The Peacock 1992

Curiouser and curiouser"say I. "I assumed we would be staying at least a few days." "Following breakfast tomorrow", says Amaris, "We are to leave, all of us." "I am a bit annoyed", says Francois, " That we can't be magically teleported back to where we were abducted from." And he is visibly indignant right now, as I am also struggling to not feel. "That's the way it alway works", says Kenny. "The way he explained it to me, it is so we can re enter normal life more grounded in concrete reality. That's the way it's always been for me, because, like Amaris here, I also live part time outside of here." "You're still part of the real world?" say I. "Oh yes, but under a different name and identity of course because Kenny is now legally dead. I live three weeks every month in Duncan where I run a flower shop..."

The Peacock 1991

I don't know how this happened, but suddenly Kenny and I are both seated in comfy chairs facing each other in the library.  There are cases of shelved books in row after row after row, with little cubicles and covey holes of comfy chairs and tables.  Much like the Vancouver Public Library downtown, only way more elegant. "Weren't we just having dinner?" say I, and I am a little bit indignant that I left my dinner half eaten. "I am just as surprised as you are, Chris", he says wistfully.  "I have been here twenty-five years and I still haven't got used to this place.  "How about coming back with me?"  Right now Amaris is approaching us with a tray laden with three full plates of food.  She places them on the table next to us, then pulls up an empty chair for herself. "Jesus has given us three permission to leave here tomorrow", she says.  "He has given us five permission to leave tomorrow", announces Carl's voice as he and Francois place themselves in the two other chairs with their plates in their laps...

The Peacock 1890

"Will she be here for the rest of her life?" Francois asks our lord. "Amaris", he says, "How would you like to answer that?" She pauses, while scooping some Greek salad onto her plate, then after putting a kalamata olive into her mouth and spitting the pit onto her plate, says, "What is your will, my lord?" "When you visit your parents, remain there until you get the call to return.  If you have to wait longer than forty days, I will come to visit you there and then we can discuss your future.  Your service is invaluable to me, to us, but you do not have to be here to serve, nor to live in my presence.  I am with you always." "What about us?" says Jennifer.  "Why were we brought here?" "All the others from your household will be joining us here", says Jesus, then adds, turning to Carl, "Including your sister, Melissa, and your mother, Astrid."

The Peacock1987

What kind of trouble?" wonders Carl. "Just last night I was present at the crossfire between rival gang members in Surrey.  A young woman was waiting for a bus with her small daughter.  I took them both by the hand and walked them to safety." "Too bad you can't save everyone",says Carl, and his eyes are gleaming with devil's advocate. "Not everyone can or will be saved", interjects Jesus, "But at my table there is room for all." "One way or another they will find you", says Carl, softening his tone.  He has no other choice. "I suffered too", says our Lord.  "Lt is the road map of our humanity.  "Only through suffering are we made perfect.  Only through suffering do we find our way home.."  He breaks a slice of sourdough in half, hands one half to Maureen, then passes her the hummus dip...

The Peacock 1886

"That was when you changed your name", say I. "That was the name I gave her", corrects our lord.  "It has many meanings, symbolized by Amaris: Promised by God, given by God, child of the moon, beauty, loved and loving, bitter, strength builder, immortal." "But bitter..lord?" says Amaris. "There will always be for you a tinge of the horror you have passed for but that is the very bitterness that builds strength." Amaris resumes: "I packed some clothes and a few things that morning, left a note for my parents, then took the bus to the Tsawwassen Ferry.  I remembered the location of the beach.  I bussed a small distance from the ferry, then walked several kilometres to the beach where I waited for perhaps several hours.  I did not care.  I knew I was being called home."

The Peacock 1885

"You returned to your home after Stefan took care of you", says Mary.  "What happened?" "I told everyone to stop worrying about me.  I said I had been on a religious retreat and now my life is changed.  No one wanted to believe me.  My husband, an incurable atheist, was especially obstinate and we agreed to a divorce.  My family was a different story.  As staunch calvinist Dutch Christians, both my parents were particularly interested in what happened.  They could see the transformation in my life.  I also immediately resigned from my profession, and now I was stepping into a void.  My parents offered to harbour me in the family home if I wanted to train for something different.  Then the dreams began.  I had already forgotten most of what happened.  But  you, Jesus, here in your youthful form, you were summoning me from the physick garden behind the house.  Five times you appeared in my dreams, in as many nights.  The sixth time, you said I am greatly missed.  Then a full week passed, and on the seventh night you appeared in the seventh dream, and you said, "Amaris, come home..."

The Peacock 1884

"The first several weeks you were here, Amaris, you spent a great deal of time sleeping.  Then Peter found his way to us. He was then named Stefan.  Do you remember him?" "He took care of me.  He didn't drink the water.  I actually warned him not to.  And he was so good to me, cooking for me, cooking for us, because another man came to us, a very handsome man, blonde, and like me, completely lost because he had drunk the water of forgetfulness.  And Stefan stayed with us and cared for us.  And just now, it is all coming back to me.  He was the last client I dealt with before I vanished.  I was in a restaurant being interviewed by a journalist, a middle aged woman, named Pamela, or Persimmon, or something like that.  Then Stefan came in, broke in on the interview and began lambasting me for all the horrible things I was doing to him and others in the name of saving money for the government.  I left in a rage, and shortly after got a call from my friend in Victoria so the next day, I booked off from work, lying about a family emergency, and went to Victoria, and then it all happened."