Solomon's Private File #11
These stories about Stephen and Solomon take place starting in
1950's. Stephen wrote about his life in letters to a penpal, and then
in a secure blog, in case he lost his memory again, in the master
computer in his school for gifted students, which he started attending
in 2016 in a new incarnation, until his death. Now his son Solomon is
attending the same school, and is writing in his own secure blog for
his future incarnations.
All characters are fictitious, even if some of them might have names
that belong to some actual people, or act like people we know.
Solomon is 11 in this story, in the Summer of 2037.
Solomon's Private File #11 "More Religion at Camp"
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I went to the Jewish services a second time at camp. This time they
had a Cantor, and he was a very good singer. He really made the service
more interesting, more religious. After the service, the Rabbi wanted
to talk to me. The Cantor was with him, and some campers and
counselors. We said some polite things. Then he said, "Do you know
Hebrew?" I said, "Classical languages were part of my home schooling."
He said, "Greek and Latin, too?" I said, "Yes. And philosophy. That's
why I know about Buddhism already. The religious part of it is so
strange and so different between each kind, that hardly any Buddhist
takes that part of it very seriously." He grinned, and said, "I know
what you mean. With the popularity of Stephen, people are looking into
Buddhism, and discovering that." I said, "Did you know that in
Thailand, people like to wear a number of small statues of The Buddha
as a necklace? The really strange thing about that, is it has to be an
odd number of them, so if they argue about something between them,
there will always be a majority opinion." He laughed really well. He
said, "And here I thought that Thai Buddhism was the simplest." I said,
"One of the things people are really good at, is making simple things
less simple." He looked at me strangely.
He said, "You're unhappy. Your research, it didn't go well?" I had
some tears, which they politely ignored. I said, "They asked my
opinions. It made them think. They weren't used to that. I think I
changed them. Ruined them for their jobs." He said, "We Jews value
thinking. In fact, I think we like nothing better than debating
religion. Well, almost." I said, "Thinking about your wife?" He
laughed, and said, "Exactly!" I said, "Another difference. They could
laugh, but never at themselves. I think we should all do that
sometimes." He said, "Pardon me if I offend you, but to me, you feel
like a Jew." I stared to feel around myself. Before he laughed, I said,
"Oh, I think I should be feeling someplace else." They all laughed very
hard. He said, "With such a sense of humor, you have to be." I said,
"If you are happy with who you are, and really enjoy it, you have humor
automatically. Even bad things have some humor in them, if you look for
it. That can make the bad things not feel so bad. Attitude is
important." He said softly, "We Jews know that VERY well."
He said, "Would you tell us of your experiences with the other
religions?" I said, "It's not polite to say bad things about other
people and their religions. In public." He said, "I understand. Did you
have one of those bad opinions about us?" I grinned, and said, "Not
anymore!" I said to the Cantor, "Thank er, God you came today!" They
all laughed, the Rabbi the most. I said to the Cantor, "I mean it. Last
week it was nice, but a little boring. You made it come alive! I could
feel the words had more meaning. Thank you!" He had a tear, and was
very humble in his thanks. I said to the Rabbi, "If you want to know
more, it will have to be in private, and confidential." He said, "If
you give me a moment, I'll be right back." I nodded. I said to the
Cantor, "Do you sing in other er, places?" He said "I used to when I
was young. I don't have much time for that now. I have to earn a
living. Being a Cantor doesn't provide that." I said, "I'm sorry." He
said, "Do you sing?" I said, "But not in public. Girls would jump all
over me. I'm not ready for that." He tried not to laugh. The boys did,
and the girls looked interested. I waggled my finger at the girls and
said, "Don't get any ideas!" They all laughed.
The Rabbi came back, and said, "Oh, a rescue!" He grinned, and
motioned me to follow him. We went into an office. I told him what
happened with the other religions. He said, "First, I have to say you
have an unusual memory. I take it that was word for word?" I nodded. He
said, "You were right. You think, and well. They didn't, but if they
really change, I think it will be for the better. Will you choose?" I
said, "I don't think I can have any religion. How can I choose one over
another? I think it runs in my family. My father kinda wrote the book
on that." He looked confused. I said, "My name here, I chose it. It's
different in other places. You know about the Swiss bank accounts
Stephen gave to the B'nai B'rith?" He said, "I do. A great service!" I
said "He did it in honor of my birth. I am Solomon." He said, "Wow!" I
said, "We really DO hear that a lot." He had to laugh. I said, "You are
the first in America outside of my father's associates to know me as
who I am. I have permission. Please keep it a secret." He said, "Why?"
I said, "I know what you mean. Because I love you, and thought you
deserve to know. My father really respects love, and he loves how
you've treated me. You are the only adult in real world America who has
respected me as a person right from the beginning in meeting me, not
knowing who my parents are. Oh, and I don't have the special psionic
powers he has. They don't show up until later, if ever, and require a
lot of training to use them well."
He said, "I can see you are different from your father, but just as
good. I think I've loved you from when I first met you. I think most
Rabbis would. We really love intelligence and education." I said, "Do
you think that might be one of the reasons that Jews are still a little
resented by some not so smart people?" He nodded, and said, "Sounds
reasonable. We could debate it." I grinned, and said, "You would love
the people of Tibet. They debate everything at the drop of a funny
looking hat." He grinned. I said, "Oh, and even they think their
version of Buddhism is strange." He chuckled, and said, "But your
father is a Buddhist. Why not you?" I said, "Another secret?" He
nodded. I said "He's not of any religion of here and now, but is of all
of them as they were when they began. He even helped start some. He
can't choose one over the other, but he knows more about Buddhism than
any person in history, and he IS a Buddha, being fully enlightened.
They can sense that, so they made him one." I said with an Eastern
European Jewish accent, "Such an honor, he couldn't refuse." He
laughed, and reached out to hug me. I hugged him with my love. I let
him go. He said, "If I didn't believe before, I sure do now! Tell me,
why are you here?" I grinned, and he started to say something. I said
"Sorry, I had to do that." He laughed. I said "I'm in a summer camp
because it's required for all first termers at my father's school, to
go to a camp. To learn about regular people. To love them. To help us
to be fully human. I didn't know why before I came here, but I know it
now. Results show the reason. They don't do anything like this without
a very good reason." He said, "That I can understand."
I said, "We need non psionic people to be be our friends and ethical
advisors, to be all who we are. Will you be my friend?" He said, "Yes!"
I said "Thank you." We hugged with tears. I said "We'd better wipe our
faces, or they'll suspect you of being a Priest, and me an Altar boy."
He laughed really hard. We went out to the group. One of the girls said
to me, "PLEASE sing something." I said, "What, row row row your canoe?"
One of the boys told her, "He's the boy who saved that boy's life who
fell out of the canoe." She said, "Oh! I missed that. Was he really
the Rabbi, "They are discussing a surgical qualification to be Jewish.
But I wasn't circumcised. I was born that way. I tell you, if I could
have then, I would have felt mighty relieved!" They laughed. I said
"No, we will not be having a special viewing. It's not ready for
unusual attention yet." Two girls and one obviously gay boy, said
"Aww." I said "But when it is, I expect it to be well appreciated."
They really laughed.
The Rabbi said, "Will you be coming to more of our services?" I said,
"I would like to, but I would be too much of a distraction, and camp is
almost over. You're not rid of me, though." He smiled, and said, "I
understand. Enjoy the rest of camp." I said, "I plan to. Thank you for
allowing me to be with all of you in your faith." We said our
farewells, and the kids went out to join in the camp activities.
Later that night with Ed, while the others were asleep, he said,
"Finished your research on religions?" I said "For now, yes. Want the
memory as a push?" He said "You're not supposed to be able to do that!"
I poked him, and he giggled silently. He said, "Yes." I had already put
the memories together in a partition. I pushed the package at him. He
took it and almost yelled wow. He didn't expect I was so powerful. Then
he read the memories, and laughed silently. When he could, he said,
"You really screwed with them." I said, "Didn't deserve it?" He said.
"Oh, they did! Thank you for sharing." I said, "That's what brothers
are for." We hugged and kissed with love.
Camp is over now, and I'm at home, and so is Kam, back from her time
in Tibet. We talked a lot, privately, about our summer experiences. We
shared a lot of memories. We do that almost continuously, but it's fun
to do it in a serious way sometimes. I discussed with Dad my project on
maturity, and he was very interested. I'm going to set up some research
proposals soon.
In a family gathering, Chad announced, "Two of my offspring are going
to the school this year. That makes six so far." I said "That's not
fair. You had a head start, and you piggybacked on Dad's looks." He
said with a grin, "I agree, but done is done." I said "Still, it was a
good idea he had, for a sperm of the moment thing." They groaned and
laughed, and tickled me all over. It wasn't bad at all.
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Grant
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