The Mender

Birthdays

Real-time Toronto life was trundling along. Soccer practice for the spring season was in full swing. When time and weather allowed, Esri took long runs in the Taylor Creek ravine with Jilly pedalling on a bike Joe had refurbished from a yard sale. School no longer felt like this big, scary place, and some of the kids didn't seem so cliquish anymore. Randi came for supper a few times but didn't hang around a lot when Esri was there. Jerome's video to banish business bullies turned out great, though Esri heard from Brianna that the sleazy promoter guy dropped Jerome and was spreading rumors about Jerome to give him a bad reputation.

Dream-time Flat Rocks life was going better. Esri frequently woke up excited and inspired after her nights of dreaming about the conversations happening at Flat Rocks. The day-to-day life at the bode remained a struggle, but everyone - even cranky Piram, aloof Nat, and the children - were engaged in creating the Agreements. After the dream where everyone pledged to support the Agreements, Esri couldn't wait to tell Clea and Thomas. She went to visit them that evening after supper.

As usual, Esri gave a detailed description of everything that had happened in her dreams since the last time she spoke with them earlier in the week.

"It feels really special to be a part of deciding the Agreements, and Zura and Nagar are so amazing. They keep reminding people that being different is ok as long as it doesn't hurt anyone. God, I wish some of the kids at school would pledge to those Agreements. They get so judgmental."

"This is very interesting. Amazing to think what the world would be like if we were all still abiding by those Agreements today," said Clea.

"I believe this is significant, Esri," said Thomas. "What is happening at Flat Rocks right now is key to your Mending."

"How do you mean?"

"The purpose of Mendings are to, well, nudge people to behave better to each other and the world around them. I think your Mending is about finding a way to have the Agreements carry forward so that they continue to be a part of everyone's lives today. Many religions and belief systems have made attempts, yet there's still so much greed and violence in our world. So many suffer," said Thomas.

Esri shook her head, "Whoa, hold on. That's insane. Do you seriously think I could make that happen? I am half believing about being a Mender; otherwise, how to explain these dreams? But to affect everyone around the world is too much."

"Maybe it's not that 'insane,'" said Clea. "We know there was a population bottleneck at the time of your Flat Rocks people. If there were only a very few people left and those Agreements got firmly imbedded in their culture, it could keep resonating forward. It's fascinating how Zura and Nagar, in particular, have used the catastrophe of the Ash Rain to encourage more openness and question some long-standing traditions."

"I'm only playing a small, supporting role in all this, Zura and Nagar are definitely the big drivers," said Esri.

"That's not surprising," said Clea. "It was similar in my Mending. It's often those in supporting roles that make the difference when groups of people are working to build and establish something positive in a larger context. And often the best leaders start by taking on supporting roles and learning from strong role-models. You're undervaluing the contribution you're making."

"Well, I don't know about my role, but I'm glad that Zura and Nagar are supported by pretty much everyone at Flat Rocks," said Esri.

"Yes, it's critical that they're so respected. I can't help but think how things would be turning out if the majority of the survivors at Flat Rocks were more like Piram or the people he came from, or worse," said Clea.

"You must stay watchful of the Violent Ones, Esri. Who knows how many of them there may be and what damage they might bring. What Sela and Muni experienced is terrible. But you're right. What's happening at Flat Rocks is inspiring," said Thomas.

* * *

Esri and Joe's birthday was on Sunday, St. Patrick's Day. Though hardly Irish, they always celebrated by going all out green: their clothes, green icing on the cake, a birthday meal of spinach pasta with broccoli and green beans, garden salad and green lemonade. It was something Sofie started when Esri was little. On Sofie's last St. Patrick's Day, though terribly sick, she insisted that they celebrate all green as usual.

Jilly, who seemed to have inherited Sofie's sense of celebration at any excuse, spent Sunday morning festooning the apartment with green crepe-paper streamers – even in the bathroom.

Joe had a good laugh at the streamers when he arrived home from his cleaning job. He sorted it out with Randi about the birthday celebration. Esri didn't know or care what he told Randi, as long as she didn't come. He told Esri that Randi totally understood and that she wanted to contribute something to the party and gave Joe eight movie tickets and concession stand vouchers that Randi got from one of the bar's suppliers. Esri felt guilty but happily took the vouchers. She'd keep working on her feelings toward Randi.

Joe, Esri, and Jilly ate their green meal at lunch, then Esri and seven of her friends went off to the movies and came back for green cake and pistachio ice cream at the apartment.