extrapolated this from the fact that salt was apparently good for animals. Her husband had died of hardening of the arteries, and Mrs. O'Reilly's blood pressure was appallingly high. She did not make the connection, and no one of her acquaintance was brave enough to suggest it. So her boarders, as her late husband before them, suffered an excess of highly salted, overcooked food. She kept an eagle eye on them all while they ate, and on the contents of the rubbish bin—if she couldn't watch them masticate.
While Jonathan sat at the table and ate slowly, he thought about the events he had just undergone. What was it all about? There was the dwarf, Cowley, Sampson and Old Crone. Who are they? Where did they come from and more importantly, where did they go? Why did the dwarf hit me on the head? He assumed it was the dwarf, because he was the only one behind Jonathan just before everything went black ... and he was holding a five iron. Did I see God or was it a sort of nightmare? Is Saint Peter a perfectionist housekeeper? Or was it all a dream? Am I supposed to become the Messiah? Was the charge to save mankind from itself real—or was it hallucination? I guess I need a sign to tell me what's what .
As if on cue, Bugs and Thumper, Jonathan's two female, albino, Netherland-Dwarf rabbits hopped around the door. They were beautiful little bunnies who had slightly different markings, despite having been born in the same litter. Thumper had a black nose where Bugs did not, and Thumper's tail was grey where Bug's was white. Bugs was bigger than Thumper, who was the runt of the litter. Thumper made up for her lack of size by being the brainier of the two rabbits.
Jonathan had bought his bunnies from a back-yard breeder two years before. His rabbits were the two beings that he related to best in the world. In many ways he preferred animals to people. They were more stable, more predictable and much less emotional.
Bugs and Thumper stood in the doorway looking quizzically at Jonathan. Bugs hopped a hop closer. “You got hit on the head."
"Does it still hurt?” Thumper was sympathetic.
Jonathan sat bolt upright in his chair. “You can talk?"
Bugs eyed Jonathan with the kind of look only a dwarf rabbit can give. On the one hand, it looks vacant—and on the other—infinitely superior. “God told us we could talk to you for awhile. He said to tell you to stay cool and to carry on with what you're doing. Whatever that means."
Bugs and Thumper were not only albino Netherland-Dwarf rabbits—they were also highly pedigreed. It was a wonder they'd lowered themselves to talk to a bitser like Jonathan.
"You can talk to God?"
"He does most of the talking.” Thumper squatted on her haunches. She looked extremely smug and self-important. “You have to ask us when you want to talk to Him."
Jonathan was a little peeved that God would talk to the bunnies, but wouldn't speak with his messiah. “Why?"
The bunny ignored the question. “He said you're to start gathering disciples.... What's a disciple? Is it anything like endive? I like endive."
"It's nothing like endive.” Jonathan smiled at the smaller rabbit. “Have you two been fed yet?"
"No.” Both rabbits looked accusingly at Jonathan.
"I'm sorry. I thought Mrs. O'Reilly would have done it. I was late home because I got hit on the head by a dwarf and temporarily died and went to heaven, and God said he wanted me to be the next Messiah, and...."
Bugs interrupted him. “Don't forget the carrots and the pellets with the endive."
Jonathan was hurt. “Have you two ever missed a meal?"
"No, and we're making sure we don't.” Thumper hopped towards him and sniffed his shoes. Both rabbits loved the smell of shoes or bare feet.
"So I can only talk to God through you two? I don't understand. Why do I need an intermediary? And if I do, why did he pick rabbits?"
Bug's pink eyes glowed at him from where she sat near the door. “Because Netherland-Dwarf bunnies are the highest
While Jonathan sat at the table and ate slowly, he thought about the events he had just undergone. What was it all about? There was the dwarf, Cowley, Sampson and Old Crone. Who are they? Where did they come from and more importantly, where did they go? Why did the dwarf hit me on the head? He assumed it was the dwarf, because he was the only one behind Jonathan just before everything went black ... and he was holding a five iron. Did I see God or was it a sort of nightmare? Is Saint Peter a perfectionist housekeeper? Or was it all a dream? Am I supposed to become the Messiah? Was the charge to save mankind from itself real—or was it hallucination? I guess I need a sign to tell me what's what .
As if on cue, Bugs and Thumper, Jonathan's two female, albino, Netherland-Dwarf rabbits hopped around the door. They were beautiful little bunnies who had slightly different markings, despite having been born in the same litter. Thumper had a black nose where Bugs did not, and Thumper's tail was grey where Bug's was white. Bugs was bigger than Thumper, who was the runt of the litter. Thumper made up for her lack of size by being the brainier of the two rabbits.
Jonathan had bought his bunnies from a back-yard breeder two years before. His rabbits were the two beings that he related to best in the world. In many ways he preferred animals to people. They were more stable, more predictable and much less emotional.
Bugs and Thumper stood in the doorway looking quizzically at Jonathan. Bugs hopped a hop closer. “You got hit on the head."
"Does it still hurt?” Thumper was sympathetic.
Jonathan sat bolt upright in his chair. “You can talk?"
Bugs eyed Jonathan with the kind of look only a dwarf rabbit can give. On the one hand, it looks vacant—and on the other—infinitely superior. “God told us we could talk to you for awhile. He said to tell you to stay cool and to carry on with what you're doing. Whatever that means."
Bugs and Thumper were not only albino Netherland-Dwarf rabbits—they were also highly pedigreed. It was a wonder they'd lowered themselves to talk to a bitser like Jonathan.
"You can talk to God?"
"He does most of the talking.” Thumper squatted on her haunches. She looked extremely smug and self-important. “You have to ask us when you want to talk to Him."
Jonathan was a little peeved that God would talk to the bunnies, but wouldn't speak with his messiah. “Why?"
The bunny ignored the question. “He said you're to start gathering disciples.... What's a disciple? Is it anything like endive? I like endive."
"It's nothing like endive.” Jonathan smiled at the smaller rabbit. “Have you two been fed yet?"
"No.” Both rabbits looked accusingly at Jonathan.
"I'm sorry. I thought Mrs. O'Reilly would have done it. I was late home because I got hit on the head by a dwarf and temporarily died and went to heaven, and God said he wanted me to be the next Messiah, and...."
Bugs interrupted him. “Don't forget the carrots and the pellets with the endive."
Jonathan was hurt. “Have you two ever missed a meal?"
"No, and we're making sure we don't.” Thumper hopped towards him and sniffed his shoes. Both rabbits loved the smell of shoes or bare feet.
"So I can only talk to God through you two? I don't understand. Why do I need an intermediary? And if I do, why did he pick rabbits?"
Bug's pink eyes glowed at him from where she sat near the door. “Because Netherland-Dwarf bunnies are the highest
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