2025, books, Fantasy, Mysteries, Nature

Best of Times, Worst of Times

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I read for a lot of reasons.  One of them is to find new ideas or to be reminded of ideas I may have had in the past.

The book I just finished (not revealing the title as there would be spoilers otherwise) had a fairly absurd premise but then managed to present several trains of thought that were tantalizing.  A huge asteroid is heading for Earth and scientists have determined that it will wipe out everyone and everything in two years, six weeks.  

One character, who works in banking, came up with a scheme that basically defrauds people but will make the bank a ton of moolah.  His theory is that by the time folks figure out they’ve been defrauded, the world will be ending.  Sadly the other members of the board agreed with him.

Another character, an aging rock and roll star, was facing terminal cancer and decided to end his life so that his music royalties would go to his first ex-wife as soon as possible.  He also made an extremely heartfelt apology to her for how he had treated her back in the day.

A third character, an anthropologist, was worried about the end of civilization before the end of the world.  Why, he postulated, would be the incentive to keep working?  Who would do the jobs that keep us all fed and clothed?

This last character’s questions have remained with me for days now.  Whenever there is some news of an asteroid that’s coming close to the planet, I do muse about the end of days.  But I have never considered what would happen if we KNEW it was end of days for sure.   How could we keep civilization going?  How would I personally get by until the end?  Would I feel the need to atone for my “sins”?  I’m not sure, but I think I would definitely make a trip to Alaska, the only state in the union I haven’t visited.

Anything on your bucket list you’d like to do if you knew the world was ending in two years and six weeks?

18 thoughts on “Best of Times, Worst of Times”

  1. For me at my age, for all of us really, the asteroid is on its way. It could be two years and six weeks, it could be twenty years, it could be tomorrow. It has already come for some of my friends.
    Knowing that, I do or ought to be doing exactly what I would do in the book’s scenario. The difficulty in that scenario would come from the breakdown of civilization and the actions of those around me. I can’t control that.

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  2. I agree with Bill that the asteroid is on its way; this scenario does speed things up a bit, though. If I knew it was truly months (or weeks?) instead of some unknown # of years, I would probably think differently. Maybe I would find respite care for Husband so that I could travel to see certain people one more time.

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  4. Rise and Shine, Baboons,

    When my cancer asteroid hit my life in 1990, I had that moment of clarity about life ending. My biggest item on that bucket list was getting to raise my son who was 8 yo at the time. I wanted to raise him myself because I did not view his father as capable of meeting his needs. I did get to do that, thank goodness.

    Now? I want to return to Ireland and Italy. But otherwise, after the early experience, I have done the things I wanted to do because life communicated how transient it can be. But I will always say I want to garden for just one more season.

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  6. Remember the ‘Wear Sunscreen’ speech / song?
    The line that always stuck out for me was: “The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind. The kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.”
    I think life is a series of lucky events and split second time. That random turn left rather than right. And life can change in split seconds, … on a random Tuesday.
    Two years is almost too much time. I’m gonna squander the first year thinking “I got time”.

    How’s that phrase go? “Live your life such that half the world isn’t cheering for your funeral.”

    Or

    “Life is about the journey, not the destination.”

    “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!”
    -Hunter Thompson

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    1. Your quote about living your life so that half the world isn’t cheering for your funeral reminded me of the man who stopped at the newspaper kiosk every morning on his way to work. He scanned the front page of the NYT and then continued on his way. He had been doing this for weeks before the owner of the kiosk finally asked him what he was looking for. “I’m looking for an obituary,” came the reply. “Oh, the obituaries are printed near the back of the paper” said the kiosk owner. “Not the obituary I’m looking for,” replied the man as she continued on his way.

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  7. Ben you hit the nail on the head (expected from a farmer who fixes things). As a physician, I saw many who were blindsided by things they had never worried about. For example, hit by a car when they were worried they would die from a heart attack. Makes you appreciate today.

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  8. I’d take all the money out of my investments and spend it on art, music, food, fun, and friends. I’d give $100 dollar bills to random, unhappy-looking people in grocery stores. I’d give all my extra furniture and clothes away and sleep on a mattress on the floor. I’d keep only what I need. I’d spend as much time as I could on the North Shore, maybe even complete the Circle Tour. I’d take the Amtrak out to the West Coast to see the big trees before they’re cut down for greed. I’d read as much as possible, but I’d also tell myself it’s okay if I can’t get it all done.

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  9. I justvwant peace and the ability to garden and cook the best food for our family. I have seen enough of Europe to feel satisfied I have seen what I need.

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  11. It’s hard to imagine what the world would be, if such a scenario actually came about. You could make a plan to travel and see Europe or Africa or whatever, but would you be able to get there? What if all the air traffic controllers and baggage handlers and mechanics quit their jobs? Would police still want to keep order? Maybe you’d have to hide in your home as the world crumbled into anarchy.

    Of course, there would be asteroid deniers who would insist the science that predicted the asteroid was wrong. Maybe they would still continue to work.

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