The Magic Minute

 By Harriet May Savitz                         

                                            Third Happening

The Giant Squid was also feeling uneasy.  “I hope this isn’t just a waste of time,” she said to the Octopus.  “I have more important things to do with my hours.”  Actually the Giant Squid was thinking of all the mackerel and herring she could be eating.  “I’ve been told I can’t even use my ink sac tonight.  If I can’t use my smoke screen, how am I to flee from my enemies?”  The Giant Squid could not believe how naked she felt, just knowing she could not use her ink sac, a most valuable weapon against a threatening foe.  As many times as she asked the Grand Sea Turtle, she received the same answer, but the Squid doubted the truth of it.  A place without enemies?  Certainly not.  Impossible.

            However, impossible things were already going on right there at the beach.  Before her very eyes.  As she looked again at the Oyster to make certain she noticed what she thought she noticed, she found it to be true.  The Oyster was smiling.  The Conch was laughing loudly.  And the Octopus, the Squid barely believed this could be true if not that she saw it for herself, was actually handsome.  He was in deep conversation with the Jellyfish who was sporting a pair of healthy muscles.

            “We must remember what the Sea Turtle told us,” said the Conch in between giggles.  The Conch was a large heavy sea snail with a spiral shell.  His meaty body moved in and out of his large shell as he spoke.  He used his one claw on his body to move about.  “Nothing is as it was in this Magic Minute and all can be as it never has been before.”

            The moon changed from full to half to quarter then full again, but no one noticed.

            “What exactly is a MAGIC MINUTE to us?” the Giant Squid dared to ask.  The murmuring on the beach grew still, as if all held the same question in their minds and urgently needed the answer. 

            “During this Magic Minute,” the Grand Sea Turtle explained patiently, “we have been given many gifts.  We have been given the gift of Deep Thinking, the gift of ideas, the gift of imagination, the gift of decision-making.”  The Sea Turtle’s paddle shaped legs moved slowly as he walked carefully among the crowd.  “The Tenants will destroy us if we let them.  We are dying in our waters now.  Others are killing each other on the land.  They do not value what we value.  They do not see what we see.  We must find a way to reach them.  HIGHER UP believes we can do it.  Now let’s take roll call so that each of us can know each other.”

            The Conch blew his horn to gain everyone’s attention.

            “GRASTROPADA, the largest and most important of all Mollusks.  The Conch, the Snails and the Slugs are among this group of Mollusks.  There are about 80,000 in this species,” announced the Conch proudly.  “We have sent representatives her and we are now part of this Magic Minute.”

            “Here,” responded the GRASTROPODA.

            “The PELECYPODA, the second great class of Mollusks, include the Oysters and Clams, one of our Tenant’s most valuable eating treasures,” the Conch told the crowd.

            “Here,” shouted the PELECYPODA from the audience.  “We are proud to be part of the Magic Minute.”

            “The CEPHALOPODA,” announced the Conch.  “The most active Mollusk, of which we have the Octopus and our highly regarded Squid, one of the largest most intelligent invertebrate in the world.”

            There was a light patter of applause.  The Giant Squid acknowledged it.  “We along with all the underwater representatives are honored to attend this meeting,” she said.

            The Octopus listened, preoccupied by thoughts of the crabs and lobsters and shellfish he could be eating and could not touch during this Magic Minute.   He itched to use his hard jaws to tear apart the animals he ate or to use the poison he injected that paralyzed his prey.  

            “Here,” shouted the CEPHALOPODA from the audience.

            “Another class, the SCAPHOPODA is a small group of Tooth and Tusk shells and various other kinds of shells,” explained the Conch who was quite surprised at the interest he was receiving from his audience.  It was evident that all had acquired  attentiveness in this Magic Minute as well.

            “Here,” called a Tusk Shell from the audience.

            “The AMPHINEURA have also attended,” the Conch told the audience.

            “Here,” called out a representative Chiton.

            Last is the MONOPLACEPHERE, the most primitive of Mollusk and mostly found as fossils.  They are very rare and mysterious,” reported the Conch.

            A fossil called out, “Here.”

            It was then the Grand Sea Turtle spoke to his audience.  “Thank you GRASTROPDA, PELECYPODA, CEPHALOPODA, AMPHINEURA, SCAPHOPODA, and MONOPLACOPHORA for attending this Summit Meeting.  We are here to do some Deep Thinking.  We have been receiving BAD NEWS from upstairs for many years.  We have ignored it.  We have tried to forget about it.  But BAD NEWS keeps coming in.  Our Tenants are creating this BAD NEWS.  It is coming into our world.  HIGHER UP says we must make a change so that we can survive.  HIGHER UP says we must seek the answers now.  We must do it with infinite wisdom and Deep Thinking.” 

            “How can we find such answers?” asked the Giant Squid.  “How long will it take?”

            “Deep Thinking can take a long time,” replied the Grand Sea Turtle.  “It cannot be rushed.”

            The Mollusks grew confused.  They had never done Deep Thinking before.  They did not know if they could.  They did not know how to begin.

            The Sea Turtle assured the Mollusks that Deep Thinking would be easy.

            “Just be still.  Do not speak to each other.  Rather listen.  You will hear something coming from inside.  You will hear messages.  You will hear truth.  You must believe in what you hear.  You will be given the answers.  By the time the Magic Minute is over, you will know.”

            “I never heard anything coming from inside before,” said the Giant Squid.  “Why should something come now?”

            “Because HIGHER UP said it will.  Because HIGHER UP will help you find the answers.  HIGHER UP said you will know.”

            “Well, I guess I have nothing better to do,” said the Starfish, finding a comfortable place on the beach.

            “We might as well get it over with,” replied the Giant Squid as the other Squid joined her.

            The Oyster gathered with the other Oysters and some Jellyfish.  “I hope the Magic Minute lasts long enough,” the Oyster said, “to get everything done.”

            There was a lot of moving around and finding comfortable places on the beach before everyone grew still.  Not a seagull could be heard.  It was as if everything in the universe had stopped and was listening.  Not even a breeze blew across the sand as the Mollusks thought and as their thoughts grew deeper and deeper and deeper. 

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