Walking every morning helped me focus on my writing. I don't remember when I first noticed them running and playing with the animals. As far as I could tell, they were just two lovely young girls. However, it was hard to tell the young from the old, since people no longer aged. One morning I noticed only one girl resting on a grassy green slope with them. Everywhere I went I carried my laptop. I never knew when a brilliant idea would enter my mind. When one did, I had to get it down right away before I forgot it. Today I had an idea, but I wasn't sure if it was something others would want to read or hear. 

"Good morning young lady. My name is Peter Young. It looks like you have lots of animal friends."

"Good morning to you, also. My mother and I entertain the animals that live around here and have become good friends with them. My name is Petunia. My mother named me after her petunias. Her name is Katrina, and she looks exactly like me, but like you, she has a tattoo under her chin. It's too bad they tattoo people when they reach the age of 500 years."

"May I sit here with you and read my idea for a story. In this story I'm pretending I'm talking to those who lived before I was born to show them how the world changed."

"Sure, I would love to hear it, but I don't have a lot of time today, for I promised my mother that I would get back early."

"Just let me know when to stop. Okay?"

"Yes."

I began.

"If you lived in the early part of the twenty-first century, you would have no idea what the world would be like 500 or 1000 years later. Now try to pretend that you lived back then, and I'll give you a peek into our world." She was so quiet that I had to look her way to see if she was listening.

She nodded and said, "Go on."

"In a way, you might find our time period terrifying. Yet, compared to yours, it is very peaceful. Your marriages reached a high failure rate. Computer technology had just begun to take off, and almost every home had one. That's when scientists decided that computers were the answer for early deaths, controlling population growth, crime, marriages, good childcare, vegetation and even climate control. In your time, people wanted fame and wealth. Some found it too difficult to compete. The children of the less fortunate often died from accidents, starvation and disease. Many of the adults died early from stress-related diseases. That's when scientists figured help was needed. However, maintenance people were not affordable, keeping prisoners locked up too costly, and the cost of health care soared. Since computers were easier to replace and less expensive, they decided to build ones that could take over.

"Towards the mid-twenty-first century, they had computers that looked like people and called them Regulators. Unlike people, they didn't need to be paid. They were void of emotions and feelings. However, they were easily repaired and replaceable. We began to use them in all areas of service. Scientists developed them, with the support of a government similar to yours, but ours comes from every country. We, the people, have many checks and balances to make sure that our elected officials function according to certain standards. In other words, the Regulators have control over our environment and all other aspects of our life, but they, in turn, are controlled by elected governmental officials coming from our united world.

"History tells us that there were once different races and languages. Now everyone speaks one language. The races have blended into one, and the world is united and law-abiding. We have eradicated all diseases. Even reproduction is controlled. People and larger animals, dogs, cats and rabbits included are neutered and their sperm and ovum saved, all labeled properly and stored for future use. Doctors reproduce them in special tubes. Computers allowed people enough time to explore and create all of the advances we have. Weapons become obsolete and are not made or used anymore."

"Wow," said Petunia, as she stood up. "I am sorry, but it's time for me to go. I'll have to bring my mother by tomorrow. Will you be here?"

I stood up, too. "Sure."

"Mom heard tales about those days from her parents. She would love to hear a story that compared their time period with ours, I'm sure."

"I would love to meet her." The next day as I came by, I saw the two of them waiting. I waved and they waved back.

When I came close enough. Petunia said, "Hi, Peter. This is my mother, Katrina." Petunia had not exaggerated when she said her mother looked like her.

"Hello," said Katrina. "Petunia told me that you were comparing the people who lived before the Regulators with us. Has your wife heard this story?"

"She went to sleep and never woke. I can't begin to tell you the emptiness I felt when that happened. Our children had long grown up and left. Many generations of family had grown-up and married. We had lost track of even our own children. In fact, we had only vague memories of them. Since then, I've lived a lonely life."

"I'm sorry," said Katrina. "I, too, lost my husband this way, but I have a daughter who stayed with me." She smiled at her daughter. "Please continue your story."

"Should I start at the beginning?"

"Oh, no. Petunia has already filled me in on the beginning. Start where you left off."

Again, I began.

"Today marriage is controlled. Back then, there was no such thing as checking people's DNA. Today, if DNA shows that a couple is too closely related, their plans for marriage is terminated. Now doctors reproduce both humans and animals in special containers. They administer hormones to the females so they can feed their offspring. Before our time it was left to chance and female people and animals were used as the vessels. Breeding is now much improved. We have eliminated even diseases. Both people and animals live long healthy lives. In those days, people suffered from inherited and communicable diseases.

"We have even made advances in horticulture and have eliminated diseases in vegetation, too. Back then, plants produced by seasons. Now we can have four crops a year. We don't have to preserve our food anymore. Our nutrition is better because of this.

"How did all these happenings affect us? Well, our landscaping has brought us nothing but comfort and peace. Plant life grows in ideal proportions. Weather remains in the lower 70's at night and mid 70's during the day all year long. Mammals, who we once used for food, roam freely with other animals. They live without threat from one another or humans. All are tame enough to touch. Flesh eating mammals and humans are given a special diet by the Regulators that meets their dietary needs for protein. Only fish, birds, insects, bugs and other small creature populations are not controlled, for they take care of that themselves and..."

After a while, Katrina stood up and said, "Petunia was right. You tell it just like it is. We must go. Will you come tomorrow, too?"

"Sure. I stop here to write everyday. I will look forward to seeing you both again."

They left with their animal friends following them. I watched them until they were out of sight.

We continued to meet. Petunia began to go off alone with the animals, while Katrina would sit and talk. Our feelings for each other grew stronger and stronger.

Then, one day, I asked Katrina, "Would you consider becoming my wife?"

"I would love to spend the rest of my life with you."

"I want to be with you all the time, too," I added.

We spent the rest of our courting time planning our wedding. We both wanted to have it in a natural outside setting.

When the time came for our ceremony, we felt very excited. Everyone that we knew came. It couldn't have been a more perfect evening. We stood beneath the stars and the moon. Crickets chirped and frogs croaked. Fireflies lit up the bushes exposing their blossoms, while their lovely fragrance wafted over into a feathery light breeze that gently embraced our skin and made Katrina's lace gown gently cling. She was lovely. We stood there before all our witnesses and proclaimed our eternal love. However, when I bent down to kiss her, everything changed.

All her animal friends entered the area. They pushed people aside, wallowed and cried. Some of the people fell. Dogs then lifted their legs up and wet on our guests, while others deposited piles of dung around them. The air turned rancid. The animals did everything they could to get Katrina's attention. The dogs and cats pushed in between us, and they put their paws on her and licked her arms. The larger dogs and cats began to lick her face.

Some people screamed things like, "What the heck! Where did all these creatures come from?"

In all the excitement Katrina became unbalanced and fell. The dogs and cats quickly moved out of the way. The animals then began to push the others and me aside, and formed a circle around her, as if they were trying to protect her. Both the dogs and cats growled at the others. People gradually got back on their feet and began to brush and wipe themselves off.

Katrina attempted to calm the animals, "My dear ones, he wasn't going to hurt me, nor would the others, and you must not be jealous. I won't stop loving you." She hugged and petted as many as she could and continued, "It's just that I need one of my own kind for a mate." The animals calmed down. "You must allow us time together."

One by one, the animals quietly left. She got on her feet and continued, "Remember. Don't all of you come visiting at the same time unless invited." Katrina threw her arms around me, and turned back to animals. "Please, when I see you again, welcome my mate. Treat him well, and he'll grow to love you, too."

After the last animal had left, one of the guests said, "I must say this was a horrible, horrible wedding."

His woman friend added, "I never realized animals could love or even feel jealousy. In fact, I didn't even know animals understood our language, but they understood every word she said. Even so, I don't care much for them. I could never live among them like you do, Katrina. I find animals very offensive. "

"Well, Katrina and they have been together for a long time. That's why they understand our language," I replied.

"I'm sorry about your clothing and the awful mess that they made. It's just that they were afraid I was going to leave them."

"Please come to the reception. The food and music is waiting for all of you," I said.

No one answered. As they were leaving, we heard them grumbling. There were no hugs, greetings or smiles. At the reception, Katrina, Petunia and I were the only ones there. We ate in silence. I had one dance with Katrina and one with Petunia. We had all the food packed and put into storage.

As we were leaving, Petunia said, "I am sorry, but I thought the animals knew better. I guess they just wanted to be included."

I looked at Katrina and saw tears rolling down her cheeks.