Heartbreak At Hobbiton

Sitting high up in the horizon skies over Hamilton, New Zealand, I watch over the gathering of my subject, Earthling Seth, and his family and friends. They reside in a cozy, large bungalow heated by a fireplace. The bungalow was surrounded by trees, with morning winter fog rising from the Waikato River.

There are 6 adult Earthlings and 8 children Earthlings occupying the kitchen and living room regions. All of the children have gathered around Earlthing Seth and are demanding a tale.

One of the older children asked, "Hey Grandpa, how did you meet Grandma?"

All the other children nod an agreeable nod to the question and begin to wonder the same.

"Yea grandpa Seth, tell us the story of how you met Grandma Harriet", says one of the younger Earthling girls.

Earthling Seth sits back in his cushioned rocking chair and smirks while saying, "Alright young ones, I will tell you the story, but it gets a little trippy along the way. Just stick with me along this journey. Can you do so with no interruptions? There's a lot to learn on this ride we will take. Who is ready? "

They all cheerfully raise their hands and sit in excitement on the royal blue carpet, murmuring and laughing at each other.

"And so buckle in everyone. This will be fun and scary. Happy and sad. But overall, you will come to know the story of how I met your grandma.”

So there I was. Sitting in my burgundy lazy boy, sinking further into the quicksand of depression. Why would she do such a thing to me? I kept asking myself. I couldn't eat, so I fasted for 3 days with no food, until I thought I would die from low blood sugar. On this day, day three after the official breakup, I finally realized that this was possibly a good thing. Yes, she cheated on me at her workplace, and it was a nightmare come true because I knew for those 11 years that she was brittle with low self-esteem. I knew that the right person showing the right attention could cause her to drift away. It is almost as if I have manifested my worst fear. I sit numb, paralyzed without emotion. This was a good thing because I have finally faced what I've been dreading having to face one day. It doesn't hurt as much as I expected, I guess, because I expected it so often. My parents divorced after my mom cheated on my dad with a coworker. It must be some type of generational curse, one of the thousands of loud thoughts spiraling between each synapse. As I turn the music up louder to block the negative thoughts out, my best friend calls my cell phone. He didn't sound happy because he wanted to match my miserable frequency, yet he had excitement in his voice. He tells me about the tickets he purchased for us to go to New Zealand. At the time, I was in Baltimore, and had lived there all of my life. So he wanted me to take a trip with him and his wife, Esther. Of course, it wouldn't be right unless he took his wife along, as it was a sore sight to my heart. Why would I want to go on vacation with you and your wife after such a dramatic heartbreak? To watch you guy's love and joy right before my eyes, to remind me of what I no longer had.  No thank you, I tell him. And then he says that the trip will include a visit to one of my favorite places in existence. I snicker a bit and he says, "Do you get it?" I said no with a long awkward pause. He says, "we are going to the little village of Bilbo Baggins. You just might see Frodo's bedroom." I'm like, "how sway?" and he says with a high pitch voice, "because we have tickets to a tour of the Hobbiton movie set. "I jumped out of my quicksand of depression and hopped straight into great expectations' opportunity boat. I yell, "when!" He tells me, "pack for tomorrow." I say, "word" and hang up. He texted me a middle finger emoji with the location details and time to meet. I texted the middle finger emoji back with a thumbs up emoji next to it.

He knew that my love for Frodo could outweigh my despair at her cruelty. So I get ready to go, and after a masked flight to Matamata, New Zealand, I'm ready to find a fantasy that will take me away from my torturing reality. We touch down and arrive in the airport's gift shop. My best friend and I were given mood rings by his wife as a gift. My ring immediately turned from its initial color of green to black. Not caring what color Abel's ring turned, I read the small paper explaining each color. It turns out, green means feeling average and calm. I turn and look towards my bestie and say, "Wow, Abel, that green really matches your eyes." While black represents tension and stress, I show him my ring and sarcastically say, "I wonder why." He just pats my back while smiling and shaking his head. That night, we slept in a high-quality lux condo.It was an airbnb and I took some Nyquil to knock myself out just in case my bestie and his wife decided to make some sentual music. I wouldn't be surprised to hear it. The next morning, we made our way to Shires Rest Cafe, and from there we began our journey towards the great tiny plains. As we arrive, I get to witness the beautiful sights of the lake front village. The lake is like a mirror to all the tiny houses and bright blue sky filled with chuncky clouds. A sensational sight straight from the genius mind of creator Peter Jackson's. "What a sicko", I think out loud as my mood ring remains black as night. I see Esther peeping at me and chuckling a bit while caringsing my best friend's back. I think to myself, "How is he keeping such a wonderful broad?" Then I turn my attention back to the scenery. 

So there we were, arriving at the place of our grand fantasy. The iconic rolling hills and  lush green pastures of my dreams.  So many colors and smells wrapped in a big ball of wonder. This dream was made of a farm, with a magnificent pine tree towering over a nearby lake that was adjacent to a rising hill in its background. I would become acquainted with this fantastic land for as long as I could. I would find life again here. It was my goal. I had 44 Hobbit Holes to explore and we were told that a feast would be held at the end inside of the spot called The Green Dragon Inn. I felt a bit of life trying to peak through the darkness of my heartbreak numbness. My ring remained black. 

I couldn't imagine this properly, it was so euphoric. I was stuck in a state of euphoria and numbness. "This was what I needed. I'm starting to feel something again”, I reassured my best friend as he held hands with his wife. I look down at my ring, hoping to see a bit of color merging in. But it's still pitch black.

We begin the tour and it is absolutely amazing. From the beginning to the end, or should I say my end? We go through the set and find so many hidden treasures to discover. My imagination was going wild throughout the day, but I couldn't forget the heartbreak from my ex's foul treatment of my soul. I couldn't completely enjoy it the way I should have with those nightmarish thoughts playing on repeat. I wondered what could be worse than this type of treatment, which she left me to sadly soak in.

We reach the end of the start of the tour and arrive at the banquet spot. We drink and laugh together, three, and even with some other strangers enjoying the tour as well. I'm getting loaded with kids. I'm drinking some beer and diving into everything. I work my way around the roasted chicken and salmon, the beef casserole, and the gravy-drenched lamb shanks. I eat every side dish and salad presented to me. I was getting ready for dessert when I decided to drink from Abel's container with "Special Aqua" written in the middle. I just needed a small sip to wash down some spicy mushrooms. I started to feel a bit dizzy afterwards, and I walked out of the banquet down the road as if I was on autopilot. I wobbled a bit before stumbling down a hill. I roll and land in front of the lake that accompanies the great pine tree. I didn't notice that I had walked such a distance. I attempt to stand, and as I'm on my knees, I look upwards and see my reflection in the lake waters. And this is where my true journey began.

So I'm looking into this majestic lake at my own reflection and things start going haywire. My face is normal for seconds and then begins to melt into a kaleidoscope of colors. I look deep into the surge of colors and shapes and I see the reflection of the pine tree in the distance. The pine tree reflection begins to morph into two identical trees with two sets of eyes, one set a bit larger than the other. The trees begin to speak at the same time, saying the same thing to me in a synced, thunderous ecoing voice. They aren't shouting, but they are loud and stern in what they are saying. They look at me in a shameful way, saying, "Aww, poor human is facing heartbreak. Having a hard time digesting the evil nature of another human being? Having trouble understanding the ruthless treatment of a human? Well...so...are...we. We wonder why humans mindfully mistreat our planet? We were here first and you intrude on our land and chop us down. You slaughtered us and all of our inhabitants. Woe to you, humans. No, woe to those of us who face human mistreatment every day with no one to fight for us. Woe to us. Woe to us."

As I'm feeling ashamed and unable to look away, I witness the trees whirl into the now abstract frame of the lake. They make a whirl pool of color that then turns into two rhinos. The two identical rhinos are back to back and grazing with a mysterious galaxy in the back of them. They are both speaking at the same time in a calm, thunderous voice. They say, "hello human, you're on the radar and we all have a lot to tell you. It is time for you to see with open eyes. See what they do." As they are speaking telepathically to me, they begin to show me everything that humans have done to them and their ancestors. I see bad things, horrific things, while they tell me the truths that underline what I see. They say, "We are an endangered species.

They hunt us and poach us for our horns. The crisis began in 2008 and peaked in 2015 when 1349 rhinos got killed in a single year. South Africa hosts most of the world rhino population, so it’s targeted the most, with an average of 1000 rhinos killed each year between 2013 and 2017.Over the past ten years, close to 10,000 rhinos have been poached in Africa.

It all started with the false belief that rhino horn has medicinal properties. Help us humans... please, or the statistics of us being endangered species will keep getting worse. Help us!", they say while disappearing into the galaxy in back of them. The galaxy becomes still within the frame of the lake and begins to form into a trippy background, holding two pink elephants at its center. They begin to speak to me just like the others, but in a more slow and low tone, saying, "Humans always choose to ignore the pink elephant in the room. The real reason we are going extinct. The truth is not being mentioned and is hidden from the spot light. Did you miss the fact that only 350,000 elephants are left in Africa? Or the fact that elephants are pregnant for around two years and only have a baby every three to six years, so reproduction has little chance of saving our species. Not just us, also the kings of the jungle. Lions’ natural habitat is also under the threat of humans. There are only 23,000 lions left, compared to the hundreds of thousands that roamed the savannah 100 years ago. What are you going to do, human? The truth is yours; what are you going to do with it?"We are disappearing". As they speak, the horrific sights of truth are revealed to me and the scenarios begin to melt into a new image.

The new image solidified into two gorillas that stood identical with a totem poll in the middle of them. They began to speak in a humble yet aggressive manner, saying, "Endangered animals along with our endangered habitats. That's all we are. Not only do humams hunt and over-consume animals, but you  also devastate millions of habitats in your ever-growing need for oil, gas, and timber. 80% of the African gorilla population is already extinct. Thanks to massive conservation efforts, our family is declining rapidly. There are approximately only 1000 gorillas left. Why must humans annihilate each other? Why?" They begin to dissolve like sugar into a warm image of a pattern of four animals that I couldn't  identify at the time. They looked like zebras, but their bottom half looked like that of a horse. They all speak in a sync, harmonious tone, saying, "We are already extinct because of the ignorance of humans. We are the Quagga. We are an extict subspecies of the plains zebra. We were endemic to South Africa until the late 19th century, when European settler-colonists hunted us into extinction. We are a silent history. But why won't you change the future for those disappearing yet still visible? Save them before they become us."

At this point, I'm crying and I can hardly take any more. I wanted off of this endless rollercoaster, but I was stuck. I'm stuck watching the image spiral into a new image. The new image formed was full of bright, brilliant colors that turned into three Macaw birds. Two were normal and the one in the middle had two heads that spoke with the other birds. At the same time, they all began in a high-pitched parrot voice, saying, "We are the largest species of parrot in the world, yet we are now listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. At risk from deforestation and illegal harvest for the pet trade across Central and South America, only three small populations of us remain. Why are you allowing them to take place? Do something before you lose something! Do something!" But they weren't done with me. I began tapping my fingers on the wet grass as if it would release me from this terror-filled trip, but they weren't. I just stared as the birds morphed into two Dodo Birds facing each other, inside of a gloomy frame. They spoke to me gently while staring me in the eyes, saying, "You can no longer meet us on Earth because we're extinct. They swept us away, along with the Moa and many others. " As soon as they say those words, they evolve into two giant birds that resemble ostriches. The two birds, standing tall, begin speaking in a deep, high pitch, saying, "We are the Moa. Our nine species of flightless birds are extinct. If you don't fight for your land animals and birds now, they will only be memories and pictures just like us. What are you waiting for? You're waiting for their extinction as well before acting appropriately. You're pathetic for behaving in such a manner. Do something!" I begin to wipe my eyes dry as they fade away with their last words repeating in eco form. 

As the eco continues, I see an image of two identical sea turtles manifest. They gracefully swim, not saying a word. They swim in each other's direction, and when they make contact, they explode into an image of whales and dolphins divided by another totem pole. They all speak in a harmonious, thunderous tone, saying, "Land animals and birds aren't the ones being bullied into extinction. We have also faced disgusting mistreatment as sea creatures. Illegal fishing is a massive global issue worth over $36.4 billion each year. It’s depleting our ocean of whales, dolphins, turtles, and sharks. Vanishing species facts will keep rising if we don’t do anything to stop the problem. If you don't do anything to stop this problem, " 

They start to swirl and twist into a new scene. But this time, the entire lake lights up in a bright blaze of fire. The flames are everywhere and I can even feel the heat. I look closely and start to see eyes forming in the flames. Their eyes become completely visible and they start speaking telepathically, saying, "This is the real nightmare and the true heartbreak of Earth. This will not stop on it's own. We need you and all the help you can provide. Standing up! Stand up for us! Open your eyes and stand up! " The strong voice becomes silenced as the lake begins to normalize and I place my ten toes on the ground. I look at my reflection in the water again and feel a startling tap on my shoulder that makes me jump. "Are you alright, sir? You were on all fours staring into that lake for about four minutes. Is everything alright?", says a young beautiful brunette  with hazel brown eyes staring into mine. I stand speechless as she grabs my hand and leads me back to the banquet hall on a silent walk. When we arrive back, she waves down Abel and Ester and informs them of where she found me. Abel whispers in my ear, "I wrote special water on the container for a reason, bro. Why'd you drink it? I'm glad the salvia didn't kill you." I take a seat next to the young lady who rescued me and I say, "We need to save the endangered species of this planet. Will you help me rescue them?" She looks at me and nods in agreeance. I see my mood ring is green and I know I'm in the right direction. From that day forward, I never left New Zealand. I stayed here and became part of nature conservation with the young woman who is now known as Grandma Harriet. We visited many reserves and learned how to create our own reserves for endangered species. You all will be the generation that will continue our legacy and keep the legacy of animal species alive as well. The rest is history.

The Earthling children's hearts come to a calming rate after taking such a trippy ride. Almost as trippy as his truth-revealing and life-changing hallucinogenic rollercoaster. The Earth is a wonderful place and if humans don't step up just as Earthling Seth has, then one day us extraterrestrials will have to. The morning log has been completed and registered.The Earthling family gathering continues while I teleport to Mars to report my finished studies. ET Final. Closing the morning log.