Ark (18 page)

Lou was acting pleasant enough now, but his words earlier in the day still hurt. Having his friend come down so hard on him made Jim feel betrayed. Jim tucked into his work for the rest of the day, saying very little to Lou. Jim worked hard, pushing himself to prove Lou wrong. By day’s end he’d done a mountain of work, but Lou didn’t comment. He didn’t even seem to notice.

Lou left the studio at the end of the day without saying goodbye. Jim heard him shut off his radio, and a few moments later he heard the front door close. Jim sighed, turned off his computer, and got up. The studio seemed cold and empty. He stared through the Raftworks lettering that decorated the front window. The street was wet and a steady drizzle promised bumper to bumper traffic all the way home.

His tiff with Lou made him reassess their relationship during the last few weeks. How had it gone so sour without Jim noticing? Sure, Lou was a consummate grump – always had been – but this was different. It was anger and resentment that he felt from Lou, something he’d never felt before, and it nagged at him.

Would Lou allow their relationship to fall apart? Once he would have said that such a thing was impossible. They had gone through too much together. Now, as he stared out the window at the rain, Jim had to admit that he wasn’t sure of anything any more. He put on his jacket and left the studio, hoping that tomorrow he’d find Lou in a better mood.

When Jim got home he felt glad to be among allies. They ate a pleasant meal together, then Stephie announced that she had a party to go to. Jim and Kas went to the family room and turned on the TV. While they watched the news channel, Jim filled her in on the events of the day.

Kas was delighted to hear that John had invited them up to Mt. Kisco for the weekend. “This time we get to see the horses,” she said, “and I get to spend time in the hot tub. Unless, of course, those women are hogging it,” she added with a cute wink.

Jim was pleased that Kas had a sense of humor about it, but he assured her that Suzie and Arlene wouldn’t be there.

Bored with the news, Kas switched the TV to the educational station where they found a show called Ancient Legends of the Bible. The segment that night was about the Ark of the Covenant. Jim looked at Kas in surprise. “Small world,” he said.

Kas was going to change the channel but Jim objected. “Let’s see what they say.”

“What can they tell you that you don’t already know?” she said, picking up the TV guide.

“Let’s see what they say.”

Kas groaned. “I’d think you’d be sick of all that by now.”

“Let’s just see what they say,” repeated Jim.

The show focused mostly on theories concerning the fate of the original ark and the problems inherent in doing archeological excavations in Jerusalem. Most biblical historians believed the ark was buried under the temple mount, which was now under Muslim control. It described how two rabbis had secretly tunneled under the Mount to find the ark, but they were stopped by the Muslim authorities and the tunnel was sealed. Jim was tantalized by the story, commenting to Kas that he’d love to explore the tunnel for himself.

The show examined the city of Axum in Ethiopia, where some experts insist the ark is hidden, protected by a priesthood that allows no one but a chosen representative to enter the temple where the ark is presumably kept.

When the show ended Jim told Kas that Gene had been to Axum in an attempt to get the guardians of the ark to verify Jim’s sketches. “He had no luck,” he said. “I suspect it was one of the most frustrating moments in Gene’s life when he waved the drawings under the nose of the high priest, only to be ignored completely.”

“Where do you think the ark is?” asked Kas.

“I’d choose the Temple Mount,” said Jim. “Jerusalem is, after all, the holiest city in the world. It’s the center of three great religions.”

“I think it’s all mythology,” said Kas. “The minister at our church believes that the ark was spirited up to Heaven.”

Jim was pleased and surprised that Kas had enough interest in Jim’s research to ask her church’s minister about it. “Why does he think that it was taken to Heaven?”

“He said that the prophet, St. John, saw it there during his rapture.”

“It was a physical object,” said Jim. “Of all the possible places it could be hiding, why choose Heaven?”

“I’m just telling you what he said,” said Kas. “I don’t want to argue about it.”

“I know. I was just responding to what your minister said.”

“Okay,” said Kas, “I’ve heard enough about the ark to last a lifetime.”

“But the mystery remains,” said Jim. “That’s why I can’t let it go.”

He told Kas how Lou was acting that day in the office and how frustrated he was because of it.

“It’s like I’m on this path and I can’t get off of it,” he said. “Sure, I suppose it seems like I’m obsessed about it, but there’s a reason for that. Every time I get so I can back away from the subject, something happens to drag me in again. Take this evening. I swore to myself that I was going to leave the subject alone and just have a restful evening with you and Stephie. But what happens? She goes out. We turn on the tube and there’s the ark, staring me in the face again.”

“It’s no different from a book, Jim,” said Kas. “If you don’t like it, just close the cover and put it away. No one is asking you to give a major portion of your life to the subject. No one but you, that is. Besides,” she added. “It’s only natural to seek the answer to a mystery. That’s the way the mind works. Unanswered questions or mysteries hang in the back of our minds until we find an answer.”

“Then you do understand. So why ...”

“Jim, you aren’t going to solve this mystery. It’s one that goes back four thousand years. It’s crazy to think that, after so many people have tried, you’ll be the one to solve it.”

Jim thought about what she’d said. For the second time that day, he felt bad about himself.

Anger grew inside him. “I don’t know why everyone is on my case about this,” he said. “I hear guys obsessing about sports all the time and nobody complains. Now Lou is pissed off at me. Why? What have I done that’s so bad?”

“Claire says you’re leaving all the creative work to Lou.”

Jim knew she was right. He’d contributed very few ideas to the Super Sunday job. He could recall feeling relief when Lou came up with all his creative ideas, but he didn’t feel guilty because he’d done a lot of the actual work. Besides, the Super Sunday materials were nearly completed, not only on schedule but ahead of schedule. Jim had made that happen, not Lou. When he pointed that out to Kas, she was unmoved. “I guess the point is, what happens next?” she said. “I’m sure Lou feels pressured as the idea guy. What if he doesn’t have any ideas next time? Then what?”

“Lou thinks he already has the answer to that one.”

“But what’s your answer?” asked Kas.

Jim shrugged. “I’m doing the best I can.”

Woolsey entered the room and walked over to Jim with his head down.

“What’s the matter, puppy?” asked Jim. The dog put his chin on Jim’s knee and looked up at him with wide mournful eyes.

He stroked the dog, digging his fingers into his long fur. Woolsey’s hind leg made involuntary scratching motions.

“Look, Kas,” said Jim, “all I can promise is to do my best. I won’t let this ark thing get the better of me. I’ll be there for you and for the Raftworks. You’ll see.”

#

That night, while deeply asleep, Jim met the archangel Gabriel. In the dream he was in his studio working on the computer when he wanted to ask Lou a question. He walked into the front room and noticed that Lou had grown an immense pair of wings. Other than that, though, it was Lou, seated normally at his computer working on a digital image.

As Jim approached Lou turned to face him. His eyes glowed yellow orange, like burning coals.

“You’re not Lou,” said Jim. “You’re Gabriel, the archangel, aren’t you?”

“You noticed the wings.”

Jim laughed. “How could I miss them? They’re huge.”

“What do you think of the art?” said Gabriel, pointing to Lou’s computer screen.

Jim studied the image on the screen and realized that it wasn’t a flat screen at all but a window that looked out on the Universe. Stars, comets, planets and swirls of gas moved slowly around.

“Wow,” said Jim. “That’s new. Is that your idea?”

Gabriel laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous, Jimbo,” he said as his eyes flashed with light, “there are no new ideas.”

Gabriel got up and floated to a file cabinet. He opened it and pulled out a golden electric guitar. He put the strap over his shoulder and began to play
Spirit in the Sky,
complete with rhythm track.

Jim awoke to the sound of his clock radio playing the same tune.

“Time to face the music,” he muttered.

During his shower Jim pondered the dream and laughed, and when he got to work he collared Lou and insisted they have a talk.

Lou was apologetic. “I guess I was kind of hard on you yesterday, huh? I had a bad headache all day.”

“Lou,” said Jim. “We’ve known each other too long. What you said yesterday hurt a lot. I won’t lie to you about that. Bu everything you said was true. I admit it. And you’re right, I haven’t been full of creative ideas lately.”

Lou was never good at sit-down-work-it-out talks, but he expected this discussion. Jim hated it when problems were left unresolved, and typically it was Jim doing the resolving. Still, he knew he had a legitimate grievance and didn’t give an inch. He listened until Jim finished explaining. “So what are you going to do about it, Jimbo?”

“It’s still the ark project. It dogs me like a wound. I talked to Kas last night about it and we both agreed that it would be better if I didn’t talk about the ark project with my friends. Nobody’s interested in it but me anyway.”

Lou smiled. “You can live with that?”

“I guess I’ll have to, won’t I?”

Lou shook his head. “Jim, I don’t mind hearing about it as much as I fear what it’s doing to your head. It’s fucking you up, man. Can’t you see that?”

Jim nodded.

“I was going to suggest a shrink,” continued Lou, “but maybe that’s not necessary. You just have to get behind the Raftworks more. I need your spark.”

“Maybe a shrink isn’t a bad idea,” commented Jim. “Believe me, Lou, his thing has been much harder on me than anyone else.”

Then Jim told Lou about the dream.

“Me as an angel? That’s fucked up.”

“Not only an angel, but the archangel Gabriel.”

“I like the part about the wings,” he added, “and that bit about ‘no new ideas,’ Weird dreams you’re having there, Jimbo. Say, what is an archangel anyway?”

“They’re the head angels. Top guns in Heaven, you might say,” Jim said with a smile.

“Any significance to the one you said? What was his name?”

“Gabriel,” said Jim. “All I know is that he’s the angel that blows his horn, heralding things like the birth of Jesus ... Judgment Day.”

“Judgment Day? Whoooa,” said Lou. He seemed to be in a better mood now that Jim had cleared the air. “I guess I should take that as a compliment.”

“May as well,” said Jim. “I don’t know what the dream means.”

Lou sat back in his swivel chair, reached over to his keyboard and saved the document he’d been working on. “So you think you can keep this whole Bible thing at arm’s length, do you?”

“I have to, don’t I?”

“I guess so. You don’t want the business to go to Hell, either,” said Lou. “That’s the bottom line, huh?”

It was the bottom line. Perhaps more like the end of the road. He used to talk to Lou about everything. Now, for the first time, there was a subject that they wouldn’t and couldn’t touch.

Jim had always been an open book. His face spoke volumes about his feelings. All his life, he had tried to learn to keep things to himself, but somehow his friends always knew his concerns. He knew when Gene told him about the secrecy issue, that it would be a challenge. Now, at least, he had two good reasons to keep the subject of the ark out of his conversation, and now that he was getting used to the idea, he didn’t mind. It would be good practice.

Jim called John Wilcox’s office that afternoon and left a message that he, Kas, and Stephanie would be happy to accept the weekend invitation. John called Jim at home that evening to confirm. He sounded more charming than ever. He even invited the Wilson clan to even bring their dog.

The next day Jim felt compelled to call Gene, just to clarify what was happening with John. He was surprised to be forwarded immediately to Gene’s private line and to have Gene sound even more enthusiastic than John.

“Just to touch base, Gene, and mention that we’ll be visiting John this weekend. John even said to bring the dog. He’s certainly being chummy.”

“I spoke to him like I said I would,” said Gene. “I convinced him that we need your viewpoint as an artist – your intuition, you might say.”

“I appreciate that.”

Then came a long pause in their conversation when neither of them knew what to say next.

Jim broke the silence. “Will you be in Mt. Kisco – at John’s – this weekend too?”

“I have to work,” said Gene. “Besides, John felt that he wanted to talk to you alone. He wanted to meet your family. Stephie, you know.”

There was another long pause before Gene spoke again, his voice more hushed and urgent, “This thing is fantastic, Jim. You should be there.”

“Where,” said Jim. “What are you talking about?”

“Talk to John.”

#

Nature provided the Wilsons a perfect weekend. The early summer was still cool enough to be invigorating but warm enough to invite almost any activity. John gave them the run of his estate. He’d even whispered to Jim when they’d arrived that the girls were safely at a distance, cruising bars and breaking hearts in Boca Raton.

“Can’t say I’m all that pleased, John. After all I did spend some time convincing Kas how hard it was to say no.”

“Be careful what you wish for, Jim,” said John with a laugh.

Stephie loved the horses and so did Kas, and both of them appreciated the helping hand of Aaron. While Jim and John had their meeting, the three of them rode the sun dappled forest trails of John’s enormous estate.