Blue Rock Mine 2

We walked on. I felt very self-conscious. Suddenly
Demian laughed as though something had struck him as
funny.

"Yes, when we had class together," he burst out. "The
story of Cain who has that mark on his forehead. Do you
like it?"

No, I didn't. It was rare for me to like anything we had
to learn. Yet I didn't dare confess it, for I felt I was being
addressed by an adult. 1 said I didn't much mind the story.

Demian slapped me on the back.

"You don't have to put on an act for me. But in fact the
story is quite remarkable. It's far more remarkable than
most stories we're taught in school. Your teacher didn't
go into it at great lengths. He just mentioned the
usual things about God and sin and so forth. But I be-
lieve—" He interrupted himself and asked with a smile:

"Does this interest you at all?"

"Well, I think," he went on, "one can give this story
about Cain quite a different interpretation. Most of the
things we're taught I'm sure are quite right and true, but
one can view all of them from quite a different angle than
the teachers do—and most of the time they then make
better sense- For instance, one can't be quite satisfied with
this Cain and the mark on his forehead, with the way it's
explained to us. Don't you agree? It's perfectly possible
for someone to kill his brother with a stone and to panic
and repent. But that he's awarded a special decoration for
his cowardice, a mark that protects him and puts the fear
of God into all the others, that's quite odd, isn't it?"

"Of course," I said with interest: the idea began to fas-
cinate me. "But what other way of interpreting the story is
there?"
( "Does this interest you at all?" )

    *
sometimes
those farthest away
are the most loved
because
sometimes
the love is so intense
that it would scorch
anyone within reach
    *


    *
the very moment
that I down the fifth shot
to make myself forget
I remember
the reason
why I shouldn't drink.
    *


    *
when I look into her eyes
big and full of questions
and all she asks is "Why?"
Will I be able to say
"Because I loved your mom?"
    *


    *
there is a lot you can drown
in a shot glass
but no matter how hard you try
you cannot drown existence
    *