Overcoming another obstacle

(Cont.)

Now the mayor of Las Vegas had caused a sound barrier to be installed around the city, as a dome of protection, because he was afraid of the workforce of the Volcano. Thus, nobody could get out or come in.

And the volcano of potential addressed his multitudes, saying: “Look, this is the city of Las Vegas. My plan is that we go in and mix and mingle with the populace. I want you to meet the mayor, and all the interesting people who live here. Now, the problem is that most of the populace is afraid; so they have erected a sound barrier to prevent new pilgrims from entering. This makes no sense, because most of the city’s revenue is generated by tourism; plus, while the barrier is an impediment to us foreigners, it serves equally as an imprisonment for the residents. This place is much like the Empire you escaped from, although it is not beyond the possibility of redemption – yet. (My hope is that our visit will help tip the scales in favor of harmony.) So, unfortunately, since they are not going to open their gates and welcome us, we must break through by force – but, once inside, if we show them that we come in peaceful friendship, everything should work out fine. So here is what you shall do:

“Compass the border, all of you who like marching: go round about the whole city – do a complete circle. Satyajit and Emmanuel will carry the ark of remembrance ahead of you, and you shall all bring your stringed instruments along, and play upon them with a bow. Six times you shall circle the city, serenading the citizens with the string section of your symphony: and then, on the seventh day, which you will recall is the day of rest, you shall stop in silence. No more circling, no more stringing. And the contrast that will result, on a molecular level, within the air, when you cut off your music so abruptly, shall jam the barricade’s willpower, causing it to shatter and collapse. In other words, you will break the sound barrier: it shall fall at your feet; and those jinn who had been holding up the barricade will then beg you, on their knees, to play some more of that beautiful melody. At this point, hasten over the borderline into the city, and begin to socialize. Once the sound barrier gets back up on its feet, you will already be securely within the premises: you will have reached your destination, and our mission will be complete.”

So Yeshua the Zealot programmed the robo-butlers to continue pacing in a repeating loop around the border of Las Vegas, while they carried the ark of remembrance. And the masses fetched their stringed instruments out from storage, and they practiced playing together a stirring composition until they had mastered the piece. Then they all began to shuffle relaxedly together around the barrier of the city, behind the androids, while playing their score. The Volcano himself went before them, with Yeshua and the ark-bearers humming along and sometimes singing extemporized lyrics, and the rereward came after the ark. And the littlest children had kazoos.

So, after going about it once – that is, when the masses had fully compassed the city for the first time – they set up an encampment, and lodged there for the night.

Then Yeshua rose early in the morning, and he woke the butlers, and they took up the ark of remembrance. And the second day they compassed the city once more, and returned into the camp. This same routine they followed for six days straight.

Then, on the seventh day, rising early about the dawning of the sun, once they had reached the seventh circle, the Volcano turned and faced his wayfarers, and, moving his arms sharply like an orchestra’s conductor, he motioned for everyone to cease playing, all at once.

And, at that point, Yeshua the Zealot addressed the multitudes, saying:

“Remember, now, O ye people: Do not make a sound; nor let any noise escape from your voice; neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth – for our plan requires instant, absolute silence!”

And it happened that, as the pilgrims still waited quietly for the sound barrier to be broken, Yeshua the Zealot made an additional proclamation:

“Rejoice, ye multitudes; for the Volcano has used his skeleton key on the lock of the city. Now we shall go in and meet the mayor, and pay a visit to Rahab, whom our agents reported was helpful to them in their scouting, for she hid our spies in the secret balcony of her apartment complex, amid the stalks of flax. Let us therefore not forget to reward this woman and her friends with silver and gold, and vessels of brass and iron from our treasury. Everything of value is kept in the ark, in case you need to pay for any type of services.”

Then, because the workforce had paused in their playing, and no music was coming from their violins and cellos or other instruments, the sound barrier fell down flat, and it shattered in pieces, so that the multitudes were able to go up into the city, every man straight before him, over the broken shards of sound, and they toured Las Vegas.

The workforce mixed and mingled with all the citizens, and they befriended them, and embraced them; and they all danced and played: both man and woman, inside business offices or outdoors in parks, arrayed in formal or casual wear. And they barbecued oxen, and sheep, and asses, and used their swords for shish kabobs.

Then the two witnesses who had spied out the country beforehand remembered Rahab, and they found her apartment again, in the Top Deck Observatory of the Empire State Building, on the 102nd floor. For the hempen rope was still dangling down from her window, and she had painted it hot pink. So they climbed up, and they brought a party of comrades with them; and Rahab was waiting there, along with many other ladies of the evening, whom she had invited to stay with her. So the young men whom she had helped aforetime went in and enjoyed a reunion with their rescuer. And she and her coterie signed up for the team, and they became fellow-travelers of the volcano of potential.

Thus the whole city was alive with fiery passion. And the multitudes of visitors offered gifts of silver and gold, and vessels of brass and of iron to the natives, from the treasury of the ark, in appreciation for services rendered.

And Lilith, Yeshua’s Midianitish concubine, befriended Rahab and her entourage. And, to this day, Rahab dwells with the people of the Volcano, because she hid the men who were dressed as olive trees, when they went to reconnoiter Las Vegas.

So, the moral of the story is: Always help passersby outmaneuver bureaucrats during a chase scene.