“Whatagreatidea!Whydidn’tIthinkofthat?Bydoingso,wewouldbehelpingKingDimitriandtheKingdomofDreamswillprain.eo’sgetmoving!”Sayingso,CreativitytookthehandsofherpartnerandrushedoutofDimitri’sbody.Buttheystillhidintheair,invisibletoothers,aseargfoodastandingtoterpoputetheKingdomofDreams.
David’seyesreturnedfromthedisappearingformoftheclergymaookouttwocigarettebutts,gaveooDimitriandlightedtheotherforhimself.Hesighedashesmoked,
“Well,that’sonelesspcetoeat!”
“Whatdoyoumean?”askedDimitri,notuandingwhathisfrie.“Whatonelesspcetoeat?”
“Youmaynotknowaboutthis”repliedDavid,takingabigpuffathiscigarette.“Letmetellyou…Intheslumdistrictwherewesometimeshangout,therewasasmalnddipidatedchurch.Theclergymanwhojustwalkedpastherewasthepastorofficiatingthere.WecalledhimJohn,thoughthatmaynotbehisrealname.Heoftenpreparedmealsforthepoorandhungry.Manyofushomelesshobosusedtoliheretogetaboxoffoodtofillourstomachs.Johnalwaysusedthattimetopreachsermonstohiscaptiveaudience.HisfavoritetopicistheoneaboutDoomsdaythatyoujustheard.Wereallydidn’twanttolistentohisfire-and-brimstoheory.Iforonealwayshurriedthroughmymeandtriedtoslinkawayun-noticedbeforehefinished.Butmoreoftenthannothewouldcatchme,andcallmeback,telliomindmymannersandsitthereuntilthesermonwasfinished.WhatcouldIdo?Mystomachwasfullofthefoodheprovided,sounwillingthoughIwas,Ihadtositthroughhissermons.That’swhyhischurchwasmystresort.Ididn’tgothereunlessIcouldn’tfindfoodanywhereelse.Iheardthatgraduallyfewerandfewerpeoplewentthereandthechurchbecamestrappedforfunds.Thefoodtheyprovidedalsodeterioratedinbothquantityandquality.Thetestnewsisthatthelittlechurchhadtoclosebecauseveryfewpeoplewentthereanymore.Thepropertywassoldtodeveloperswhotorethechurchdownandbuiltamallonthend.Havinglosthisliving,thatclergymanJohnisnowpreaghissermonsoreets.Hisfuturedoeshteither…”Dimitripuffedsilentlyonhiscigarette,thinking,
“Thepowerofthechurchhasweakened.Inafewdecades,ithaslostitsparishionersandthepropertyitselfhasbeensold.DuringtheDarkAges,divinityreignedsupreme,iofanychallengeorquestion,allowingthechurchtotroltheideologyofmanforthousandsofyears.Buttheeraofdivinerightswhendivinityrulesall,isnowgoneforever.Nowadaysman’sfreedomofthoughthasemerged,strengthenedandrisenabovedivinity.Thistrendmaynotbeagoodohebestratiowouldbethebanceofdivinityandhumanism,wherethetwowouldmutuallyrestrainandrelyoneachother.Butthisistoobigaproblemforme,amerehobo,tosolve.SoIhadbetterleaveitfortheologianstoracktheirbrainsover.”David’scigarettehadalmostburnttotheedge,butreluttodiscardit,hestilltookastmightydragintohislungsandtwolinesofsmokecameoutofhisnostrils.Hesaid,
“WhenJohorattleonandonabouthisDoomsdaytheoriesIalwaystriedtosneakaway.IwassidtiredofhearingabouttheKingdomofHeaven,theingofDoomsdayaswelsthefloodsandfire…Ithoughthewasjusttryingtoscarethoserichdiesalemen.Forwhatmeaningarehiswordstome?MyprimarywastofillmystomachsoIwon’tgohungry,there’snothingmoreimportanttomeoutsideofthat…Butjustnow,hearinghimbabbleonaboutHeaven,JudgmentDay,endoftheworldest.didherepugIusedto..especiallyafterIhadbeentdomofDreams,histalkingabouttheKingdomofHeavenresonatedinmeandmademethinkperhapstherereallymaybesuchapce…IfthereissuchapceasKingdomofHeaveheremayalsobeapcecalledHell!Ohyes,haveyoubeentothesetwopces?”
“I…I…Whatwereyoutalkingabout?”askedDimitriabsent-mindedly,hismindobviouslysomewhereelseanddidnothearDavid’squestion.“Wereyouaskingmesomethingaboutheavenandhell?AboutwhethertheyexistaherIhadbeenthere?Idon’tknowwhethertheyexitornot.Theymay,butagaintheymaynot.I’mnotsure.Imayhavebeenthere,butagainImaynot.Idon’tremember.It’spossiblethattheybothexistandthatIhavebeenthere.IamreallysorryIotansweryourquestions.Ireallydon’tremember.PerhapstheydoandIhaveneverbeenthere.Ijustdon’tremember.”Hearinghiswords,DavidkhatDimitri’smindwassomewhereelse,sohedidn’tpursuethesubjeymore.
“I’mexhausted…Didn’tsleepmuight…Don’tevenwanttomove,soIwilljusttakeanaphere.”Helookedatthemagnifitandgrandiosebuildingacrossthestreetandsaidsleepily,“ThemostpracticalwouldbetogetwhatIdputtheWorldBankintomybrainstoweaveafabulousdream.Idoothinkofanythingelse.”Sayingso,heydownonthegroundandwassoonsnaway.DimitriseemedtobetalkingtothesleepingDavid,butheseemedmoretobetalkingtohimself,
“Younotonlyputthatmagnifitandgrandiosebuildingacrossthestreetintoyourbrains,youputthewholeworldtheretoo.Youevenputthewholeuniverseintoyourbrain.Thenyouwillrealizethattimeandspaotexistanymoreahingisequaltozero.”Iling,flourishiropolis,pedestrianswerebusilygoingabouttheirownbusiness.Noonewouldpauseorpaytheleastattentiontothetwodirtyandraggedhomelesspersons,oingandonesleeping.Ifthissocietywereahugeandprecisemae,thesetwohoboswouldbetheuselessdiscardsandwastematerialitproduced.
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