Chapter 19

It was the last week of the second year when Oscar entered his classroom to discover that there was an unexpected visitor. Rabbi Isreal Teitelbaum said, “Oscar, I’d like you to meet your instructor for next year. This is the Reverend Leroy Jones.”

Oscar’s eyes flicked over the elderly black man’s features before settling on the wooden cross that hung from a cord around his neck. He looked over at the Rabbi and the small Star of David that hung from his gartel. The absence of his medallion was painful. He sat down and said, “You serve your God, too.”

“And his son,” corrected the Reverend.

“I stand corrected,” Oscar admitted. He had not given appropriate thought to the matter and had been rude.

“I suppose that will be my job for the next year.”

Rabbi Teitelbaum said, “We thought it would be best if our discussions this week were attended by the Reverend. You must remember that the Old Testament and the Torah contain the same books.”

“I guess I knew that, but I hadn’t really thought about it,” Oscar said. He looked at the elderly black man believing that he would only be teaching the New Testament. He said, “I guess we’ll only study the New Testament.”

“Not at all, young man. We’ll read the Old Testament with an eye as to how the interpretation of it has changed after the time of Christ.” Leaning forward, he said, “As you may have gathered from the Rabbi Isreal Teitelbaum, numerous variants of Judaism have emerged since the original founding of Israel.”

The Rabbi said, “Remember when we discussed what happened after the Temple fell as a result of Titus. That was forty years after the events that will be covered by my esteemed colleague, the Reverend Leroy Jones. The old rites of animal sacrifice disappeared at that time.”

Oscar smiled at the respectful manner with which each of his teachers addressed the other. He said, “Except in Ethiopia. They still practice animal sacrifice there.”

“Right.”

The Reverend looked at Oscar for a moment, appraising what he knew, and then said, “I suppose it is time for the Rabbi to begin the final exam.”

Oscar frowned and asked, “Final exam? I didn’t know there was a final exam.”

“Oh yes. For the next five days, you get to tell the Reverend all that you have learned. I’ll grade you on your performance,” the Rabbi said with a smile.

With a sigh, Oscar said, “In the beginning...”

For the next several hours, Oscar discussed the Torah with the two religious men. They had started going through the significance of the bloodlines when Oliver entered the room. His entrance brought a halt to the discussion when he said, “There is something on the television that all three of you need to see.”

Rabbi Isreal Teitelbaum said, “Television? I don’t watch television.”

“A very important event has occurred and I think you will want to see it,” Oliver said. His eyes flicked to the symbols of servitude on the two religious leaders.

Neither of the religious men missed the glance. Curious they rose and followed Oliver from the room. Oscar followed the three of them grateful for the interruption to the discussion. It was getting late and they’d be going to dinner soon. They reached a public room in time to see the beginning of the news coverage.

Surprised, Oscar said, “That’s William Redman Carter.”

“I wonder what my grandson has gotten into this time,” mused the Reverend.

Rabbi Isreal Teitelbaum asked, “White Buffalo? What’s an overgrown cow got to do with anything?”

There was a flare of pain from the Star of David and the Rabbi paid more attention to what was happening on the screen. A chill went down his back as he listened to the words being spoken by the young man standing in the corral. He nodded his head as he realized what was happening. In a soft voice, he said, “Ah, he’s a servant to the Indian Gods.”

“The Great Spirit,” corrected the Reverend. He watched his grandson deliver the message to those gathered around the corral and to the rest of the world via this news broadcast. He smiled at the thought of what his grandson had done. He added, “William has done the bidding of the Great Spirit, but he is not a servant in the same way as we.”

Oliver nodded his head and said, “He will serve the Two-Sided One, although none of us know when.”

Oscar had stared at Reverend Jones ever since he had mentioned that William Redman Carter was his grandson. He recalled the intense young man who had talked with him the previous year. There had been the calm confidence that he would serve the Two- Sided One. He recalled the prophecy given him by the young man.

There were many things about this situation that didn’t make sense to him. He found it strange that a single family should have servants of two different religions within it. He didn’t know enough about the structure of the Carter family to make an informed judgment, but it seemed odd that so many powers should focus their efforts in such a small group of people.

He turned his attention back to the screen and watched as the White Buffalo rolled in the dirt and changed colors. A reporter came on and explained the significance of the color change undergone by the buffalo calf. Oscar recognized the work of one of the powers-that-be in this action. He asked, “What is William’s role in this? If he is to serve the Two-Sided One, then why is he acting as voice to the Great Spirit?”

Oliver looked at Oscar and considered the question carefully. It was a few moments before he answered, “He has been chosen by the Gods and Goddesses to help the Native Americans return to their rightful place in this world.”

“But he hasn’t begun his service to the Two-Sided One,” Oscar countered.

“Like you, he does not wear a Medallion. That doesn’t mean that he hasn’t begun his service.”

“You’re right. I’m not wearing a medallion,” Oscar said bitterly. He added, “My service has been put on hold.”

Oliver stared at Oscar for a moment. It was clear from the slight dulling of his aura that not having a medallion was bothering the young man much more than he was willing to admit. Oliver said, “Some things can not be accomplished with an explicit declaration of affiliation. I doubt many of the Native Americans would listen to William if he wore a Medallion. Your service has not been put on hold. You are here as a student in service to the Two-Sided One. I suggest that you couldn’t have been a good student with the Medallion.”

“So why bother with the Medallions?”

“Other tasks can only be accomplished with such a declaration,” Reverend Leroy Jones answered as he fondled the cross hanging around his neck.

The answer surprised Oscar and he turned to stare at the elderly black man. He wondered what tasks the old man had to perform that required the wooden cross around his neck. He was about to ask when the Rabbi asked, “So what do you think of what William is doing?”

The Reverend turned to the Rabbi and said, “I feel sorry for my poor grandson. This will complicate his life tremendously and it is already more complicated than most young men his age should have to deal with.”

The Rabbi nodded and said, “One of the advantages of being young is that you have the energy to deal with many things that would tire an older man. From what you have told me about him in the past, I’m sure that he has the energy to do well.”

Seeing that Oscar was about to say something, the Rabbi turned to him. In a kindly voice, he said, “Oscar, you are young yet. You have the energy and time to deal with your problems. We are old and see things from a different perspective.”

Reverend Jones nodded his head in agreement and said, “Come, my friend. Let us have a sherry and discuss the advantages of old age. Let Oscar eat and visit with the young until the morning.”

Oscar watched the two men leave the room. Turning to face Oliver, he asked, “They have known each other for a long a long time?”

“Yes. Both of them have been working for years to bring peace among the different religions. They are two of three men who have been working to bring that about. Maybe I should say that they are two of the last three survivors who have been working to bring that about. Your teacher next year will be the third of that trio.”

“William should have looked closer to home for the man who would bring peace to the Middle East,” Oscar said with a smile. The whole idea that it would be him to do that was still humorous to him.

A small frown crossed Oliver’s face as he considered Oscar’s continued dismissal of what William had told him. As he turned towards the door he said, “I think there is a fourth who will be joining them soon.”

“Who?”

“You.”

Oscar frowned a moment as he considered and rejected the possibility. He laughed when another thought entered his mind. At Oliver’s curious expression, he said, “So Armageddon does translate into Oscar is in the kitchen.”

Smiling at the joke, Oliver said, “That explains why Debbie and Georgia didn’t get you cooking lessons for your birthday. They wanted to make sure that the weapon intended to end the world as we know it wasn’t blunted.”

Oscar laughed while Oliver left the room chuckling to himself. He turned to watch the television for a few minutes. By the time the news program continued after the commercial break, he wasn’t paying attention to it. His thoughts were on the events that were happening around him. The Great Spirit, Yahweh, Jehovah, Allah, and the Gods and Goddesses were all active at the same time. Each had their servants working to improve the world for the betterment of all.

He was lost in thought when Cole cleared his throat. Turning he said, “Oh, hello Cole. What’s up?”

Cole held out a book and said, “The Grand Druid thought you might like to read this.”

Even as Oscar accepted the book, he asked, “What is it?”

“It’s a biography of John Carter that was written by two of his wives.”

“Ah, sounds like it would be a good read.”

Looking at the red robed Druid, Cole didn’t know how to respond. He wasn’t sure what the Grand Druid wanted Oscar to learn from the biography. He looked down at the floor for a second and then said, “He suggested that you read it very carefully.”

“No problem,” Oscar said. “Did you know that my instructor for Christianity is William Redman Carter’s grandfather?”

“I didn’t even know that you had met your next instructor,” Cole answered raising an eyebrow as he considered the news.

“Yes. You might want to talk to him. He’s a servant of his God,” Oscar said.

Cole looked at Oscar for a moment and then asked, “Did you expect Oliver to get anyone with less impressive credentials than that to teach you?”

The week ended without any further excitement for Oscar. He had covered the entire Torah over the course of the week giving details and historical background on all parts of it. It had been exhausting and the questions from his two instructors had probed his understanding of the material. The Rabbi was pleased with his performance, the Reverend was impressed, and Oscar was tired.