G-men’s Beginning

They waited a long time. In a sort of platoon of two dozen, they waited for "the season." How they came together is something from ancient earth, and beyond understanding to many. But they wait to take birth. Slowly it begins, a door opens, a search begins. The list is written down somewhere, of course, but by now it is part of memory that reappears each time the season begins. Each item on the list has been stored, but the supply must be enough. From time to time, the stores are drawn down between seasons, for good uses, but never in service of what the platoon awaits.

Whatever is found to be in short supply must be replenished, and it is obtained in ways that obscure its true source in ancient earth. But it is assembled just the same. There may be more than one stop in the journey to lay in those supplies, but it all must be done. All the while, they quietly watch and wait. It has begun.

What will happen in this process? How will we look? Names are considered. All considered must begin the same way. Some are ancient and traditional, such as Gerald, Geraldine, George, Georgeanna, Gina, Genevieve, Geoffrey, Gerard, Giovanni, Giselle, Giuseppe, and, of course, Ginny. Others come and go, like Geraldo, Genifer and Giancarlo. Still others arise like Gary, Gil, Glenn, Gordon, Goldie, Grace, Gabriella, Greg and Gloria.

The season has arrived with its onset of chills. The birthing team had quietly set the date. On the eve of the formative day, the day when all will take their immediately recognized form, the mixing begins. Their assembly comes in stages. This is where the characteristics they will display take root. There are sensory imprints—texture, body size, even aromas are more often than not determined at this stage.

Finally, the day arrives. They begin.

In this form of existence, they will be aware or conscious beings. As such, their awareness includes aspiration—one, to delight in appearance, decorating the lives of others, or, two, to attain completeness and benefit others by satisfying their desire. In either case, they will last less than an entire season. They know when they take this form what is in store, death of a sort—being consumed or discarded by season's end. They could not achieve their aspiration without doing so. But still this is seen as a favorable form of taking birth.

First they are rolled flat, then cut in a traditional shape. Their form is decorated, with face and features and clothing. There are buttons, large and round with a hard shell coating. Then the firing begins and they take birth, some for the first time in this form, others yet again. Soon eyebrows, hair, eyes and mouth arrive like frosting on a cake,

The secret to a favorable rebirth is one's state of mind at the moment of death. Much time is spent waiting for that moment, being consumed in service to others.

So do they think of this death and worry? By and large, they subscribe to what the sage said, "If there is a way of avoiding death, then there is no need to worry, but if there is not, there is still no need to worry." Oh, the life of a gingerbread man.