When the End is Not the End

Standing in front of his 2nd-period high school math class, Henry was teaching how to solve algebraic equations. Suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his chest, is heartbeat erratic. He gasped for breath. Henry thought, A heart attack! This is it! No! No! No! His knees felt rubbery. He staggered over to his desk chair, “What, wha, wh…” and slumped, missing the chair. He fell to the floor. He mumbled something unintelligible, and he lost consciousness.

Students in the class looked at each other quizzically. What was happening? They couldn’t believe their eyes.

“Mr. Carson! What’s the matter? Mr. Carlson?” shouted Janet Mills.

“I’ve got a cellphone,” said David Jenkins. “I’ll call 911.”

“Don’t!” said Susan Ludwig. “They don’t allow cellphones in class.”

“Bullshit, this is an emergency,” growled David.

“I’ll go to the office to tell the principal too,” said another student.

Mr. Gillespie, the principal, strode into the classroom and told the students in a kind, reassuring voice to return to their seats.

Henry Carson was unconscious when fire department paramedics arrived. Some students were standing by their desks looking to see what was happening. Two were crying.

Mr. Gillespie said, “Let’s let the paramedics work. They are professionals. Mr. Carson is in excellent hands. He will be in Memorial Hospital’s emergency room in no time.” The principal did his best to calm the class while the medics treated Henry.  They then placed the teacher onto the gurney and removed him from the classroom. Soon, a siren wailed and faded into the distance.

Hiding his concern, Mr. Gillespie said in a calm voice, “Alright class, we all are worried about Mr. Carson. While he is being treated in the hospital, let’s carry on with our studies. Open your math textbooks and review what was being discussed before this event happened. I want you all to remain in your seats and study quietly. Assistant Principal, Ms. Evans, is on her way here to be with you for the remainder of 2nd period. When we know something about Mr. Carson’s condition, I will share it with you.”

Henry slowly regained consciousness in an ER treatment room. First, he heard the vital signs monitor beeping regularly. He felt relief that the pain in his chest was gone. In a fog, he looked around the room. Vision clearing, he saw cream-colored walls, and a curtain closing the doorway. To one side was a counter with cabinets above, and below was a counter with medical supplies. Growing concerned, he wondered, Where am I? Why am I here? Where are my students?

A few moments later, a middle-aged man in scrubs entered the room. He walked to Henry’s side and looked down at him. He smiled, “Good afternoon, Henry,” he said. I am Victor, your ER nurse. You are in the emergency room at Memorial Hospital. While you were resting, we took some blood samples. I have sent them to the lab for analysis. For now, try to relax. A doctor will be with you shortly.

Well, thought, Henry, Now I know where I am. But why am I here?

A long time later, a young woman drew the curtain covering the doorway and came alongside Henry. “Good afternoon, Henry,” she said. “I am Doctor Alvarez, the ER doc on duty today. How are you feeling?”

“A little groggy,” said Henry. “What happened, why am I here?”

Looking at the clipboard in her hands, she flipped a few pages, and said, “The paramedic’s report says they found you in your classroom, lying unconscious by your desk. They called the paramedics. They brought you here. As far as what happened to you, that is what we are trying to determine right now. Your bloodwork is being analyzed in the lab. We did an EKG shortly after you arrived. The blood-work report should tell us more definitively. In the meantime, try to relax and be patient. You are in excellent hands. Memorial has all the resources, both in equipment and staff, to care for you. Nurse Victor and I will check on you periodically to see how you are doing. When your bloodwork report is available, I’ll be back to discuss it with you and explain what it tells us.”

“Thank you, Doctor,” Henry said. The doctor turned and left the room.

I wonder what this means? I hope I didn’t have a heart attack, thought Henry. What else could it be? I guess I should have taken those periods of fatigue and shortness of breath more seriously. That, and the occasional brief spells of confusion. At 57, I just chalked it up to getting older. As he waited, he heard his vital signs monitor beeping patiently and the sounds of gurneys and carts in the hallway. A speaker there summoned doctors and specialists to attend to patients. Henry laid there wondering what future he faced.

Sometime later, his wife, Marie, rushed through the doorway with tears streaking down her cheeks. She came to his side and grasped his left hand. “Henry Dear, what has happened to you?” she asked. “How are you feeling?”

In a dejected voice, Henry said, “The doctor says I passed out in my classroom. The ambulance brought me here. I know little more. She says they will know more when the results of my blood test come back. They took an EKG too.”

“My goodness,” Marie said. “I wonder what it is. I hope it’s not your heart.”

“I do too,” said Henry. “Guess we just have to wait.” Marie kissed his forehead and took a seat next to him, still holding his hand.

More than an hour later, Doctor Alvarez returned to the room. She introduced herself to Marie and said to Henry, “The bloodwork report did not give us a complete picture of what the problem is. Your heart function looks concerning. You have had a heart attack. There are other issues we also need to check. I have arranged for you to be admitted today. We will perform some additional tests to get a clearer picture of what is going on. We will assign you a room on a floor above. A doctor will attend to you there.” She smiled, “Mr. Carson, you are in excellent hands. Try to be patient, relax, and give us time to complete the diagnosis and treat you.” She then said, “Mr. and Mrs. Carson, good luck.”

Damn, damn, damn, he said to himself. Am I going to die? I have so much more to do in life.

“Oh, Henry Darling… I don’t want to lose you!” Marie said, looking down at Henry with tears in her eyes. “

Masking his mounting concern, Henry put on a brave face. He took her hand and said, “Let’s try not to worry too much, Sweetheart. Memorial Hospital has an excellent reputation for having the very best medical staff. I’m in expert hands. Maybe there isn’t too much to worry about. We just need to be patient.”

“I’ll try,” she sniffed.

”There, there, Sweetheart. We will get through this. In the meantime, I will lay back, watch television, and live a life of leisure.

In the evening, Henry urged his wife to go home and get some rest herself. He told her to come back in the morning to see what the doctor reports. After much resistance to leaving, Marie finally agreed. She hugged him, as best she could with him in bed, kissed his cheek, and said goodbye. With tears in her eyes, she walked out the door.

Late that night, Henry laid in bed unable to sleep. He couldn’t get comfortable. His left arm ached. He rolled onto his right side, no relief. He laid on his back. Now the pain was much stronger. Suddenly, he felt dizzy and short of breath. His vital signs monitor changed from a rhythmic beeping to a shrill alarm. Nurses hurriedly entered the room. An overhead speaker in the hallway called out “cardiac team to room 318—Stat!”

“Argh!” Henry groaned and grimaced from the excruciating pain in his chest. In a panic, he fought for his breath but slowly lost consciousness.

A nurse entered the room pulling a cardiac defibrillator. A doctor rushed in. With others on the team, they prepared Henry for defibrillation. They bared his chest, and the doctor placed the two defib paddles on Henry’s chest and said, “Clear!” As the team stood back from the bed, the doctor activated the machine. The machine went whump and Henry’s back arched momentarily with the electric shock. The team looked at the vital signs monitor, which showed continued defibrillation. The defib machine gave two beeps showing it was ready and the doctor again said, “Clear!” Again he placed the paddles on Henry’s chest and initiated the machine. The team again looked hopefully at the monitor. No change.

The doctor and team continued this process. They injected adrenaline into Henry’s chest to stimulate his heart into regular beating. They pumped oxygen into his lungs to replace his breath. On and on—beep, beep went the defib, Clear! whump. Beep, beep, Clear! whump. After 23 minutes, the doctor looked up at the wall clock, took a deep breath, and said, “I am calling it. The patient is deceased as of 3:37 am.” The doctor and the cardiac team slowly left Henry’s room. The nurse on duty pulled a sheet over his face and disconnected the monitor cuff from his arm and the probe pads from his torso. She left the room. Orderlies would transport Henry’s body to the hospital mortuary.

When Henry awoke, he blinked his eyes. He was sitting upright. He wondered why he wasn’t in the hospital. Now where am I? he thought. Looking down, he noticed he was wearing the same clothing he wore when teaching… Dockers, a dress shirt, and casual shoes. What the heck? Where am I? He was sitting on a bench that was bordering an extensive field with closely cut manicured grass. People gathered there were milling around. Looking up, he saw rose-tinted, puffy clouds in the sky.  Fog obscured the horizon. Henry dared to guess, the last I remember, I was in the hospital. Could this be heaven? Sitting on the bench, he felt dazed by that prospect.

Moments later, a man in a white robe approached him and said, “Hello, Henry. Come with me.”

Henry noted his attire and demeanor. He rose and followed him, saying, “Who are you and where am I? Is this heaven?”

“I am an usher here, Henry. Let’s join the others on the field. A meeting will begin soon and it will answer your questions.” The man led Henry to the field. They walked through the crowd. Gee, he thought to himself, Look at all the different people here. Priests, wealthy business executives… housewives, and kids. Oh, tough-looking guys, bums, and punk teenagers. Even babies. Maybe this isn’t heaven. What is this? Where am I? He followed the usher up to a walkway flanked by two gargoyles on posts. The usher then said, “Wait here. Soon, The Host will invite you and the others to join the meeting. I must leave you now. I have others to lead here.” The usher turned and walked back through the crowd.

Henry turned and looked at the people gathered there—people of all kinds. They were both old and young. People of all skin color, dressed as they had been while living. He saw business executives, politicians, and clerics of many religions. Those included the recent Pope and several Cardinals, and bishops. Even the recently deceased Supreme Leader of Iran! Most were everyday citizens dressed as they lived their daily lives—homemakers, clerks, laborers in hard hats, stylish teens, punk teens, and children, who were chasing one another through the crowd. Henry’s ears heard many languages spoken as those gathered stood waiting. We’re a rather mixed group. Who are we?

In front of Henry, he saw stacks of different clothing placed alongside the gargoyles—red, blue, green, white, purple, and other colors. I wonder what that clothing is for. Will they ask us to take off our clothes and put different clothes on? Why the bright colors?

Several ushers appeared with clipboards and stood before the crowd. One usher shouted, “Attention… Attention… Attention. When we call your name, come forward. We will give you a tunic. Place it over your clothes, step back, and allow others to receive theirs. Please remain quiet and patient. This will take some time.”

Henry looked at his wristwatch and noticed that hour hand was moving around the watch face like a second hand. That’s weird, he thought. I guess time isn’t normal here, wherever this is.

One by one, the ushers referred to their clipboards and started calling out names. “Jack Tracy,” a man in a hardhat came forward and received a blue-colored tunic. “Helen Mackenzie,” an elderly woman came forward and received a green-colored tunic. “Rex Shawnnessy,” a man came forward and received a pink tunic. He returned to the crowd, mumbling a complaint about the color. “Cardinal Rodrigo Gallucci,” called the usher, and the grim-faced Cardinal came forward and received a red colored tunic. He turned, held the tunic up beaming proudly, and returned to the crowd. “Henry Carson,” and Henry walked forward and received a white-colored tunic. Putting it on, he said to himself, I wonder what this means, I wish Marie was here with me. I already miss her.

The process went on and on until they assigned all the tunics. An usher then shouted, “Wait where you are. Your host will lead you into the building.”

As he waited, Henry turned and looked up the walkway’s cobblestones. At the end of the cobbles was a wide set of marble steps leading to a huge, brilliantly white building, also marble. Looking similar to government buildings in Washington, D.C.—it was imposing - with large, tall columns in front of a set of entrance doors. The door opened and a thin man in a long, flowing white robe stepped out. As he did so, the crowd hushed. The robed man slowly walked down the steps. At the bottom, he paused, then continued down the walkway.

Approaching the crowd, he stopped at the end of the walkway. The man turned his head to the right, then to the left, appraising people gathered there. Henry thought to himself, This must be heaven.

The man stood still for a moment and then raised his arms out from his sides. The crowd Ooo’ed and Aaaw’ed. He stood with his arms held wide and spoke in a loud voice, “Follow me, please.” He turned and walked with careful, measured steps back along the walkway and up the wide steps.

Henry and the throng followed him. As Henry passed the gargoyles at the entrance of the walkway, he glanced at the pair and noticed that they were images of sneering devils. Uneasy, Henry thought, Maybe this isn’t heaven… Or, maybe those devils are there to symbolize the punishment we avoided by the righteous lives we have lived. I don’t know. Perhaps we will know after we enter the building. I hope its good news. His pulse quickened as the crowd pushed Henry forward.

By fours and sixes, the crowd entered the building through the wide doors. Tall, bas-relief murals flanked the doors. The one closest to Henry depicted a scene of devils marching condemned souls downward to Hell. Seeing them, he gulped, and his anxiety increased.

Inside was an immense hall. As the throng entered, two robed ushers said, “Reds, oranges, pinks, and yellows, keep to the left and move forward. Purples, blues, greens, and white keep to the right and move forward. Henry and the group for the right moved forward as instructed.  He came to a halt at a short gold fence near the front of the hall. He saw the leader standing regally in front of a large door and wondered who he was.

While he waited for the others to enter and move forward, Henry looked around the room. Above, he saw an inspiring fresco. Wow! What beauty. It depicted the glories of creation and heaven. I’ve seen photos like this in the Sistine Chapel. But this is more vivid, even more beautiful.

The walls were very different. Frescos there were depictions of sin and the descent into Hell. Those aren’t like the Sistine Chapel, he thought.

When all the tunic-clad people had entered the room and had taken positions to their assigned side of the hall, the last of the ushers entered. After entering, they closed the doors with a Boom! Two ushers barred the door, turned, and looked forward with arms crossing their chests.

“Welcome to Purgatory,” said the man in the flowing white robe. The Ooohs and Aaas changed to Oh, No! and cries of surprise, “Welcome all of you who left life and entered here.” Shouts rang out, ‘There must be a mistake!’ and ‘Forgive me, God, I repent!’ Some in the crowd fell to their knees and began praying. Others quietly sobbed. Still others stood waiting calmly and smugly. Henry noticed among this group were the Cardinal, the Supreme Leader, other top leaders of religious orders, and others he identified to be business leaders.

Henry looked at the walls in the hall again, where frescos told of the descent into Hell. His anxiety grew. I guess I was wrong not to believe in God, he thought. I wish I had gone to church and prayed more. Though I tried to live a righteous life, apparently that wasn’t enough.

“Silence! Silence!” shouted The Host in the flowing white robe. “This is no mistake. The time for repentance is past. This is Purgatory. You all belong here. All of you are sinners. In your hearts, you know this is true. Now is the time to review your sins and define your punishment.”

A voice from the crowd asked meekly, “Are you, God?”

“No, I am not God. I am your host here. My role is to explain the afterlife to you and why you are here. I will explain your assigned places here and what they mean. Purgatory may differ from the Purgatory you learned about in your religious education. That should not be surprising. No living person has seen or experienced the afterlife. This is your new reality.

“Now, listen up.

“The color of your tunics signifies seven levels of punishment. Each color will occupy a different section of Purgatory, each a level of punishment.

“White tunics, please proceed to the bank of seats along the wall to your right.

The white tunics solemnly filed to the seats along the wall. Henry’s legs shook as he climbed to the second row of seats. Seating himself, he gazed out at the other tunics in the crowd. He gulped when he noted several clerics standing out there. I must be a goner, Henry thought. Is my group one of the worst? I’d hoped the white tunics might have gotten off lightly.

They settled into their seats along the bank against the wall. Several of the group were visibly praying. Henry noticed only two clergies in the group of whites. This must be a bad group, he thought, with his anxiety mounting. His mouth went dry.

The Host spread his arms out to his sides, cleared his throat, and said, “Those of you standing before me, take a good look at those seated along the wall. Their white tunics identify them as individuals who lived righteous lives. They behaved ethically. They respected others in society equally. No, their position as white tunics does not mean they were religious leaders or prominent members of society. Wealth has no bearing on their selection today. It is their actions, and not their positions, that earned them white tunics. Some of them are deeply religious, some not at all. With them are children, the unbaptized, and virtuous pagans. It is behavior alone that is paramount here. White tunics, I congratulate you on your lives well-lived.” Henry and the other Whites sighed with relief. “The rest of you, gaze on these fine people. They have earned the opportunity to go to heaven.”

“Wait a minute!” a voice cried out in disbelief in the back of the hall. “I was your Pope. With me is Cardinal Topario. They gave us the wrong shirts. We belong with the White Tunics.” Others standing on the main floor joined in the protest. Some others were moaning. Many were on their knees praying again.

“Silence! There has been no mistake. Be still. Await your fate.

“White Tunics, continue to sit where you are. I will explain the next part of your journey after I deal with the various colored tunic groups. Look on. See what you have avoided through your righteousness.

“Green tunics, step forward through the center gate.

The green tunics filed forward and stood in front of The Host in silence. As they did so, Henry noticed that the Green Tunics were the largest group in the hall.

The Host said, “Green Tunics, you are assigned to the highest level of Purgatory. It is known to of the living as ‘Limbo’.

“Each of you has lived most of your life righteously. Your sins are minor. Look around you. Your group includes many rank-and-file members of the clergy of all faiths. Others of you are everyday people who have succumbed to minor human misdeeds. 

“Purgatory for you will be mildly unpleasant but it will be short-lived. There, you will contemplate your past life and identify the times you have strayed from righteousness. See how you might have kept on the righteous path. Prepare then, to leave Purgatory and have your chance to go to Heaven.

“Green Tunics, follow the usher through the green door.” They followed the usher through the green door, mumbling to each other quietly. Many looked relieved. Henry glanced inside the door. He saw men and women sitting there. Some had looks of shame. Others wore a thoughtful look.

“Now then.” said The Host. “Blue Tunics, come forward.

The Blues came forward through the gate and gathered in front of The Host. As they did so, Henry wondered, “What is the nature of their sins? Is their punishment going to be severe or was The Host going to go easy on them too? He watched as they stood to await their fate.

“Blue Tunics, greed is your failing… Greed comes in many forms. Obsession pursuing money and valuables; failure to be generous with your family; needless fighting over wills and inheritance; ignoring the financial suffering in your community, refusing to give to charity; and failure to pay to support your children. You have left in your wake a world you could have made better. Those left behind will always remember you for your stingy, self-centered behavior, and calloused disregard of others.

“Simon Walton, you amassed a fortune operating sweat-shop factories taking advantage of undocumented workers. You paid less than the legal minimum wage. When workers complained of unsafe working conditions, you instantly fired them. You did not consider opportunities for health and safety improvements.

“Jessica Hoisner, you also built great wealth. What did you do with your wealth? Did you even once donate a significant amount to charity? No. Did you accept invitations to serve on boards of charitable organizations? Never. Did you even allow United Way fund-drives within your corporation? No. You did not.

“Gus Benzder, you left your marriage to pursue other women. Behind, were two pre-school-age children and their stay-at-home mother. You failed to pay for your children’s support, often using devious means to evade court-ordered payment and garnishments. The family you left behind struggled for years in abject poverty.

“Loren Kittleman, your father left behind a multi-million dollar estate he built in the real estate business. He bequeathed to you, your sister, and your half-brother equal shares in the estate. You wanted more. Without basis, you contested the will and claiming your father had promised you would take over his place. After he died, you were to receive all of his estate’s assets. It took a decade of legal in-fighting and millions in attorney fees before the Court finally decreed the estate provision would stand unchanged.

“Blue Tunics, look at yourselves. Money was your god. With wealth comes responsibility. You shirked that responsibility. Dead-beat mothers and fathers, you put your comfort before your children’s welfare.

“Ushers, come forward and lead this group through the blue door. There, they will dwell in abject poverty. Healthcare and other community services there will be denied them for lack of funds. Perhaps, after an eon, if they have been rehabilitated, they can progress to Limbo.

The silent Blue Tunics staggered unbelievingly behind the ushers, delivering them to their fate.

“Purple Tunics,” said The Host. “You’re up next. Come forward.

The Purples filed up before The Host. They had terrified looks in their eyes. Several resisted. Ushers forced them forward. Others tried to bargain with The Host to reconsider their fate.

“Silence! Be still.

“Purple Tunics, your sin is fraud... fraud in many forms. You are embezzlers, tax evaders, inside-traders, internet scammers, con artists, plagiarists, and their like. Too lazy to earn your way, you stole and cheated for a living. You are the parasites of society; depriving others who honestly earned their assets. Here in purgatory, your fate will be to remember the tricks, fraud, and misrepresentations you made. You will see the harm you have done to investors, honest taxpayers, naïve purchasers, the elderly, and others.

“Strive to rehabilitate yourselves. Negotiate to move forward to Limbo. When you do, you will find what was promised to you was misrepresented. Try harder, again, and again your goal will slip away. Eventually, when your rehabilitation is complete, you will progress to Limbo. Ushers, take them away.” They ushered the Purples through the open purple door.

“Next we come to the Yellow Tunics. Step forward to the podium.”

As the Yellows came forward, cries of mercy could be heard. Others fell to their knees to pray. The ushers prodded them to their feet and pushed them forward.

“Yellow Tunics, you are pedophiles and adulterers. In your wake, you have left broken families, wounded children, and wounded spouses. Your extended families have also suffered. Pedophiles, you have abused children, including underage teens. Your abuse has left them wounded for life. Your actions showed no shame, no pity.

“Adulterers, you have discarded your marriage vows. Your marriages failed. Your spouse’s hearts have been broken. Your children, too, have suffered. You have hurt the people who loved and relied upon you the most. So much lasting pain you caused seeking more attention or sexual adventure. Fulfillment you could have had inside your marriage, had you tried harder.

“Purgatory for you will be different. Here, you will be reminded of the pain you caused your families. Here, you will see the disgust people in the community felt when they looked at you. Your bodies will be violated. You will spend an eon here existing without love or affection. The loneliness will be unbearable. Nobody will care. You will have endless time to contemplate your transgressions. When you are suitably rehabilitated, if you are rehabilitated, you will progress forward to Limbo.

“Ushers, take this miserable lot away through the yellow door.

“Ushers, let’s have the Pink Tunics,” boomed The Host’s voice.

Henry turned and stared at the Pinks. They had a swarthy look. As they moved forward to the dais, he saw some had a smug, defiant look. “I’m glad I don’t belong with those folks. They are a rough-looking group,” he thought. “I wouldn’t want to be with them.”

“Pinks, you are a loathsome group. Violence is your way of life. You are brawlers, bullies, and domestic abusers… both physical and mental. Here in Purgatory, when you pass through the pink door, you will be stripped of your physical strength. You will be subjected to an eon of physical and mental punishment. Left powerless to defend yourselves, your pain and torment will be endless. As you suffer there, reflect on the damage you did to others and society. If, in time, you can redeem yourself, and not all of you will be able to do so, you will progress to Limbo to deal with your lesser sins.

“Ushers, take this disgusting group away!”

This time, the ushers had difficulty driving their charges through the pink door. The Pinks roared, and many of them violently resisted. Henry winced as he looked on. The ushers used cattle prods and Tasers to drive or drag the resisting Pinks through the door. At last, they were all in and the door closed with a bang.

Quiet returned to the hall. Looking around, Henry surveyed the remaining people awaiting their assignment. There were just a few Red Tunics visible there.

“Red Tunics, come forward,” said The Host. As they did so, Henry noticed two disparate groups of Reds. There were rough-looking individuals, who shuffled slowly forward with heads bowed. The others included the former Pope and his Cardinal, the Supreme Leader, and a few other Reds, who appeared to be other religious VIPs. With them, Henry observed, were a few recently deceased political leaders. This second bunch maintained a stoic, smug look.

Before The Host could make his pronouncement, the former Pope spoke up. “Why am I and these other religious and political leaders included with these unsavory characters,” gesturing at the first group of Reds.

“Silence! Silence!” The Host said. “I am in charge here. You have no voice in these proceedings. Be still and await your fate. The former pope recoiled at The Host’s rebuke. Then he collected himself and prepared for a countering pronouncement of his own… but thought better of it and stopped himself.

“First, I will deal with those of you in the group which the former Pope called unsavory. Unsavory is too kind a word. You have committed heinous crimes of violence and treachery. Murderers, rapists, and violent sadists. Treachery beyond belief. Following in the footsteps of Jack - The Ripper, Ted Bundy, and Jeffrey Dahmer, you are beyond redemption.

Turning to face the religious and political VIPS, he said, “Your deeds, too, are heinous in a different way. You have subverted your power, which might have been used for the good of humanity. You have used religion for personal power, self- enrichment, to wrongly protect your organization, or for obvious political purposes.

“Pope Gallucci, you have stood by passively while priests, bishops, and archbishops have engaged in pedophilia of youngsters in your churches and sexual abuse and liberties with parishioners. To protect your church, you have covered up these crimes. Priests were sent to different dioceses time and time again. You allowed reports of clergy misdeeds to be buried in the church’s hierarchy. You, your Cardinals and others, have tacitly approved of these sins and allowed them to continue. Given the highest level of trust by your parishioners, you have subverted that trust for what you conveniently considered to be a greater good. What, greater good? Ruined lives and continued abuse? No, there will be no forgiveness for you and those like you.

“Senator Felix Norqueen,” The Host continued. “You have used your elected office not to better society but to promote a racist agenda. Your false piety and pandering to the Christian Evangelicals, attempting to protect you from scrutiny of your sexual abuse and misdeeds. You are also guilty of taking large bribes from the construction industry to influence the procurement process of large highway projects.

“Senator Joseph Handleton,” The Host said. “You have used your power and prestige to sexually prey on underage women and Congressional Pages. At the same time, you preached the sanctity of marriage and promoted teen chastity. A national leader, your adultery and hypocrisy knows no limits.

“Red Tunics of both kinds… you have committed the gravest sins of all. Your souls are unredeemable. For you, there will be no afterlife, no next life. I condemn you to the dustbin of Purgatory. Death, with no hope.”

“Ushers, take this scourge away!                                                                  

The ushers herded the Red Tunics away. They shut the red door with a bang. The Host turned to the White Tunics. He smiled and said in a gentle voice, “Whites, please join me here by the dais.”

Henry and the other Whites began filing to the dais. Many smiled with anticipation. Henry thought, I can’t believe I’ve made it. I wonder what heaven will be like. He again looked at the ceiling fresco showing the glory of Heaven. I know it will be wonderful.

The Host smiled, raised his arms, and held them wide. “White Tunics from now on, you will be referred to as The Righteous.

“I congratulate you on lives well-lived. Though you have many backgrounds and religions, or even no religion, you have lived moral, righteous lives. You have avoided the many temptations in life that many others have yielded to. One reward of living a righteous, moral life you enjoyed while you were living. Your behavior and your actions were held in high regard by your peers. You were modest and lived properly because it was the best way to live, not for the praise of others. This is commendable.

“However, now we are here to discuss your reward in the afterlife. As I announced earlier, you have earned the chance to go to Heaven.

What… a Chance? thought Henry. I thought I was going to go to Heaven, not just a chance to go there. What can this mean?

“Each of you will have the choice to proceed directly to Heaven or to return to earth, reincarnated to live another life. The choice will be yours.” The Whites were all baffled by the offer to return to earth to live another life.

Who wants to relive the struggles, the heartaches, the worries, the bills? they thought.

“Before you make your choice, I must tell you that Heaven is not what you may think it is. It’s not like the biblical conception of Heaven. There are no streets paved with gold. No crystalline rivers running through heaven.

“Instead, your Heaven will be an afterlife of your choosing. Whatever you choose, be it comfort, safety, wealth, achievement, or simply relaxation. Take some time to think over your choice - reincarnation or Heaven. If it is Heaven, what Heaven will you choose as your reward? I will leave you now to give you time to contemplate your choice. When I return, I will hear your choice.” The Host turned and left the hall through a side door.

As soon as the door closed, the room filled with chatter. “Who would choose to return to earth and the worries there?” “I never thought I would be perfect enough to go to heaven!” “At last, I will be free from worry and stress!” “No more bills!” After a few minutes, a quiet came over the group as they pondered their choice. A few of them began pacing around the room, deep in thought.

Henry sat thinking about what Heaven he would choose. I don’t need wealth, or achievement, or status. My life’s passion is teaching. I love seeing a student’s eyes light up when they grasp a difficult math concept. Some students could not even grasp algebra, and that saddened me. I wonder if I can choose to continue teaching in Heaven.

When The Host returned to the hall, the people walking around the room hurriedly returned up to the dais.

The Host smiled warmly to The Righteous and announced, “If you are ready, I will hear your choices—reincarnation or Heaven? For those of you who select reincarnation, I must inform you, once I reincarnate you, you cannot change your mind and go to Heaven instead. You must live out your new life. That life can be in any era of human existence—from just yesterday to back in history. Your status there will be randomly assigned. You will have no choice of gender, status, or whether you will be rich or poor.

“If your choice is Heaven, I will assign you to the heavenly life you choose. Pick your heavenly existence wisely. You get only one chance at Heaven. No returning here to pick another choice. However, should you find you are unhappy with your heavenly choice, after one year in Heaven, you may return here to receive a reincarnation assignment with the same parameters I just said. Is that clear to all?

 A few hands went up in the crowd. A woman asked, “Sir, can I request both beauty and wealth?”

“Of course,” said The Host.

“What about success and status?” asked another.

“It’s your heaven.”

“Can I have all the candy I want and trees to climb, in heaven?” a young boy asked.

Grinning, The Host replied, “Yes, all the candy and trees you want.” A few others asked their questions.

The Host then said, “Righteous Ones, if you are all ready to make your choice, those of you who choose reincarnation, please raise your hand.” Henry looked around. No hands were raised.

The Host said, “OK then it appears all of you choose to go on to Heaven.

“Righteous Ones, please line up before me. Say your choice and I will grant your heavenly assignment.”

Henry joined the others as they eagerly formed a line before The Host. From his position in the queue, Henry could hear the others ahead of him enthusiastically voice their heavenly wish. The young boy was first. He said, “I wish to have all the candy I want, lots of trees to climb… and a puppy dog!”  

The Host raised his arm, placed his hand on the boy’s head, and said, “Your wish is granted.” Instantly, the boy disappeared.

Next, a teen girl said, “I wish to be beautiful and have any boyfriend I want.”

“Your wish is granted,” and she disappeared in a poof.

A businesswoman was next in line. She approached The Host and said, “I want to close every acquisition deal I choose. I want to become wealthy and recognized for my business acumen.”

“Your wish is granted.” She disappeared in a flash.

Next, an elderly woman hobbled up to The Host and said, “Sir, I want to be free of my aches and pains. I want good health. I’ve always admired the harp. Please put me on a white, puffy cloud with a harp that I can play beautifully.” The Host granted her wish and she disappeared.

A twenty-something young man approached The Host and said, “I want to become wealthy by learning how to gamble and win. I want to do it all—blackjack, poker, and craps. I want to win the World Series of Poker!” The Host granted his wish. He disappeared on his way to Heaven.

Finally, it was Henry’s turn to declare his heavenly wish. He meekly approached The Host, saying, “I don’t need wealth or success or beauty. I just wish to return to teaching high school mathematics. I want all of my students to grasp the math principles I teach. I want them to earn A’s. I want even the dullest students to excel. That is my wish for my reward.”

The Host placed his hand on Henry’s head and said, “Your wish is granted.”

In the blink of an eye, Henry was walking from the school parking lot and into the building. He entered room 127 and found it just the way he left it. Even the marker board had his partially completed example of how to solve algebraic equations. Henry closed his eyes and gave a long, happy sigh.

The 5-minute bell rang. His students filed into class in two’s and three’s. They greeted him with a cheerful, “Good morning, Mr. Carson.”

As they took their seats in class, Henry felt a wash of warm affection come over him. Grinning, he said, “Good morning, class. You look bright and eager, let’s continue with my explanation of how to solve algebraic equations.”

He began with, “Starting again with the example I was discussing at the end of class yesterday ...” After each step solving the equation, Henry paused and asked, “Any questions?” The students shook their heads. Henry blinked in disbelief. He asked the slowest witted student, Toby Brantley, “Toby, how about you? Is that clear?”

Toby nodded and said, “It sure is—Simple Simon.”

            Henry thought to himself, I am amazed. I never thought Toby would get this so quickly. “Excellent, Toby,” he said.

“Now let’s try another example. What is the solution for the problem ‘3x minus 6 equals 18?’ He wrote the equation on the marker board. Remember,” he said, “Moving the minus 6 to the other side of the equation turns the minus 6 to a plus 6. Everyone got that? Good. Let’s look at what the equation now looks like. 3x = 18 plus 6, or 24. Right? Now, what is the next step? Susan, what do you think?”

Grinning, she said, “It’s simple: 3x equals 24. So x equals 8. Right?”

“Very good!

Henry reviewed several other equations with the class, which they understood well. Finally, he said, “OK, you have done very well today. The period is just about over. Tomorrow we will move on to more complex algebraic equations. Until the bell rings, review chapter four in your textbook. That will prepare you for class tomorrow.”

That night, as Henry was having dinner with Marie, he said to her, “Today was a great day. We covered basic algebraic equations. The class picked up the methodology quickly. Even Toby Brantley. When I asked him if he understood, he said, ‘sure-Simple Simon’. I then tested him with another equation, and he did it. Can you believe it?”

“Why, that is wonderful, Dear. I know you were worried about Toby.”

“I sure was. The real proof will be to see if Toby and a couple of others can comprehend the more difficult equations.”

The next day, Henry asked his second period class which of them had studied the lesson in chapter 4, covering more complex algebraic equations. All of them raised their hands. “Great,” he said. “Now let’s discuss the following equation. He wrote on the marker board, ‘3z - 2 = 4z -702’. I will give you a few minutes to work on the answer.

“OK, who has the answer?” All of their hands shot up. It surprised Henry to see Katy Rogers raise her hand. “Katy, tell us how you solved the equation and tell us what your answer is."

“Well,” Katy said beaming, “I moved the 4z to the left side, making the left side now minus 4z plus 3z, or, minus z less a minus 2, equals minus 702.” Henry wrote her work on the marker board so the whole class could follow it. “Then I moved the minus 2 over to the right side of the equation and changed the minus sign to a plus, making it minus 702 plus positive 2, equals 700 on the left side of the equation. This leaves 1z equals 700. Therefore, the answer is z equals 700.”

“Right! Very good, Katy. Did you all follow that class?” Nodding heads showed they did.

“Let’s try another,” and he wrote the equation on the board, ‘b(y) – 4 = 3y + 15.5,’. “I’ll give you a few minutes to work on it.”

The class successfully solved the equation, even Toby. Henry spent the rest of the week challenging the class with increasingly more complex algebraic equations. Those too, the class understood. Students in his other class periods showed similar success.

That Friday, he said to the class, “You have all done very well this week. Very well. I am proud of the progress you have made. Next week we are going to cover how to convert word problems from life into algebraic equations and then solve them. Study Chapter 8 in your textbook this weekend to prepare. Have an enjoyable weekend!”

The following Monday, Henry told his class, “We covered increasingly complex algebraic problems last week. However, in life, we are tasked with solving x, y, or z problems. Those skills will prepare you to solve math problems you encounter in real life. To prepare you to do this, we are going to study and solve word problems. For instance–George and Marty buy their mother a Mother’s Day card. It cost five dollars and 90 cents. Marty can only chip in two dollars and seventy-five cents. How much did George contribute?’ Let’s convert that into an equation and solve it.” The class did. They all did the same with increasingly complex word problems.

The next week, one day after class, Toby Brantley approached Henry and with a smile said, “Gee, Mr. Carson. I finally get the purpose of all the formulas you have been teaching us. They really do prepare us to solve real-life problems. Finally! I find math exciting.”

“That’s wonderful to hear, Toby. You have become a math champ.”

Beaming, Toby said, “Thanks, Mr. Carson. See you tomorrow,” and he left the classroom.

With each week, Henry challenged his classes with increasingly complex math concepts. With bright eyes, they picked them up quickly. Halfway through the quarter, he began teaching his students geometry and advanced graphic solutions to word problems. All of them earned ‘A’ grades.

One night near the end of the quarter, his wife, Marie, asked Henry, “What is the matter, Henry? Lately, you seem bored and rather unhappy.”

“I don’t know… teaching has become rather boring.”

“But Sweetheart, you love teaching.”

“I used to love teaching. Now there isn’t any challenge. I no longer feel eager to show my students the power of mathematics and how to apply it to their lives. They are learning amazingly well, but I no longer feel a challenge. I just show a new concept to the class, and without exception, they all grasp it. There are no longer any ‘Ah-Ha!’ moments - every day is an ‘Ah-Ha’ moment for the entire class.”

“Isn’t that a good thing? You’re having tremendous success. Isn’t that what you have always hoped for?”

“I guess,” Henry replied sullenly. “But I miss nurturing along the slower students. I miss seeing the light in their eyes when they finally grasp a new concept. These days, there is no challenge.”

The next quarter, Henry moved his classes on to trigonometry. What usually took three quarters to teach, the classes successfully completed in a single quarter.

He moved on to teaching them calculus. His students completed a year of calculus instruction in the final quarter of the year. All the students earned ‘A’ grades.

When summer came, junior high school graduates took a summer school class with Henry to get an early start on their high school math studies. Starting with basic algebra, Henry moved on to more advanced concepts. By the end of the summer quarter, the students had completed a year’s worth of high school math–all with A’s.

During the 3 remaining weeks of summer before fall quarter, Henry was usually brimming with anticipation for the challenge of the coming school year. Not this year. He realized he would no longer have the challenges that gave him fulfillment. Every student, every class, every quarter was going to be the same–present the material: all students would immediately grasp it; all would earn A’s; No challenges.

One evening late in August over coffee after dinner, Marie asked Henry, “Henry Dear, what is troubling you so? I have never seen you so down, so depressed. You seem frozen in thought.”

“I am mourning my lost enjoyment of teaching. Now, teaching is so boring I could scream. I used to love going into the classroom every day to work with my students. I’ve lost that love. Now I loathe my job. I used to treasure my brightest students. Now, I almost hate them!”

“Henry! How can you say that? You love teaching. This next year will be different. You will be back to your old self.” Henry just mumbled a response.

The next year was no different. Each morning his students would greet him with a ‘Good morning, Mr. Carson’. Henry would teach the lesson for the day. No change - all students immediately understood.

Soon Henry had difficulty getting to school before classes began. One day, while he was sitting in his car in the school parking lot, unable to will himself into the school building, a man in a white robe suddenly appeared sitting in the seat next to him.

Startled, Henry jumped and looked at him. “Who are you? He asked.

“Hello, Henry. Don’t you recognize me? I am the usher present you met before meeting The Host in Purgatory.  I am here because it is one year since you have been in Heaven. Now is the time for you to exercise your option. You may return to Purgatory. If you do, the Host will make a reincarnation assignment giving you a new life on Earth. Or, you may remain in Heaven for eternity. Remember, if you choose reincarnation, there is no returning to Heaven.”

Henry laid back in the car seat, tilted his head back, and let out a relieved sigh.  “Thank God, you are here… My life here in Heaven is unendurable. I don’t think I could go on.

“Please, take me back for reincarnation.”

“Are you sure, Henry? Remember, this is a one-time option. There is no coming back.”

“I am more than sure. Please take me back.”

“OK, if you are sure.” He placed a hand on the top of Henry’s head and said, “Here we go,” and the two of them disappeared in an instant.

In a flash, Henry was standing with the usher in the great hall of Purgatory. The usher said to him,” Wait here with the others. The Host will be with you in a few minutes. I have others to return here.” He then disappeared.

Henry looked around him. Why, he thought. It looks like the same group of us that lined up here. Yes! It’s the young boy who wanted candy, trees, and a puppy. And there is the old woman who wanted a puffy cloud and a harp. He mingled in the group and overheard others discussing their year in Heaven. “It was awful,” said the teen girl. “I had all the boyfriends I wanted-more than I wanted.” He heard others bemoaning their heavenly experiences: “I wanted success with mergers and acquisitions. Suddenly, every deal came together neatly. Too neatly. There was no challenge;” “I had so much candy that soon I couldn’t stand even the thought of it. Even with my puppy, I grew really lonely in Heaven.” As Henry passed through the group, he heard similar stories. It seemed everyone wanted out of the Heaven of their dreams.

A door behind the dais opened. Out walked The Host in his great white robe. He walked to the center of the dais and took a moment to survey those standing before him. Then he raised his arms and spread them wide from his sides. He said, “Welcome back, Righteous Ones, welcome back. I see that all of you who expressed your wish to go to the Heaven of your choice have returned today for reincarnation.” He paused, then said, “Well, that’s no surprise. When I give The Righteous the choice of Heaven or immediate reincarnation, no one chooses reincarnation. Yet after a year of experiencing the Heaven of their choice, everyone desperately wants to return here for a reincarnation assignment. This has happened time and time before, and it will happen again. No one likes Heaven. You see, there really is no Heaven, only the illusion of Heaven. I sent you to the Heaven of your dreams so you could learn that painful truth.

“Life on Earth is the closest you can ever come to Heaven. Yes, there are many struggles in life just to make your way in the world. However, there is much happiness and fulfillment too. Life’s ups and downs make the world interesting. As you have seen, all ups and no downs is a meaningless, boring existence.” The crowd murmured in agreement.

“So, here you are for reincarnation, to live another life on Earth. Consider your choice again wisely. After today, there will be no turning back–no return to Heaven.”

Henry overheard voices saying, “I sure don’t want to go back to Heaven!” and, “What if I get reincarnated to a poor country or even in a famine!” or, “I hope I come back born into a wealthy family”, or, “I would like to be born again during the Renaissance. What an exciting world it must have been!”

Henry knew that each of them would be randomly reincarnated to a time in the past or present. Their assignments would not be of their choosing. That’s OK with me, he thought. I just want to have another normal life.

The Host raised his voice and said, “Once again, does anyone want to return to their ‘Heaven’ to life in eternity there? Last, chance. No…? I didn’t think so.

“OK, Righteous Ones. Reincarnation is your reward for a life well-lived. Now, please kneel where you are and bow your heads. When you hear a gong, your transition will begin.”

The Righteous Ones kneeled and bowed their heads. A moment later a gong sounded. Henry lost consciousness.

(A conversation translated from Italian to English).

A baby was crying. The midwife took the infant in her arms to a padded table and carefully cleaned the pink newborn before presenting it to the mother. The midwife came to the mother’s side on the birthing table and said, “Look, Gabriella. Meet your new baby girl. I think she will be the most beautiful girl in all of Sicily.”

The young mother took the baby in her arms and looked at her with loving pride. She opened the infant’s swaddling blanket carefully and examined her all over. “Yes,” she thought. “My baby is perfect.”

“Oh, Elena. She is beautiful. Thank you for helping me with her birth.” Then she kissed the baby’s forehead, took the baby in her arms, and held her. “Her name will be Bella Elena De Luca.”