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<h1>? ky T? </h1>
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<h3>Tuesday, June 26, 2007</h3>
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th? avel? ? k</h2>
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<div style="c? ? h;"></div>He bobbed ? o th? rface, just off the ? e of Malibu. At ? ? hat was ? ? infallible ? e of the? ld he ha? ? ed f? o lo? old him.<br /><br />sun, the? , the water, the? ffs ? ? hore, the enormous, sprawling ho? all told him: Malibu. He was back in the Federated ? es of North ? ica. God. He had been here only ? y years ago.<br /><br />? wam ashore. He must have drifted a little in the? ? , be? e he landed on a pri beach, fenced off and leadi? phill to a large tan? se, stuccoed and immaculately landscaped, endowed with a vanishing-h? ? ool, the trend of a few decades ago.<br /><br />Naked. He wished he had ? acy. The golden sand felt go? ? ? fee? hough, a? ? ? armed him. Up ahead,? oung wom? ith dark hair emerge? om a pair of French ? s, c? ing a book and a pack of cig? tes.? liament Lights, from what he? ? ee at this distance.<br /><br />A woman. It had to be a woman. E? ? ed, he made his way ? ? ide ? s an? rategically positioned himself behind a strange ? ical pla? long, waxy leaves. They were? ? een.<br /><br />He c? ed h? hroat, and calle? t, "Hello? E? e me?"<br /><br />The woman, who had been positioning herself to sink down on a chaise lounge, froze. Sl? , sh? rned around and saw him.? eyes li? ? h anger and she strode down to h<spa? yle="fon? yle: italic;">Young</span>, ? hought. Her ? ? e wide, ? , and dark, and her skin had a depth to it. Perfectly-formed, though sle? , she made h? onder if she? ? t Indian? /><br />"What a? ou doing? e?" she ? ped. "This i? ? ? ? ty." Then she re? ed h? ituation. "Oh, my Goshe breathed. "Y? ? pan style="font-style: italic;">nake? pan>. Jesus. They told me this m? ? pen." A sudden change in? itude. "<spa? yle="fon? yle: italic;">Ge? ay from me, you ? ert!? an>"<br /><br />"No, no," he said. "I am? ? ? ed. ? st..? ? clo? and I need something to? er myselth. Please? I am in ? ble. I need ? help."<br /? />S? aused. "Yeah, right," she said. ? ? t 'lost'? r clothes. Sure.? 'd better get moving before I ca? ? olice."<br /? />"I ca? plain," ? aid quickly. "I ? need something-? owel, a dish? h, anything.? ? tyle="fo? tyle? alic;">P? ? pan>."<b<br />The de? ation in? eye? st have ? inced her, b? ? he bit her l? ? and tho? ? a moment. "All right. But I've got ? ? o don't do anything I wouldn't like. Sta? pan style="font-style: italic;">right here</span>."<br /? />"? ily!" he said. She narrowed her ? , hesitated, thede h? ? p the paver-? ted ? s and in? he house? /><br />A few moments l? , she emerged, c? ing a pair of sh? and? -shirt. "Tho? ere my e? sband's," she said. ? can? e them."<br /><br />"Tha? ou!" he said, more grateful than he expected. Ha? been that long since he had? t died? Yes--ove? ? ndred years, sin? he Opium? s. H? ickly slipped in? hem and breathed a deep sigh of relief. He had forgotten? com? able? ton t-sh? and shorts were over the fifty ? s since he had left the ? ed States--n? he F? ated States, consolidated along with Canada,? ico, the? ibbean, and ? ral ? ica ? e the Panama Canal.<br /? />H? eppe? ? om behind th? sh, and the woman reached behind? back th? eningly. He ? ed his h? and said, "I am? ? s, I? ure you. In ? , I can ? e right now ? ou'd prefer.? /><br />She relaxed. "G? ? lace to be?"<br /><br />"Fra? , no," he said. "I am wh? ou m? call a ? leman of leisure. Al? ? hese? s, life has been slightly less l? ? tha? ual.? /><br />She nodded.? st be, if losing? r clothes wa? accidental or depraved. C'mon," and she headed ? ? ? , el? ? in tow. The? opped on the? ch. "Want something to drink?"<br /><br />He? achy th? y, a? ? ing to boot--the? urrection al? too? s pound of flesh, so to speak. "Yes, that would ? onderful." H? tomach growled loudly, a? ? aused and looked bac? him, one perfec? ebro? ched? /><br />"Pe? s some food, too?"<br /><br />Em? assed, he said, "That would also be ? l!"<br /? />She laughed, appa? ly i? ite of herself. ? e a ? ? ? aid, pointin? the chaise lounge. "I'll be right back.? /><br />He eased himself down onto the lounge, noti? he fine wood of its frame and the smooth? of the ? ? ? ? lush? hion. Th? oman? wea? ? he looked out over the ? his ? essi? ? einforced. A pair of? ? alm tree? amed the view on? h sides ? ? ? hing pool, and a? as lush,? ? een vegetation and bright re? opical flowers down the hill to the beach. T? ? ? that ra? ? oise that comes from? t-right ? her conditions, and the sky was a deep blue, filled immaculate ? e cl? like sailing ships. The whitecaps came rushing into the beach, breaking in a roar of sound ? ? onl? dibl? om h? anta? ? as a gentle? ? tyle="fo? tyle? alic? hush? an>ing. The roof that sloped over the porch blocked out the sun ? his time of day,? the? minator already halfway acro? ? ool.<br /><br /><spa? yle="fon? yle: italic;">Th? ? s here must be incredibl? pan>, he tho? to ? elf. He had seen Pacific sun? many times,? the feeling of ? acy here, engendered by tall? hes and a solid wood fence on bo? ? of the yard? st, he felt, make th? oman fee? though the ? ? as hers and ? alone. <spa? yle="fon? yle: italic;">What a lif? pan>? /><br /? voice broke? o his reverie. "Admiring the view?" with? t a small note o? ide.<br /><br />? hook? head. "Admiring the life."<br /? />She laughed and handed him a ? le of water and a plate ? ? ith ? , bacon,? sage, and biscuits. At his look ? ? ise, she? ugged and said, "Leftovers from brea? t. My cook a? s makes more than I need and? ? hem up for m? nch. C'mon, make some room for me."<br /? />He smiled and folded his ? under him, Indi? tyle, resting his plon his lap a? ? ewing the bottle? ? /><br /? er he had chugged do? he e? e bottle, she said, "I'm? ath, by the way.? /><br />He nodded a? wallowed? ? t mouthful of water. "El? ? ." Then he caught himself. "Well. Pe? s not an? e," and ? miled again.? hado? ossed her face, fleetingly.<? />She inclined her head slightl? urne? to her ? , and looked at him out ? he corner of? eye. "What ? that mean?"<br /><br />He laughed. "It's a long story. Pardon me," and he began to devour his break? . He? ldn't help himself; the food? t ke? hoveling? elf into? ? th, and ? ll good, so good. Hi? es closed in ple? e, and h? tomach cried? ? ? e.<br /><br />When he finished, he opened hi? ? o find M? ? arin? him? t all she sa? as, "Is ? good enough? should I go shoot an elephant?"<br /><br />He laughed. "An ? ? ? nds lovely! But no, ? is perfect. My God. sighed again and leaned back ag? t the lounge, hi? es closing. It felt so good,? ing food in his stomach. This would ? he f? time this body had ? ed or eaten ? hing, and the ef? s of the food was making him lan? ous. Dimly, he felt Marath extricati? ? late from his hands,? ting up, and he ? d th? ench doors open and ? e. Then ? e was nothing.<br /><br />Glinting l? woke hi? . Th? n was dancing on the? er. Mara? as nowhere in sight. Qui? , he? up and looked around him. He was alone. Panicked, he though? iefly about drugged food? t th? uth soon came to? /><br />He had forgotten. It'd been so long since he'd ? died that he had fo? ten the effects of eating for the first time? er a? urrection. His body needed d? ime to begin pro? ing food and storing away th? eful? rients, so it shut him down, in effect, to e? ? ? tle acti? as ? ible? /><br />Wha? st M? h ha? hought? ? tood up, looking? n the hi? o the beach.? hing. He? ned ? nd a? ent through the French d? . Hi? ? , vaulted ceiling, expensive tile on the flo? upportin? ? ive ? and? ensive furniture. The wa? ? urned off, a bla? ectangle of black in the center ? epre? the minimum viewing window. And the? as M? h lounging on the bl? lush? ch, a book in her hands. She looked up a? miled.<br /><br />"Feel ? er?" He nodd? ordlessly, a? he laughed. ? ? ime I've had a guy fall asleep on me. Co? ? ith me a? ell ? our long story," and she? up.<br /><bHis mind? king? ? ly, el-Musaf? miled we? and? ? n. T? ? ed blinds on the French ? s let in lon? kinn? ? of light and painted Marath in a chiaro? o that molde? self to her slight body.? ? e of light fell across her eyes,? they we? o da? hat the light was absorb? ather th? eflecting anlor.<br /><br />"So," she said. ? ? e yo? imming naked off? ? tyle="fo? tyle? alic;">m? pan> beach?"<br /><br />? asn'? imming," he said. "I? mugged on a pier a few mile? ay from here, I think. They ? me ? ? y badly and, I g? ? ? ed me and threw me off. ? ? oke ? his morning,? the public h next door, and started swimming, a? he current brought me here."<br /><br />She nodded for a minute.? re. Soun? ? ible."<br /><br />"S? h...? y to? e bo? ? ou, but I'm going to go.? /><br /? st a minute ? ? od-ner," she said. "Sit back? n. So you got beaten up, huh?"<br /><br eah,? ure did," he sai? miling.<br /? />"? ach? ? badly, huh?? /><br /? ? tyle="fo? tyle? alic;">Ooh, ? ? an>, he ? ght to himself. <spa? yle="fon? yle: italic;">God da? ? ? ? ion</span>. ? ually, no," ? aid brig? . "I? st have been a couple days ago."<br /><br />She sighed. ? the shit. Iw th? hole line's ? ock. I'd? e be? ? ou if you sa? ou just decided to go sk? ? ping, lo? ? uit, and? ? ck in a ? ide ? ? ried? ? e."<br /? />E? safir blushed and laughed. "? ? , th? what re? ? pened. But i? had? pened to? , would you ? o willing to sha? hat?? /><br /? ath look? houg? l. "True. So wha? do for a living?"<br /><br />He? ugged. "Well? ? aid, I'm a gentleman of ? ure. Indepen? ? ? hy. ? avel around and take? pid risks for kicks.? /><br /? ? tyle="fo? tyle? alic;"></span>"What's wi? he name? El-Musafir.? don't look Middle-Eastern."<br /><br />Time to tread ca? lly.? ore like a nickname. A friend gave it to me when? ? ounger. She was Syrian, and said tha? meant 'The ? ? .' I? uck because I re? do ? ? uite a lot. In fact, I d? even have a? manent address." He ? ed, and looked at Marath, whose face had? t go? ale.? everything ? ?"<br /><br ? ened? ? ? ? eak, the pho? ang, and she closed it again. "Just a mo? ? ? aid. She sto? p and we? ? gh a doo? in the ? ing wall? o the ne? oom.<br /><br />He heard? pic? the phone. Her voic? hough sl? ly muffled, was audible.<br /><br />"Hello? Yes, it's me. Yes, I remember. Really? Ospan? le="? ? le: italic;">Oh</span>. Oh, my God. ? as him? Are you sure? Re? ? Okay. But didn? ? ay..? ee. Well, okay." Long pause. "Yes, I'll let you ? if I hear anything.? , I Googled the name this morning, I do it e? ? ning. No, nothin? rned up.? , I ? . Okay. All right. Thankr...telling me. Bye.? /><br />The? as a long silence. No so? of move? from th? her room? st as el? ? ? starting to become concerned, M? h emerged sl? ? ough the doo? , her face gray.? he was <spa? yle="fon? yle: italic;">re? ? an> concerned.<br /><br />"What'? ong?? /><br />She shook her head. "Nothing I'm ready to d? ? ? ? ." She f? ed down ? he couch. "Tell me a? ? ."<br /><br />El? ? ? non? sed. "I'm a strange naked man who washed up ? our ? ate beach an? ole ? ? band's clothing before eating all of? r food and falling asleep on? r ba? orch. Shouldn't I be leavingr /><br />She laughed. "? t, it's my <span? le="? ? le: italic;">ex</span>-husband. ? ? up ? hs ago. Second, ? ? t makes things more inte? ing.? ? dub? loo? he continued, "See, I'm also indepen? ? ? hy. I got so much money ? ? ettlement that I probably won't need to work again. And not the hard? king? ? o I ? ly just lounge around here, ? o th? m, a? hop.? /><br />He nodded. ? should ? el. See the world."<br /? />She laughed, but her look gre? ? sly intense. "How long <span? le="? ? le: italic;"? ? pan>? bee? aveling?? /><br />He ? gged. "All my life. My mom dsoon? ? he gave ? h to me, and my dad was ? aveling salesman. He? a home-schooling certif? ion, though, so ? ent my life ? ? oad. When I became an adult,? ent to college, patented? t of the technology behi? ? iewi? all--" he poked his thum? ? wall, and continued, "--made a lot of m? off of it, and I've been back on the road ever since."<br /? />She looked im? sed. "Th? quite a goo? ory. What's ? real name?"<br /><br />Uh-oh. "I don't give it out. I d? eve? ? , re? . I ? ? ? elf a citizen of the? ld, and 'el-Musafir' is my name.? hough I've been thinkingut changing it." There.<br /? />"Why?? /><br />He ? gged and shifted? ition. "It f? ? ? t, I guess. I've gon? el-Musafir for so long ? it almo? ? ? eadbare. It's hi? ime I got a new iden? ." He nodded def? ively. "Yes, indeed.? /><br />She? ghed and leaned ? ard. "Tell me a ? y yoard ? our ? els.? /><br />"Hmm." El-Musaf? hought for a while. Why not? "All right. Thi? ? ? I heard in India. It's ? sands of years old, said to date back to the time of the? ans,? ale-skinned ? ? ho inhabited the Sub? inent an? tlyi? egions a? t fi? ? and ? s ago. Supposedl? he Persiand modern-day Iranians are descende? ? his ? ure.? /><br /? ath nodded. ? e heard ? t them. Weren't ? ? posed to be blond-haired and? ? ed?"<br /><br />? hook? head. "? ? ? opular myth ? ? ? trongly ? orte? people who liked the idea of an, oh, sort of a ? ? ace.? ler was one ? hose. Th? ay, ad a biological and raci? eason to cleanse the? s an? psies, and essentially anyone el? ho didn't fall into ? ideal." She winced, and looked chagrine? the idea th? he had fallen in? hat ? . "R? . An? , the world was different in tho? ? ? seems like the ? her back? go, the? ? ? ? ion emon? pirits, and ? takes off, expo? ially. With ? comes a? e in the sheer..? ? tyle="fo? tyle? alic;">amoun? pan> of magic loose ? ? orld."<br /><br />She had a funny, crooked half-smile on? face. "You almo? ound like you we? here."<br /><br />He? ugged. "The way the ? y was to? o me? almost made me feel like I <spa? yle="fon? yle: italic;">wa? pan> there. The guy's face--? ? on the ? ? s of Chennai? the? , in the? er-caste adm? ? ive region--he h? his ? ing ? e of wonder and beli? hat I couldn't help but think th? ory ? ? ? pene? ou know?? /><br />She nodded. "Go on.? br />"There was a young boy who lived in? illage in the no? est ? hat we n? ecognize as the nation of India," began el-Musafir. ? ? a family of? reme? oor farmers. Still, life? n't too ? y, brutish, ? ? ? the philoso? said. Family li? as an im? ant aspect of this c? re, and ? yone? en care of b? eryone else.? uppo? ou could cal? pre? oric Communism. The village would ga? all the produce? ? ed b? s me? s, and a group of 12? ? ? ? ake ? o the regional marke? ery week, sell it all off, and come back and? ide the mone? ? among a? ? illa? ."<br /><br />Marath sighed.? ? like? ? e fo? ouble."<br /? />He nodded. "It was, but not for a long time. You see, the? ? ? ? had been raised in ? ? iron? , and had al? been fed an? otected ? ? illage. ? ? it as a? ong social obligation and we? ? ? o be able to contribute ? ? ? of their people. Th? illage had been ? nd for five hundred ? ? ? ? ince it had been? posedly founded ? he a? ? of the local witch, who? e gods of some kind or o? . Thus, ? ? ed on blesse? ound." He paused. His th? ? ? . "Would? mind if I h? ome water?" Marath nodded and fetched him a ? s.<br /><br />"Thank? ," he said, and ? inued. "? ? of o? outhful main cha? ? ele? ? ? , a new family came,? h six ch? en. The head of the ? ehold had heard ? t th? illage and i? ? al arrangement o? aranteeing h? h fo? ery resi? , and had been attracted to ? idea. He re? ? ? her wealthy, and had bro? man? pplies a? laves with him. He claim hug? act ? ninh? ed land ? ? side the? ? fields belonging to the village, and he? med ? ? ? eral years, ? ? ating in the profit-? ing arrangement. The fie? ? oo far away to live on a? till ben? from the tightly-knit life ? own, so he b? a fine home near the ce? of the village for ? elf,? wife, and his children, and a large building to? se h? laves on the land he had claimed."<br /><br />He took a drink of? er, and ? ght ? t how to go on. "He ? ght in a? of food and, I ? ? hat you could consider m? , for the village. E? one was ? edib? ell-fed. By the time? hum? agonist saw his eighteen? ear, he was ? uite vib? health. Unf? nately for him, thin? ere ? t to go ? wrong."<br /><br />"It was the new guy," Marath guessed. "He got tired ? eeing all his food and m? go ? he o? villagers, right?"<br /? />"No, not at all," el-Musafir replied.? least, not ? ? urface. You have to reme? , this m? as from a di? ent ? ure. He was used to the usua? ell-things-f? rofit, look-out-for-? self kind of thing. And no matter ho? ch he enjoyed his new li? yle, it was ? itab? hat ? ould? something comparing the village to the ? where h? ? o live in southern India."<br /><br />Marath? back. "From? ? n India ? he north? ? Th? a long way to g? ? o move house."<br /><br />He? ugged. "Like? aid, it'? st a story."<br /><br />She nodded. ? ry f? he i? ? ion. Keep going, please.? /><br />He spent a moment f? ing out ? e he hadt off. "Ah. Well? ? he c? e of a f? ? , he? arently inad? ently poison? he m? of the largest farmers, and they began ? onder why they h? ? ? ? h the co? ? ely small am? of money and fo? hey got ? ? n for their huge? ? s. They forgot a? their childhoods and about their ch? en, and began to think only ? hat ? ? ld gain ? he current o? of things..? changed."<br /><br />He sighed. "What happened was,? uppose, ? oidable. Those m? ? ? --there was a ha? l of them--began arguing amo? ? elves and th? her vill? s about maki? he d? ? ion ? ? h mo? roportionate to each individual fami? conution. T? oorer fa? ? ? ted,? ing ? their families woul? arve? t were answered ? ? h sneeri? ? abo? ? lack of effort." He shifted? ition again-? right leg had been fold? p under his ? , an? had gone to sleep. He lifted both legs up and c? ? hem ? he ankles on the coffee table and contin? ? ? ? came to? s th? hose big? ? realized th? ? slaves, if combined, constituted an army wi? hich the? upposedly fa? hare? ld be seized by force.<br /><br />"It happen? ? eeke? hat our young boy, now a? ng man, was selected to ? o ma? ? the? ? ime. The poorer vill? s, h? er, were? picious ? he larger fa? ? ? eated a ? y about ? ? ? ? ge harve? hat needed all h? to work. And so it was ? this boy we? o ma? , unaccompanied by grown? perienced men. This was difficult for hi? ince the? ? ? ch food ? it norm? ? uire? lea? ix m? ? ? ort and sell it,? the village? old him to feel free to practic? ? ? away. They ? that the chance of them? ? urviving to see the ? profit was far too high."<br /><br />"So how did he manage it?"? ath said? /><br />"Th? ent their youngest children with him? aid el-Musafir. "Only those who had not seen? rtee? ? s went, and ? e helped himnspo? he food ? ? ? e carts and took? e of the? oung? iblings. The? ? of the village didn? ant the children to be involved in a? ? e."<br /? />"So how many in all?"? ath asked.<br /><br />"Nearly th? childre? lus our boy," said e? safir.<br /><br />"This boy has no name?? /><br />El-Musafir ? gged. "His name was ? to ? ory. Thi? a legen? emember.? /><br />She nodded. "So what happened next?? /><br />He sighed deeply. "Tragedy. When they a? ed at the ma? , wo? pread th? his week's harvest from their village was manned onl? vulnerable children? ? hing? seized ? he market sl? s, and by the weekend, only our main cha? ? emained, deemed too old for the ? ? ? which children were? en bought, a? ? oung? the? d work of adulthood. The children had all been carried away and sold, and the meat a? ? ce had all been stolen. One young man was not enough to ? ect the village's mercha? ? o to speak. Even the? ts and horses we? tolen, and he was forced to walk back to the village? took him ne? ? ee days to c? the? tanc? hich might have saved his life."<br /><br />? tare? ? fee? emembering. "When he? urned to the village, there was utter de? ation. The m? ? ? had? acked the rest of the village, b? ? illa? , anticipati? he attac? ere ? ared. Ne? everyone on? h sides had been sla? ered, an? ery home? ned ? he ground--e? t one."<br /? />M? h's ? h fell open. "The ne? y's?? /><br />He shook his head. "He had,? arently, beetally oblivious ? hat was ? ening, a? hen it happened, he tried to call his sl? in from the field. His work? ? as a? ? ? ge as th? ? ' combined, and the village might have been saved. U? tuna? , his message was intercepted and the messenger killed, and his fami? hen ? acred. By the ti? he boy a? ed in the wasteland ? e he had once lived, all the? vivors had fled, except, of ? se, for one. She? ed in the untouched home."<br /><br />Compre? ion dawned in Marath's face. "The witch's house.? /><br />El-Musafir nodded. "Even in the? oes ? ar, the figh? feathe witch so much that her home was ? ually un? hed.? ? ? sly, their fear of her did n? top them from destroying the? n he? n an? ors had allegedly founded. When the boy arrived, the? ? ? aiting for him. She was young, a? uite beautiful--? he had been several ? before. This time, face? lined and aged, and she? ugly with fury.<br /><br />"' Why do you walk? ? ? ? pened to the children?' she cried. '? ? the food? What have? done?'<br /? />"Trembling, h? plained ? had? pened, a? he flew into? age.<br /><br />"'Da? ou,' she? ieked. '? e ch? ? ere the ? re of th? ge! With the? here might have been? e of rebuilding.? ? e pe? med the final act of? truction, of? ecration! I ? e you with eternal life!? ? e walked? e instead of ridden, and? will never ? walking! Your hair will? er again gro? ? our head! Th? ass will? er grow under your feet!? wilver ? old! You wi? ander the world until you fi? his village as it on? as once again! <span? le="? ? le: italic;">DAMN YOU!'</span>"<br /? />M? h's breath caught. "And was the ? ? lfilled?? /><br />He spread his h? . "No one knows. There a? tories in the region of a young man visi? he area once every coupl? ndred years. He ench? ? oung wom? ith ? ies of h? ravels a? hen vani? again, ? ing ? tbreak and bitte? s behind him." He shrugged. "I'm? ry if I ? essed you. It's not the ? ? story."<br /><br />She smil? uddenly. "No! I'm fascinated. I've a? s wo? ed--d she looked? ? ed a? lightly chagrined, and her mouth snapped? t. Then--"Ah, well. Are you hungry again, el? ? ?"<br /><br ? t something had caught his attention. "Wondered ? ?"<br /><br />"Nothing i? ? ? ? aid, and? ugged. "I've? some watermelon if you'? p fo? . I'm in the mood fomething sweet."<br /? />It was hard for h? o let go of it, but he nodded. "? ainly," ? aid stiffly. She? sed for a mo? , lookin? him? ? hat?? ense? ? ? light fear, some awe? More and more, he ? ? tain that he? in a da? ous position? /><br />"Actually, you ? what?" ? aid. "I think I ? er go. It was very nice ? ing you,? ath, and? hank? ? the clo? , the food, and the time to ? ."<br /><br />Marath looked woeful. "No, el-Musafir. Please don't leave.? /><br />He ? , then. The phone call, the reaction to his name, the in? e interest in hi? ory. "And why not? So I can be caugh? ? r cousins again? So ? can drain m? y an? ? blo? o they c? age their war of wealth and ? erness for a? ime?" He shook his head. "No. Good-bye, Marath. I had hoped--" but he snapped his jaw sh? ? event the rest from coming out. "Goo? e."<br /? />"? ? ? aid. "I admi? m a Nurian. ? ? ian woman who loved you so much a thousa? ? ago is one of my an? ors, okay. I know th? ory ? he myste? s el? ? , the wa? ing immortal, th? oken-hearted lad? r who waited? him? ? he died, blah blah blah. I know all ? ? ? ? ' plans.? ? ? e to believe me.<spa? yle="fon? yle: ita">..? an>" she? sed. "Did you hear me lie to my ? in Jamal on the phone? W? ould I do that if I were on his side?"<br /><br />"I don't know," he said angrily. "? ou could wring me fo? ery single fascinating detail before? ? n me over to? ? ? ous ? ard relatives. I? h I had nevet that bitch? --no, I wish I h? trangled? !"<br /><br />"J? ? ist, el-Musafir," Marath said, d? sted. "I know you don't mean that. Y? hould kn? here are two sid? o th? rian order. ? e's Jamal's side, and th? here's mine.? don? ? stand how fascinated we are with? , ho? ? e de? ately wa? ? our ? ies--and wri? hem down."<br /><br />He? sed,? bro? ? ing,? eyes na? ed. "Wri? hem down? Re? ?"<br /><br />She nodded calmly. "Yeah. If I? ume rightly, accordi? o th? ory you ? told me, you're nearly five thousand years old. Those are a? of memo? , and some of them m? ? ? t. D? en know ? ? r na? as at the time?"<br /><br />He h? ated, sat down on the couch again. "No. I don't,? ually." And he looke? . "B? ouldn't Jamal be angry if he? nd out a? this?"<br /? />S? miled. It was not a ? y smile. "Jamal can ? aken? e of."<br /><br />"And Malik?"<br /><br />"Malik is on o? ide.? closene? o Jamal makes hi? eful." S? ighed and sat down at the kitchen table,? ping the gla? urfa? ith her fingernails.? ankl? e've been planning on removi? hat side of the family for a long time. All ? ould? e taken was you. And? ? e yo? e." She looked at him in? ly in th? e. "? ? ee?"<br /><br />El-Musafir felt a sl? shock. "Are? talking about murdering? r fa? ?"<br /><br />Marath? ugged. "Jamal and I are the descendants ? wo Musli? othe? ho lived in the ? ? h ce? y. One--my many-time? eat-gran? her-? ght his ? une in India. In fac? hat's whmy grandparents on my mo? ? ide come from. The o? stayed ? he Levant." She looked down ? ? able. "Our a? tries diverged over six hundred ? s ago. The only thing we? e in common, really, is the ? ledge of? ? ? . We aren't truly fa? ? ? as I se? ."<br /><br />"Yes, I could see ? hat " He tho? a moment, and laughed. "The? onicles ? he Traveler. Is ? what you we? hinking?? /><br />She smiled. "More or less, yes.? ersonal account five thousand years long."<br /><br />El? ? shook his head. "I die for the ? t time i? ? ndred years, killed ? he descendants oe woman who named me, and I ? ? ? ed near the home of yet ? her descendant of th? oman. I had forgotten."<br /? />M? h nodded. "I? pan style="font-style: italic;">is</span> an eno? s coincidence. But--forgotten what?"<br /><br />"Hm? Oh.? . Until a few days ago, I ha? died fo? o ce? ies,? und? and.? before then? ? pened ra? ? en." He sighed. ? en enough for me to ? n th? ? ? ? ion can be...affected, directed, shaped, whi? ? ord you ? to use.? /><br />"How?" she said? /><br />"I hone? ? e no idea," said el-Musafir.? ? ery time I come back, I usually find? elf floa in the water off a place that i? iably becomes hi? signifi? in my life. It's al? as ? gh..? it can't be."<br /><br />He heard M? h's breath <span? le="? ? le: italic;">whoosh</span> as if in ? peration. "<span? le="? ? le: italic;">Wha? pan> can't be?"<br /? />"? hough th? rse is a? ely seeking out ? atio? hat migh? ing me closer to? own fulfill? ," he said. "Silly, isn'? ?"<br /><br />She looked tho? ful. "About ? ? as the ? ? self, I'd say."<br /? />He laughed. "Once, I foun? self in ? ddle in the ? t of China. ? ? ? t before I got involved ? he Opium? s. There? no major body of water ? by, and ? ? e th? ddle? good enough? me.? /><br /? he liked the idea M? h had planted in? mind. He re? ? pan style="font-style: italic;">really</span> liked it. ? ? ? ised at how good it sounded to him. But--"Yo? ? ? stand that I am ? emely peripatetic and difficult to get in contact wi? hile I a? aveling.? do you ? ose ? ing ? ouch long enough to record my tales?" An? ansi? ort of antic? ion was ? soming inside him.<br /><br />Marath looked hesi? . She bit her lower lip, and said, "Well. If? don't mind, I'd like to travel with? . Wo? be ? oblem?" At h? ? ised loo? ? ent ? uickly, ? ? ld just ? e yo? tories down in letters and mail them to me instead. I don't have to ? ith you." She looked? tful. "I? ure like to, though.? /><br />El-Musafir turn? his ? ght ? nd in his mind. ? risi? , he? nd himself e? to find? wha? ? ? raveling? h a ? anion after being alone for five millennia. ? ? long?"<br /? />S? pread her hands. "However long it takes.? /><br />The? as one i? ? thing. ? know, I'm n? ure," he said. "It m? rove to be...dif? lt. You might be traveli? ith me for a? y lo? ime, and I'm? ? e how yofeel. I don'? ow any o? , you see. I? e looked like this for <span? le="? ? le: italic;"? e thousa? ? ? an>. Do you understand?"<br /><br />She laughed. "El? ? , be? e me. I'm not th? ain. And thi? ? ictly on? lay-it-by-ear basis,? know. I? win? trading off? h another cousin ten years fnow if I fin? self in a place ? e I'd wa? o settle? n, or I might be? h you until I die." She ? gged. "I'm flexible.? /><br />"Okay," he said slowly.? t yo? st also realize ? I live on a? y small income. ? tim? ound, I'm a moderate? ell-? n political theo? s, and I? e off of the money I make making speeches an? ? ing ? anels. Y? ill need to get used to ? ? t of lif? le." Then he stopped, remembering. "? . I have to change my name a? rofession now. I can? isk Jamal ca? ing me again."<br /><br />Marath rolled her ? . "Jamal will not be around for ? much lo? member? ? oon ? e find o? hat he and all of his kind have been? ed out, you can pick up ? e you left off."<br /><br />? mile? ? . "And in the meantime?"<br /><br />She ? gged. "We'll stick around here. ? safe. Do you mi? taying in one place for a month ? wo?"<br /><br />El-M? hought a? that. H? retched and ? ? ? ly-made spine pop in? eral places. This couch really <span? le="? ? le: italic;"? ? an> comfortable.? er five ? sand years..? /><br />"No," he said. "I d? mind."<div style="c? ? ? adding-bottom:0.25em"></div><p c? ="blogger-la? ">La? : <a rel='tag' href=? p://? ? ? .usb-abacus.com/labels/e? safir.php">e? safir</a? ? />
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<h3>Thursday, June 21, 2007</h3>
<a name="2371697791430629480">? p;</a>
<h2>
? raveler's rest</h2>
<div ? s="blogPost">
? ? le="clear:both;"></div>E? safir had se? ? orld many times. Each circumnavigation broug? ? hing? in ? y place he had been before, even in the ? ? ies ? had existed? thousands of years.<br /><br />El-Musafir m? "Th? aveler." He had pick? p that name ? hundreds of years ago as he traveled through the Le? , playing va? s portable musical i? uments a? erforming a number o? ? ? s to? n the money he needed to? vive? /><br />It was in D? cus. He had ? finished a tale? cribthe hila? ? stoms of the? thwe? n ba? ? . Th? oup ? ide-eyed children hanging onto his e? ? d an? rsting into laug? as he d? ibed moon-worshi? ? e-painting hadn't said much. It was ? ? ? ng girl,? , who ha? bbed him el-Musafir after th? owd had cleared. The con? ation had happened over rose and lamb wi? ? al of he? iends. Technically, ? ? e forbidden to i? act,? ? ? the? ghter of? ? hy m? ho owned the? t where ? ate? /><br />"How many c? ? ? e you visited?" she asked, eyes brig? ith curi? y.<br /><br />He? ugged. "All ? hem, at one poin? ano? ."<br /><br />"B? urely that must hundreds of years!"<br /><br />He laughed. "And do I lo? o old to? ?"<br /><br />"No," she said? ? ly. "At ? t, not f? he most ? . Your eyes are ? dee? hough, as though they've seen many more thin? han ? should have."<br /><br />"Ah!" ? aid. "The glory ? ? ? rivation. I'll get more sleep tonight, Inshallah, and pe? s in the? ning I'll look like a new-born babe!? /><br />She giggled. "You must have travele? ery day ? our life. Each morning, a new city, and each week, a? ? ? ."<br /><br />He nodded. "Very much like that. My fa? ? ? raveling? chant with apping co? n, and I too? er h? ? ion after he died. I've seen many, many things. Did you ? the? a huge land to the ? ?"<br /><br ? r laughed again. "Of? rse. It's called? ica.? /><br />"No, I mean? ? ? t. Beyond th? eat sea on Africa's ? ern ? t. Furth? est even than Iberia. The people there are <span? le="? ? le: italic;">brown</span>. Not like the ? ? hich tend to be darker, but with a much stro? reddish tinge."<br /><br />She ? ened? tly as h? plained thei? stom of ? ing coca leaves and caca? ts. The hallucinogenic enemas of the? ecs elicited? ? ? bt a? rofound ? . The rainfo? s of the? ? n continent awed? ? peci? when he? crib? he g? ? ? ? /><br />When he? don? ? miled impishly a? aid,? doe? ? ter now ? ? won? ell ? our name. I have a new one f? ou. You will henceforth be known onl? el-Musafir. The Wandering Muslim! That ? ? erve as ? ? wer when peoask from? on.? /><br /? ? ed, ? urne? over on? tongue. El-Musafir. It ? ed good on h? ? e, and he felt it sliding down over him like the? t co? table robe he ha? ? orn. And? , for al? ? ? and ? s, he wa? ill ? ? el-Musafir, the? ld over, by the ? le of the hidden places. He had long, lo? ince? ? ? he name he had been born? h.<br /><br />And now el? ? ? ? urni? o the Le? , to Dam? s for the first time since he been named. Damascus h? een much since his last visit, and now it was, once again, one of th? eatest cities of the? ld. The Caliph had his Rose Pala? here, an? ? said to exceed the Taj Mahal in beauty. El-Musafir doubted ? that was possible--he h? een the magnificent tomb? t after ? as f? con? cted, and the sight had ? ? ith him for ? ? r ce? ies. The? Caliphate had i? tunning wonders,? ? t they did not a? ? ppla? he g? of the ? ? /><br />The tra? ? ed i? on its ? ? d journey. Here, it woul? rn east towards al-Fayha? he F? ant ? , Damascus. He couldn't ? . Pe? s he? ? ? hing of Nur ? he face ? ome random D? cene woman. ? as one of the ol? inh? ed cities in the? ld; perhaps her fath? ? t wa? ill ? e in some form or another.<br /><br />Of? it was ridiculo? ? ? ? thing. It had be? en c? ? ; her descen? s were n? ? mero? hat any trace of? ? ld have been obl? ated in the ? e of millions of other a? ? ? /><br /? tly, he ? wanted ? ee D? cus again. He had heard ? the? Calipha? ebuilt it after the deva? ing regional? that had oc? ed ie middle of the ? cen? ? ing mone? om i? ? ? ? ovinces ? ? form Dam? s into one of the most advanced cities on the continent. Dubai, of c? e, h? rotested the? rusion into the royal co? s, but had backed down a? the Caliph threaten? hem with mil? y action and? ? tyle="fo? tyle? alic? hari? pan>? ? /><br />Indeed, el-Musafir reflected, it wa? ite inte? ing how the New Cali? e had learned the lessons so painful? augh? ring the? ? o ce? ies. There had been ? ? able liberal? ion and re-i? ? ation of the? d of Mohammed, a? ing for the liberation of women and strong economic ? ? ion--over most of the Caliphate's te? ory. The? ict <spa? yle="fon? yle: italic;">Wahhabis</span> had settled in? di Arabia an? an a? ? ? tric? pan style="font-style: italic;">? ia. ? an>They ? esented the Muslim e? alent of the? ish <spa? yle="fon? yle: italic;">ki? zim</span> a? ere the home of the Cali? e's ? fearsome milita? ing.<br /><br />Still, it di? ? ter how liberall? con? ? ely each individual Musl? rovince practice? s collective faith; the New Cali? e was in control from we? n North Afri? o Indonesia in an unbroken band ? ing India of? ? he Chinese Hegemony and slinking und? he b? of the ? ral Asia Confederation, which wa? rrently dominate? ? sia in a? ty deja-vu dream of the USSR? /><br /? lim ? ? m was al? unheard of now; the fundamental? had land, m? , and the satisfaction of the New Caliphate ? they ha? ent ? ly a cen? building. The W? ? rovi? had all of ? , in addition to the com? that was contin? upon the recognition of their Muslim-ness as a ? e under the New Cali? e; even Israel fell under this auspice--? salem was the Caliph? erma? home and the capital of the thousands of miles of Muslim lands./><br />The train left B? ? raveling at ? ly 430 m? an ? ? ? therefore a sho? hen the expl? e under the ? d car detonated, and the? ire train derailed, ? ing into the Damasce? ? bs a? etting off large? ? ? as it mowed? ? drog? ank afte? drog? ank on i? low roll to ? ? top. The? bon-fiber alloy supe? ? re of th? ain ? ente? from di? egrating? t that only mean? eater de? ation for the people who? ed i? s path.<br /? />A? the train came to a? t, it di? take very long for the ? iving passen? to ? ? ate in a mad? abble to? ? ? ough? opening available. El-Musaf? ensed that it wa? ovet.<br /><br />He? proven right when a? sing? nd becam? dible. The o? ? sengers had realized that all the doors and windows were sealed, and the skin of the train didn't pe? ? ? s to penetrate its fabric. They were trapped, and the ai? ickl? rned? ange, and el? ? knew no? e.<br />/>. . .<br /? />He wo? p in a dark room. The walls were pla? ? tone, an? tremely thick, judging from the ? window set ? the ceiling, which admitted the only light ? ? oom. A line of four grim-faced m? tood in front of him. Th? ore the traditional desert g? he B? i, an an? ? m of this Age of the? Caliphate--? ide of Iran ? he Sinai Pen? la.<br /? />H? mbled. "? ian?? /><br />One of them spo? ? ly, the right-hand of the ce? pair. "El-Musafir. The ? ? ? it you?? /><br /? is ? I am called," he said. "Wha? this?" The ? men had? en each other significant glance? ? affirmation? /><br /? it true? he left-hand center man said, "That you are ? thousands of years old?? /><br />El-Musafir rolled his eyes ? he automatic denial. "What a silly idea.? am I ti? p li? his? Are? ? erro? org? ation?"<br /? />R? -hand ce? shook head. "We are? ? rorists,? freedom-fig? s."<br /? />E? safir had to? gh. "There is no difference ? een the two, only in whe? ? tand."<br /><br />"Spoken like a? e im? al," said left-hand ? er. ? ore a beard,? sual in the modern C? hate, an? ? rayed a tinge of reddish-brown--even? e unl. He and right-hand center seem? o be the? people here. Th? acketing pair were, ? umably, thei? ? ? /><br /? ? imple political theo? ," e? safir said. ? ? ume far too much."<br /><br />"Yes," said right-hand center. "A political theori? ? ravels from country to c? ry, giving l? res and panel di? sions, earning enough money ? ay h? ? o the ne? tage."<br /><br />"What a coincidenc? is," said left-hand center, "Th? ou c? the same name as th? iginal e? safir, live the same lif? le, and look the same." ? ? ed. ? ely you think we're ? id."<br /><br />? . Lo? ? ame. "Who you mean, look the same?"<br /? />"We have ? ? ? aid right-hand center. "Handed down ? ? ? and ? ? the? ? of our order an? r an? or, a Damascene woman named Nur.? /><br />El-Musafir ? e, his mind numbed. The shock on? fac? st have been evi? , for both men leaned fo? ? ? antly. But he said nothing.<br /? />"Nothing?" said left-hand center ? ly. "We are not ? ene? , you re? e."<br /? />"Yes," sa? ? -hand ce? . "Our a? tor reme? ? ou fondly. We have h? ersonal ? ? from th? ime, and she spo? uite highly ? ou. After you moved on from Dama? , she wa? ite sad ? ? had? ? ited? on ? tra? ." He paused. "You may call me Malik, an? ? sin Jamal."<br /? />E? safir sighed. "I? e no idea wh? ? e talking about.? ? I have the same name, b? hat is nothi? trange. Perhaps ? hare the same name b? ? e share the same lif? le. ? ? no ? ? ? ? t a connection."<br /><br />Jamal no to the ? d on? right, who fetched a three-ring binder of laminated sheets. "We? ou aware tha? r was al? uite an accomplished? ist with charcoal?"<br /? />E? safir laughed. "I have n? heard o? ? o how would I know anything ? t he? ? ic inclinations?? t hi? mor was silenced as the ? ? ened the binder ? he f? page and he? nd himse? taring at his identical like? , sketched a? haded in black on parchment.<br /><br />? ighed. "Nur ? ? e been a rich woman indeed. ? aste? chment o? ch frivo? ..."<br /><br />"It was not ? ? s to? ," Malik said. "She spent the rest of he? aiting f? ? o return to Dama? ? t kn? hat ? he ever saw you agai? ? ould? e aged, while you would not have grown any o? . So she? ed on with her life, had? eral? bands and many children, and told all of them about you. She told yo? tories f? ou, ? ? hem ? ? awings."<br /><br />Jama? epped in. "Her e? t son had a bit of an Oedipal complex, I'm afraid. He saw her longing to see? again, and after she died, ? urne? ? o a family organ? ion ? ? . So the story of el? ? ? been handed? n through countless generations.? /><br />"Wh? ort of famil? ganization?" el-Musafir d, his curio? ? ued.<br /><br />"Ah," said Malik. "W? n a ? e healthy banking and hotel busi? gro? ith offices all ? the? Caliphate. You are scheduled to speak at a conference at one of? ? els in D? cus three days from now. Tha? ? we found you--one o? r younger cousins manageat hotel, and when he saw your name ? he conference re? er, he a? ? s."<br /? />How odd, el-Musaf? hought. ? didn't you ? ly contact m? the? ? hen ? rived, instead of blowin? ? rain?"<br /><br />"Our mission has e? ed over the ? uries," Jamal said. ? see, we? e once based in Dubai, a? ere ? t to build our largest, ? ? anced hotel ? ome ? ? on Palm Jumeirah when our f? ? e seized by the New Cali? e to rebuild the? ant following the war wi? he West.? /><br />"When m? ary acti? ? hreatened," added Malik, "All of? ? esto? ulle? t of the pro? , and we nearly ? ban? t. It wa? a ni? roperty..." ? railed o? istf? ? /><br />"Ne? heless, ? ealized ? ? hough the New Caliphate has liberate? ch o? r people from the confines of backwa? eligiosi? hile still enabling ? o fo? the? d of the Pro? , we? ld n? ? ly b? ee as long as the Caliph remained in? er," said Jamal.d so we fight."<br /? />"An economic vendetta?" asked el-Musafir,? ? ed. ? 've kill? ? ? of ? le over a failed? estment?? /><br />Mal? hrugged. "The We? ? ? e done much ? e in the name of money. And the New Cali? ? indeed a th? ? lon? the? ? tyle="fo? tyle? alic;">Wahhabis</span> a? till? ? ? ? ? ? es, the ? ors of funda? ? ? lam will? ays lurk in the back? nd."<br /><br />"The Caliphate," said Jamal,? only interested in ? mulating? e power and money. Though we? tainly c? ? that in public, of ? se. And ? ein ? the problem. We will never be able to compe? ith the ? or the ese Hege? as long as ? till? e an? horitari? ? who? ? on followin? lam.? /><br />"Good God," said el? ? . "The Muslim world is far better and healthier than it has been? thousands of years, and sti? ou a? rying to quash Islam?" His eyes ? owed. "Where? e you born?"<br /><br />l and Malik looked at each o? , and laughed. "I was born in Baghda? ring the American occupation? aid Malik, "and Jama? ? di."<br /><br />El-Musaf? ? ed. ? ? tern, then."<br /><br />"No," said Jamal. "Thoug? ? her was ? ? h soldier, and Malik is the product ? ape, com? ed by an American soldier on an ? i woman.? /><br />"So? should hate the? t," said el-Musafir. "Being the prod? of ? ern ? ession. I'm ? rised your mother wa? killed.? /><br />"No? all? aid Malik. "Our fami? ? spective is slig? different, being based as i? on a thousa? ? of fami? radition, and the idea of im? ? y." He leaned do? uddenly. "And that is why yo? e here."<br /><br />El-Musaf? ighed. "When? e I ? ? ? ? o think ? I am wh? ou claim?"<br /><br />Jamal ? gged. "N? ? t there are ? and means of di? ering th? uth without any admission on? r part." At el-Musaf? ? ? l look, ? on, ? er all, living for a? ? ery long time, it only m? sen? hat acci? s happen quite often. You should be caked wi? ? , yes?"<br /? /><span? le="? ? le: italic;">Oh, shi? pan>, though el-Musafir.? t the fa? hat I am? should then pro? hat I am only mortal."<br /><br />"O? ? mean th? ou have some healing factor," Malik said. "O? hat ? ? ? from being fatally ? or dying." He drew out a large ? ing knif? om its h? er on his belt. "If so, ? houl? ply even to smaller wounds."<br /><br />"Come on? aid el-Musafir. "Are? bei? erio? ith ? ? You can't ? ? believe that I'm unable. Why does it ma? so much, an? ?"<br /><br />"We ne? ou," said Jamal. "Yo? st b? udied, a? ? ecret to? r lo? ity disc? ed a? ? o go? se."<br /><br />"Ridiculous!" el? ? snapped. "Even if I am ? ? ? I am, h? ould? dying me help anyone? ? e that i? ? e, and o? s can be made im? al. How would that b? all beneficial? The? ouldn't be <span? le="? ? le: italic;">roo? pan>? everyone if? ths ? occurring, but ? ? opped happening.? /><br />Malik laughed. ? ? ume far too much? ? m of us, el-Musafir! No, we plan on ? helping? ? es. ? lan on outliving the? Caliphate by ma? ? ? of ? s. Time itse? ill ? ? ? estm? ? ond all bounds."<br /><br />"Is ? what the lady N? anted?" el-Musaf? aid,? ? ed. "To turn me into a factory of im? ? y? I am glad I left!? ould want no? t of? ? !"<br /><br />"S? ? aid Jamal, incongruo? affecti? e. "Nur had no conception of the? ential of im? ? y. She o? ? ou." He nodded at Malik, who leaned ? ard with the hunting knife in hand, and sliced e? safir's face open on the rig? ide, temple to jaw. Blood came out, hot and ? ing, and el-Musafir grimaced? h the pain.<br /? />"Inte? ing," said Jamal. "So yo? pan style="font-styltalic;">can</span> feel pain. Un? ? e, b? urvivable."<br /? />"Fool," e? safi? ound? . "What makes you think ? ? ? thing sc? ific in immortality? There may not be a gene or magic potion in my blood that le? ou live forever.? /><br />"The wound is not closing," Mal? aid, looking? ? /><br />"Be? e," said el-Musafir, exa? ated, "I am <spa? yle="fon? yle: italic;">no? pan> immortal. I can? ? tyle="fo? tyle? alic;">not</span> live f? er. I am? ? tyle="fo? tyle? alic;">only</span> a politic? ? ist who experienced ? ? tunate coincidence of nomenc? re. ? is <spa? yle="fon? yle: italic;">al? pan> there is to me.? are? ing to kill an innocent man!? /><br />"Ah, well," said Jamal. "Now th? ? e heard all ? his,? are no longer innocent, my ? el-Musafir. The? e te? ill ? our ? h. If you die, and are n? ? ? ed, ? ill ? that we? ? ong. If you come bac? hen ? ill ? were right, and you will? e to, I'm afraid, le? our ? to us."<br /><br />? ? ldn't yo? st let me go? aid el-Musafir desperately. ? ? ? know I am a? tal, if not because ? is ? I have been telling? ? the? t hour, then because my face? been flayed open, a? emai? hat way!? /><br />"Th? ? ld n? ? fy me," said Jamal. "No, we're going to have to take it ? her. Go on, Malik."<br /? />Malik reached? and laid el? ? ? hroa? en from side to side, sawing so ? ? hat his head fell backward and e? ed h? ? ? ? ipe, whi? ? led. Blood goute? t so? ongly that Malik's a? ? ? ed a deep rend h? atch stopped? /><br /? h men and their ? ? aited for a ? long time. ? ? hird? , the body had begun to stink, a? hey had to a? defeat.<br /><br />El-Musafir, the Immortal Travele? as dead.? ? le="clear:both; padding-? om:0.25em"><? ><p ? s="blogger-labels">Labels: <a re? ag' ? tp://snarky.tumo? b-ab? .com/labels/el-musaf? hp">el-musafir</a></p><br />
<div ? s="bylin? oste? Hugh Va? ? z &? ;# <? ef="? ? nark? mor.usb-abacus.com/2007/? rave? ? t.ph? itle="permanent link">1:29 PM</a> <? ef="? s://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=513106239953109? tID=2371697791430629480"location.hre? tps:? w.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=51310623995325731? ostID=2371697791430629480;><span? le="? -transform:l? case">0 Comm? ? an></a>
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<h3>Monday, June 18, 2007</h3>
<a name="385586592838157"> </a>
<h2>
? ? porate guy</h2>
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? ? le="clear:both;"></div>There? ? eriod, lasting a? t four month? here? as convinced that if nobody was looking at me, I? ? ? h.<br /><br />I sought a? of ? any ? hose? s. A? s had to? e soe with m? o ob? e me while I? being. After a whil? hen ? ? ? ? ? ing ? ? me or let me visit them, I'd go to a Wal-Ma? ? here and wander the ? e.<br /><br />Maybe ? as just the way ? ied to make them sta? all night, watching me while I ? t. I? ? aid ? if I di? eared, I? ldn't come back. I developed a new, ? ? ? ay o? eaki? hat involved? ds like <spa? yle="fon? yle: italic;">unwas</span> o? pan style="font-style: italic;">unbe? an>, and no ? nt of co? sati? ith Wal-? ? ociates--isn? hat a ri? ? ? m? As though they weren'? odde? on minim? age ? -time wo? s wi? t benefits--would co? hem ? ? ? ? ? /><br /? ? be if there are ? ual ? icles that d? exi? ? s th? e ob? ed, maybe there are ? ual ? le, too.<br /><br /><spa? yle="fon? yle: italic;">The interesting thing ? hat ? ? ? ? o to speak, the ? tion bec? ? e yo? are ? our none? ence? pan><br /><br />Yeah, yeah, and if a? ? tuff that happens to? when you're? being o? ved ? ? ? pene? if ? as all false memories.<br /><br ? pan style="font-style: italic;">But then where do the false memo? com? om?</span><br /><br />Who knows? Aliens, God, the govern? , your own brain. Maybe from that ni? ? ? that no? uses.<br /><br ? pan style="font-style: italic;">You ? ? 's been ? ? hat ? a myth ? ? onl? e ten percent of? ? ain. It's a ? tion of how ? areas are a? ated at any given mo? ? ? 's a? sed.? an><br /? />Really? I didn't ? that. B? hat's neither here n? here, I ? s. T? hing that re? ? me is--how ? ? rove that yotually e? whi? ? e unobserved? The only o? ver ? hat case is ? self, which is basic? the lea? eliable obse? ? sible.<br /><br ? pan style="font-style: italic;">Maybe you do it by changing something while you're alone. The location of a mug,? example. Th? roves th? ? ere ? e and dimething, and therefo? ? till exi? hen nobo? ? ching.</span? /><br />See, that just tells you how messed up I was in those days. I n? tho? of ? hat way. I g? it could work. Othe? ? ? ? sumi? hat the ? erse recognizes indi? al intention and conscio? ? ? ? ? actice i? der to m? ain the ? sionunob? ed corporeality. Which is silly...right?<br /><br /><spa? yle="fon? yle: italic;">Right, and? ? hat emphatic? . Let's move on.? nearly two ? ? ? ent ? he o? ite direction, believing that the entire uni? e was actually contained in ? head, a? ? ere the ? real intelligence. ? mpted that?<br /? pan><br />I ? ? ? ? tly ? ebellion aga? my beha? ? ing the ? hs b? e then. I wound up getti? ecretly dosed with acid ? omeo? ? hought it wa? ? funny. Duri? ? rip,? as forced to really look at myself a? ? ? ? athetic need I h? o be around ? le, to be seen. And then I...I g? ? ? ? zoomed ? ? ? eality curve and felt like I'd gotten a peek around the world's rim, and? ? elf. And the? e I ? ght ? ? , the more I realized th? he e? e un? ? eally was contained in my head, in m? ain to be mo? recise, and ? everything I perceived had been pro? ed b? brain. ? eally wa? much of? ? ch betwe? hat and thinking that I literally carried the co? around in m? ? m.<br /><br ? pan style="font-style: italic;">? 's a? y interesting viewpoint. Technic? , you're? too? off--since for us, the ? erse is perceived throug? r se? , which ? rocessed and recorde? ? brains,all do, in a sense, ? ? ound who? nive? in each of our minds. In th? ense, I can ? ainly un? tand whe? ? ere ? hat point in? r life. But why did you begin behaving as though we all,? erally, ? ted insi? our head? pan><br /><br />Why did ? art thinking that I'd di? ear when nobody looking?<br /><br /><spa? yle="fon? yle: italic;">You're? t plain ? y?</span? /><br />Yeah.<br /><br ? pan style="font-style: italic;">? snapped? ? of ? ? pan><br /><br />Who said? ? ed out o? ? /><br /? ? tyle="fo? tyle? alic;">Well,? stopped killing people, so the ? mption goes...</span? /><br />Yea? ? e right ? t that. ? ess I...? ped when? hought of "Think globally, act locally." That was when I realized that it di? ? ter ? ? rea? ? n't--the? ? ? t to accept ? ? ? ? pening and b? e accordingly. Just ? ith the ? ? /><br /? ? tyle="fo? tyle? alic;">Good phil? hy. ? ? e more or less normalized now?</span? /><br /? ? ? s.<br /><br ? pan style="font-style: italic;">You're not concerned abo? he fact ? ? ? erienced no legal co? uences f? our actions ? ? er? And the effects ? hat ? our psyche?</span><br /><br ? ankl? hat I am is ? eful. I'? er it now. N? again. I'm I n? ? ? ght, because that would have really screwed ? p. Now, ? talking. Th? her nice, normal, coffee? ing folk? e lookin? me strangely, and I really need this job.<br /><br />Please don't be offended, ? ? /><br />Okay?<br /><spa? yle="font-we? : bold;"? ? tyle="fo? eight: bold;span? pan>? ? le="clear:both; padding-? om:0.25em"><? ? />
<div c? ? line">posted by Hugh VanDerG? ? p; # <a href="http://sn? .tum? sb-a? s.com/2007/06/that-corporate? ? " title=? manent link">6:32 PM</a>? p;<a href="h? ? ww.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=5131062399532573? ID=3855228086592838157"l? ion.href? ps:/? .blo? .com/com? .g?blogID=5131062399532573109&postID=3855228086592838157? pan styl? ext-tran? m:lowercase">0 Comments</span></a>
<span class="item-control blog-admin pid-1556466247"><a style="border:none;" href="http:? w.blogger.cost-edit.g?blogID=5131062399532573109? tID=3855228086592838157"? le="? ? t"><img ? s="icon-action" alt=? rc="? ? ww.blogger.com:80/img/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif" he? ="18" width="18"></a? pan> </div>
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<h3>Sunday, June 17, 2007</h3>
<a nam852956277006126328">? p;</a>
<h2>
? ime on my hands</h2>
? class="blog? ">
<di? yle="clear:both;"></div>? , fine. ? and indicted. I ? ght ? as just ? ? /><br /? in my defense, ? as a pretty ? ? ? ion to make. And we all did--Mom, Dad, and I all tho? he didn't do shit. ? asleep when we ? e the house for school or work or wh? er, and ? in the recl? staring dully at the TV when we? home. It seemed like he didn't move at all, all? ? tside th? ual ? ? om b? o chair, cha? o kitchen, c? to bathroom? /><br /? whatever. That's not going to help me now.<br /? />B? i slapped me, and I ? some snot fly. "Where is he?" he said.<br /? />I sobbed a little. Go? uch an asshole. ? as a good thing he didn't know I kind of? off on the pain? en if I hated the in? ion behind it. "I don't ? !" I said. "I never even knew he? ? ting? his kind of stuff!"<br /? />He slapped me again, hard enough ? I felt my j? op. "Bullshit! Y? e his bitch ? er! You ? something!"<br /><br />? ound my ? h. "? ou'd fucking stop hitting me, I might actually be ab? o te? ? hat I know." I fixed him? d in the eye and? him see that what he'd done had had? tle or no actual effect on me. "I thought yo? ture? ? ere ? osed to be more civilized. I? that ho? ? ? goes in those faggo? cience fiction b? ?"<br /><br />He looked faintly ? rised, b? ? ed. ? the ones about space pirates."<br /? />"? ? . Can I at l? ? lain? befo? ou g? lap-? y again?? ? nod, I ? on. "Li? ? aid, yeah, I'm h? ister. B? e've? er, uh, ? en along. He's a? ? ck. At l? , I ? ght so."<br /><br />"Ooh! Do go on!" he said, all sa? m.<br /><br />"See, we--? arents and I--never see him doing anything. ? ? her sleeping or watching TV we get home, and he? arently didn't feel the need to tell us ? hing abo? hat ? ? p to."<br /><br />He nodded. "Ah. So? ? er f? ed o? hat ? as a--"<br /? />"--Ti? raveling gentleman adventurer?" I said ironically. "No."<br /><br />Bi C? hrugged, and Hai Chang could be ? d scoffi? ly in the ba? ound. "I? goi? o say thief and murd? ? t di? ent strokes..."<br /? />"Sure," I said. "You,? example. You're Shen Bi Cui, fi? ? ate and ? rge ? he S? Ecliptic. O? tralegally o? tunistic? ? sman. Di? ent strokes indeed." My lip curled. "Or maybe you're? t a thief and a ? . And ra? . And eg? ? ."<br /><br />He sni? ed. "Are? ? ? tyle="fo? tyle? alic? ryin? pan> to get killed?" As ? ened my ? h to? ly, ? ? ed his hand up. "Don't answer that, ? ? doe? ? ter,? way.? 're, like, blood. He'll come? ? . And when he does, ? ? oat-? ? ime, see?"<br /><br />"Wow. English atio? ? ribly advanced in 2429, isn'? ?" I wriggled a ? le bit, shaking ? houl? ? t enough to let my b? jiggle. "These cuff? e making me real? ore. Can? ou at least ? ? hem?? /><br /? ? hat," said B? i. "You think I'? upid or something? Those things are ? ing on."<br /><br />? a fag?"sked? piciously. "A nice dinne? ome ? y-shaking, a? till? hing?" I leered at Hai Chang. "He a good? ?" He shrugged and made ? o-so" ge? e. I? ldn't help it. I giggled? /><br />Bi Cui ? led.? pan style="font-style: italic;">? ? an>. What a pain in the ass you are.? ? cking mouth.? ? other can't come soon enough, man." ? tood up,? -foot-seven of Afro-Sino? casian, and said, "I'm getting out of here. You behave."<br /><br />"Gonna leave me Hai Chang so I have something to play with?"? aid, wheedling.<br /? />"I can't ? t hi? ound? ." This pleased me, some "Re? h!" A tall, blond ma? uck his head? ough the cell door. ? ? ere <spa? yle="fon? yle: italic;">tall</span> in the? h ce? y. And hot. I could enjoy ca? ity up here.? ay in here a? atch? . Sh? ies ? hing, club her and call me."<br /><br />After Bi Cui left, it wa? iet and dark. I alon? ? ? Redpath, wh? ared at me in unblinking? ? silence? andi? ith ? folded with the cell door behind him.<br /><br ? bro? . Who the he? ould? e thought? B? i, being? to ? tim? aveling ? age-taki? hing, had told me about the ? atio? ? ? ? . He? honest, even if he was ? ything I had? own back at him, and? se.<br /? />H? Callaha? ime-? ? ? Nothing about him even remotel? ? ted ? hidden double life.? Bi Cui ? ? and? n that it wa? bro? who had inf? ated? clan on orders from the? al Family, d? p information on? dealings, a? old the info? ion back to Her Majesty's Se? ? vicee Service had th? sed my broth? information to unde? the? ? on thei? siness dealings,? ? e their raiding ? ies, and? ical? uin their bottom line.<br /><br />He? ? nd out in the en? hanks to the incompetence of a Service a? who? slip his name and d? ipti? ? ? ture. The Royal Family h? ? rain? esponsible f? he a? 's conditioning executed, of? rse, whi? ? ? hing that wa? pare? ? ? the? rse ? he S? ? tem,? ca 2429. Being a tim? aveler, of c? e, H? ? ? ossible ? rap in a? uation he di? want to be in.<br /? />A? entl? houg? ? orld in general had beco? he kind ? ituation he <spa? yle=? yle: italic;">di? pan> want to be ? nd for. Huma? had gone to the stars, colonizing over ? orld? ound loc? ? and making alliances with n? ? on ? her ? lus. In the process, they had abandoned the Sola? stem as ? oup ? sele? orlds, a? he British Royal Family, bei? ied ? ? old memorie? ire, had stayed and ? uered all co? ? ill,? ? ? e a majo? sue,? eatening the? al Family's mono? on all trad? ? it, communication, and e? tain? ? ide the ? er Belt (the? ts had long since been mined? ? rasolar tran? tation fuel, and? e now virtually none? ent,? the Kuiper had been left for de? ? ? es by Royal ? ee, according to Bi Cui (via considerably fewer words)).<br /><br />The Family h? ince become ? ? y of? ? s capita? ic b? olent de? s, and h? elocated Buckingham Palace (and ? of Europe) ? he a? ? e of? ? as thei? ? ? tate? /><br />In the meantime? tside the Solar ? em, ? as bess ? sual? pan style="font-style: italic;">? Tre? pan>? le. Peaceful fed? ion of multiple race? he most ? ? of whom? e th? ans--the? name for "human" since the prol? ation of nano-based AI and even stra? ? ms of sentient human? ed life had rendered the classical idea useless./><br />Into this environmen? bro? had come. He adopted the ri? ? name, "the time-traveler Jin," and ? ped ? ? ? ettl? lanets going on adve? es and making shitloads of m? and? ff. He had made ? t contact wi? ? esid? of Yaanek, seco? lanet of? ilon Indi, ended the Alnitaki desktoave trade, a? ? lated the volumi? archaeological records of G? e 581b, ? ? ? erfa? ? ans ? ywhere and home to one of the most ancient and most extinct civilizations in this part of the ga? ic arm.<br /? />From ? I had gathered from Bi Cui, the tim? aveler J? ? ? ies had extended to various other te? al locales as well, like the? ? of the Sea ? les on E? , th? ium ? in Chin? he Rationalist I? ? ion on New Londo? ? ndred years ago, and? --the rampant pi? around the Sun.<br /><br />Goddammit. Even I was beginning ? hink of him ? ? ime-? ? Jin? ? ked, though. As far as I? concerned, ? ? ? otal? anger. Not my little bro? Henry, who was too ? t for college and too smart for life. I ? my ? her ? omeo? ho had given up, as a thing of d? st a? ity and ? ? otential. And his only e? e was a ? g and a diffident, "? can? ay? I have a? of time on my h? ."<br />/>Not this--? ? pan style="font-style: italic;">? leman ad? ? ? an>. That was the perfect term, ? ped toge? in one of my very common mo? s of? casm. This guy, who ? ped ? ? ? niverse, pulling off? oic deeds an? ? ing strange planets and ? le, wagi? ars ? had ended c? ? before ? as born and choking off pirates who ? ated centuries a? he would die. This life? too? ? tyle="fo? tyle? alic;">big</span> fo? bro? ? /><br />And I had gotte? cked in. Bi Cui ? ed into me a? ? cks ? ? ning, very charming-like. He? this tall, ? ? l man of so ? races mashed togeth? hat I went a? tupi? ing imme? ely ? t what our babies would look like. H? ? ed me into meeting for dinner after work, so? ent. A most inte? ing meal? er, ? ere walking ? ide when he sudd? pulled me into an a? . I giggled, thinking he wanted to make out ? he dark, when a ? h and a ? ? pened, and I? nd mf in a dark room? h his fi? ? ed i? stomach? /><br />Remembering that fist made me a? ? pan style="font-style: italic;">Damn? an> him.? ? tyle="fo? tyle? alic;">Damn</span> him for being so tall and pretty,? pan style="font-style: italic;">damn? pan>him for making me like him, ? yle="fon? yle: italic;">damn</span> him for being an asshole 25th-? ury pira? ? anted to? my ? her down? ? hing flashed? h red, and b? e I ? it,? as out of the ha? ffs,? oss the room, with my fi? nails sinking into Redpa? ? oat (what an? ? iate name) and my fi? s sinking in? ? hem, and? win? e, c? ids, and pretty much everything I could fit in m? ip getti? orn out.<br /><br />He died imme? ely, of ? se, in a big splash of blood that washed over me like a buck? l of? ? er. Some? t of my mind? ? ? ely ? ified, b? ? est of my he? as completely calm. ? ? ? to me. ? pan style="fstyle: italic;">thin? pan> had taken over my body, made of seemingly bound? rage an? ? smarts.<br /><br />? iped? ? , a smal? tton I h? een ? hing on the lapels of the men who had entered an? ited the cell since my a? al. ? econd thought, I took his ja? and pants, too--my twen? cen? lea? flares and fashionably-cut small ja? over a ? e tight-? ing ? t might ? oo c? icuous.<br /? />F? thing: ? e the hell am I? Affixing the key to my new lapel, I walked through the ? . The hallwa? tside wa? ? ly-l? ith ? e walls and ? e linoleum. It looked like a? pital. I? sed sile? to myself--? ? o skulk along in? ? tyle="fo? tyle? alic? his</span>. ? order o? siness, then: shut o? ? ? ? /><br />I ducked into a maintenance closet ? ake stock. Pockets: fold? p piece of c? cellophane-like plastic, three inches on a side; pen; knife handle without ? h, k? t with a? ton ? ? ide, which c? ? hing? when I ? sed it a? ? icked ten-inch-long blad? rang? ? istence;? small c? ? ? ? ith no discernib? urpose o? nction; and a six-inch-long cord tha? iffened into? ? rod when I shoo? ? did? hing? e.<br /><br />Uh, okay. ? ? ? ill, the cellophane-? ? ld Redpath c? it ? nd? I unfolded it an? gged it a little to smooth o? he c? e. I? dden? ent rigid and became something like a paper-thin piece of glass. The? face opaqued suddenly, a? here? a little desktop that looked a lot like a Windows c? ter back home. A computer, made ? ? pare? ? ? ? ing? Nice!<br /><br />After fiddling around with it a little? , I found a ? of GPS/? ? edia-like thing ? ? arently was ? e good at co? t-based info? ion. It ? fully informed me that I? in an abandoned medical com? on Callisto (right under th? een's nose? Ballsy), the? as no way to? t ofe power because ? prang di? ly from the ? ovoltaic sheathing on th? ilding, but ? I could, howeve? op one of th? ? ? sph? to change m? ? ance? an ? , and that more spheres were available if I wish? ? rchase more.<br /><br />? ? e color-coded--c? s wi? ed in them for female, c? s with green in them? male. There? one brown o? hat I di? want to think a? ? t the he? ith it. Then the? tle ? ? dinged with? ? ? hat informed me ? holding it ? the sph? ? ld enable the co? ? o tell me what I'd look like? h each one.<br /? />J? . I was ? ing to like the 25th cen? . Th? he c? ter ed again, and I was looking at B? i.<br /><br ? least, a short video of him? /><br />"Yo, Re? h. Bette? ? aping th? e-gi? oon--we're gonna be ? e in 15. Clean h? p if? ? e to? 's m? rn. Smack he? ound a little if that mouth of hers ? till going, ? gh. See ya."<br /><br />? ard. My at high-tech vanish? ? ? ? ed curtain of rage. ? abbed th? here? t of the left po? of ? ath's fo? jacket--heh--and he? he c? ter ? them. The brown one reminded me of Tild? into? hich? n't such a b? ? ect,? the pink an? ange? e both hot ladies, one of wh? aguely looked like me. I wondere? iefly why Valspar was carrying around those options,? pre? ed n? ? eculate. The? quoise o? as a thick-necked blond man with close-c? ed hair, the lime-colored one was a long-haired, vag? ? ino-looking guy, and the? ? een was ? ath ? elf! Wha? ck!<br /? />I checked the rec? time on the video message, and ? ? he Redpa? ill. Immedia? , a prickly feeling covered me from head to toe, and my jacket a? ? ? . A new weight between my legs grabbed m? ? ity, and? er feeling and inspectin? ? a m? ? two (defini? ? shabby, bri? egre? ? ing already done him in, then--), remembered what I was doing and moved down the hal? to the cell? /><br />The? el-key let me in, and a quick check ? red ? hat ? ath was stil? ? well dead. ? agged hi?