Copyright 1999
All rights reserved. May not be used without permission.
Just has he had figured, Jude returned shortly and carried with him a bag full of the most wonderful pastries the man had ever eaten.
As they sat together on a little bench, eating their sweet breakfast, the man noticed a striking looking man walking down the street. He was dressed in a ultra pink military uniform. It was trimmed with striking gold and had gold badges all over it. His hair was dark brown with bangs and he had a short brown mustache. There seemed almost a glow about him, making it obvious that he was no ordinary resident of LaLaLand. �Who is that?� the man wanted to know.
Jude chuckled and replied, �That is Sgt. Pepper. He is the top dog of LaLaLand. He was one of the ones who started LaLaLand when he was an old man.�
�He doesn�t look old,� the man noticed. �In fact, he looks only about 25 or 30.�
�Never forget, my friend,� Jude said. �The old grow young in LaLaLand.�
Then much to the man�s surprise, Sgt. Pepper came over to him and said, �Hello. I�m glad you could come to LaLaLand. Welcome. Tell me, how do you like it here?�
�Oh, me thinks �tis wonderful here!� the man answered.
Sgt. Pepper said, �You lived a hard life. You needed the refreshing of LaLaLand.�
�Yes,� replied the man. �In the old world, life�s kind of drag. But here, it is like a wonderful dream.�
After finishing the last of their sweets, they boarded a plush newspaper taxi. The seats were so soft and comfortable, that the man could have fallen asleep, had he not felt so perky and full of energy.
As they stepped our of the taxi, the thing that caught the man�s eyes were the trees. Money was growing on the trees. He just stared at them with his mouth gaping open in shock.
�What are you looking at so intently?� Jude inquired.
�Money,� the man managed to say. �There�s money growing on those trees!� He hastened over to one and began plucking $1000 bills off the trees.
�What are you doing that for?� Jude asked calmly.
The man looked surprised. �It�s money!� He cried, �Everyone wants money!�
Jude shook his head, �Not in LaLaLand. Hadn�t you noticed that the food cost nothing, the hotels cost nothing, the cars cost nothing. Everything is free in LaLaLand. Sure money grows on trees, but what do you need it for when you already lack nothing?�
The man laughed at his own foolishness and dropped the money on the ground. �It�s a carefree world,� he said to no one in particular. �And I�m getting younger by the hour. Just look at me hair! When I was 64 I never dreamed anything like this would happen to me.�
A kind of shadow seemed to pass across Jude's eyes and he said, �I hate to have to tell you this, but I knew this time would come.�
