Чужак в чужой стране

           SheisGodandbehavesaccordingly?onlyshedoesn’tknowwhoSheis."

           "Uhhuh,"heagreed."That’sourPat.ShebelievesitonlywhenItellher–withproperemphasis.But,Jill,thereareonlythreeplacestolook.Science–andIwastaughtmoreabouthowthephysicaluniverseisputtogetherwhileIwasstillinthenestthanhumanscientistscanyethandle.SomuchthatIcan’teventalktothem?evenaboutaselementaryagimmickaslevitation.I’mnotdisparaginghumanscientists?whattheydoandhowtheygoaboutitisjustasitshouldbe;Igrokthatfully.ButwhattheyareafterisnotwhatIamlookingfor–youdon’tgrokadesertbycountingitsgrainsofsand.Thenthere’sphilosophy–supposedtotackleeverything.Doesit?Allanyphilosopherevercomesoutwithisexactlywhatbewalkedinwith–exceptforthoseself-deluderswhoprovetheirassumptionsbytheirconclusions,inacircle.LikeKant.Likemanyothertail-chasers.Sotheanswer,ifit’sanywhere,oughttobehere."Hewavedatthepileofreligiousbooks."Onlyit’snot.Bitsandpiecesthatgroktrue,butneverapattern–orifthereisapattern,everytime,withoutfail,theyaskyoutotakethehardpartonfaith.Faith!WhatadirtyAnglo-Saxonmonosyllable–Jill,howdoesithappenthatyoudidn’tmentionthatonewhenyouwereteachingmethewordsthatmustn’tbeusedinpolitecompany?"

           Shesmiled."Mike,youjustmadeajoke."

           "Ididn’tmeanitasajoke?andIcan’tseethatit’sfunny.