Chapter 20
The Church of St John the Baptist is one of the oldest churches in Jerusalem. It was the site of the founding of the Knights of the Hospital of St. John. The order of knights, better known by the name of Hospitallers, was established to provide health care for poor and sick pilgrims to the Holy Land in 1080 AD. It was here that the Reverend Leroy Jones spent the night in prayer.
Founded in 1200, the Ramban Synagogue was the first Jewish presence in Jerusalem's Old City after the exile of 135AD. It was destroyed after the Arab-Israeli War of 1948 and reopened after the Six-Day War when the Jews regained their right to the property. It was here that Rabbi Teitelbaum spent the night reading the Torah.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque was built in 692AD on the site where it is believed that Muhammad ascended to heaven to receive from Allah the sacred prayers that all Muslims were to repeat every day. Located next to the Dome of the Rock, it is the third most revered Mosque in Islam. It was here that Imam Abdel-Malik spent the night prostrate on the floor in total submission to Allah.
Jewish tradition says that the Messiah will enter Jerusalem through the Golden Gate. To prevent that from ever happening, it was sealed by Sultan Suleiman I of the Ottoman Empire. In addition, a Muslim cemetery was built just outside the gate in the belief that the precursor prophet to the Messiah would not be able to pass through it. It was here, tucked under the arch of the gate, that Oscar Meyers spent the night watching the stars.
There is a building with rooms for rent that stands across the street from the Western Wall of the Temple of Solomon. One can stand at the window and see the area in front of the Wailing Wall. It was here that Georgia and Debbie spent the night looking through the window. With their thoughts on Oscar, they found little rest or comfort there.
"You're here," Oscar said when a shadow fell on him as the body of a grotesquely fat man blocked the light of the rising sun.
"Did you think I would not come?" asked the Two-Sided One.
"I knew you would come," Oscar said with a sad smile.
"Do you know why I'm here?"
Nodding his head, Oscar answered, "Yes. You are here to offer me a chance to change my mind."
Slowly morphing into a woman, the Two-Sided One said, "Before I ask, I want you to use your gift to look into the future and see what your life would be like if you choose to walk away."
Raising an eyebrow, Oscar looked up at the Two-Sided One. He licked his lips and said, "I don't want to do that."
"Your decision must be informed," the Two-Sided One said.
His resolution sapped by the future that he had seen, Oscar stood up and looked back at the city of Jerusalem. He felt a little guilty about his decision, but headed towards where he had parked the Land Roamer the previous evening. It was with a heavy heart that he walked to the car. He climbed in and drove towards the airport where the jet that would take him and his wives to Bermuda was waiting. On the way, he pulled out the cell phone and dialed the number for Debbie. When she answered, he said, "Hello, Debbie. I'll meet you and Georgia at the airport."
There was a long moment of silence on the other end of the phone. Debbie said, "You decided not to do it?"
"Yes," Oscar answered feeling a tight sensation in his stomach. It hurt to admit it aloud. There was just too much to live for and he wasn't ready to throw it all away.
"We'll meet you there," Debbie said.
"Great," Oscar said. They exchanged goodbyes before he hung up the phone. The traffic to the airport wasn't bad that morning. When he got aboard the plane, he removed the robe and put on a pair of blue jeans and a shirt. He never put the robe on again.
Oscar, Debbie, and Georgia looked around the house that was likely to become their temporary home in the Ozarks. Using the money that William had made from Oscar's initial investment, they were looking to purchase a place to live in while their dream house was being built. They had already identified the property on which the house was to be built.
The real estate agent, sensing a big sale that would only be lost by using high pressure tactics, stood back and let them walk around the house. This house was available for a quick sale and could be closed on within forty-eight hours. She stayed close in case they had any questions. So far, they hadn't asked her anything about the house.
Georgia and Debbie held hands as they watched Oscar looking out the window of the living room at the view outside. He'd been quiet since leaving the Middle East. They hoped that the news they had would cheer him up a little. Smiling, Georgia said, "We have some news for you."
"What?" Oscar asked knowing what they were about to tell him, but not wanting to spoil their surprise. He still had the ability to see the future.
"We're both pregnant," Debbie said feeling Georgia squeeze her hand. They had bought a pregnancy test from the pharmacy. The results were positive, but hadn't been verified by a doctor yet.
"That's great," Oscar said. He moved over to the two women and pulled them into a nice three-way hug. It felt good to hold them like that. He sighed at the thought that if he had gone through with the original plan that he'd have never had a chance to hold them like that again.
When the hug broke up, Debbie said, "It looks like we got pregnant at Petra."
Oscar nodded his head and said, "That was a wonderful night."
"Yes, it was," Georgia said. She was pleased to know that Oscar would be there to help her raise her baby.
Faltering for a second, Debbie said, "I'm so glad that you're here to see our children grow up."
"So am I," Oscar said. There was a small twinge of guilt that nagged at him for having walked away from his destiny. Still, he was going to get to watch his children grow up.
The real estate agent listened to the conversation without comment. She didn't particularly approve of the fact that he was going to be the father of children by two different women, but she wasn't going to say anything that would jeopardize the sale. She would make sure that once the sale was completed that the fine religious folks of the area wouldn't have anything to do with them.
Not having any possessions other than the clothes on their backs, Debbie and Georgia went on a shopping spree in the nearest large town. With the purchase of a new house, there was a lot that had to be purchased. The most obvious need was for furniture and there were three rooms that had to be furnished. This included the bedroom, the living room, and the dining room. Since Oscar had declared that money was no object, they bought the items they wanted at the highest quality they found.
It was the kitchen that required the most amount of time and money to stock. Pots, pans, baking ware, dishes, silverware, spatulas, oven mitts, detergent, and labor saving gadgets of all kinds were required. Debbie and Georgia got all of the essentials necessary for a functional kitchen.
In an attempt to get Oscar out of the way, they sent him off to get the electric appliances. He spent three hours picking up blenders, coffee pots, bread makers, mixers, ice cream makers, electric can openers, waffle makers, microwave ovens, mini-refrigerators, and every other device in the store. Since there were three of them, he bought three of each type of item. He did vary the brands, though.
Georgia and Debbie found it difficult to keep a straight face when they saw the truckload of gear Oscar had purchased. Rather than return it, they decided to store the extras in case anything broke down. It was years before they needed to use one of the extras.
They did buy a top of the line home entertainment center with a large flat screen television. After watching the news several times, Oscar took out the television and placed it by the curb. One of the neighbors down the street saw the television and picked it up before Debbie or Georgia had even known it was gone. It was never replaced.
Oscar was seated in the waiting room of the OBGYN while Georgia and Debbie took turns with the doctor. He looked up when they both came out together and looked at him. Both women looked a little stunned. He asked, "What's the matter? Is everything okay?"
With a hand pressed against her belly, Debbie answered, "I'm going to have twins."
"I'm going to have twins, too," Georgia said.
Happy about the news, Oscar got up and walked over to the pair. He hugged them and said, "That's wonderful."
"Twins," Georgia echoed unable to get over the shock of the news.
"Yeah, twins," Debbie said looking over at Georgia thinking that it wasn't random chance for both of them to be expecting twins.
Six months passed before the dream house was finished. Discovering that both of the women were expecting twins had required some minor changes in the original plans for the house. That had set back the construction schedule. Debbie and Georgia had overseen the construction making sure that each and every detail was perfect. That had set back the construction schedule even more.
Located on ten wooded acres, it was pretty isolated from other houses in the area. The house was set far enough back from the road that it was only visible to passersby in the middle of winter when all of the trees lost their leaves. It was a magnificent house, but without being ostentatious. It made use of the landscape to enhance the quality of life.
From the living room, they could see the river that ran along the back of their property. There was a perfect spot for a dock just a short walk from the patio. The river was deep enough that they could go swimming and wouldn't need to build a swimming pool. There was a large backyard. It would require a lot of work before it would be beautiful, but it had lots of potential.
It was moving day and their furniture was being brought in by the movers that Oscar had hired. They had brought in the furniture first and the movers positioned everything under the watchful eyes of the wives. It still wasn't perfect though and the two women had Oscar moving things a few inches this way and that.
Wrestling the couch into position, Oscar looked over at his two wives. Their bellies were definitely advertising the fact that they were expecting twins. He smiled while adjusting the position of the couch by a few inches to give them a view of their backyard. He said, "They finished the house just in time."
"I was afraid that we'd be giving birth before moving in here," Debbie said. She waddled around the couch and slowly lowered herself into it. She was joined by Georgia who plopped onto the couch a little harder than intended. It was hard to be graceful with a swollen stomach.
"I know what you mean," Oscar said. He turned in time to watch a moving man carry a box labeled kitchen through the room. He said, "One of you might want to go in the kitchen and supervise the unpacking."
"That's it. You get us pregnant and then send us to the kitchen," Debbie said with a little laugh.
"I'll be glad to go in the kitchen," Oscar said with a smile.
Recalling how disasters always occurred when Oscar entered the kitchen, Georgia was about to comment on the meaning of Apocalypse being Oscar in the kitchen. Instead, she said, "No, I'll go. I'm not taking off my shoes, though."
Debbie laughed at the joke. She turned to Oscar and asked, "Do you want to supervise the unpacking of the bedroom or the living room?"
"I think the living room would be best," Oscar said. He knew that the women had very definite ideas on how they wanted to decorate the bedroom.
Both women gave birth to a boy and girl within minutes of each other. Oscar stared down at the four babies amazed at the miracle they represented. They had perfect little fingers and toes. Oscar had checked out the genital area just to make sure that they were anatomically correct. The wives had a slight, but justifiable, fear that they'd be giving birth to Hermaphrodites.
The trio had discussed names for months without coming to a decision. Now that the babies were born, it was time to give them names. The nurse stood waiting impatiently with the form in hand. After weeks of arguments, the wives had left the choice of names to him. Selecting names that they had never discussed, he turned to the nurse and said, "Georgia's babies will be named Gloria Deborah Meyers and Mark Oscar Meyers. Debbie's babies will be named Marjorie Georgia Meyers and Patrick Oscar Meyers."
When he broke the news to the wives, Debbie was ecstatic. She said, "I never thought of naming them after my parents."
"My mom and dad are going to be so happy," Georgia said with a smile. Her parents had been afraid that neither of their daughters would ever get married and now they had grandchildren named after them.
"I'm glad that you like the names," Oscar said please with his choice of names. He looked at the babies thinking that if he had faced the mob, that he would never have had a chance to see them.
Life at the Meyers' household was simple. Although Debbie had wanted to work, there wasn't a place nearby that required her expertise. Georgia had never really planned for a career beyond working in an office. Not really wanting to return to office work, Georgia was just as happy staying at home. Oscar had no interest in working. With the money from his original investment, there was no need for them to work.
Oscar spent most of his time watching and playing with the kids. When he wasn't busy with them, he worked around the house. He built a very sturdy dock on the river with room for two boats. The family spent many hours every day of the summer swimming in the river. When the kids got old enough, they would spend entire days paddling canoes up and down the river.
A very significant amount of Oscar's time was spent working in the garden. He laid gravel paths that allowed pleasant walks through the garden and the woods behind the house. He raised plants in a green house for planting in the garden. From early spring to late fall, the house was surrounded by flowers. There were little statues, ponds, and fountains scattered around the place.
When the weather was nice, the family spent time on the patio enjoying the garden. Surrounded by flowers like they were, butterflies and hummingbirds were a common sight. Rabbits, squirrels, and chipmunks visited the garden. Oscar particularly enjoyed watching the little chipmunks. It was a little slice of Eden hidden away from a very troubled and dangerous world.
Occasionally at night, Oscar, Debbie, and Georgia would take a walk along one of the paths that Oscar had cut through the woods. They would stop in a clearing by the path and make love under the stars. The relationship among the three had remained very loving.
The children grew up so fast that it amazed Oscar. It seemed to him like they had been born and then the next day they were dating. The boys had grown to be taller than him by a good eight inches. The girls took after their mothers and turned into beautiful young women. Oscar was glad than none of them had inherited what he called his clumsy gene.
They raised the children in a manner consistent with the Druid rules, but Oscar never discussed his Druid past with the children. His wives respected his decision and didn't discuss it with them. That meant that they didn't talk much about their pasts, as well. The kids knew very little about their parents, but loved them. The official story was that Oscar had won some money and had invested it wisely.
The only time the kids suspected that there was something significant about Oscar's past was whenever he discussed the Druid rules. They noticed that his voice always broke when he talked about protecting the weak from the strong. It was only a suspicion though and it disappeared over time.
Standing at the door, he watched the four children head out on a quadruple date. It was strange, he knew, but the four of them did everything together. Looking over at Georgia, he said, "They grew up so fast."
"I know," she answered.
Debbie said, "They'll be going off to college soon."
Oscar nodded his head and said, "State has a nice program. Do you think they should apply there?"
Debbie frowned at the idea. Rather than suggest an alternative, she said, "State would be good. We could rent a house just off campus for them to live in while they are there."
"Why don't we buy a house? When they graduate, we'll give it to them as a graduation present and they can rent it out to other students," Oscar said.
"That's a nice idea," Georgia said quietly. She looked over at Debbie knowing that she had wanted them to go to the Druid College.
After graduating college, the kids met the loves of their lives and got married in a simple ceremony. Like most young married folks, they moved away from home returning to visit on holidays. The house seemed empty without them. Oscar spent most of his time in the garden. It had become one of the most spectacular gardens in the country, but no one really knew it existed. Oscar and his wives kept to themselves and didn't entertain.
Sitting at the patio table one summer morning, Georgia asked, "Do you miss traveling around?"
"Not really," Oscar answered. He'd seen a lot of the world and didn't feel the need to see more of it. The fact was that he enjoyed the simple life of leisure they lived.
Disappointed, Debbie didn't say a word. Georgia looked over at her and shrugged her shoulders. Debbie said, "I guess you're afraid that someone will recognize you."
"Yes, I guess I am," Oscar said with a shrug of his shoulders. He added, "I'd rather not risk it."
Time passed without much of anything substantial or significant happening. The trio slowly aged and watched as the seasons passed in the Ozarks. Their hair turned gray and their skin sagged. The land around their property was turned into vacation homes. None of the transient neighbors gave much thought to the threesome.
One day while Oscar was out in the garden tending the plants, the wives were having a quiet tea. Breaking the silence, Georgia said, "Merv."
"What?" Debbie asked looking at her wife.
Georgia said, "I was just thinking. Oscar is a lot like Merv. For a time he was the most important person in the world, but he passed into obscurity just like the ancient city of Merv. No one will remember him except for us."
"I don't blame him for walking away from Jerusalem," Debbie said automatically defending his decision.
"I don't either," Georgia said. She looked down at her teacup for a few seconds before she added, "I can't imagine what life would have been without him in our lives."
One morning Oscar didn't wake up. He had passed away in his sleep. After a simple burial ceremony attended only by the closest family, the wives sold the house and moved to New York City.
Oscar looked up at the Two-Sided One with tears in his eyes. The obscenely fat man asked, "Will you go sacrifice yourself or will you leave here to live a long life with your family?"
"Why did you show me that?" Oscar asked. He had no doubts that he had seen the future he would live if he chose to walk away.
"You need to know what it is that you'll be giving up if you walk into Jerusalem," the Two-Sided One said.
"It was the devil that tempted Christ," Oscar said with a short bark of a laugh.
Raising an eyebrow, the Two-Sided One asked, "Are you sure of that?"
"Not really," Oscar admitted. He didn't think a God would trick someone into giving up everything.
"So what is your decision?"
Oscar was silent for a long time. He looked at the Two-Sided One and
then back at Jerusalem. Death was waiting for him in that direction. He
looked towards where his Land Roamer was parked. A long tranquil life
was waiting for him in that direction. Finally, he said, "I will walk
into Jerusalem and face the mob."