CoelacanthsBy Robert ReedThe SpeakerHe stalks the wide stage a brilliant beam of hot blue light fixed squarely upon him. “We are great Weare glorious” the man calls out. His voice is pleasantly effortlessly loud. With a face handsome to thebrink of lovely and a collage of smooth passionate mannerisms he performs for an audience that sits inthe surrounding darkness. Flinging long arms overhead hands reaching for the distant light his boomingvoice proclaims “We have never been as numerous as we are today. We have never been this happy.And we have never known the prosperity that is ours at this golden moment. This golden now” Athleticlegs carry him across the stage bare feet slapping against planks of waxed maple. “Our species isthriving” he can declare with a seamless ease. “By every conceivable measure we are a magnificentirresistible tide sweeping across the universe”Transfixed by the blue beam his naked body is shamelessly young rippling with hard muscles over hardbone. A long fat penis dangles and dances accenting every sweeping gesture every bold word. Theliving image of a small but potent god he surely is a creature worthy of ad-miration a soul deservingevery esteem and emulation. With a laugh he promises the darkness “We have never been so powerfulwe humans.” Yet in the next breath with a faintly apologetic smile he must add “Yet still as surely astomorrow comes our glories today will seem small and quaint in the future and what looks golden nowwill turn to the yellow dust upon which our magnificent children will tread”ProcyonStudy your history. It tells you that travel always brings its share of hazards that’s a basic impatient lawof the universe. Leaving the security and familiarity of home is never easy. But every person needs tomake the occasional journey embracing the risks to improve his station his worth and self-esteem.Procyon explains why this day is a good day to wander. She refers to intelligence reports as well as theastrological tables. Then by a dozen means she maps out their intricate course describing what shehopes to find and everything that she wants