September 15th 2012, 3:15 pm, Peosta, Iowa
Brother Tobias leaned back in his vintage 1970's office chair after answering New Melleray Abbey's hospitality phone using his most mellifluous monk-voice. Cradling the equally vintage phone receiver in the crook of his neck, he resumed his game of Angry Birds on the iPad sitting in his lap as he listened to the polite, male voice on the other end of the line.
"Um ... Hello, my name is Jed Matthews and I'm a minister over in Wisconsin. I have ... kind of a strange question to ask. Do you think you could help me out?"
Accustomed, by now, to all manner of questions from seekers and supplicants; the rail thin, shaven-headed monk in his early thirties replied in a manner that he hoped didn't sound too distracted. He was, after all, approaching his high score.
"Sir, I'd be happy to help you in any way that I can," said the monk as he re-positioned the receiver on his clavicle. He had only one attempt remaining with which to solve the current puzzle and clear the entire level. "Please, feel free to call me Tobias" he said as he prepared to launch his last canary. "What question do you have in mind?"
The voice on the other end of the line paused, nervously, before continuing.
"Is your Abbey familiar with an elderly wanderer who goes by the name of "Sage?"
Brother Tobias slowly set down his tablet, mid-bird, and leaned upright in his chair, pausing for a moment to collect himself before responding.
"Forgive me, Reverend Matthews wasn't it?" Tobias furrowed his brow in concern, "May I ask how, exactly, you came across that name?"
The minister on the other end of the line seemed candid as he recited the events surrounding his brief relationship with the mysterious "Sage." But Tobias still knew far too little about this man to entrust himself, fully.
After the inquirer had ceased his synopsis, Tobias remained still as a statue, wondering what he should do next.
"Hello, sir, are you still there?" asked the minister.
"Yes," said Tobias, snapping out of his rumination. He chose his next words carefully. "I'm terribly sorry, sir, but ... I think that it would be more appropriate for you to discuss the individual whose name you've brought forth with my superiors, in person."
Tobias didn't know where else to go with this.
He continued, "Would there be any possible way that you could pay us a visit at the Abbey? I'm certain that there are some of my brothers who would be most interested in discussing the individual that you have mentioned."
The monk held his breath.
"Sure ... of course," said the voice on the other line, with all the puzzlement that could be expected from a person who had received such a cryptic response. "I'd be happy to visit you in person but," the man hesitated,
"There's one other thing you ought to know about Sage before I come."
"Certainly, Reverend Matthews, and what would that be?"
The disembodied voice from Wisconsin paused briefly before saying, "I'm sorry, but Sage passed away last week."
Tobias' end of the line remained silent as his eyes darted, too and fro, in shocked disbelief.
"Brother Tobias, did you get that?" asked the minister, softly, after waiting a moment.
"Yes, sir" Tobias replied, huskily, before clearing his throat. "Thank you ... thank you for letting us know."
He paused, again, gulping in deep drafts of air to steady himself before continuing. "Reverend Matthews ..."
"Please, call me Jed" interrupted the voice, gently.
"Thank you ... Jed," he continued in a grief restricted voice. "I beg of you ... to come to us."
The shaken monk's voice tightened with resolve as he concluded, "I beg of you to come to us at once."
_________________________
Naomi set the steaming cup of Keurig coffee on the computer desk next to Jed and listened to his description of the strange phone conversation he'd shared with Brother Tobias at New Melleray Abbey, earlier that afternoon.
Like Jed, she'd been intrigued with the notion that "Abby Mellor" could actually be "New Melleray Abbey." She had been even more surprised to discover that Jed seemed to have hooked his fish on the first cast.
"So, the monk never claimed to have heard of Sage," asked Naomi?
"Not in so many words, but his response was immediate and powerful; especially after hearing of Sage's death." Jed turned to look at his wife. "The guy knows something and he wants me there, yesterday."
"Do you think there could be any danger?"
"From a bunch of monks?"
"Jed," replied Naomi with a look of concern on her face, "nothing is as simple as it appears in this drama and we seem to be getting drawn in, deeper and deeper, against our will. These people may be able to do the types of things that Sage could do."
"And that I can do."
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Naomi pursed her lips.
"Sorry, Hon, it's a fair question." Jed sighed. "No, I think they're legit. I'm beginning to believe that Sage might have been one of them. That would explain the man's grief when I told him of Sage's death, but it still doesn't explain his insistence that I pay him a visit, immediately."
"Not a visit to him, specifically," responded Naomi. "You said he indicated that there were others who would be interested in talking to you. Could this thing get any stranger?"
Jed blew on his coffee and took a sip before answering, "Don't tempt providence, Babe."
Naomi looked over Jed's shoulder as he surfed New Melleray Abbey's website.
"You said it wasn't very far away. Are you thinking of making a day trip of it, or possibly staying the night as a guest?"
"You're assuming that I'm going?"
"Aren't you?"
Jed smiled, "Just kidding, Hon. You know my curiosity. I have to check this thing out in order to have any peace. I'm not sure about staying the night, though. I guess it kind of depends on the weirdness factor."
"Want a buddy?"
"I'd love to have you come along, N'ome, but what about the kids and work? Besides, if this thing does get weird, I'd feel better knowing that you're safe at home."
Naomi didn't respond.
"Is that OK?" asked Jed, turning to look at his wife.
"Oh sure," she said, coming to herself. "I just liked hearing you say that you would love to have me along with you."
"I guess I owe you a few of those, don't I?" said Jed, holding her gaze momentarily before turning back around to face the monitor.
She reached down and hugged him from behind. "It's a good start," she whispered into his ear, sending shivers down his neck. "But, Jed, this still worries me. Who'll be there to look out for you?"
"It seems that I already have some kind of electrical company inside of me. I think I'll be fine."
Naomi bit her lip. "Can you control it?"
"I don't know," said Jed. "I haven't tried, intentionally. I can feel a sort of coolness in my chest, at times, but it hasn't reacted in the same way that it did at the hospital."
"Good to know," she replied, peering over his shoulder. "What are you looking at now?"
Jed scanned the page in front of him. "They have something they call "The Monastic Associate Program."
"What is it?"
"It seems to be some kind of immersion experience. They take a limited number of men into the fold, Catholic or Protestant, and let them live among them for a few weeks."
"Interested?"
"So long as I don't have to work in the casket factory."
Naomi thought for a moment before continuing. "Seriously, Jed, would it help your O.C.D. if you could get away and have some peace and quiet for a while? Your administrative leave lasts a whole month."
"I don't think so, N'ome. It would just be replacing my already rigid routine with an even stricter one." Jed took another sip of coffee. "Besides, I don't want to be away from you and the kids that long."
"Good answer," Naomi smiled and said.
_________________________
The following morning, after sharing one additional phone conversation with Brother Tobias in order to nail down some more details of his visit, Jed buckled himself into his Chrysler Town and Country, plugged New Melleray Abbey's address into the navigation app of his iPhone, and followed the directions given by his Australian accented co-pilot onto Highway 151 leaving Hickory Grove, across the Mississippi, and into the rolling hills of eastern Iowa.
Five hours later, Jed rolled into New Melleray Abbey's circular drive. The Abbey was an imposing, many-winged structure, built as a rectangle around a central courtyard with well-manicured, ornamental landscaping displayed throughout the entire property. Jed thought that it looked exactly the way a monastery should look.
He parked in the visitors' stall and slowly approached the huge, oak double doors that seemed to be glowing with their own inner light as the early afternoon sun glinted off of them. As he began to reach toward the monolithic right door, it slowly began to swing outward toward him of its own accord. One moment later, the black cowled arm of the monk who had manipulated it became visible, followed by the shaved head of a young man, appearing to be about Jed's age, who peered around the door's edge at him and smiled.
"Reverend Matthews" said the monk, "Welcome to our Abbey. I hope I didn't startle you."
"No sir," replied Jed with a hesitant smile. "I take it that you're Brother Tobias?"
"Yes, I am."
"Please, call me Jed" he said as he clasped the man's hand, firmly, in greeting.
"Jed," repeated Tobias. "I'm so glad that you have come. My behavior over the past two days must have seemed very unusual to you."
"I'm sure that my own inquiry must have appeared equally as unusual," said Jed as he accepted the monk's nod of invitation and stepped through the enormous entryway into the vestibule, proper.
"Then, perhaps both of us will be put at ease, very soon," said Tobias. "Please, if you will follow me."
Jed followed Brother Tobias deeper into the cavernous vestibule, marveling at its Gothic architecture and the tasteful use of native limestone. The monk's sandals padded silently across the marble-tiled floor in stark contrast to the sharp heel-click of Jed's leather Florsheim's.
As his gaze followed the beautifully beamed ceiling above him, its east/west vault was intersected by a north/south wing, which Tobias followed to his right for a few, short steps before stopping before a door marked "Abbot."
"Our Abbot, Father Antonius, is expecting you, Jed" said Tobias. He knocked three times, gently, on the oak door and opened it slowly at the muffled word, "Come," uttered from within.
Jed followed Tobias into a simple, but neat office that boasted only a plain wooden desk with two matching chairs facing it and three walls lined, row upon row, with books. Rising from the room's third chair behind the desk was a courtly, but weathered old man, wearing a robe matching Brother Tobias' with the only addition being a large, hand-crafted, wooden cross hanging from his cowl by means of a worn, leather strap.
"Reverend Matthews," said the Abbot, warmly extending his bony hand. "I am Antonius. It is such a pleasure to have you with us."
Jed nodded courteously and returned the man's handshake.
"Thank you, so much, for coming to us so soon." said the Abbot as he eyed Tobias, without accusation.
"Please, won't you have a seat?"
Jed sat in the offered chair to his right, taking note of how Brother Tobias closed the door behind them and remained in the room, still standing.
Antonius continued, "Reverend, I'm sure that there are a great many questions you must have about us and the man we are now meeting to discuss. But, if you will forgive my impropriety; would you, first, be willing to share with me what you had begun to share with our esteemed Brother, yesterday? In time, I believe that I will be able to justify this awkward caution that I now display to you."
As Jed listened to the Abbot's forthright words, a deep sense of trust welled up within him, insomuch that he felt that nothing this gentle man could ever say to him would be offensive.
"Yes sir," he replied, not knowing officially how to address the Abbot. "I would be happy to tell you all that I know."
And with that, he did.
Jed had not driven to the Abbey expecting to speak in such an unguarded fashion. But, in the warm atmosphere of fellowship he found himself in, step by halting step, he told his whole story: Sage's visit, Sage's words, Sage's collapse, Sage's purpose, Sage's secret, Sage's heroism, Sage's mystery, Sage's gift, and Sage's death.
Jed had also not expected to shed tears in the presence of strangers, but was comforted by the fact that his tears weren't the only ones being shed in the room. He concluded by describing his own breakdown and display of power in the psychiatric ward; explaining that he could feel the presence of the mysterious in his chest, even now, and was at a loss to know what to think or do about it.
With that admission, Jed lapsed into silence.
The Abbot allowed the holy hush to linger in the office for several moments before he lifted his head and directed his next words to Brother Tobias.
"Brother, I believe that our dear new friend is fit to be introduced to our Father."
