Good and Evil (10)

December 7

As they traveled to the new destination, Gabriel was singing, “Back in the saddle again. Out where a friend is a friend. Riding the range once more. Totting my old 44. . .”

Sophie asked, “Where did you get that song, Gabriel. It sounds ancient?”

“Ancient. You must be kidding me. It is the days of the Westerns at the movies and on TV. The singer is Gene Autry. Don’t they teach you any history in school about America’s great contributions to music,” quickly responded Gabriel?

“In any case, we are back on the roof in Damascus close to the same time we left. I do not have the luxury on this particular All Saints Day and Night to accumulate validation time in the Astral. We will take more journeys, Sophie. I just figured you probably need to tinkle so the bathroom in down the stairs is the first door to the left. I make some more tea,” said Gabriel.

Sophie went to the bathroom and when she returned she saw that a Greek-style dinner was set out on the table with an ancient amphorae sealed with Aleppo Pine resins so to prevent oxygen from spoiling the wine.

After Sophie was seated, Gabriel said, “Sophie, have you ever drunk White or Rosé Retsina wine from Greece and Ionia? The wine in the amphorae was recovered from a sunken ship in the Mediterranean Sea. The ship sank around 500 BCE. I did it when you were in the restroom. It is nicely chilled and the vessel is intact.”

Sophie replied, “I like Greek food and retsina wine quite a bit. I think I will enjoy this dinner. Where is the food from?”

Gabriel replied, “I retrieved the food from a rare symposium table of Pericles, who is normally quite frugal. We are having barley cakes for bread with olive oil of course. Appetizers include, roasted chestnuts, chick peas, beans, toasted wheat, and honey cakes, Our fish course is tuna grilled with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and green olives. The meat course is goat with tomato sauce. For dessert there are dried figs, raisins, and pomegranates. And wine of course.”

Sophie observed that all of a sudden she was ravenously hungry and reached for a plate so to try the appetizers. Gabriel opened the amphorae and poured two glasses. The wine was indeed rosé and perfectly clear. After pouring two glasses, Gabriel and Sophie made a toast to the Divine in Our Lord and took the first sip.
“Gabriel, this wine is really good. I cannot imagine that we are drinking 2500-year-old wine and enjoying the same food that the great Athenian Pericles was about to eat in 450 BCE. As, I said before, ‘You really know how to make a girl fall for you . . . ,” realizing what she had just said, Sophie corrected her slip, “I mean you are fun to be with.”

Gabriel raised his glass laughing, “Sophie, I make this toast for the Sophie within and the Sophie without. You are really a gem stone and I am enjoying my time with you immensely. But, I am not your polar complement, Michael is. He and you are wonderfully matched and the Hidden Book of Destinies places you together as spouses for Eternity. Have you never noticed how he looks at you and how considerate he always is as to your needs? If it were not for his work with you, you would not be with me this evening. Drink some more wine and lets us eat dinner. I will tell you a little bit of my very long life, but it is a secret.

“Oh, I almost forgot, we need some nice harp music,” and suddenly two ancient harpists appeared and played the most ethereal of music in honor of the many stars.

Sophie and Gabriel enjoyed the wine, the food, and each other. The moon was high in the sky and the landscape was almost magical.

Soon both were a little bit drunk and Sophie was very tired. He took her downstairs to a bedroom and put her to bed. “Sophie, we will continue after you rest, do not worry, the clock will be stopped and we will lose no time.”

As she fell asleep, she found herself back in the School and Michael was talking to her. All of a sudden, she it felt a hood being removed from her head and her vision was clearer. A great warmth arose in her chest over her heart and she realized that she had been in love with Michael for a very long time, but had been blinded by dead memories of her past. She looked at Michael saying, “Michael, you love me, I can see it now. Gabriel told me we are polar complements.”

Michael did not say anything. He reached out with his right hand lifting Sophie’ chin and kissed her softly on her lips. . .

TO BE CONTINUED