That night, Giancci's Ristorante, Las Vegas
(Part 4 of The Way of the Warrior)
Kathryn leaned forward and deeply inhaled the fumes from the pasta bowl. A very satisfied smile lingered on her face as her eye imagined the fragrance having substance and filling her stomach. It had been several months since she had a meal like the one before her.
“It does look good. Enjoy.” Daikar smiled broadly and was about to intake a fork-full of food when sirens activated nearby and a police car roared past the restaurant with increasing speed.
Kathryn looked from the window to Daikar, who started chewing on a delicious mouthful of Chicken Alfredo. She dropped her fork and started to stand. Daikar reached out and grabbed her arm from across the table. Stunned, Kathyrn turned to look at her mentor. Daikar simply shook his head and tugged to have Kathryn sit.
“But crime is happening. Shouldn’t we be doing something about it?” Kathryn whispered harshly.
Daiker wiped his moustache clean. “Crime is happening almost everywhere in one form or another. We can’t be everywhere at once, nor can we jump at the sound of every siren like a Pavlovian dog.” Daikar took another mouthful of food.
“But we know something is happening!”
Daikar put his fork down gently and looked at Kathryn seriously. “Do we? What if that’s just an accident the police are running to? No crime was committed and we stopped our lives to do what?”
Kathryn twitched her mouth in skepticism, but picked up her fork in resignation. “Do we take that chance?”
“Yes, we must. Even with our abilities, we can only do so much. There is enough order in the universe to balance against the chaos. What is happening to that person is localized but not necessarily ‘evil’ or wrong. Unfortunate … maybe.” Daikar gestured to Kathryn and swung his arm to encompass the room. “But look at you. Me. The people here – no chaos. A room filled with order.”
Still skeptical, “That’s a cold way of looking at good versus evil.”
Daikar shook his head. “It’s, ultimately, not a matter of morality, but of balance.”
“How?” Thinking the answer would take time, Kathryn filled mouth.
“Do you have to be evil to have chaos?”
Surprised by the short response, Kathryn quickly gulped, silently hating to feel rushed. “Seems the same to me.”
“Fair enough. Is an insane person … evil?”
More prepared, Kathryn only took a small portion before she answered; now hating to even talk. “No, not necessarily.”
Daikar scooped another fork-full. “There’s the answer to evil and chaos. The point is: you can only do so much. Don’t become chaotic trying to live the life of a good person. Do what you can with the knowledge and comfort, that justice, fairness, and order comes to everyone, eventually.”
“It does look good. Enjoy.” Daikar smiled broadly and was about to intake a fork-full of food when sirens activated nearby and a police car roared past the restaurant with increasing speed.
Kathryn looked from the window to Daikar, who started chewing on a delicious mouthful of Chicken Alfredo. She dropped her fork and started to stand. Daikar reached out and grabbed her arm from across the table. Stunned, Kathyrn turned to look at her mentor. Daikar simply shook his head and tugged to have Kathryn sit.
“But crime is happening. Shouldn’t we be doing something about it?” Kathryn whispered harshly.
Daiker wiped his moustache clean. “Crime is happening almost everywhere in one form or another. We can’t be everywhere at once, nor can we jump at the sound of every siren like a Pavlovian dog.” Daikar took another mouthful of food.
“But we know something is happening!”
Daikar put his fork down gently and looked at Kathryn seriously. “Do we? What if that’s just an accident the police are running to? No crime was committed and we stopped our lives to do what?”
Kathryn twitched her mouth in skepticism, but picked up her fork in resignation. “Do we take that chance?”
“Yes, we must. Even with our abilities, we can only do so much. There is enough order in the universe to balance against the chaos. What is happening to that person is localized but not necessarily ‘evil’ or wrong. Unfortunate … maybe.” Daikar gestured to Kathryn and swung his arm to encompass the room. “But look at you. Me. The people here – no chaos. A room filled with order.”
Still skeptical, “That’s a cold way of looking at good versus evil.”
Daikar shook his head. “It’s, ultimately, not a matter of morality, but of balance.”
“How?” Thinking the answer would take time, Kathryn filled mouth.
“Do you have to be evil to have chaos?”
Surprised by the short response, Kathryn quickly gulped, silently hating to feel rushed. “Seems the same to me.”
“Fair enough. Is an insane person … evil?”
More prepared, Kathryn only took a small portion before she answered; now hating to even talk. “No, not necessarily.”
Daikar scooped another fork-full. “There’s the answer to evil and chaos. The point is: you can only do so much. Don’t become chaotic trying to live the life of a good person. Do what you can with the knowledge and comfort, that justice, fairness, and order comes to everyone, eventually.”
No comments:
Post a Comment