TALES FROM THE CARIBBEAN

After Dave the Shark Boy rescued Rooster Barrack and the hungry Monk, he set his course towards the other side of the island where his Mom and Dad’s boats were anchored. His parents were separated; both had sail boats, and he enjoyed the freedom of staying on either boat.

After the dinghy and its three occupants left Superstition Bay, the Voodoo Shaman and his understudy arrived from the opposite direction. The Shaman and his apprentice were after puffer fish whose neurotoxin is a secret ingredient in their zombie formula. The shaman discovered two sets of tracks coming from the jungle, across the beech, and into the water. One set of tracks was unmistakable, they belonged to that devil rooster whose big feet and extra dew claws are unique but the other tracks belonged to a barefooted white man. It was obvious the human prints were made by a white man because they were towed out. Native people’s feet were pigeon towed or slightly towed in:  When they walked, they pushed off the ball of their foot instead of their big toe, because it harnessed more power and relieved stress on their great toe. The shaman twirled his dreadlocks and studied the one-way tracks. How could these tracks go into the water and not come out? Devil rooster must have infuriated the gods on Superstition Mountain and one of them, disguised as a white man, must have chased him into the bay.

Meanwhile as Shark Boy’s dinghy climbed and descended one wave at a time on their way home, the Monk asked, “Do you believe in God?” Barrack said, “Cockle-doodle-do” and Shark boy responded, “Big Jessie said, “God was created in the mind of man and not the other way around; if a cow painted a picture of God; He would have horns.”

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The Monk said, “My son, there’s only two creators in this world, God and man. This dinghy, its motor, fishing poles, snorkel and spear gun first began as a thought in the mind of man. All other things in our universe, including us first began as a thought in the mind of God.”

Shark Boy said, “Don’t call me son; my name is Dave and can you prove that God exists?”

The Monk said, “No, but we can prove it to ourselves by doing a few simple daily actions,” and you can call me Brother Lamb, which is short for my full name, which is Lambini.

“Like what things,” asked Dave.

The monk said, “First, we must admit that we are not God. Can human beings create a tree, a fish, or any other living things, even microscopic bacteria? Evoked or not, God is there. Closer is He than breathing, and nearer than hands and feet.”

“So you say Lambini, but if there’s a God why do innocent children get abducted and murdered?”

Lambini replied, “Just as there are but two creators on this earth, there are also but two wills: man’s will and God’s will. God gave human beings free will and He will not take it back even if they use it to murder themselves or, others! Most bad things happen because of the ill-use of human will.

“But in doing God’s will is our peace. We must learn to say to God, ‘Thy will not mine be done.’ Do not confuse the ill-use of man’s will with God’s intentional will, His circumstantial will or, His ultimate will.”

“So you say Lambini,” Dave replied.

Lambini refused to argue any further. “I’m starving; it’s been day’s since I’ve eaten, do you have anything to eat?”

Shark Boy said, “Only lazy fools, and beggars go hungry when there’s food all around and beneath them. We’re over a reef right now. I won’t feed you, but I will teach you how to fish.” To be continued…