Mike the Magical Map Maker

52 Stories in 52 Weeks: 2007 ## 12 Mike the Magical Map Maker

By: Mr. George Patnoe Jr.'s Ambidextrous Writing Brain - Mind

Mike the Map Maker started dreaming of making and printing maps the first moment he saw a big, strong, tough and rough looking adventurer walk into his dad’s map store to order maps for a new seafaring adventure. Mike watched the adventurer describe the new lands, islands, and countries he had visited, along with showing his personal drawings and notes for the new and better maps his dad would afterward create and print for other adventurers. Being a map maker seemed to be a great responsibility to Mike, because all adventurers would depend on his maps for their directions for their travels around the globe; along for guidance and for a safe return home from far away places.

But in those not so long ago old days, when men traveled slowly to the unknown places of planet earth, they needed as much help as they could get for guidance from the map makers who never stepped a foot outside their hometowns, as strange as that may seem to some people. But some men changed little over the course of their lives, just as the earth’s geography slowly changed; while other men’s viewpoints changed as fast as the weather, at least on some days. But even knowing the weather in one country would not help the traveling adventurer when they traveled in an unknown land, just as some men know little of their own souls, except when really destructive weather forces men to look beyond their calm lives. So seems to be the fate of the map makers of old, who stayed home while the traveling adventurers roamed the globe, seeking those mighty tales to tell the map makers.

As Mike watched the traveling adventurer exit his dad’s office, he starred at his tanned and dirty bags and worn out leather coat and his bit six shooter guns on his hips and his silver steel water bottle over his shoulder and the blood stains on the knife pearl handle, inside its red stained shelve dangling off his bullet filled belt, along with the long tin containers for all those maps. In those days of no tv, radios, computers, or even few newspapers, a boy’s imagination was the only tv, radio, computer, or newspaper he could turn to, to dream about life. So Mike quickly wondered all those many questioning thoughts that he would have loved to ask the traveling adventurer. Unexpectedly, the traveling adventurer turned his head, looked down on the boy, and he smiled the smile of man who knew what it was to be a wondering boy, but who was not a man.

As his foot stepped out the door, the traveling adventurer turned around and he stepped back into the map making office, as he walked towards Mike, Mike almost fled but there was no where to run, no escape from a new unexpected adventure. The traveling adventurer reached deep into one of his leather bags and he pulled out a huge crystal stone, in the shape of a pyramid. The traveling adventurer smiled and said, "A special stone from the land of Egypt, a land far away from here with huge Pyramids as big as you could ever dream. This special stone was found deep inside one of those stone Pyramids and it has bought me many special gifts. Now, I give it to you. Use it well and learn about life and all of its possibilities. I have another one just like it, but be careful not to break it. Every traveling adventurer in life learns early that being careful is a simple rule for those who want to life a long life."

Mike excitedly said thanks, until his dad spoke up. "That was very nice of you, would you like to stay for dinner. We could use a few good stories from a true traveling adventurer." The traveling adventurer smiled and responded, "Well, why not? I could use a home cooked meal. And I always love telling a good story or two to a boy who might grow up to be traveling adventurers or just map makers for us traveling adventurers. The traveling adventurer winked at Mike. Mike was a bit confused by the wink; but still, he felt as if he had found an unexpected friend, a friend he somehow had met before, but he could not explain the funny feeling lurking deep within his boyhood soul.

Later that night, the traveling adventurer sat down with the Mike and his dad and mom at a huge table that was covered with roasted and spicy chicken, buttery corn, jellied bread, and wine and even an apple pie being kept warm by the stove. Mike’s dad said, "Would the traveling adventurer like to give a prayer of thanks before we eat this food?" The traveling adventurer smiled, lifted up his glass of red wine to the sky and replied as a natural habit of thanks giving, "Here is a toast to God and the angels, "Thanks for another day, with many more days and dreams in the future. And thanks for this home cooked meal with my new friends." Everyone lifted up their glasses and as the four wine glasses touched above the food, a clang rang through the room.

Mike’s mom asked her guest, "Do you truly believe in angels?"

"I would not be alive today if it was not for my guardian angels who watch over me and protect me from earthly dangers, especially when I am traveling in strange countries with strange customs and their indifference towards death, along with the white foreigners who visit their lands and invade their countries. But they like our money, so they can not kill all of us." He laughed.

Mike’s dad tasted the wine and said, "And may your travels carry you back this way soon, to eat with us again." A few candles lit the room and as they ate their food in silence, the conversation was easy, as the grownups talked of America’s politics and other worldly events. Mike listened as any boy would listen to grownups has they talked about how leaders in one country were trying to outsmart leaders in other countries. But sooner than later, Mike could not resist, "What country has been your favorite country to explore and visit?" Everyone became silent as the traveling adventurer laid his fork down on the table, took a sip of his wine, and said, "I think Egypt was a great experience of what I learned about their beliefs regarding life and death. But that summer sun is just so hot, so one can never get enough water in the desert heat."
Mike’s mom said, "What did they believe about life and death?" "Well, first of all, they believe in an afterlife, so they prepare for their afterlife now, instead of just believing in a heaven and hell and hoping for the best of luck. More like running those the race instead letting the gamblers wheel run the game of chance for them." Mike interrupted, as he looked at his mom, "See the gift he gave me today, mom." Mike’s mom looked at the crystal pyramid and said, "My oh my, what a nice piece of glass. Where did you get it."

The traveling adventurer covered his mouth with a napkin in his hand and coughed, as if he was choking on her words. "That is not just a piece of glass, like the glass from the wine or milk bottle. It is believed that glass, which is commonly called crystal, came from the bottom of the biggest stone pyramid in Egypt. I obtained it as a gift from a very old wise man whose life I had saved from a bunch of bullies who wanted to steal this crystal pyramid from him. After saving his life, he gave me the pair of crystals pyramids as a thanks giving gift, but also to free himself from the danger which the pair might bring to him in the future. He wanted to live longer, but more importantly, he did not want to die by the hands of bullying thieves.

Mike’s dad asked, "Why two? Are they a pair, like twins?"

Well, in a way." stated the traveling adventurer as he stood up and excused himself as he said, "Please excuse me while I go outside to get some air. I want to look at the clouds for signs of the tomorrow’s weather. Thanks for the meal. Later, I would love some of that apple pie."

Mike’s mom also stood up and she started clearing the dishes from the table, while Mac and his dad walked outside with the traveling adventurer. Mike’s mom responded, "If you have no where to sleep tonight, you can sleep here, but you men can talk it over." even as she smiled at Mike. Mike smiled back at his mom, as he knew that his mom always saw a little man in her son, just as a true mom would do for a future map maker or a future adventurer.

As the walked towards the yard table, Mike’s dad remarked, "I am sorry for my wife’s inexperience in worldly affairs." The traveling adventurer responded, "It is ok, but the mysteries of the world and the afterworlds are even stranger still, to those who know little and think even less about the possibilities of life, even after their last breath is exhausted. But excuse me for my straightforwardness, since I do not mean to be rude, especially after a good meal like that...fine meal indeed." As they sat under the cloudless night, with it bright stars, Mike removed his crystal pyramid from his pocket and he set the crystal pyramid down on the wooden log yard table, that felt the earth’s weather, day in and day out.

As the sat under the stars and the sun, the traveling adventurer also removed his crystal pyramid and placed it a few feet from Mikes crystal pyramid. "Why did you do that?" asked Mike’s dad. The traveling adventurer looked up towards the sky and he pointed towards the night’s stars as he stated, "Most humans believe that they are alone in the universe, but that is not true. The whole universe is teeming with life, even life beyond human comprehension. In Egypt, I always noticed that the huge stone pyramids were always next to other pyramids, as if they belong together. Many such pyramids held the bodies of leaders and their families who believed in an afterlife. They believed in supernatural tunnels that would provide a path to their afterworld. But somehow, the pyramid’s shape was unnatural symbol of other realms, because the shape of the pyramid is found no where in the universe, except in the minds of men, and in Egypt, and now here on this table. They had many reasons or beliefs for using the shape of the pyramid; we still do not understand it all."

http://www.zahihawass.com/egyptian_hist_dev_shape.htm

Mike’s dad stood up and said he wanted to check on Mike’s mom and that apple pie. As he walked into the house, the traveling adventurer smiled, seemingly at Mike. No time could be spared, so the traveling adventurer looked and Mike and said, "Can you keep a secret?" Mike wisely and softy whispered, "Sure. What is up?" The traveling adventurer said, "Time is short, but if you really want to be a true adventurer, sometimes all we have to do is close our minds to visit other places. Would you like to try? Mike, right now? Before your dad returns with that apple pie and your mom? Do not worry about them, I have it all covered." Mike’s eyes lit up as any boy who was looking for an adventure and words of wisdom from a worldly traveler. "What do I have to do?"

Just put your index finger on the crystal pyramid top point like this and hold my other hand.
As Mike placed his finger on the crystal pyramid’s top point and as he placed his hand into the huge hand of the traveling adventurer, the traveling adventurer said, "Now close your eyes for a magical adventure. But always remember one thing, no one will believe your adventure, so tell no one, until you are ready, when you are stronger and wiser for people’s reactions. But then, you will know better to trust humans with your adventures." Mike said, "Ok."

As Mike closed his eyes, Mike felt funny, as if a dizziness was transforming his mind from one state of consciousness to another state of consciousness. Mike began to feel as if he was leaving his earthly body, without being aware of leaving his earthly body. Then Mike felt as if he was in some sort of spacey mind field, but a different mind field than what he had remembered before, but any other mind field was gone. Mike opened his eyes to find himself riding on the back of camel, out in the desert’s heat, and hot winds, and blistering tanned sand. He was wearing different clothes, and the traveling adventurer was also riding on the back of a camel, in a long line of camels. They were traveling to a water hole, in the past or in the present or in the future, no one knows. Mike saw the Traveling Adventurer and winked at him, an unspoken sign that true friends did not have to speak many words as they traveled through the hot air, on the hot sand, under a hot sun.

http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/W/waterhole.html

In no time at all, the group of desert travelers had found the water hole, which was surrounded by palm trees and trees with no names. Mike unwrapped his face clothe and he ordered his camel to lower its knees. Mike jumped off the camel, and led the desert creature to the water hole. They both drank the clean, clear, and cool water. "Better than gold!" Mike yelled to his friend, The Traveling Adventurer. "Yes, better than silver too." Other people laughed as they were preparing to set up their new desert camp, by the water hole. It was time for rest from traveling, but work still had to be done. Tents poles and rope and canvass all needed to be set up as soon as possible. Swords and knifes and other weapons were always by their side, just in case trouble makers rode into camp, which could happen at anytime, but not likely. Still, danger and death was a fact in the desert, just as it was in any town, in those days.

As the camp workers began to setup the water hole camp, Mike took out his home made ink and pens, the rough paper for map making, and his compass. He looked up at the sky for the sun’s and moon’s positions and he started to make the needed numeral calculations even before the night’s stars began to appear in the sky. Mike was not a fighter, but a map maker for the king of Egypt. Mike only had one responsibility and one responsibility only, to make maps for the king. No one else would ever be trusted to make maps for the king because Mike’s family had always made maps for all of the kings of Egypt. Mike’s family had always been the royal map makers for kings because in those days, every family had a purpose for the king, or no purpose at all. But having a purpose for the king meant food, water, clothes, and even life itself. Mike’s dad had taught him everything he needed to know about map making, but his father was long gone from earthly life. The desert’s life can be a short life, even for a map maker.

As the Traveling Adventurer walked up to Mike, he looked around for danger. The Traveling Adventurer was Mike’s bodyguard in more ways than one. The Traveling Adventurer’s job was to protect Mike from bodily danger, but from mental danger as well. It was not Mike’s job to know such things. "How goes it all?" ask the Traveling Adventurer. "Good." stated Mike. They had know each other a long time, ever since Mike was born; there was the Traveling Adventurer by his side, protecting him from bodily and mental danger. Spoken words were not needed when two people were this close, and Mike had map making to do. So the Traveling Adventurer hung around as Mike wrote and drew lines and wondered off into his own day dreams.

Mike’s mind began to read the water hole’s life, and its past visitors. Mike began to write down how other groups of desert wanders lived here, how they made love and partied, and how the killed or were killed there. Mike began to see where they came from and where they traveled to in the rather silent desert. Mike had the gift of mental map making. He was not only a physical earth map maker for the king, but he was also the king’s mental map maker. Mike possessed the gift of recording the past as far as he could see that past, because the king needed to know the past for his kingdoms survival and protection. The king needed to know the motives of mens, even in the desert. Were they friend or foe? Would they help the king’s kingdom or try to destroy it. Mike wrote down what he saw and after he wrote down what he saw, he handed the papers over to the Traveling Adventurer, because the Traveling Adventurer also had his own set of special gifts.

As night approached, Mike took out his crystal pyramid, so did the Traveling Adventurer. They laid them down on the very small wooden table and they help each other’s hands, as they placed their index fingers on the pyramid’s top point and the closed their eyes, and when they opened them again, Mike’s dad was walking up to the table with the apple pie in his hands. "Have you two been talking or just hanging out under this clear sky?" Mike looked at the traveling adventurer and winked.

"Well, we have been basically hanging out." stated Mike. But somehow, Mike’s dad did not believe his son, because he saw the wink. But Mike’s dad had been around long enough to know when friends meet, even if they had seemed to have never met before. Mike’s dad jokingly responded, "Maybe you two knew each other in a different life; if that is possible."

The traveling adventurer watched Mike slowing take his knife and cut lines into his slice of the apple pie top, just as if it was a small piece of leather. The traveling adventurer stood up, with his hand on the knife’s handle, as he looked around out the night’s darkness, as if he had heard some strange noise that was a threat to the young Mike. Mike said, "It is ok, probably just our common bears, or wild dogs, or some other animal looking for food." The traveling adventurer said, "You never know what danger lurks out in the darkness of the night." as he sat down and then started to eat his slice of the apple pie.

As Mike’s dad watched the two eat their pie, he felt something odd about the two; as if they had eaten together for a long time. Not so much the words or even the lack of words, but the lack of concern they had for the other. Mike’s dad remarked without thinking, "Maybe the traveling adventurer would like to sleep here tonight, and rest up before he begins his next adventure. Or maybe he would like to stay here longer and find a homestead for himself, next to our house. Maybe it is time for the traveling adventurer to stop roaming the earth and to start writing about his adventurous travels so others could learn about earth, and other cultures, and even of questions of life and death.

"That would be great." shouted Mike.

The traveling adventurer looked up towards the night’s stars and responded, "Only if I get to eat apple every once in a while. I could use a rest anyway. The questions of life and death are only a small part of the adventure called life. The other part of life is finding a place you could call home, and with that home, finding friends to share stories. Maybe it is time for me to settle down. Maybe Mike could help me with writing my stories for others to read." as he watched Mike carve a map into that apple pie, he just assumed that Mike knew how to use a pen on paper as well. "Well, why not? I could give it a try and if I feel the need to travel again, I can just get up and go."

Mike smiled, just as his mom walked out the door and said, "Is everyone enjoying that apple pie?" Mike’s dad responded, "Sure, the traveling adventurer likes is so much that he is going to stay with us for a while and look for a home around these parts. He might even settle down."

Mike’s mom looked up towards the night’s stars and said, "My oh my; have the heavens brought a new friend into our home tonight or what? Maybe the traveling adventurer could tell Mike and us about the secrets of those crystal pyramids. The traveling adventurer looked up towards the night’s stars again and as he pointed to them, he said, "The story begins long ago, somewhere out there....."

http://www.bigear.org/seti.htm