Blaise went on a hike with some other folks he met through his note that he had nailed to the post at the center of town. He was in search of human companionship, but, also, perhaps even unknown to himself at that time, he was also in need of adulation, love, acceptance and belonging. But, at that time, he just wanted to meet people, at least that’s what he thought. So, he invited people for a walk. This being the early years of the town’s existence, it’s likely that most everyone there was looking for some kind of connection.
So, they met up at the place Blaise had suggested in his notice, at the announced time, and they exchanged pleasantries and set off for a hike that he had somewhat planned out beforehand. They went down the hill to the river valley and forged a trail along the west bank, beating back overhanging branches and tall weeds. The group remaining quiet, trepidatious and unsure, Blaise had started talking, even though he had not thought out this part all the way through.
He just started talking about whatever crept into his mind, something he had never done before. But, as he went on, it came more comfortably to him. He said things that he deeply believed in, he talked about his observations as they were on the hike, and he also made up stuff that somehow came out of his mouth before he had time to consider what it meant. The group was about eight or nine people, not too large of a group. The two women were dressed in skirts and blouses, the men in trousers and work shirts, except for a couple that were dressed in overalls. Everyone seemed to be in a good mood and open to the world.
As the hike along the river progressed, Blaise became more aware and more attuned to the need, or, the desire that his fellow townspeople had for some kind of deeper meaning or purpose to their lives. Everyone had seemingly been thrown together in this little frontier town, coming from this way and that, trying to forge ahead and find a future for themselves. All of the newness and uncertainty had, perhaps, exposed a need for something else, a kind of glue that would anchor everyone in a more social, emotional and spiritual commonality. Instinctively, this need merged with Blaise’s unmet need for love and adulation, and he started talking about higher powers and the reason that they were all here on this hike together.
They were there not because they saw the notice nailed to the post in town and wanted something fun to do. No no no. It was much deeper than that. There was a more profound reason, Blaise explained to his fellow travelers. He told them about the history of the young nation they inhabited, and invited them to open up about how they felt perhaps a bit lost and unanchored, due to the lack of roots, the absence of stability and grounding in their lives. The only constant had been survival; bringing in enough food, not getting killed by enemies, both human and animal, and trying to keep a roof over their heads, literally, so that they wouldn’t freeze to death. The meeting of these basic needs had worn them raw, and Blaise somehow, though unpremeditated, saw a way to sooth them with his words of comfort and assurance.
As the hike progressed, and the sun rose higher in the sky, he started talking about things that had never entered his mind previously. He spoke about God messaging him, speaking to him about his purpose as a shepherd and leader, about what things each of them needed to do in order to make this new reality possible. This new reality would fill their longing for purpose, stability, contentment and belonging, although Blaise did not put his oration in exactly those terms. This was the effect that it had on his fellow hikers. By the time they went back up the slope and crested the river valley, each and every one of them was changed and, in some way, convinced, somehow, that what Blaise had talked to them about was, completely and undeniably, their way forward in this world, and that Blaise himself was the leader who would take them there and provide this comfort and safety for them and their families.
Soon after, the other hikers asked to meet with Blaise and discuss further what it was that he was mentioning to them about the divine trust he had been given to lead them to comfort, purpose and prosperity, Because, yes, there was that, too. Prosperity. Blaise had, again unplanned, started talking about economic well-being as part of his vision for himself and his companions, as pre-ordained by the higher power. He perhaps had sensed that he needed to seal the deal with not just emotional and spiritual comfort, but well-being as well, meaning not wanting for anything and, in fact, living in abundance. That had appealed to the folks quite nicely. All except for one gentleman by the name of Radley.
Of all the folks on the hike that day, all but one had followed up and asked to meet again with Blaise and talk about their beliefs in what he had told them and how their desire to follow his words had been made manifest and confirmed. This one young man, however, Radley, the one who had been lagging behind the rest of the group, always trailing at the back, in his shoddy gray overalls and constant pipe smoking, he had not been among those attendees at the follow up meeting. And Blaise had noticed this fact immediately, and though he cared not at the time, the fact that one chose not to follow up, began gnawing at his consciousness with such increasing uneasiness, that soon he was beside himself with contempt and ill-will toward this fellow townsman.
Blaise soon began supposing, since Radley had not joined the rest of the group, that he was not just uninterested, but directly opposed to him and thus planned on bringing him down. Blaise had, previous to the hike, no consciously articulated ideas about converting people to himself or his cause. Heck, he was not even aware of having a cause to which he should convert people at all. It had all sort of just happened. But now that it had, the fact that Radley was somehow opposed to this idea became intolerable to Blaise. He needed to act, or everything that was just now germinating among his companions, his followers, yes, his followers, this new vision that showed great promise for giving him purpose and adulation and grandeur in this world, would be at risk. He needed to act.
Blaise laid waiting for Radley early one morning and caught him going out to fetch some wood to build a morning fire. He laid waiting among the weeds and then sprung up with such ferocity that it surprised even himself. He grabbed Radley’s head and forced it rapidly down to the ground where a sharp rock lay. He died instantly. Blaise, after a few deep breaths and sighs of distress, soon regained his composure and was contentedly accepting of his evil deeds. He convinced himself that was the right thing to do. He believed that it was a divine act and pre-ordained by his Lord and savior. Thus, he was at peace and calmly proceeded to set up some roots and rocks in place to make it seem like Radley had tripped and fell of his own accord.
He left the scene surreptitiously, and went home to take his slumber, sleeping soundly for a few hours. He awoke refreshed and went gaily to join his flock for a meeting regarding next steps.
THE MOSSY BOG 