Judith 2
I use my swipe card to open the doors to Carnival World, my pet nickname for the place, where nothing is real and nothing is what it seems.
As I walk to my cubicle workstation, again as always I notice faces as I exchange good mornings. In Carnival World, there are two main facial types. Prematurely aged stressed look of those who have not caught on yet and unnaturally young innocent look of those who have.
Two stations away sits Reinhard, definitely one of the latter category. He'll retire at age 55 in a few months, yet looks to be in his late thirties.
He gives me a cheerful good morning yet his eyes never leave his screen. The only news site we get here is Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and he makes the most of it.
Rumor has it he's big in the miniscule neo-Nazi world, a big frog in a small pond. I've long since decided the rumor was started out of spite. Every Jew in the place likes him. Surely, if he were, they'd be picking up vibes.
"So Reinhard," I start tentatively, "been following much of my story in the news?"
"Not your story, your late husband's."
I catch his drift, "ah so it's true then, you really are a Buddhist? Next you'll tell me not to mix my karma with his."
Sheepish look of a little boy caught in the act of soaping windows, then a smile, "good, you just saved a lot of dancing around til I was sure you were ready to hear that comment."
"So Reinhard, let's cut to the chase. Eventually you'd get around to suggesting I send a carton of cigarettes up to the prison?"
He nods.
"And you'd say she's done me a large favor. By killing him, the hooker has attached her fate to his. They'll definitely be meeting in several future lifetimes and likely not pleasantly. Anything else you'd like me to know?"
"Just one thing, do not, under any circumstances, seek any form of revenge. It attaches you to the situation."
"Well then," I laugh, "I'm impressed, you're lots easier to deal with than the no minds in Family Services."
He doesn't laugh, "you have to understand their corporate limitations. An individual there might well understand Buddhist principles, yet is bound by the overall group logic of confining everything to one lifetime, to fit the prevailing prejudices."
I nod, then, "but still, does reincarnation really exist?"
Easy laugh, "I'm afraid my friend, you are a tad too brainwashed by prevailing thought of Reform Judaism. Oh yes, they modernized and westernized and everything else, but try asking a Hasidic Jew."
I ponder, know he's right, know that Hasidics claim we have totally lost any connection to real Judaism. And yes Hasidics believe in reincanation.
Then he delivers the coup de grace, "I"ve yet to meet one Reform Jew who will actually admit to being able to commune with G-d. Yet Hasidics do so and on a daily basis. Perhaps they know something the rest have forgotten."
I smile wanly.
He blushes, "sorry, let's lighten the tone with a Jewish joke, ok?"
"By all means."
"See there was this older lady in New York, utterly insisted on booking a trip to India. Not just anywhere in India, but to some remote ashram. The travel agent did his best to convince her to do a less physically demanding trip, but she insisted. So finally she arrives at the ashram, demands to see the chief guru. The flunkies kept her waiting for hours, just to impress her with how important and busy the guru was. They insisted she's only allowed to say three words and she agrees to this. She is shown into the great man's presence and says, 'come home, Sheldon."
I roar with laughter, that joke had sneaked up on me.
After, I recall reading an article about Jews who are into Buddhism. Jews only constitute 2% of the American population, yet of the non-Asiatics who participate in Buddhism, 30% are Jews at the level of ordinary practitioner. When it comes to leadership, 50% are Jews.
And then I understand why so many Jews around Carnival World seek out Reinhard to talk. He is their uncrowned de facto guru.
Later the howling young bathhouse habituee (also a Jew) stops by Reinhard's station. Talks quietly for a few minutes then goes away looking less freaked out.
As I walk to my cubicle workstation, again as always I notice faces as I exchange good mornings. In Carnival World, there are two main facial types. Prematurely aged stressed look of those who have not caught on yet and unnaturally young innocent look of those who have.
Two stations away sits Reinhard, definitely one of the latter category. He'll retire at age 55 in a few months, yet looks to be in his late thirties.
He gives me a cheerful good morning yet his eyes never leave his screen. The only news site we get here is Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and he makes the most of it.
Rumor has it he's big in the miniscule neo-Nazi world, a big frog in a small pond. I've long since decided the rumor was started out of spite. Every Jew in the place likes him. Surely, if he were, they'd be picking up vibes.
"So Reinhard," I start tentatively, "been following much of my story in the news?"
"Not your story, your late husband's."
I catch his drift, "ah so it's true then, you really are a Buddhist? Next you'll tell me not to mix my karma with his."
Sheepish look of a little boy caught in the act of soaping windows, then a smile, "good, you just saved a lot of dancing around til I was sure you were ready to hear that comment."
"So Reinhard, let's cut to the chase. Eventually you'd get around to suggesting I send a carton of cigarettes up to the prison?"
He nods.
"And you'd say she's done me a large favor. By killing him, the hooker has attached her fate to his. They'll definitely be meeting in several future lifetimes and likely not pleasantly. Anything else you'd like me to know?"
"Just one thing, do not, under any circumstances, seek any form of revenge. It attaches you to the situation."
"Well then," I laugh, "I'm impressed, you're lots easier to deal with than the no minds in Family Services."
He doesn't laugh, "you have to understand their corporate limitations. An individual there might well understand Buddhist principles, yet is bound by the overall group logic of confining everything to one lifetime, to fit the prevailing prejudices."
I nod, then, "but still, does reincarnation really exist?"
Easy laugh, "I'm afraid my friend, you are a tad too brainwashed by prevailing thought of Reform Judaism. Oh yes, they modernized and westernized and everything else, but try asking a Hasidic Jew."
I ponder, know he's right, know that Hasidics claim we have totally lost any connection to real Judaism. And yes Hasidics believe in reincanation.
Then he delivers the coup de grace, "I"ve yet to meet one Reform Jew who will actually admit to being able to commune with G-d. Yet Hasidics do so and on a daily basis. Perhaps they know something the rest have forgotten."
I smile wanly.
He blushes, "sorry, let's lighten the tone with a Jewish joke, ok?"
"By all means."
"See there was this older lady in New York, utterly insisted on booking a trip to India. Not just anywhere in India, but to some remote ashram. The travel agent did his best to convince her to do a less physically demanding trip, but she insisted. So finally she arrives at the ashram, demands to see the chief guru. The flunkies kept her waiting for hours, just to impress her with how important and busy the guru was. They insisted she's only allowed to say three words and she agrees to this. She is shown into the great man's presence and says, 'come home, Sheldon."
I roar with laughter, that joke had sneaked up on me.
After, I recall reading an article about Jews who are into Buddhism. Jews only constitute 2% of the American population, yet of the non-Asiatics who participate in Buddhism, 30% are Jews at the level of ordinary practitioner. When it comes to leadership, 50% are Jews.
And then I understand why so many Jews around Carnival World seek out Reinhard to talk. He is their uncrowned de facto guru.
Later the howling young bathhouse habituee (also a Jew) stops by Reinhard's station. Talks quietly for a few minutes then goes away looking less freaked out.
posted by afghangirlscifi @ 8:09 AM
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