Closet Work

lessons

He was an old man in his nineties porched on a rose wood chair with its partner the rose wood table. While he allowed his feeble staff to grant him wisdom by resting his head simply on it, a wise man has no morals which command him to superstitious beliefs- beliefs ordinary men steadfast to, equalizing faith to that of larger existence such as God, holy books. To these foolish few, ideas of unlucky thirteen and black cats ill omens never goes unraved. They were all equal of importance.

"So does that mean your staff gives you inexplicable domains of power?..." the voice traced back to trembling nerves, "no...I mean...like you said that the staff helps so..."
The arm went casually at the back of his head to gesture his innocence. The voice lowered to meekness. "I mean no disrespect Master Kuruchino" the boy ended with a tone of repentance.

"I know what you mean lad." The old man said with an upbeat tone. His chin still caringly on the arc of his skinny stuff. His eyes focused on the speculations of the dawn outside with a glint of kindness. Almost grandpa Diggs.

The boy watched him awkwardly standing with the Goblet. His mind swivelled in restless inferring to what he meant.

"Jean.."

The boy jumped out in surprise to the old man's inquiry.

"Yes master" he answered obediently.

"You may leave."

"Right of course." He replied after a pause of interpreting the order for some veiled complexity but it detered the expectation. He was on his way out of the room but he turned on his heels, brightened up by the urge to know.

"Ow master Kurushino! Do you get wise if you rear an owl for a pet?"

The excitement and zeal to know spilled water from the goblet- master Kurushino's sacred goblet that is. Realizing the rowdyness- his willingness to learn exited that moment. This was the High Master of the temple. No other disciple must have been as unruly as he was being. No other disciple must have handled the Master's housekeeping more carelessly. The boy looked down right crestfallen.

He was mumbling his annoyance toward spilling the water. He knelt down to wipe it clean with his own robes, blubbering excuses and reasons for these unwanted mishap. When he was done he stood with the goblet pinned to his chest before giving a formal bow of departure.

Master Kurushino did not witness any of the exuberance behind him. The boy was standing faced to his back while his eyes were tempted by the orange blossom budding of a new born sun. Though, he had his ears sharp open.

"Jean wait"

The boy froze on the doorway. Could this mean academic punishment, suspense, expulsion or kitchen duties till next full moon? Who knows indeed? He stood there to wait the worst. That would teach him for his rude behaviours in front of such an esteemed personage. He turned immediately to face the jury.

Master Kurushino could tell when his disciples submitted through out the years of experience. Usually a dead silence settles in the room. But in this case he could hear the fine details of a shaking water.

"You should not be a coward." He adviced.

Poor Jean had his eyes squinted for the incoming sentence. He did not expect a remark.

"Did you notice Jean; your peaks for being brave or coward?"

Jean blinked confused.

"When you have an urgency to know something, when your willingness to commit drives you- that is when your brave."

"And when your exempted from that divine moment, when your in the space of reality again, when your conscience awakes you- you find yourself guilty of commiting, that is the peak when your small."

Jean waited patiently for the punishment to be officially declared.

"Jean"

"Yes," the boy's voice edging into floundering.

"Why did you not wait for the answer? Why did you not ask the question twice?"

Jean's eyes dilated into a size wide enough to fathom the trick of those questions. He had to give proper answers, adjust the tone and presentation with due respect to whom it refers to.

He took a deep breath. "Master it is so that I do not lower your stature by a question which eventually would lead to show off, casual demands, rebuke...."

"Jean."

Master Kurushino's voice was hard and impending. Jean was not living up to his efforts. That textbook answer was not putting up any shield to save him. But it was the exact answer he had written in the exam paper to question#31: why redundancy of queries toward elder is inappropriate in your age? Discuss your views." Well if this fact is going to save him or not but he got full marks in that.

Master Kurushino sighed, a sign he was waiting for an answer. "I thought you'd be angry at me." He finally said honestly.

"What made you think that?" Master Kurushino inquired curiously.

"Because your the High Master. Before your housekeeping everyone warned me to watch my mouth when I'm in duty. They said it would disturb your meditation."

"Well you can see I'm not meditating."

"And your thoughts to find religious answers..." he added promptly.

"While I do the thinking and they'll do the book binding..." Kurushino muttered. A spooky silence engulfed the room for a good few seconds. Finally Jean spoke. "It was an honour to be in your servitude." He was leaving.

Master Kurushino heard him step out. "The answer is yes and no."

Jean stopped to hear. "Pardon me master. I did not pick your order."

"The answers to your questions forgetful boy. True though controversial my staff progresses me with power and strength devoid of full understanding. And rearing an owl will do no more good than rearing a rodent for example. It's about you and what you most deeply trust. I trust my staff. What about you?"

That was one question Jean promised to answer a week later. Alas the boy is out for this week on the eve of his grandfather Digg's funeral. The full moon has ascended and River Yogan rose to full spate. Master Kurushino arranged for the boy to be his housekeeper again just to know the answer. Even high masters have their occasions to be excited for.