darkness visible

Coffee with Valeria in Arnotts Cafe.
She took off her jacket as she sat down.
Underneath she was wearing a low cut blouse.
My eyes widened.
Ah, the trembling of the leaf indeed.
When I'd managed to restore my equilibrium, I espied a collection of ornaments hung around her neck.
"What are those?" I enquired, pointing.
"My breasts," shot back Valeria.
The noble Heelers released a deep sigh.
"You don't need to tell me that," I said. "I'd have figured it out eventually. And that's an arm, right? And down there, you've get legs? Okay. What I was asking about are your jewels. What are they?"
She grinned.
A baby at the table beside us let out a single shriek loud enough to wake the dead.
"They're religious symbols," explained Valeria unperturbed by the baby or by my roving eyes. "I don't believe in any one religion. So I have these."
The noble Heelers peered closely, trying not to let his attention wander southwards.
"Who's that?"
"He's Buddha."
"And this one?"
"That's Christian."
There was a a third symbol.
I couldn't see it clearly.
"So you don't believe in any one religion?" I asked.
"No, they're all the same."
"But do you not think Jesus is real?" said I.
"I think he existed but that's it," she replied.
"And you've no other opinion of him?" I wondered.
"I wear his symbol because I think he was a great guy," she said carefully.
"But if you think he's a great guy why don't you accept what he said about himself?" I persisted.
"I don't know what he said about himself," she said without hesitation.
"What about the Bible?"
"I don't believe that."
"But it's the source of the reasons you think he's a great guy."
"Look James, I don't care about any of that. I believe what I believe and I'm not going to change. Just like you're not going to change. You only believe in Jesus because your parents taught you to believe. I believed it once. But I don't believe anymore."
Gentle readers of the internet a part of me wanted to debate with her and win.
But nowadays I know the only act of faith I can make is for myself.
I became quite calm.
I waited just in case God would tell me to come out with some cracking one liner.
No words came.
My spirit grew still.
Something directed me.
"Valeria," I said softly. "Tell me that third symbol is not a picture of the devil."
Her beautiful hispanic features shrouded in confusion.
Her eyes fell.