The First Book of Samuel - SAREJESS (chrysanthemum read aloud TXT) 📗

which they would reap a very good return. They broke for a breakfast, which had been laid on just after eight thirty in the morning. Samuel perused the breakfast table. There were English Scones and muffins, some cereals a tray of various cold meats. The company, having taken into account that Samuel was from a different continent, had made every effort to accommodate for his tastes. There was even a bay marine which bubbled away merrily with bacon, eggs, sausage mushrooms and fried onions and tomatoes. Samuel helped himself to a plate of cold meats and some fresh bread. The conversation round the breakfast table was not what one would usually expect of investment bankers. Here instead of money, the men talked about their families, what Mr Brodhearst’s young grand son had said about him to a friend "being the richest man in America besides the president." There was general laughter once the story had been told.

Samuel crossed to one of the windows and looked out at the city bellow. A haze was already building up. It was going to be a hot day in New York. As he looked down to the street bellow he watched the people who seemed so small almost like ants scurrying about hurriedly on their way to work. “Ah New York so much had changed since he had last been here. Back when he last passed through the city skyscrapers had not even been thought of and now they dominated the sky line. He crossed back to the breakfast table making small talk with one of the sectaries who was busy dishing up some hot food from the bay marine. "Good legs" he thought “maybe later I can ask her out for drinks” Returning to the window Samuel noticed a plane in the distance.

Samuel sipped some of his coffee and was joined by one of the bankers "So Sam you think you are on to a good thing with your project?” the man asked in a friendly fashion "Sure, I think I have a real winner here and we will all make lots of money out of this deal" the two men laughed. Samuel turned his attention once more to the sky. The plane seemed closer. “Now that was something you did not see everyday, jet planes so close to the business districts of large cities. Surely there were rules about that sort of thing he thought?” The conversation with the banker turned to the upcoming weekends events at the Hamptons "Remember to ask Bill about his roses and do go fishing with him. He has a new boat and it is his pride and joy" said the man next to him.


Samuel was puzzled. He was watching the plane. Surely it was way off course he thought to himself. Turning to his new found friend he said “Sorry I did not catch that” "Oh I was just saying that it looks like it is going to be a hot day thank God for air conditioning." “Sure" said Samuel "Tell me is it usual for jet planes to be so close to the towers said Samuel?” "Not usually. Geezzzzz that plane is too close!" said the man. They watched as the plane turned gracefully and now it was now on course towards the tower. The men watched as the plane drew closer unable to tear their eyes from the approaching plane "Shit they are going to cut it very fine" said the man. They watched for a few seconds as it became apparent that the plane was heading straight towards the towers the man next to Samuel ran from the window "Duck!" he shouted. Samuel looked at the plane, which was fast approaching. In the cockpit he saw two faces one of a darker complexion and one slightly lighter. The face of the light skinned man looked familiar. In the thousandth of a second it took Samuel to recognize the man as William Longmont, his face set in a maniacal grin mouthing the words "There is no God but Allah." There was a moment of recognition from the man on the plane then the building was enveloped in flames Samuel felt the blast and knew no more.

Epilogue
Through the centuries Samuel had flirted with various religions in his search for truth. The nearest he had come to making a serious commitment to Christianity was back in 392AD when his friend Demetrious who had spent most of his life serving the Parthenon of Greek god who had in old age converted to Christianity.

However their conversation had been interrupted by the arrival of a serving girl who had lived with Samuel for a time as his common law wife. Samuel had not seen his friend Demetrious again, for shortly after their interrupted conversation, Demetrious had died. Mourned by a large family and many friends it was not long after this that Samuel had deemed it expedient to leave Greece.

Now many centuries later, Samuel began to ponder what might have happened if they had completed their conversation. Would he have converted to the faith founded by the young carpenter of Nazareth who's parents Samuel had offered a stable to for their bed.

At heart Samuel had always believed that he was a Jew and nothing would ever change that. His whole life he had kept the principals of the Jewish faith in one form or another. Now in extreme old age he began to have his doubts.

He attended regularly one of the many cities in which he lived never getting too friendly with the Jewish community, as he knew that one day he would have to break off his contact with them and move on.

Occasionally when there was a Christian crusade in town he might attend a service to see what it was all about but the loud praise and worship was he believed not for him. He could never understand the emotional outbursts that these Christians seemed to relish.
It was not that he was emotionally dead; it was just the fact that it was not in his nature to display outwardly his innermost feelings. Still, he felt drawn by these Christians who in many ways resembled the Christians of the early church of Jesus. They raised their arms in worship; they sang they clapped their hands; they seemed to have an inner fire which they displayed to the world.

So after a time Samuel stopped attending the synagogue and began to attend the churches of these Christians. It was like being drawn back in time to an earlier age when Christian worship had been a vibrant and new thing. Even some of the songs of praise reminded him of a way of worship, which had been common in an earlier age. He had of course been around when the young Wesley brothers had been around starting their congregations of Methodists. For a time he had thought of joining them but after a while as was his custom, he hesitated and the opportunity passed him by. He remembered the day well. John Wesley had been standing on a wagon preaching to a number of folk who had stood around, he spoke of a feeling of enduring love, a certain peace which accompanied conversion to the faith of the carpenter. Samuel doubted it. He had embraced the Catholic faith many centuries earlier, when it was prudent to do so but had found no joy in the rituals of the Church. Thus for a number of centuries he had began to explore the realm of the sciences to find the answer which he sought. Many centuries earlier he had sought out a Jewish scholar who he believed might have the answer to his dilemma but the advice of the reverend man was the old maxim to follow the laws of Moses. A few centuries later he had journeyed to Egypt, but had been frightened off from seeking the answer from the ancient gods of that land. For a season he had followed the teachings of Mohamed but therein he had not found the answer to his problem. Thus he had turned to the job of serving humanity in various ways. He had fought in many causes which he hoped would improve the world and bring him some peace however the peace which he sought always eluded him. Over the centuries he had seen much and had met with many people who would have a lasting impact on the world.

Now at the beginning of the 21st century he had given up most of his wealth which he had accumulated over the centuries. He now lived a simple life running his hotel serving humanity until once more fate would intervene and he would be off on another adventure. The pursuit of Science had not fulfilled his longing for peace even though mankind had come a long way from the primeval mud that they had first started out in. Now at the dawn of an age when science was finding ways to make people live long Samuel found him self longing for a way to peacefully bring his long life to a close. It was as if the time on earth had wearied him. All he now longed for was to sleep, to end it, but of course he knew that was not possible. For each awaking from temporal death brought him no closer to resolving the curse under which he had lived for so, so long.

Then of course there was the question of what had become of the German William Longmont it had been more than five years since the two had met. Samuel wondered how someone could live as long as they had, yet remain unmoved by all that they had experienced, yet the German seemed to do just that. Samuel had been affected by almost every experience that he had lived through. He had mourned the passing of a large number of friends and acquaintances through the ages. It had got to the point when he thought he had cried the last drop of moisture from his tear ducts, then he had cried some more.

Through out the ages he had thought often of the night when he had been cursed but been so busy at the time of the incident he had failed to pay due attention. Thus he found himself trying to remember as much of that night as he could in the hope of finding some clue as to the method of resolving his dilemma..
And here Dear readers we must bid our friend Samuel farewell for the time being.


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Publication Date: 03-29-2010

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