Chapter 4
In the middle of the night, Oscar drove the car across the Iran-Iraq border. They passed the border checkpoint without stopping. It was as if the border guards could not see the white Mercedes. After they had driven a mile past the border, Georgia let out the breath she had been holding and then said, "That was strange. Why didn't they stop us?"
"The Powers That Be do not recognize the borders imposed by men," Oscar answered. National boundaries were a construct of men, not Gods.
"You're saying that the Gods and Goddesses intervened," Georgia said turning to look back down the road towards the border.
"Perhaps it was Allah. I'm here to visit Mosques," Oscar said gesturing to the rode ahead of them.
"Haven't you already delivered your message?" Georgia asked.
"No, I was just accepted by the Powers That Be," Oscar said. The next phase of visits was going to be even more dangerous.
"What do we do now?" Georgia asked. They weren't going to be able to check into a hotel.
"We'll find a reasonable place to pull over and then get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day," Oscar said.
"So where are we going?" Georgia asked frustrated by the fact that Oscar had been so closed mouthed about his plans.
"Everywhere," Oscar answered earning a small punch on the shoulder from Georgia.
"I'm serious. If you don't start telling me what is going on, I'm going to Israel to stay with Debbie," Georgia threatened.
"We are going to travel across Iran to Pakistan. From there, we'll swing through Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, and then Syria. We'll take a short vacation with Debbie before beginning the next round of visits," Oscar said.
"That's going to take forever," Georgia said missing Debbie.
"We could ask Debbie to fly into Afghanistan. She's always been a little jealous of the time that we spent together there. I think she would appreciate being there with us on this pass through the area," Oscar said.
"You're so sweet," Debbie said.
Peering through the dark, Oscar spotted a nice flat area beside the road. Pulling the car over, he said, "This looks like a good place for us to stop for the night."
"Tent?"
"The weather is nice. We'll just spread our sleeping bags on the ground and enjoy the night sky," Oscar said.
"You really know how to show a girl a good time," Georgia said with a smile. She knew that most women would have run off at the idea of sleeping under the stars. She wasn't like most women.
"I do my best," Oscar said turning off the motor.
She looked over at the road for a second and then asked, "Am I going to have to sleep in the burka?"
"Yes, although having you in a burka defeats the purpose for women wearing them. You are just too sexy in it," Oscar said trying to take some of the sting out of his words.
"I'm serious. I'd hate to get killed by someone passing by because I'm not wearing a burka," Georgia said. Being in a Muslim country was a whole lot easier when she was wearing Army fatigues and carrying a rifle.
"Don't worry about it," Oscar said getting out of the car. Georgia climbed out her side and went around to the back of the car. Oscar opened the trunk and pulled out their sleeping bags. He put them down on the ground so that the car was between them and the road. He said, "We'll be up at dawn."
"So what are we going to do about food?" Georgia asked.
The trunk of the car was loaded with MREs and she knew it. Oscar paused to look at her and then asked, "What's the matter, Georgia?"
"I'm afraid," Georgia answered looking away from Oscar.
There were so many responses to that statement, but Oscar knew what was bothering her. He said, "You're afraid that George is returning now that you are back in this part of the world."
Barely able to answer, Georgia said, "Yes. No. I don't know. Last night really scared me."
"Don't be afraid of that. What we are doing here is very dangerous. You are reacting to that danger by being tough. Last night, you wanted to know that I was as tough as you," Oscar said.
"I don't think so," Georgia said thoughtfully.
She recalled her demands for violence without understanding what was driving her to it. She had bullied him into performing rough and brutal sex. Such brutality wasn't really in his nature. Thinking about it, she realized that she had forced him into taking her with that level of violence. After a minute she said, "Maybe I wanted to know that I could survive being raped."
"What?" Oscar was shocked by her statement.
"If you get killed, then I'll be left alone in the middle of nowhere. Whoever kills you will probably rape me before killing me. I think that maybe last night I wanted it as rough as you could make it so that I would know that I'd be able to take being raped," Georgia answered.
"Can you?"
"I don't know," Georgia answered with tears welling up in her eyes. It hadn't been a fair test. She loved Oscar too much.
Oscar moved over to Georgia and put his arms around her. It would have been nice if she'd been able to rest her head on his shoulder, but he was too short for that to work. He rubbed her back and said, "I can see the future and I will use that to keep you safe."
"I'll try to be strong," Georgia said.
While helping her settle on the sleeping bags, Oscar said, "Don't worry. You'll see that things will be okay."
"My sister said that things were nearing an explosive point. She's put the troops on high alert all over the world," Georgia said.
Nodding his head, Oscar said, "I know. She's right in her assessment, but things will improve soon."
"I don't see how," she said.
"Tomorrow. You'll see tomorrow," Oscar said thinking about what was going to happen.
Georgia sat in the car watching Oscar walk to the door of the Mosque. He rapped on the side of the door with his staff. The result was a boom that echoed over the whole area. The men who had been following him stared at him with violence in their eyes. Oscar turned and looked over the men. From within the Mosque, a loud voice called out, "I bid you enter, Druid Oscar Meyers."
Removing his shoes, Oscar stepped into the Mosque. Those outside followed him into the large room that was lit by a golden glow. They found the Imam in charge of the Mosque on the floor trembling in fear.
Taking in the scene around him, Oscar said, "I have come to learn of your message of peace."
"The senseless killing must stop. I will not tolerate any man declaring Jihad by the Sword in my name," echoed the voice. The men in the room reacted in shock at the message. Outside in the street a riot nearly broke out.
"I shall spread that message," Oscar said. His voice carried through the door to all of those gathered outside. He repeated the message, "The senseless killing must stop. Allah will not tolerate any man declaring Jihad by the Sword in his name."
"Go in peace, Oscar Meyers."
Oscar stepped out of the Mosque and paused to replace his sandals. A man stepped up with a gun and aimed it at him. At that moment a lightning bolt arced from the dome of the Mosque and killed the man. His voice echoing across the town, Oscar said, "The senseless killing must stop. Allah will not tolerate any man declaring Jihad by the Sword in his name."
Georgia had watched the episode at the door terrified that she was going to be lost and alone in Iran. The bolt of lightning had cut off the scream that was beginning to boil out from her. She stared in shock at the dead body lying at Oscar's feet.
After slipping on his sandals, Oscar stepped around the dead man lying on the ground. He made his way to the car at a normal walk. It seemed much further away than he remembered.
Men, who had gathered around the Mosque to stop him, stepped out of the way. They looked at him with a mixture of fear and hate. Fear was the most dominate emotion. They had heard the voice echoing from within the Mosque, but many of them had doubted it was really Allah. The bolt of lightning had chased away their doubts, but not their hate for the messenger.
Oscar entered the car and drove off without saying a word. He didn't trust himself to speak. Only when they had reached the town limits did he speak. "That was rather surprising."
"Did you know that was going to happen?" Georgia asked looking at Oscar in wonder.
"No," Oscar answered. He hadn't known what Allah was going to say to him although he had a pretty good idea. He hadn't known that the assassin would be killed.
"No more Jihad," she said shaking her head. It was an incredible idea.
"Allah did not end Jihad. He ended Jihad by the Sword," Oscar said while steering the car around a rough patch in the road. He had expected the infrastructure to be in a little better shape.
"What does that mean?"
"It means that they can not make war against men or nations as a means of spreading Islam," Oscar answered.
"That's big," Georgia said.
"Yes, it is," Oscar said. Seeing a little of the future, he pulled off the road and parked the car. Taking advantage of the short break, he turned to face Georgia.
"We both know that the terrorist leadership is doing this for personal gain. How will ending Jihad by the Sword bring peace?" Georgia asked.
He answered, "That means the justification that the terrorists have been using to attack the West has been negated by the God they claim to serve. It will make it difficult to acquire new followers. It will turn the Muslim Press against them."
"I don't know what to say," Georgia said. She was silent for a minute and then asked, "So is your mission over?"
"No. I will go to many Mosques where the message shall be repeated. In today's age of technology, people will not believe the message until enough people have heard it for themselves," Oscar answered. He shrugged his shoulders and added, "I'm sure that they will tear that Mosque apart searching for speakers. I'm sure that a rumor is spreading that speakers were placed there by the CIA."
"So we're going to spend all of our time going from Mosque to Mosque."
Shaking his head, Oscar said, "I still have Churches and Synagogues to visit yet."
"What message will they give you?"
"I don't know," Oscar answered.
"I feel a lot safer now," Georgia said thinking about the assassin who had been killed in front of the Mosque.
"Why?"
"The Gods are protecting you," Georgia answered.
Oscar looked off to the side seeking the future. He sat back in his seat to calm down and wait. He said, "The man who was killed was a member of the secret police. His death is going to stir up a hornet's nest of activity. We had best get away from here."
"I agree," Georgia said wondering why they were not driving off.
"It is not yet safe for us to go," Oscar said anticipating the question that was on the tip of her tongue.
After a few minutes, Georgia asked, "Why did we stop?"
"So that a military convey could pass by without observing us," Oscar answered.
"A military convey? Where?" Georgia asked looking around and seeing nothing but empty land.
"Down the road. We'll be able to see the end of it when we get to the crossroads up ahead of us," Oscar answered.
Sitting back in her seat, Georgia was quiet while thinking about what had happened at the Mosque. After several minutes, she said, "It is hard to believe that I've heard the voice of Allah."
"Did you understand what was being said?" Oscar asked. He was used to his gift of languages and hadn't thought about it. He turned on the car and headed down the road.
"Yes. Allah spoke to you in English," Georgia answered. A puzzled look crossed her face even as she spoke. She wondered why Allah would speak in English. It dawned on her that all of the people there understood the exchange, so it couldn't have been English.
"I spoke in Farsi," Oscar said. The road seemed to be in much better shape where they were and he sped up a little.
"That's right. We're in Persia now," Georgia said. She thought about it for a second and then said, "Wait! I understood you too."
Oscar glanced over at Georgia and, in a very serious voice, said, "Don't forget that Allah is a God. Never forget that."
"What does that mean?"
"It means that you must never underestimate what Allah is capable of doing. People put the Powers That Be in little boxes thinking it gives them some control over them. They think that if they pray and do this or that, then the God or Goddess will do as they expect. It doesn't work that way.
"The Powers That Be are so powerful that they defy simple classification. They aren't forces of nature; they are the forces of nature. Their power can be as subtle as a gentle breeze on a beautiful day or as destructive as a category five hurricane. They deal with the entirety of the universe more than with the individual. There are no secrets that can be kept from them.
"We are so fragile in comparison. The merest whisper of their force directed towards us can pulverize our body. It doesn't even take a force like a hurricane to kill us. A lowly bacteria or virus can do it. Beside power such as that, we are nothing," Oscar answered.
"You make them sound terrifying," Georgia said looking at Oscar wide-eyed. She had never thought of the Gods and Goddess in that manner.
"They can be terrifying," Oscar said in reply.
"So why do you serve them?"
Oscar was silent for a minute while he thought about his answer. In a soft voice, he said, "Because they love us. Can you imagine that? We are so insignificant in comparison to them, but they love us just the same. They watch over us. They exert their powers to make our lives better despite how we treat them. As their servant, I am a part of that wondrous love that they extend to us pitiful little human beings."
His explanation left as many questions as it answered. She asked, "You suggested that we treat the Powers That Be worse than they treat us. What do you mean?"
Oscar answered, "How many times have you heard someone make a deal with God and break it? You know what I mean. God if you help me with this then I'll be a good little follower. Then they fail to keep their bargain. It is a daily occurrence. We are takers. We ask, beg, and demand that the Powers That Be act for us, while giving nothing in return.
"All they ask is that we follow a few rules that are for the betterment for everyone. We ignore those rules. We ignore the rules when they are in direct opposition to what we want. We try to cheat when it is too much effort to follow them. We are spoiled little children who defy their parents at every turn.
"Even worse, we insult them. We act in their names in manners that are against their wishes. We kill each other in the names of the Powers That Be. We stand by and watch horrible acts take place without stepping in to interfere. We curse them for the fact that they allow it even while we propagate it.
"If a person were to act in that fashion to us, we would consider them monsters and despise them. We would never tolerate a person who breaks promises, uses us with callous regard, and insults us at every turn. I can't imagine how most people would react to having their existence questioned."
The charges made by Oscar were accurate. Georgia thought about it for several minutes as they moved through the Iranian landscape. She finally asked, "So why do they love us?"
"That's a good question," Oscar answered. He pointed out the window and said, "We are entering the Lorestan region of Iran. There won't be much to see until we hit Dezful. There are a dozen or so little towns of less than five thousand people along the road. It's about 200 miles, but it will take us most of the day to get there."
"How do you know that we are in the Lorenstan region?" Georgia asked amazed at his familiarity with Iran.
"I read the sign," Oscar answered wondering why she hadn't noticed it. He had pointed it out to her when they had passed it.
Turning her attention out of the window, she noticed they were passing fields of some crop. She asked, "What are they growing here?"
"Wheat," Oscar answered thinking that Debbie would have recognized the plants right away. The contrast between the two women in his life was interesting. Georgia was raised in the city, but able to take the rough and tumble of life of living wild in the country. Debbie was raised in the country, but she was only comfortable living with all of the advantages of civilization.
"I don't think of Iran as producing much food," Georgia said looking across the fields of wheat.
"There's plenty of desert, too. We won't see much of it since we'll be driving along the coast."
"Will we get a chance to go swimming?" Georgia asked.
"We'll go skinny dipping a time or two. We'll have to be careful though since that is a crime," Oscar answered.
Shaking her head, Georgia said, "This area of the world sure is hard on women."
"Yes, but I doubt that will change as a result of our efforts. We are disturbing the status quo enough as it is," Oscar said.
"I wonder if you could ask when you are in the next mosque," Georgia said thinking that a few words from Allah could improve the lives of millions of women.
"I'm not going to ask that," Oscar said. Seeing the expression on her face, he turned to look at her and asked, "Suppose I did ask. What would happen if Allah reinforced the traditional treatment of women?"
"That would be horrible," Georgia said with a shiver. That would result in women in the more progressive Islamic parts of the world being repressed. Perhaps Oscar was right in his hesitancy to ask.
Nodding his head, Oscar said, "I think things will improve with time."
"Why?"
"Maybe by reducing the siege-like view of the world that Islam has
engendered, they might relax enough to treat their women better. They
cling to very extreme interpretations of the religion because they
believe that the Jews and Christians are out to eliminate them. Islam
doesn't require women to wear burkas. That is a cultural element
associated with protecting their women from the lusts and desires of
men," Oscar answered.