The door bell rang and there was The Believer, smiling, extending his hand, thanking me for my politeness.Truth to tell I'd never seen him this close before. Couldn't be sure it was the same chap who'd once asked VR whether she believed in Jesus. To whom she'd said, no, but if he believed in Jesus that was OK by her. A quick thinker, VR.
But what was this about my politeness? Earlier that day I recalled standing in the driveway, about to get into my car and saying "Good morning." to a passing pedestrian. If that was The Believer he’d been walking a dalmatian. Which set me thinking about religiosity and black spots as symbols of sin. A bit tough on the dog, though.
How to react now? "I wasn't aware I was being polite," I said, quite truthfully for once.
"That was how it appeared to me," he replied, grasping my hand and handing over an envelope.
The note was addressed to both of us. "For your politeness and courtesy shown always to Me!" The capital M surprised me, but not as much as the final salutation:
"Roderick and family."
Mine is a moderately unusual given name. But not odd enough to form an impromptu clan. Was this whole encounter – which incidentally invokes the name of what the French call le Grand Seigneur – based on a belief that like names should stick together? I’m not looking forward to our next meeting: the options I face are too complex.
A time to be rude?
Why don't you invite him (and "family") to lunch. two events might happen.
ReplyDelete1. He converts you and family who all live in joyful vacuity thereafter.
2.You have the opportunity to be really rude and divest him of his previous opinion of you.
I somehow predict (2)
Do you suppose this the latest scripted proselytizing tactic? Being immoderately pathetic, confusing the Roderick into submission, writing thank you notes slyly supporting the patriachy? Will they stop at nothing, these monsters? Looking forward to the next chapter.
ReplyDeleteAvus/Colette: A professional lifetime spent asking questions that most would prefer not to answer has left me hyper-suspicious. On the surface this approach looks like almost uncontrollable innocence. One stratum below I feel fairly sure there's an agenda lurking. Applying the Occam's Razor principle (never neglect the most obvious solution) the aim must surely be to pursue an insidious conversion. Moving on to the next most likely supposition, I conclude that this would depend on my making the next move. My somewhat chicken-livered decision is to remain schtum, other than to greet him as before.
ReplyDeleteAlas for your hopes, Colette, this means that a second chapter would be unlikely. Although I might - if I find time hanging heavy - essay an extremely complex sonnet.
Go wild!
DeleteI don't get it. He claimed HIS name is Roderick? Or he somehow found out YOURS was? Or..........BOTH??
ReplyDeleteMikeM: Both. To which my only response must be: We may not know the mind of God.
ReplyDelete