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read that Dr。 Piltcher would be giving a talk the next night on 〃Cataclysm and Its Role in Cultural Development。〃
Kenny had heard of Dr。 Piltcher。 Among the students； the professor had a kind of disreputation as a brilliant man who collected degrees like others collected coins。 He wandered from university to university teaching different subjects and earning new degrees。 He started at Yale as a geologist； then taught at the University of Michigan as a zoologist； and then briefly at BYU and Oregon State University as a lecturer in paleontology。 Somewhere along the way he picked up degrees in puter information science and management。 His interest in systems approaches to civilizations and organizations； and the climate of southern Oregon； lead him to OIT。 Kenny overheard one faculty member describing Dr。 Piltcher's academic career as working down the ladder of success。
His last eight years had been spent teaching in the systems science program at OIT。 Until his retirement he had been a lackluster teacher in his field but dynamic when chasing rabbits through his lectures。 All a student had to do was make a reference to some obscure subject and Dr。 Piltcher would be off on the new topic； only to discover twenty or thirty minutes later he had been sidetracked。 His passion for the obscure shone through as he held bored management students spellbound when he rhapsodized about the books of the Sibyl； or the annals of the kings of Tezcuco as recorded by the Native American scholar Ixtlilxochitl。 Where Dr。 Piltcher was dry as dust when talking about Theory Y management and the Hawthorne effect； he would speak with passion about the Buddhist sacred book Visuddhi…Magga。
The flyer's reference to 〃cataclysm〃 brought Kenny to the lecture hall the next night。 Thirty people sat scattered in a room built to hold one hundred。 Most were munity residents who lived on the fringe； drifting from one New Age philosophy or religion to another。 Some of the others were elderly； drawn to anything that was free and maybe interesting。 There were a few students there besides Kenny。 Although Kenny didn't know Petra's name then； he picked her pretty face； long brown hair； and slender shape out of the stragglers who entered as the lecture began。 Mrs。 Wayne was there too； the opposite of Petra； plump and busty； with rounded features and bottle blond hair。
Dr。 Piltcher was introduced by Dr。 Coombs； whom Kenny didn't know。 Dr。 Coombs wasn't on the faculty at OIT。 A tall man； well muscled and tan； Kenny would later discover that Dr。 Coombs was a local chiropractor who had taught anthropology for years at the University of Oregon but then opted out of the publish…or…perish environment of academia。
Dr。 Coombs listed Dr。 Piltcher's numerous degrees and papers； and then introduced the night's topic by describing Dr。 Piltcher's research into ancient history and geology。 The introduction ended to light applause。 Kenny noticed Mrs。 Wayne applauded loudest of all。 At the podium； Dr。 Piltcher placed a sheaf of yellow paper on it； pulled a pair of glasses out of his pocket； perched them on his nose； and began。
The lecture described how fossil remains of hippos were found in West Yorkshire； England； 1450 feet above sea level。 Dr。 Piltcher pointed out the absurdity of hippopotami in the northern latitudes of England； climbing the hills to their resting place so far from the sea。 Dr。 Piltcher argued the only reasonable explanation was geologic catastrophe。 In the past when the climate of the earth was uniform from pole to equator to pole； the poles were thirty degrees warmer than they are today。 Under those conditions the planet would support near…tropical growth from the equator to near the poles。 In that era； Dr。 Piltcher theorized； there was no tilt to the earth's axis。 But the passage of a large et or planet changed all that。 The resulting tilt cooled the poles； warmed the equator； and created the distinct seasons we experience。
Kenny found himself absorbed。 Soon he realized he was beginning to feel the same way about the hippopotami as he had when the corn fell out of the sky。
The lecture was followed by a debate between Dr。 Coombs and Dr。 Piltcher； Dr。 Coombs argued that the presence of hippopotami remains could be explained by a migration of hippos leaving North Africa； perhaps by the Nile。 Dr。 Coombs argued the animals could have swum ever northward； pausing in their migrations in the winter； swimming north only during the warm summer months。 Eventually they would have reached England and worked their way to the places in England where they were found。
But Dr。 Piltcher immediately and vehemently disagreed。 〃What would motivate the hippopotami to move from warm equatorial waters to the frigid waters of the North Atlantic？〃 he thundered。 〃How could a hippo survive in such a radically different climate？〃
〃They did not survive；〃 responded Dr。 Coombs。 〃Isn't that the point？ The hippos could not survive in the climate they had migrated to。〃
〃But what motivation？ What instinct would drive them north？ And when they reached the north； what would drive them inland and up the hills and mountains to die？〃
〃Why do whales beach themselves？〃 Dr。 Coombs challenged him。 〃Perhaps if they had legs they would not only beach themselves but crawl up the nearest mountain。〃
〃So why do we not see hippopotami migrating today？〃 came Dr。 Piltcher's reply。
The debate went back and forth for twenty minutes。 As Kenny listened he realized it held no acrimony。 Rather； it seemed like a well…orchestrated performance； with Dr。 Piltcher given the more dramatic role。 Dr。 Coombs responded reasonably but without Dr。 Piltcher's passion and volume。
Afterward a few people went up to talk with Dr。 Piltcher and Dr。 Coombs； but Kenny held back； embarrassed to speak of his experience in front of strangers。 Most of the people had gone except Mrs。 Wayne； Petra； and Dr。 Coombs； who seemed to be preparing to leave with Dr。 Piltcher； Kenny swallowed his embarrassment and called out Dr。 Piltcher's name when he passed。
〃What is it？〃 Dr。 Piltcher replied。
〃Something happened that I wanted to tell you about 。 。 。 this corn just started falling out of the sky。。。 I mean it was strange 。 。 。 right out of the blue。 I'm not making this up。 It really happened！ And I have a theory of why it happened 。 。 。 only an idea； really。 I thought you might be able to help me understand it better。〃
Kenny paused； wishing he had thought out ahead of time what he was going to say。 It sounded so lame to him； so vague。 Kenny paused； waiting to get brushed off again； or worse。 He expected a blank look or exasperation from Dr。 Piltcher and amusement from Dr。 Piltcher's followers。 To his amazement he found interest in their eyes and wele from Dr。 Piltcher。
〃That's a story I'd like to hear； but not here。 I need my coffee。〃
Kenny followed the chiropractor's minivan to the edge of Klamath Falls。 Down a long drive； a two…story frame house sat in an unkempt cluttered yard。 Inside Dr。 Piltcher's home every wall was covered with floor…to…ceiling bookshelves。 More books and boxes filled with papers and journals were stacked on the floor； almost concealing a soiled flowered carpet。 The others in the group； experienced visitors； picked up stacks of books and papers off the overstuffed furniture and added them to the piles on the floor。 Kenny followed their lead and made space in a lumpy armchair。 While Mrs。 Wayne and Dr。 Piltcher disappeared from the room to make coffee； the others discussed the debate over the hippo fossils。 Kenny listened； but felt unfortable and ignored。 When Dr。 Piltcher and Mrs。 Wayne returned； Dr。 Piltcher turned immediately to Kenny。
〃Well； Kenny。 Tell us about what happened to you；〃 he urged encouragingly。
Feeling more at ease； Kenny started into his story slowly； describing the hunting trip and the strange corn shower； how he was led to research other strange events through books and articles。 As he talked they listened with rapt attention； no disbelief on their faces； until he found himself not only describing the event but also his feelings。 He shared his awe and fear when the corn fell。 He described his estrangement from his father； friends； and finally his sister。
He could tell by their eyes that almost everyone in this cluttered room had shared his experience； they all actively listened。 When he was done there was silence。 He watched for reactions from the group； but they all turned to Dr。 Piltcher； who sat bing his thinning hair with his fingers。 Then he spoke。
〃Sound familiar to you； George？〃
Dr。 Coombs was rocking in his chair； with his arms folded behind his head； studying the ceiling。 Ten years younger than Dr。 Piltcher； balding and gray…templed； Dr。 Coombs stopped rocking long enough to answer。 〃That it does； Chester。〃
〃Let's start with the easy one； shall we？〃 Dr。 Piltcher suggested。 〃Burning sulfur falling on Sodom and Gomorrah。 Destroyed the whole damned city…pun intended。 Your turn； George。〃
〃Frogs falling on Egypt； as recorded in the Bible and Midrash。〃 Dr。 Coombs said it without taking his eyes off of the ceiling。
〃The biblical plagues are too easy。 Locusts and flies also came out of nowhere。 Too easy！ How about the hail of hot stones as recorded