8:44 a.m.
Monday, April 8, 2024 8:44 am

If you know anyone who lives under a rock, or just doesn't interact with social media, news media, do what Hank did in Mark Twain's whimsical novel, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.
In the book, Hank, an engineer from East Hartford, Conn., in the late 1800s, takes a blow to the head and awakes to find himself in England during the time of King Arthur.
He is soon captured by one of King Arthur's knights and is taken prisoner. Soon after the powerful Merlin, a magician and confidante of King Arthur's, sentences him to die, but Hank sees the date somewhere, and from his earlier studies, knows that a total eclipse of the sun occurs on the day of his execution.
He then tells his captors that if they don't release him he will spread darkness over the land.
Sure enough, just minutes before his execution the sky darkens, and he is proclaimed a sorcerer, and given a substantial post in King Arthur's court, which sets up a longstanding rivalry with Merlin.
So if you know anyone that doesn't pay too much attention to what's going on today around 3:30 p.m. tell them that if they don't buy you a beer, you're going to spread darkness over the land.
Works every time!