Chapter 7

Patrick waited till noon before trying to reach Celia Hammond. It appeared that she was in Canberra and had just left for lunch. Patrick left word that he would try again around 2:30 [14:30]. Then they went out for a quick lunch.

“This should be easier,” Patrick said as they walked. “People should agree more easily. They shouldn’t be greedy and selfish.”

“True. But think of all the stories. The very first children were envious and selfish: Cain and Abel.”

“I always thought that was about agriculture versus hunter-gathering.”

“It is. Each tale is about many things. Sibling rivalry; cultural differences; greed; jealousy. There’s a Shinto story my grandfather told me:

Once there were two very good friends who lived together in the shade of a rock. One was a lion and one was a tiger. They had met when they were too young to know the difference between lions and tigers. So they did not think their friendship was at all unusual.

It was a peaceful part of the mountains, possibly due to the influence of a gentle forest monk who lived nearby. He was a hermit, who lived far from other people.

One day the two friends got into a silly argument. The tiger said, “Everyone knows it gets__ cold when the moon wanes from full to new!”

The lion said, “Where did you hear such nonsense? Everyone knows the cold comes when the moon waxes from new to full!”

The argument got stronger and stronger. Neither could convince the other. They could not reach any conclusion. They even started calling each other names!

Fearing for their friendship, they decided to go ask the learned forest monk, who would surely know about such things. Visiting the peaceful hermit, the lion and tiger bowed respectfully and put their question to him.

The friendly monk thought for a while and then gave his answer. “It can be cold in any phase of the moon, from new to full and back to new again. It is the wind that brings the cold, whether from west or north or east. Therefore, in a way, you are both right! And neither of you is defeated by the other. The most important thing is to live without conflict, to remain united. Unity is best by all means.”

The lion and tiger thanked the wise hermit. They were happy to still be friends. Weather comes and weather goes, but friendship remains.

“That’s a good tale. And a valid one. But it does not serve those who want to be boss. To be richer. To be famous. Whatever.”

“Fine! But we got out, walked, lunched, conversed. Now you can call your lady in Canberra.”

Patrick was taken somewhat aback: Hammond was more receptive than Wyatt. He had expected the reverse because Wyatt was an Aborigine. But, perhaps, it was religious belief. In any case, Hammond seemed to take the linkage of events seriously.

“The problem is that I’m not sure what I can do.”

“Nor do I. But I feel that I’m relating something, not an actor.”

“Have you read Isaiah?”

“I’m sure I have, but what are you referring to?”

“Isaiah spoke of a voice crying out. Can you wait a moment? ... Ah! Here it is: ‘Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.’ [Malachi 4:5-6] You are Elijah.”

“Thank you. That’s frightening.”

“No more so than confronting a gigantic serpent.”

“Right. Thank you.”

He related it to Rachel, asking: “So, who is the actor I__ herald?”

“It might be Sam. Samuel was given to Eli to be educated and you took Sam to the Rock-Wallaby.”

“And...?”

“Then you are more akin to John the Baptist, and herald the coming of Jesus. But that’s nonsensical. These are similes. Metaphors. We are not following a script.”

“No. Yet in some sense there is a line from my grandfather Richard, to Gordy, to me and to Sam. I will call him and Tessa__ later.”

End of Part 1