driving car if you don't get in soon it will go on without you!"

Startled Frank awoke, moving closer to the vehicle he apologized:

"Yeah sorry, you know old men like me do sometimes revel in their memories."

"YO, we don't really wanna listen to that. You coming?"

Frank opened the door and sat down. Inside he saw a young man maybe in his twenties next to a pink-haired woman. Not wanting to bother with them he closed his eyes and soon doze off…

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

"BEEP. One commute has been added to your statistics. You have reached your destination 'Home'. Please exit the vehicle."

When Frank awoke he was alone in the car. Only a blinking light at the front greeted him. Still groggy he opened the door. When he exited, it soundlessly drove away.

'It is kinda funny how driver-less cars were so controversial in the past. Now every car is electric and most of them at least in the city and suburban area are owned by the city. The next step after busses and trams'

"Hey old man what are you waiting for? Come inside grandma made a cake"

"Jimmy, do I look that old to you. Old man here, Old man there am I really that old?"

"Haha, you are always so funny grandpa. Haha of course you are young. You still have a long happy life in front of you. Next month you'll even go to space. If that's not 'young' then I don't know what is."

"Nice comeback Jimmy! You are learning. I'll be in the gardens for the usual…"

Showing a 'thumbs up' to his grandson Frank went into the house, through the corridor and entered the backyard.

'Nice!'

What greeted his eyes was beauty - at least in his eyes. A ring of water four bridges leading across, one in each cardinal direction was situated in the middle of the garden.

'And Alice ridiculed in setting this up. It is just breath-taking!'

Inside the water-ring 8 trees were arranged in a perfect octagonal shape, the walkway leading through. When entering you would then cross another bridge, pass the middle four trees before you could enter the central island just big enough to sit down. But normally such a weird shape would not really give you any felling of beauty. The trees did though:

'Every time is see it its marvellous. 50 years of watering and they are always symmetrical. The branches and twigs actually look the same independent in which direction you look. Wait, they are actually looking as if they are connected. One huge network of twists and turns and branching and leaves.'

As per instructions each year Frank corrected any mishaps to the three ring-ponds and always put in one portion of the weird powder the monk gave him. Today would be the last – That is what the man said then. More than one year without this remedy and the trees would die he said.

'So sad. But it was nice while lasted. Maybe I'll meet him again? Argh, unlikely he looked like 100 years old and now its 50 years later. I do wish him the best!'

What the others didn't know and didn't feel was that sitting in the centre of those trees was extremely calming and relaxing. Every day Frank would sit there, close his eyes and think.

Slowly breathing in and breathing out any random thoughts would vanish from his mind and he could concentrate on the essentials.

After emptying the paper with the powder into the water he walked onto the central island sitting down with his legs crossed. He looked up.

Concentric rings of twigs with connecting branches in between in a healthy wooden colour. A fine net of white fibres enveloped them and could be even found on the leaves. One could think those would be offsetting but they instead further increased the feeling of closeness to nature and calm.

Frank just closed his eyes, when a loud shout came from upstairs:

"Frank, it is going to rain soon. If you get wet like last time I'll not let you in. I just bought a new carpet. You hear me?"

After a couple of seconds Frank opened his eyes again and shouted back:

"Yeah, yeah…sure"

Just as he wanted to close his eyes he saw a ripple on the surface of the inner pond.

Wondering about the rain he looked up and saw a single twig protruding into the middle from the innermost ring of twigs.

'Wait that wasn't there before, when I looked up'

Rubbing his eyes, he concentrated and looked up again.

This new twig looked different from everything around it, It was black with 12 white stripes on it and they seemed as if … they were moving?

'Wait what?'

Stumped he felt another drop of water falling on top of his head.

'I really must be hallucinating. I only drank like two beers. I guess I am old…huuuh'

While rubbing his eyes he suddenly heard a small cracking sound and when he looked up he saw a raindrop hitting the twig almost breaking it from its connected ring.

Something else felt strange.

Turning around to look back at his house behind him he saw nothingness.

Yes, he saw nothingness not black. Looking around behind the trees was nothing as if the world ended just 10 metres away from him.

DRIP DRIP DRIP

Only the Rain and the grey sky reminded him of his existence on earth. Even though the world seemed to end 10 metres away from him the sky seemed to stretch endlessly. Endless rain everywhere.

'What did I drink? Did those youngsters drug me?'

CRACK

Another sound in the midst the now pouring rain startled Frank to look up again. He saw the small twig falling down slowly …

or was it quickly?

You see when the twig fell the rain didn't. As if it didn't dare to move in the presence of the twig.

RUMBLE

And as if enraged by the moves of the twig the sky got louder. A transparent line was visible reaching down. Branching out looking for the shortest route.

Strangely Frank could see this without any problems. A twig falling and a slightly yellow line trying to catch up. He knew exactly what that line was but curiously he wasn't anxious at all.

'I guess going out like this is pretty spectacular, hehe.'

The line hit the twig illuminating it: the white stripes now shining in all colours imaginable.

As the colours got brighter and brighter Frank felt lighter and lighter until he felt small *clang* and then nothingness enveloped him.