Author’s Note:

critical mass kridək(ə) mas noun

1 Physics the minimum amount of fissile material needed to maintain a nuclear chain reaction.

Critical mass may be a minimum for chain reaction or a maximum for stability. Either way, things go off. Collective consciousness and common behaviors accelerate in chaos.
Subtle change builds to drastic consequence. Mass media covers hateful simpletons gaining market share on slap diddle, shouting lies on fire. Road rage is self-expression. Stress compresses, on the way to another big bang.

Will human density bring a correction, as predicted? Will things shake out, reducing population to carrying capacity? Will people trigger more pandemic, war and starvation? Will Christian stormtroopers save America? Will a Mexican named Jesus romance a former candidate in prison? Maybe not, given the tough route from maximum security to club confinement. But connections matter, and prospects entertain. Chin up. With hearts and minds open, we laugh to keep from crying.

IOTA: Two titles here are not stories in technical form. An essay on big changes in short time, Lowcountry Longviewlooks at fast change in short time, as media pour gas on the campfire.

Dinner With the Hoi Polloi, another variant, is impromptu narrative on anti-Semitism served as banquet fare in pathos.

These tales are based in real time.