Harley had never strayed far from home. He lived in Centerville, went to school in Centerville, worked in Centerville and never had any desire to leave.
He was eating breakfast one Tuesday morning, bacon and eggs, his usual breakfast, two cups of coffee, two pieces of white toast, some Smuckers strawberry preserves and a glass of orange juice. This was his usual menu, didn't alter it very often. Sometimes thick bacon, sometimes thin, grape jelly or orange marmalade, was his other option.
He had just about finished eating, had poured his second cup of coffee, when there was a knock at the front door. This was unusual, he rarely had early morning visitors, everyone in town knew he would be at the hardware store at nine, and they could see him, for any business of any kind, then. He strolled to the door and casually opened it. He was surprised to see two men at his door, two "suits," a shiny black Chevy Suburban parked out in front. His first thought was Mormons, but these guys were too old.
"Gentlemen, what can I do for you?"
"Harley, we'd like to talk with you."
Harley was unsure what to do, they were well dressed, looked official, and that shiny black Suburban brought back some scenes from television, so he invited them in, they headed for the living room, took seats on the couch. Harley sat in his favorite chair, nestled back and got comfortable, and from his body language, his two visitors knew he was ready for conversation.
"Can I get you guys some coffee, or anything?"
"No thanks, we're good."
The two men assumed rather serious demeanor's and started relating the reason for their visit.
Harley listened, his lower chin started gradually dropping, and he was trying his best to comprehend these two strangers, and the information that they were relating to him. The more they spoke, the more in awe he was of what they were proposing to him.
Why him, he wondered, how and why had they picked him out of so many people, he led a quiet life, went to church on Sunday, taught Sunday School at his Methodist church, worked, came home, went fishing, loved to go mushroom hunting in the Spring, nothing special about him, he was just an average buy. Why would they make this proposal to him. How had they even become aware of him. He could not understand what was happening here.
"Why me?"
