Destiny Debate

This is a scene written for an assignment, a dialogue, in this case about reincarnation.

 

Destiny Debate

 

                “I’m finally going to do it.” Ron determined.

                “Finally going to do what?” asked Howard.

                Ron gestured down in a meaningful way, as much as anyone in his condition could gesture. “Oh… you mean go back.” Howard said while giving the best disapproving look he could manage. He wasn’t surprised by this remark, after all, how long have they been having this conversation?

                “You don’t think I should, do you?” Ron accused, doing his best to fidget nervously.

                “I know that I don’t need to go back. I think you don’t really need to either, but the decision is ultimately up to you. We’ve been over this before.” Howard stated, sighing a bit.

                “We have? Well, yes, I guess I have considered this before…” Ron quibbled.

                “About a million times…” Howard muttered, trying to seem too busy to discuss the topic.

                “Well, is there a crime in trying to be sure of your mind before making a big decision?” Ron justified. He knew that his fretting would need to come to some conclusion but when it came down to it the final leap was always so difficult.

                “It wouldn’t be so bad if you could just admit that you’re indecisive and you’re just going to wait for someone else to make up your mind for you.” Howard replied. “You’re just going through the same song and dance you always do, waiting for me to tell you to go.”

                “I am not indecisive! I am merely cautious. Furthermore I am perfectly capable of making this decision on my own, thank you!” said Ron, becoming a bit indignant.

                “If you were perfectly capable of deciding on your own, why do you always ask me? You’re a hopeless case, that’s why they keep sending you back here.” Howard finished. He hated to be harsh with Ron but sometimes a person can only take so much waffling.

                “Ending up here has nothing to do with whether or not I am decisive. He has a plan for me, which apparently requires…, err…repetitive lessons?” Ron questioned to no one in particular.

                “De-NI-al!” sang out Howard.

                “What?”

                “Denial, as in you are in it. As in: “it ain’t just a river in Egypt, baby!” Denial.” Howard clarified.

                “Denial? I’m not in denial!” Ron stated with a nervous outrage.

                “Ha! Denying you’re in denial!” Howard laughed with triumph.

                “But, but, I can’t be in denial. In my last life I was a therapist for Chr…His sakes!”

                “Ha, ha, therapists are some of the craziest people I know.” Howard mused. “Anyway you can’t get around it, it’s a little like being a confirmed Agnostic.”

                “That never stopped you, my friend. I meant to ask, now that we’ve been through the line for reincarnation, what is it…? Twenty-seven times now?”

                “Yeah, about that.” He conceded.

                “Have you changed your mind? Will you finally admit He exists?” Ron asked, momentarily distracted.

                “Don’t know yet, all this time I’ve still never met the guy. Another thing, if He is there, why do I let you talk me into going back with you every single time?”

                “Maybe you’re a part of my plan? I mean His plan… but for me.” Ron reached.

                “Yeah, and maybe you just need a chaperone.” Howard grumbled. “Anyway, I’m done. That last go ‘round was a doozy, that was enough life lessons for anyone’s existence.”

                “Oh yeah, you had a rough time with that man… oh and all those little babies you had. Was it seven in the end?” Ron wondered.

                “Yup, looking back it was interesting being a woman. Not so interesting watching my husband and all those kids go on ahead of me though. That’s why I decided to take the form of one of my previous selves; even here it’s hard to think about.” Howard replied. “I was hoping I’d see them here, but just like all the other times I met you.”

                “I feel for you Howard, but don’t sound so disappointed…” Ron trailed off.

                “I’m not disappointed exactly, it just makes me wonder. What’s the point of all this?” Howard waxed philosophic for a moment and then it passed. “Na, it’s got to just boil down to physics. Somewhere in the Superstrings, Unified Fields and Gravitational Mechanics, it all just comes to undeniable force; just an undeniable force with its own agenda, scattering us across the cosmos…undeniable force.” Howard tapered off.

                “Sounds like my ex-wife” Ron replied, chuckling a bit at his own joke.

                “That’s not funny Ron.” Howard was smiling a bit in spite of himself.

                “That’s what she said…” At this Ron couldn’t help cracking up completely and Howard laughed from where his belly would have been. After several moments, seconds or maybe years it died down. They both looked at each other wondering where the train of conversation had derailed.

                “So, Mr. Decisive, are you going back or not?”

                “That depends, are you sure you won’t come with me?” Ron beseeched.

                “Now, we’ve been down this rabbit hole, Ron. I’m done, over, caput, finito. I’ve had my fill of the buffet and I’m getting out while I can still walk.” If he weren’t a disembodied spirit he would have had some definite gestures to go with that statement, but as it stood he thought he got his point across.

                “Howard, if you stay what would you do without me?” Ron cajoled.

                “I don’t know, ascend to Heaven maybe or check out that other place. Maybe I’ll get a room next to the tennis courts, who knows?” Howard shrugged.

                “There’s got to be a reason we always end up in the same place, for His sakes we were even lovers in life eight.”

                “Yeah… that was awkward. It’s a blessing and a curse that we never remember our complete selves until we get back up here.”

                “I think they do it that way so we have more opportunity to learn.” Ron reasoned.

                “I hope that’s what it is and not some angel or Vishnu getting a good chuckle somewhere.”

                “Eh, so what if it is. We made a cute couple. It was more fun anyway than our seagull versus tuna episode.” Ron mused.

                “True, true.” Howard agreed. “Hey, Ron, I have a joke for you.”

                “Hmm?”

                “What did the man say when asked how he liked Purgatory?”

                “What?” Ron bit.

                “He said “It’s not good, but it’s not bad.” Howard finished with a smile.

                “Ugh… now that was not funny, Howard.” Ron groaned.

                “Heh, heh, no I guess it wasn’t.” He agreed with a smile. “Okay, are you ready to go?”

                “Go?”

                “To get ourselves born. You knew I couldn’t say no forever.” Howard conceded.

                “I’m just lucky I had it.” Ron smiled.

                “Yeah, with your knack for decision making, you were.” Howard teased.

                “Cheers” they said in a unison only achieved by floating thought, then stepped into the light.

Author's Note

I am hoping to do something with this but I'm not sure what. Maybe make it into a play? Suggestions appreciated.

Reviews

[Ellis Hastings]

I really like the interactions between the two characters. Quick thing I noticed, when Howard quotes "It ain't just a river in Egypt, baby!" you don't need to use quotations for it, you can use the single quotation (Whatever it's called) this symbol '

So it would look like

“Denial, as in you are in it. As in: 'it ain’t just a river in Egypt, baby!' Denial.” Howard clarified.