Chapter 15

Debbie walked down the stairs from her apartment to the street. Her apartment was located on the second floor just above a travel agency. She waved to the very muscular woman, Uriel, who ran the agency before heading down the street. Based on her build, Debbie figured the woman competed in the shot put. She was definitely muscular enough to throw the shot put far enough to win a gold medal at the Olympics.

She didn't have to be at work for another forty-five minutes. That was long enough to get something to eat and walk to the building. She stepped into the bagel shop and went up to the counter. She waited while the woman behind the counter prepared a bagel for another customer. The blond haired woman was tall and well developed with Nordic features giving the impression that she was a Valkyrie. When the woman came to the counter, Debbie said, "Hello, Raquel. I'll have a coffee, a bagel with creamed cheese for here and a bagel with butter to go."

"You're always feeding that musician. He's a bum sitting out there playing his trumpet all day for coins. Toot, toot, toot, all day long. It gives me a headache. If you didn't feed him, maybe he'd go away," the woman said while fixing the order.

"I like Gabriel," Debbie said shrugging her shoulders. She heard the same speech from the woman every morning. Like many of the people in the neighborhood, Debbie thought that Raquel was a strange woman. The only time she seemed to work was in the morning. The rest of the time, she spent staring out the front window of the shop.

"I know," Raquel said. She set a plate with a bagel on the counter and a second bagel wrapped in paper next to the plate. Pointing to the wrapped bagel, she said, "That's a raison bagel. He likes raison bagels."

"Thanks," Debbie said cheerfully. Raquel might complain about Gabriel and his music, but she always made sure that he got the kind of bagel he liked. She carried the bagels over to a small table and returned in time to get her coffee. Handing over the money for her food, she returned to her table.

After finishing her breakfast, Debbie left the bagel shop and headed down the street. When she reached the corner, she stopped and said, "Hello, Gabriel. I brought you a little breakfast."

"Thank you," Gabriel said taking the bagel wrapped in paper from her. He looked at her and said, "You're looking cheerful this morning. I hope that you slept well."

"I slept well enough," Debbie answered with a smile. Gabriel always asked about her health.

"I hope that you are taking care of yourself; getting plenty of exercise, eating well, and taking your vitamins. Hate to hear that you've gotten sick or something," Gabriel said.

Debbie laughed and said, "I'm healthier than you are, Gabriel."

"Well, you might want to join the gym across the street. I bet Raphael would give you a discount on the membership," Gabriel said gesturing across the road with one hand.

"Maybe one of these days," Debbie said.

"You better get to work. It wouldn't be right for you to be late because you were talking to the likes of me," Gabriel said.

"You're always looking out for me, aren't you?" Debbie asked with an appreciative smile.

"That's right."

At the knock on her open office door, Debbie looked up from her desk and looked at her supervisor. There was a strange expression on the woman's face. Curious, Debbie asked, "What is it?"

"You have a visitor," the woman answered. She shifted nervously and bit her lower lip.

"Oh. Who is it?"

The supervisor leaned into the office and whispered, "It is Rabbi Teitelbaum."

Debbie's excited smile grew as she got out of her chair. She said, "Rabbi Teitelbaum is here? That's great. I didn't even know that he was in Israel. Where is he?"

"I put him in the conference room where he wouldn't be disturbed."

Startling her supervisor, Debbie ran out of the office to the conference room. Rabbi Teitelbaum was waiting for her at the door. Throwing her arms around him, she gave him a friendly hug and said, "It is so good to see you."

Coworkers who had never really talked to Debbie about anything other than work stared at the friendly greeting she gave the Rabbi Teitelbaum. All office conversation came to an abrupt end when he said, "I was so sorry that I couldn't attend your wedding."

"I understood," Debbie said. She kissed him on the cheek and added, "I know that you had important work to accomplish. What are you doing coming here to visit me?"

"I was in the area and needed to see a friendly face. So, of course, the first person who I thought I would visit was you," he said. He glanced at the faces of the people watching them. The awe with which they gazed upon him was disheartening. Debbie's honest smile was like a breath of fresh air.

All work had come to a complete stop. Coworkers gathered around to see the great Rabbi Teitelbaum. Everyone knew that he had proclaimed the coming of the Druid Oscar Meyers. Even though many had not liked the message that Oscar had delivered, the fact that he had said that Oscar was coming was reminiscent of the ancient prophets. That alone had made him a household name.

It was his second contribution to Israel that had raised him to the status of living legend. He had worked tirelessly to engineer how Israel could make things right and give the country a new legitimacy. His solution was that all of the Children of Israel should contribute to make reparations for the properties that had been confiscated. The original plan in which the owners of those properties were responsible for the debt had fallen by the wayside. Jews around the world were raising money to purchase properties.

"I'm glad you came," Debbie said. The hardest part of being here was not being able to talk to anyone about Oscar. The only one who knew that she was from the Druid College was the owner of the company.

Rabbi Teitelbaum looked at Debbie and, in a kind voice, said, "It is a lonely path we've chosen to walk. Don't despair; there will be an end to the loneliness for you."

"I know," Debbie said looking at one of the few people who understood her situation. Looking at the elderly man, she said, "For you?"

"I am old and the end of my path is quickly approaching," he answered.

Those close enough to hear the conversation looked from Debbie to the Rabbi wondering what their cryptic comments meant. Had the Rabbi just predicted his own death? Most stared at the Rabbi recognizing his importance. A few stared at Debbie wondering about her importance. Seeing the attention they had, Debbie said, "Let's go in the conference room where we can talk."

"Wise idea, my friend," he answered. There were things that he had to tell her that were best kept private between them.

The immediate excitement about the mysterious visit of Rabbi Teitelbaum had died down and Debbie was able to return to her work. The curiosity of her coworkers was almost a physical thing. People who had never talked to her approached her and tried to strike up conversations. Others who had normally engaged in small talk now kept their distance wondering what it was that she had never said to them.

It was normal that a guest scientist without a doctorate would meet with mixed reactions from collogues in a research facility. People differed in their opinions of her. Some felt that she was brilliant and that the doctorate was a mere formality. Others felt that she was pretentious and must have used some sort of political connection to get the job. A few thought that she had slept with the owner of the company to get her position. No one suspected the truth although with the visit of Rabbi Teitelbaum rumors were flying fast and furious.

Ruth Silverstein sat in her office wondering about Debbie Meyers. The young woman had been assigned to her. She had not been given a real resume. She had been told to watch over her, but not to interfere in the young woman's work. There was no doubt in her mind that the young woman was brilliant. She had managed to synthesize a new compound that had potential to be a significant product for the company. In looking over her work, it was obvious that she had nearly worked out all of the details about how to produce the compound with minimal environmental impact. Still, it irritated her to have a subordinate about whom she knew nothing.

The visit of Rabbi Teitelbaum was the last straw in Ruth's patience. She was going to get to the bottom of the matter regardless if the cost was her career. Rising from her desk, she headed towards Debbie's office.

Ruth's progress was halted when she recognized two more visitors making their way to Debbie's office escorted by the owner of the company. She froze and stared at the elderly silver haired black man walking slowly down the hall supporting himself with a cane. The large black man who walked behind him was the scariest figure she had ever seen. His face bore scars she knew had been received as a result of shrapnel from a hand grenade that had been intended for the elderly man.

Samuel Cohen spotted Ruth Silverstein and nodded to her. In a tone of voice that would allow no argument, he said, "Debbie Meyers has another distinguished guest. Please make sure their visit is not disturbed."

"Isn't that Reverend Leroy Jones?" Ruth asked.

"Yes," answered Samuel with a smile. He hadn't realized when he had accepted taking in Debbie Meyers that he would be given a chance to meet three of the most important religious figures of his time. First it had been Rabbi Teitelbaum who had stopped by his office. Then the Reverend Leroy Jones had shown up. While talking with the Reverend, he had received a call from Imam Abdel-Malik requesting the chance to visit with Debbie Meyers later that afternoon.

The Reverend Leroy Jones went into Debbie's office. His entrance was accompanied by a scream of joy from Debbie. Hearing it, Ruth said, "It sounds like they are friends."

"Yes, they are friends," Samuel said. Turning to her, he said, "Tell your people to expect another guest this afternoon and that anyone who might have a problem with a Muslim visitor should go home. I don't want any problems to come up. I'm still making the security arrangements."

"Who is it?" Ruth asked. She couldn't imagine who the last visitor would be if he required special security arrangements and the Rabbi Teitelbaum and Reverend Jones hadn't.

Looking around to make sure that he wouldn't be overheard, Samuel answered, "Imam Abdel-Malik. Don't tell anyone. I'd hate for there to be a problem."

Covering her mouth with a hand, she stared at her boss with wide eyes. Shaking her head numbly, she asked, "Who is she?"

"You haven't figured it out yet?" Samuel asked amused by the revelation.