Having eaten, The Child’s stomach was full. For the first, since eleven months she’d eaten warm seaweed in The Prophet’s special green sauce and it was delicious. Mr. Raccoon had fed her nuts, berries, fruit, and fish, but nothing like The Prophet’s sautéed seaweed. She looked toward Mr. Raccoon, who seemed to be enjoying the meal also as he dominated the conversation, switching between her native language and some other mumbo jumbo that she didn’t know.
"What’s he saying, Prophet?"
“Why?”
“Cause I want to know.”
“Oh, my dear Child. You have not changed. Do you still sing?”
“Of course, I do. Why?”
“Because it always edifies me when you sing.”
“Now, you’re talking like Mr. Raccoon.”
“How, Child?”
“You say I edify you, but what’s edify?”
“To edify is to be edifying.”
And what’s edifying?”
"Are you happy you made it?"
"Made it where, Prophet."
"Around the bend."
“You mean I’m around the bend!”
“Oh, the edification I receive about humanity when I hear your astonishment. Did you doubt you would meet me? Did you really think I wouldn’t wait until you got here?”
“No, no, Prophet. I beat you here.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m not sure of anything anymore since I said yes to this journey.”
“Regrets, Child?”
“No, I’m just wondering when I’ll get there.”
“Soon, Child.”
“That’s what you said some time ago.”
“You’re nearer than you think.”
“How near?”
The Prophet chuckled. Observing her maturation process had given him much joy over the past months.
“Prophet?”
“Yes, Child?”
“What’s edification?”
“Don’t you want to thank Mr. Raccoon?”
“For what?”
“His roar assisted you in getting around the bend.”
“Now I’m more confused than ever.”
“Good sign, Child. Out of chaos, life emerges.”
Shalom Aleichem,
Pat Garcia
