We could keep this a little shorter by simply waving our calloused hands at the screen over there by the backdoor to The patio. “All that stuff on the slide is going on.” Then we could pour another morning cup of java, or whatever that stuff Splash drinks in the morning. He claims Congress just made a dramatic step after the collection of typographic errors on the screen were assembled. There was more messaging that occurred after the digits had flow in the ether.

Meat stopped by to assure us that dramatic progress was being made on the marketing front for both new and backlist Socotra House products and his energy was proceeding. He then had a short dram of something from Splash’s stash and began his dignified march to Lunch. He had nothing to actually show us, except a time-stamp on a text from Bangalore late yesterday, when their production day was beginning and ours was slipping into the one Splash enjoys all day. To sum up, he had some notes, which sometimes can be of significance. “Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed House Resolution 5403!”

He seemed to want a response to the news, so we asked what a ‘5403’ might be. He looked back in disbelief. “It is the Anti-Surveillance State Act. It halts unelected bureaucrats from issuing a central bank digital currency- a CBDC- which would threaten Americans’ right to financial privacy. At least not without explicit authorization from Congress.”

His declaration was a little short of anything comforting to those at the picnic table. He seemed to be describing a process involving vast forces in slow but inexorable movement. Faceless, but powerful. There had been a similar sort of energy building all week. We could all feel it, and asked Rocket to do some investigation on external forcing on public policy issues. He rose and raised the zipper of his green NOMEX flight suit to frame the image of a bow tie in squadron colors on the collar of the t-shirt he had commissioned in the Philippines a while ago:

With a more formal demeanor in place, he cleared his voice and gestured for silence. “We are on the verge of the Holiday Weekend. We intend to honor the memory of the Fallen by taking a respectful but vigorous break. We will open the pool at Big Pink and fire up the grill. But that is not all that will occur on the weekend of 25-26 May.” He paused and made a gesture familiar to all generations of veterans. “There are other forces in motion as well.

We responded with our characteristic blank looks, hoping he would not launch into some diatribe about topics on which we have never paid much attention. “OK, maybe you need some help on this one since you don’t follow your stars closely enough to notice. Look up.”

He waved toward the sky. “This holiday weekend will see some astrologic magic in the heavens above. Jupiter will enter Gemini for the first time in a dozen years. In London, he lands on Sunday at 12.15am. Across the Atlantic he arrives in New York on Saturday at 7.15pm. Down Under will not be left out in the march of the heavens. Jupiter’s influence arrives in Sydney on Sunday morning, 9.15am sharp.”

Rocket put his tablet down on the conference table and seemed prepared to take questions. We had several. Some of them were about what digital currency actually meant, and if the House Resolution was intended to stop it, or just make it more incomprehensible. The Passage of Gemini above the clouds was much more approachable. Rocket decided to follow that topic for clarity. “Gemini’s passage of the heavens in this cycle means our ‘Year of Luck’ starts tomorrow. It is a rare and powerful event exciting, since Mighty Jupiter will not return to Gemini again for two dozen months. Not until 2026.”

That is almost a year and a half hence, since for the Chinese it is not just a year of Luck but one belonging to the Dragon in their folklore. That is considered the most auspicious zodiac sign by many, and babies born in Dragon years are said to have remarkable qualities. Like that new grand daughter one of us keeps spouting about.

We decided to agree on the whole litany, since it seemed a safer- and-luckier- course of action. Rocket did not consider this mild agreement to be a fulsome endorsement of his Astrologic forecast. “You guys need to pay attention to the energy levels flowing from the King of the Planets, his bright colors and vibrant power. The prediction is that you Salts will have success in your writing and also health and mobility.”

Splash thought that was good news, not completely unexpected. “That could mean the new book is actually going to get printed. Right?”

Rocket tugged down the zipper on the flight suit a couple inches for greater flexibility. “Talk to me when Great Jupiter arrives in DC tomorrow. We will have some time after Happy Hour atarts at five to get ready for energy, strength and creativity.

WE are hoping there may be some whimsy in the mix, but we are prepared let Jupiter and Gemini sort ot out on their own.

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