Ask Me ..... How i know there's a God up in the heavens!

Chapter 7 - The Ship's Crew

I tripped along behind Horatio and Helina until we came to a crossroad just outside the gate we'd exited. There we paused in the shadow of the city's towering wall, as several people got up from a wooden bench poised by the side of the road. Helina sat down and I plopped next to her; Horatio 'stood guard'.

Interesting! I noted those who'd just gotten up, glared at me as they scuttled over to stand near another group of people who were also just... standing around? It didn't take the remainder of my Freshman year in college, for the rocket scientist in me to realize this was the first century version of a bus stop; as I observed several carts and a chariot stop to both pick up and drop off passengers.

We hadn't been 'trading' at 'wall street' long when a cart with a couple of soldiers perched atop rolled up. I figured they recognized Horatio and were offering him a ride back into the city. He stopped to converse a bit; of which they soon rolled off again. This was a reoccurring theme; (going in both directions) before I realized it wasn't Horatio they recognized as much as his uniform rank. These carts were laden with soldiers and they'd salute him before they drove off again. I guess it was customary to stop and offer military men of higher status a ride, if you just happened to see them waiting at a 'bus stop'.

I concluded this wooden bench we'd 'stolen' was of similar 'privilege', for I noticed an abundance of glares from passerby's. Also, no one came to sit with us, despite there being plenty of room. Obviously, rank and class have their perks and who was I to be filling this space when we were evidently from two very different social groups; a rather wealthy Roman soldier family and me, dressed as a Jew. I tried to contain myself, as I thought about turning around and asking Helina for some bacon.

I sat engaged with a group of children who'd been playing a game that looked to be some version of hop scotch, as in pairs or threes; they'd throw pebbles and jump through spaces drawn in the dust on the ground. It seemed the object of the contest was who could navigate their maze the fastest. I clapped for a little girl who grinned proudly of her newly revealed superpower to out-skip an older boy (probably her brother) when I was tapped on the shoulder. I turned around.

"Oh, Jesus. It's You. Err... Hi!" I stared at Him rather dumb struck, wondering where He'd come from and how I'd missed His arrival. 'Behold He comes as a thief in the ... late afternoon.' I chuckled in pleased recognition. Poor thing, You look awfully tired. I smiled thoughtfully.

"Sh' lam lek." He replied as I still sat a moment before His words registered.

"Salam alaikum to You too." I started to giggle.

"Hal tata'hadath ale'arabia?" Helina suddenly turned; surprised that apparently I said something she understood.

"La." I laughed. She flashed me a puzzled expression.

[It's a long story.] Jesus replied to Helina.

"Oh...?" Was her response.

"Hey, I understood that!" I laughed as I pointed to her. Both she and Jesus giggled a bit.

Come. He motioned as He pointed to a cart behind Him.

"Thank you." I said as I turned to Helina and held my arms out.

"Ealaa alrahb." She lit up, as she returned my hug. Universal chick language. I snickered to myself as I got up and headed to where Jesus had indicated.

"Shukrann." I bowed to Horatio; making an assumption that if Helina understood Arabic, so did he.

"Ealaa alrahb." He nodded with a smile as I popped him an American military salute followed by a Roman one. He returned the gestures.

"Udkhul 'alearaba." Jesus raised His voice in a quasi amused tone as He pointed to the cart.

"Elohim Akbar!" I replied with the first thing that came to mind.