WELCOME TO

The Janitor

by

Bill MacWithey

"Good morning, George."

"Hello, Adam. How are you this morning?"

"Just fine, thank you. Yourself?"

"Oh, same as always - back aches a little and my legs aren't what they used to be. But, for a man my age, I can't complain." George straightened up, put his hand in the middle of his lower back, and grimaced.

"I'll see you a little later, George. Duty calls."

George had been a fixture around NASA since its inception. He was one of those people who was always there, but was as little noticed by most people as the water fountain against the wall, as he slowly moved down the hallway, mopping the floor. George was slightly stoop shouldered, and his silver hair was a little longer than suited a man his age. His eyes were a penetrating steel blue that most people didn't notice, because they passed him by as if he wasn't there - everyone but Adam.

Adam came to work at NASA straight out of graduate school, where he received a PhD in Physics. He was a brilliant young man, and had spoken to George every morning since coming to NASA, four years earlier.

George knew Adam was a special person when they first met. Why would a brilliant young PhD take the time to stop and visit with an old gray-haired janitor, except that the PhD was a heck of a nice person. George appreciated Adam's friendliness even more, because most people ignored him.

George had one other good friend at NASA. Evelyn (Eve to her friends) was a waitress in the main restaurant at the huge complex. She, too, had befriended George years before. Eve told George on a number of occasions that he reminded her of her grandpa. George told Eve many times she should further her education and become one of the bosses at NASA instead of working so hard. "You're capable of learning anything you want to learn. How old are you Eve?"

"Now, George, you know you're not supposed to ask a lady her age." George just smiled and continued to wait for an answer. "Oh, okay. If you must know, I'm twenty-eight."

"Adam's thirty-one."

"Who?"

"Oh, I was just thinking out loud. Do you know Adam, uh… by golly, you know, I don't know Adam's last name. I'll point him out to you when he comes in. He should be here any time. Adam eats here every day. "

"Oh, is he the young guy I see you talkin' to a lot at lunch time?"

"Yes, yes. That's Adam."

"He's a good looker, George. But, what would a man like him see in someone like me?"

"Heck, he's a man! You're a good lookin' gal, Eve."

"Now you're embarrassing me."

"Here comes Adam now."

Evelyn started to walk away, embarrassed by the thought that George was going to try to fix her up with the young PhD.

"Now, just stay here a darned minute, Eve. You leave and there'll be no more tips from old George." She smiled kindly at him, and it made him feel good all over. He really did like Evelyn.

When Adam reached the table, George said, "Adam, I'd like for you to meet my other friend here at NASA, Evelyn. Her friends call her Eve. I'm sorry, but the two of you will have to exchange last names. I'm embarrassed to say I don't know either of them."

They did just that, and George was pleased that the result of their introduction was just as he'd hoped it would be. Over the next few weeks, they began dating and became, as far as George knew, lovers. That fit his plan beautifully!

Then, one day George asked both of them to meet him at the main gate after work. They were surprised when he asked them to go to his home to look at something.

"I have the time if Eve does."

"Good. Then it’s settled. I have something very important I'd like to show you and talk to you about."

At day's end, the three met at the gate to the main parking lot. George put a hand on each of their arms and led them to his car just outside the gate. He drove west about thirty miles and turned off the two lane highway onto a private lane that ran almost a quarter mile north from the main road.

When they pulled up in front of the neat little house, Evelyn asked, "Did you want us to see your home, George?"

With a broad smile on his face, he replied, "As a matter of fact, yes, that's exactly what I want to do, show you my home. But you'll have to go to the barn back there first. That's what I really want to show you."

Adam and Eve were not only amused, but a little confused, as they followed George to the barn. At least it looked like a barn from the outside. But, when George pressed a small remote control he pulled from his pocket and the doors slid to the side, they both stopped short and stared, eyes open wide. They stood for a full minute, staring into the barn.

Finally, Adam asked, "What is this, George?"

"My ship."

Adam said, "It, uh..., it looks like a flying saucer."

George chuckled and said, "It's been called that, among other things."

"I don't understand."

They had continued to walk toward the ship that Adam was sure was some kind of a mock up, and George once more pressed the remote control. A panel slid to the side and they stared into the largest maze of electronic gadgetry Adam had ever seen.

"Come on in. It won't bite."

Although they were both a little reluctant, they had to see what this old janitor had assembled here in his barn. When they were all inside, the panel slid closed and George stood smiling at them.

Adam and Eve walked completely around the circular ship, staring at the myriad dials and electronic display screens. A full five minutes elapsed before Adam asked, "George, just what is this thing you've built?"

"Oh, gosh, Adam, I didn't build it. That's left to others. I just pilot it."

"Pilot it?"

"Yes."

George pressed his little remote control and a whole section of the side of the ship became transparent. They were staring down at the earth from thousands of miles out in space.

For the first time since they'd entered the "flying saucer", Evelyn spoke. "George, this isn't real, is it? Tell me it isn't real! I’m scared to death of heights."

"Please do not be frightened, friends. The two of you are very special people. You have been chosen from among all mankind to save the human race."

"Look, George, I like you and all, but enough's, enough. Open the door, so I can get out."

George smiled kindly," Oh, my, Eve, you wouldn't last two seconds out there. Please, sit down. Let me explain."

Seats moved, as if by magic, out of the wall, and though Adam and Eve didn't understand any of this, they were so bewildered by it all, they obeyed and sat down.

"Adam, Eve, it pains me to tell you this, but you see, your world is about to be destroyed. The people of earth will not listen and are destroying the ozone layer. It is but a few days until the envelope surrounding your world will split wide open. All animal life will die from the intense radiation of your sun. I was sent here some time ago to select the people we would save to repopulate your world when it once more becomes habitable. You see, without all the pollution your people release into the air, earth will repair itself in about twenty of your years. Then you will be brought back with your children to begin life anew. You will be the beginning of a new race - a race that will take care of your world."

***

The old gray-haired story teller looked out at the children seated before him, in the shade of the huge tree. "Do you like the story so far?"

A small boy asked, "Is there really such a place as Earth?"

"Oh, my, yes. Yes, indeed. If it was night time, I could show you the star about which Earth orbits."

"And did George take Adam and Eve back as he promised?"

The old man's thoughts went back to the years he'd spent with Adam and Evelyn on their world and his, and wished he could see his friends once more. But, of course, that would be impossible. They had died almost six hundred of their earth years earlier. That was George's real regret - that people on other worlds didn't live very long. Just when he made really good friends, they grew old and died.

"Mr. George. Mr. George!"

"Uh, yes, I'm sorry. I was remembering some old friends."

"So did Adam And Eve repopulate the earth?"

George smiled and said, "Let me put it this way, they were very much in love, and there are about eighty thousand people on their world today. But it is a far different place than when Adam and Eve lived. There are beautiful wild animals roaming free everywhere and the skies are filled with birds. The seas teem with life that was nearly destroyed by the inhabitants of Earth until we intervened and stopped them." Once more, George thought of his friends, smiled and thought, "Lovers, indeed. My, yes. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell them the truth about my people destroying their planet to save it."