Norwegian Wood
"She told me she worked in the morning and started to laugh.
I told her I didn't and crawled off to sleep in the bath
And when I awoke, I was alone, this bird had flown
So I lit a fire, isn't it good, norwegian wood." -(Lennon/McCartney)
He came home while I sat, busy working on my trifles. He always seemed to have a more interesting day than I did, and had been out all night. I set aside whatever I was doing to listen to his story.
...
He was on one of those London buses at about midnight. There was a fair crowd on the bus; revelers getting back home after celebrating the beginning of their weekend. The bus stopped at Chinatown, and she got on there. She was carrying four placards printed on which were the words, "ASK ME WHERE GOD IS?". An atheist, he couldn't help sneering at at the girl and what she was carrying. The bus moved on.
As the bus travelled out of the bustling city centre, the crowd starting to thin out, and as soon as conversation was possible, he yelled out, "Where is God, then?"
And, so it began. She handed him a little printed note that preached the glory of God, and His unconditional love and so on. He read it, and looked up, his eyes screaming revulsion at the poor logic. How can He be unconditional and yet condition forgiveness on acceptance of her faith? She argued, according to him, poorly, and he argued back. The bus moved on, and she was almost home.
She was intrigued by him, his acceptance and denial, his stubborness and flexiblity, and his willingness to listen.
It was a cold night and, she offered to continue the argument at her place. They went there. It was a comfortable, warm place, with wooden floors and huge windows overlooking a green space.
They talked until late at night, forgetting Jesus and His ways, forgetting Heaven and Hell, moving on to sitcoms and eventually coming to dwell on banal humour.
And, then, it was time for bed.
...
He was rather irritable that morning.
I had a rather hearty laugh, before getting back to my unemployment woes.
I told her I didn't and crawled off to sleep in the bath
And when I awoke, I was alone, this bird had flown
So I lit a fire, isn't it good, norwegian wood." -(Lennon/McCartney)
He came home while I sat, busy working on my trifles. He always seemed to have a more interesting day than I did, and had been out all night. I set aside whatever I was doing to listen to his story.
...
He was on one of those London buses at about midnight. There was a fair crowd on the bus; revelers getting back home after celebrating the beginning of their weekend. The bus stopped at Chinatown, and she got on there. She was carrying four placards printed on which were the words, "ASK ME WHERE GOD IS?". An atheist, he couldn't help sneering at at the girl and what she was carrying. The bus moved on.
As the bus travelled out of the bustling city centre, the crowd starting to thin out, and as soon as conversation was possible, he yelled out, "Where is God, then?"
And, so it began. She handed him a little printed note that preached the glory of God, and His unconditional love and so on. He read it, and looked up, his eyes screaming revulsion at the poor logic. How can He be unconditional and yet condition forgiveness on acceptance of her faith? She argued, according to him, poorly, and he argued back. The bus moved on, and she was almost home.
She was intrigued by him, his acceptance and denial, his stubborness and flexiblity, and his willingness to listen.
It was a cold night and, she offered to continue the argument at her place. They went there. It was a comfortable, warm place, with wooden floors and huge windows overlooking a green space.
They talked until late at night, forgetting Jesus and His ways, forgetting Heaven and Hell, moving on to sitcoms and eventually coming to dwell on banal humour.
And, then, it was time for bed.
...
He was rather irritable that morning.
I had a rather hearty laugh, before getting back to my unemployment woes.
Is it what we want vs what we get :P?
ReplyDeleteI like this. Very you yet questioning. I also like the sublety at the end.
ReplyDelete