Was I Dreaming About Today's American Way Back Then?

Today, Feb. 3, 2009, I was going through some of my writings, looking for a story I had begun about a man who discovered the true spirit within.  I'd started writing it probably in the late 80's.  While searching for it, I came across this article I wrote, must have been around the same time frame--was I seeing the future of today's America?  Unfortunately, I can't find the last page so I'm going to call on all of you to help me finish it!  BTW, I wrote it pre PC--so it had to be before 1995. 

The other day I received an ad from a major corporation.  It was about a sweepstakes offering millions of dollars to the lucky winner.  Like so many other big companies, there are sweepstakes, contests, and other advertising gimmicks to entice customers arriving almost daily in my mail.  Also in the mail that day were letters of appeal to help the Indians and the people of Appalachia, each group  living in poverty.  Hunger, homelessness, disease, right here in this great country of opportunity.

I thought about the sweepstakes offer.  I wondered how much it cost to promote this new advertising campaign.  I also thought about the countless other media hype that companies spend million advertising.  Wouldn't it be wonderful if those companies spent even a tenth of that money to help eliminate homelessness, poverty and disease?

That night I had a dream that has haunted me for days.  I was standing outside huge gates that led to eternity.  I saw a crowd of people and heard them shouting.  They were evidently responding to the question, "what have you done to earn eternity?"

"I was president of a big corporation and I built a great company that made trillions of dollars," shouted one.

I was the head of the advertising department that launched the biggest ad campaign in the history of advertising," another announced proudly.  "We made meg bucks, let me tell you baby."

"Well," says blow hearted Joe, "I negotiated the contracts fro some of our biggest sports heroes and I want to tell you, I gave the world some really big guys to look up to.  That should be good for getting into eternity."

"What did you do?" A relatively quiet man was asked by an authority behind the gates.

"Not much.  I was responsible for several huge mergers that united some smaller companies into a viable corporation that could dictate controls."

"Well hell," say a tall man moving into the elite group, "I was the one who got those oil prices up high enough that we could really make a profit."

"Yea man, but you couldn't have done it if I hadn't been at top level in the government.  I was the one that got deregulation squeezed through."

Suddenly there voices rose, each trying to be the biggest and the best.  A group of people stood just inside the gates, watching and listening.  One of the younger  among them spoke quietly.

"They are the new breed of Americans.  They have been told that only the greatest among them shall enter through the door to eternity."

An elderly one of the listeners asked.  "Do you remember the old days when they came to tell of how they built their nation, made it strong, developed opportunities for others?"

"That was a long time ago," the man who had first spoken said sadly.

"Didn't some of those old timers decree that the nation would be of the people, by the people, and for the people?  How did that great nation lose that ideal"

"Greed!" was the reply from several of the observers.  "Plain, simple greed."

"And how shall it be resolved?"  I heard myself asking the question.

"When they have destroyed the lands; when there are only a few who control the destiny of the masses; when the common man becomes one of those who lives in homelessness, poverty, and with disease, there will be no one to buy their goods, pr pay to build their companies.  Then, those who have amassed great wealth through greed will turn against each other in desperation to hold onto what little is left.  In the end, nothing will be left because all will be destroyed." This was from the one who held the keys to the gates.

"Then who wins?  Who will be the greatest?  Who will gain eternity?" I asked.

"In this game, there are no winners.  We have lost the peace makers.  They have grown weary with their struggles to make things right.  We have lost the meek, their hunger has destroyed them.  We have lost the righteous, their futility has sent them into hiding.  We have lost the humble, the

And that my friends is where I need your help.  The last page is no where to be found, at least not at this time.

Please help me finish this--perhaps there wasn't an ending because I couldn't see what was going to happen in the end.  Is there an answer? 

I look forward to your comments.