Ordinary People's Miracles

THIRTY-TWO

CHAPTER ONE

Rain drops were hitting the ceiling of the room where Alex was sitting. Alex, doctor Cohen, was on duty at the emergency service of the Jerusalem Mental Health Hospital. He had placed his chair nearby the window and was listening to the noise of fast passing by cars. Cars were used to spashing the mass of water as they were going on their ways. It was amusing to listen them... I wouldn’t like to be outside in such a bad weather said to himself. All of a sudden, the whole magic was disappeared. Alex heard the wail of approachig car sirens and he was irritated. The peaceful night was over. Police car he murmured to himself, and then What type of incident have they brought to me? he said in a louder tone. Which patient had escaped from the hospital in such a rainy and depressing weather or started to disturb the prayers in holy places? In Jerusalem, every week, at least one patient would wander around claiming to be the messiah and would be brought to the hospital by the police when he started to disturb other people around. ‘This is the permanent scene of Jerusalem’ he thought, ‘Religious obsessions are probably much less in Russia than in this country.’

Russia, the country that he was born! The only thing he missed from his country was snow. If only it snowed a little bit here in this country! Instead of snow, it was raining as if it wouldn’t stop. Suddenly, he recalled his childhood when he used to play snowball with his friends in the streets. ‘It was good’ he said to himself ‘How happy I was...’

At that moment, the door was knocked firmly. The nurse on duty came in without waiting for a reply and said ‘Doctor! We have a new Messiah!’ The police has brought him. He had no identity card and he refused to talk to the police. Could you please come to the second treatment room to examine him?’

I’ll be there in a few minutes said Alex. As he was putting on his white apron, he asked

Is the patient calm?

At least for now, he is calm said the nurse.

If so, please ask the police to take his handcuffs off?

Doctor, I don’t recommend the handcuffs to be taken off without seeing him.

I understand your suspicions but this man is not an ordinary man and probablly he is our patient. He didn’t give any harm to anybody. It doesn’t make any sense to put him under an unnecessary trouble and stress.

Allright doctor, it is up to you...

Alex adjusted a white apron. Generally, he wasn’t used to wandering around in apron but this time he decided to wear it to let the patient feel at ease and to reduce his anxiety. Then, he slowly moved towards the waiting room. The patient was under the supervision of two policemen and a nurse. His handcuffs hadn’t been taken off.

Alex turned to the policemen and the patient and said I’m Doctor Cohen. Please take off the handcuffs and put this gentleman into the second room. There is no need for you to be with us during our interview and you can wait outside. I don’t think that this gentleman has an idea of escaping and I’m sure he will not give any harm to me. Thank you...

The policemen unvoluntarily did what Alex wanted. The patient was seated and his handcuffs were taken off. One of the policemen warned the man We are waiting outside. Don’t act stupidly. Then the policemen let Alex enter the room to sit down on the chair opposite the patient and closed the door. Alex sit to his chair and asked from the man also be seated near by him. After he took the empty file of him said hello…

The guy answered "Hello Doctor... and added even without taking a breath:

Please do not interrupt my speech doc and listen to me! Now you are sitting there and looking at me, and you want to evaluate my mental situation. Probablly you believe that I am definately like other lunatics that you saw before... Well, whatever it may be, you are the doctor. Naturally you have to examine me..."

After a short while of silence Well he said What were we talking about? Yes, you have to examine me and decide whether I am deeply ill or not. Of course after your exam you have to inform the police if I will do the weird things in the future! Also, what I did before was related to a mental disorder or not. Thus, both you and the policemen can get rid of me as soon as possible.

Doctor Cohen stared at the man sitting in front of him with a peaceful impression on his face. Then he responded his speech and asked I really want to find out if these things you have done are related to the belief you have about your being the Messiah. Could you please tell me what has happened?

The man sitting in front of the doctor was at the end of his 20s. He had wet clothes because of the rain and he had a hospital jacket on him which were given to him to keep him warm. He had long and untidy hair. There was nothing special on his face except for a scar trace over his right eye brow. His eyes, his turquoise blue eyes were special. His eyes which, were, examining the one in front of him with sharp and piercing, they were the most striking part of his face.

Who is there behind these eyes? asked Alex to himself. Because this man could be a sick, a patient who believed what he fanatically did is true. These type of fanatics were the most dangerous type of them. he muttered As they believe their mission, they don’t want to accept that they have psychiatric problems. Therefore, they don’t permit us to cure. In this case there is nothing to do except for underaking a supervision and inform the sentinel court...

The patient, Adam, his name was this. That didn’t have an identity card or a document which could introduce him to the others. He had suddenly appeared oposite the Wailing Wall and he started to yell to invite people to the faith and to the right course. Generally, these type of people wouldn’t draw attention too much but this time as he performed the same type of behaviour not only at the Wailing Wall, also in the EL-Kuds mosque and in the Holly Specture church, which had been established in the place where Jesus Christ was crucified and interrupted the people who came to pray, he was brought to the police station. The end of all Messiahs and the ones who claimed that they were Messiah was to be sent to the Mental Health Center on duty from the police station. Here, Adam was in front of the doctor in the emergency room of the hospital. The handcuffs were taken off but two policemen were waiting for his interview’s end behind the closed doors.

Doctor Cohen started to summarise the situation in short sentences. He said You are really at the Jerusalem Mental Disorder Hospital’s emergency service. Police wants me to decide on the subject of your being mentally ill or not. In my view, it is impossible to make a decision depending on an half an hour interview. My proposal is this; if you stay at one of the hospital departments, under the supervision for a week, our experts can make a decision. Thus, we can present an expert report to the sentinel court who arrested you. If you don’t accept this I will have to send you back to the custodial prison with these policemen...

After a short period of silence, Adam gazed into Doctor Cohen’s eyes and started to talk. Doctor do you really think that I will be taken to the custodial prison? Both of us know that you are going to write in your report that I am sick and I did not want to be cured. As I have not been found dangerous, I will be released in 2 or 3 hours at the sentinel court on condition that I will start to recieve treatment from the outpatient clinic, and will be forbidden to approach the holy places. After being released, I will have to make an appointment at the outpatient clinic and normally I will do it. Now I ask from you to be my doctor. Could you make an appointment if it is possible?

Doctor nodded and asked Adam, as far as I can see you are well experienced about what should be done. Did you have such an experience before that?

No, this is the most rationalist solution but you have not given an answer yet. Is it possible for me to make an appointment on one of the days you accept patients?

Doctor Cohen was in silence for a moment and he thought. Then he turned to Adam and said Yes, on condition that you accept my treatment and take your pills, if necessary, if I prove that your ideas and beliefs are wrong...

The man smiled and said Allright Doctor, I know that you want to give me medicine. Who is going to convince first, you or me, we will see? By the way, please take care of the shelf which is keeping the files. It may drop on you and hurt you and I don’t want to see it. After all we have an appointment...

The doctor invited the policemen on the intercom and after sending Adam out he summarised in few sentences to the policemen Adam thinks that he is the Messiah. He refused to stay at the hospital. If you take him to the sentinel court, and then send him to the outpatient clinic he will accept the treatment. It seems as if he knows the procedures. Thus, the best course of action for him is to attend my appoinments to get a treatment and then I can present my report to the court.

One of the policemen turned to the doctor and said This man is a little bit weird. While we were driving to the hospital, he saw the car collision before it happened and he warned us. We were going to crash but we got rid of it. Is he really that sick? Are you sure?

Of course, I am sure! However, under any circumstances, I have to talk with him and I have to prove that his belief is wrong so that I can cure him. Because of this reason, I decided to start to treat this patient. Regarding the accident, a psychiatric patient can be much more careful than a healthy man and can foresee an accident that might happen. A mentally handicaped man is not an idiot. On the contrary, he can be a genious on some subjects...

Now, as he is waiting outside, I want to make an appointment with him and please take him to the sentinel court and then release him.

Dr. Cohen turned to Adam and said Today is Wednesday. Your appointment is on Friday, at 12.30, at the outpatient clinic, in room107 and with me...

Dr. Cohen stood up to give the piece of paper on which he wrote his appointment. As he stepped towards the door, he was frightened by the rumble coming from his back. The file shelf had collapsed and almost all the of the files had fallen down on his chair where he had been sitting a few minutes ago.

Pew! It was going to hit me, I got rid of it by chance said Alex to himself.

CHAPTER TWO

Adam was the last appointment of Friday. As there was half day job on Fridays, Dr. Cohen had decided to accept him as the last appointment of that day. He thought. At least, I can go home earlier if he doesn’t come. The children return home and maybe we can do something else together.

Disappointment... Exactly at 12.30 the knocker of the door was turned open and Adam entered the room. This time, he was wearing an ordinary t-shirt, jeans and sport shoes. ‘These are better than the wet clothes.’ Doctor thought. After showing him a seat, the Doctor opened the patient’s empty file and wrote the date of that day. Then, he decided to wait for Adam’s talk at first. After one or two -minute silence, Doctor Cohen started to ask his questions.

How old are you?

If I have to tell the truth, I do not exactly know.

You mean, you don’t know your date of birth?

No, I know my date of birth but...

But what?

According to which calendar would you prefer me to say my date of birth? As you know Jewish and Moslemic calendars are the moon calendars. Modern humanity uses the Gregorian calendar and it has 12 months. According to which one do you prefer me to answer your question?

It doesn’t matter... You can choose whichever you want but tell me which one you have chosen beforehand.

I am about 5000 years old!

Doctor Cohen couldn’t prevent his smile. He looked at Adam and said If I have to say the truth, you look younger than a 5000-year-old man. You must be 25 or 30 not more than this, to my mind.

The age of the body I am in can be 25 or 30 but I have been present for 5000 years on this earth. I, as a soul, have been reincarnating and I have been waiting to be born in the correct generation.

Allright, so why have you been born now? For a holy war? To clean up the world from all evils and to drive all faithful people to the right way? Why?

Doctor as you know, the Messianic Idea and expectation is as old as the establishment of Judaism. The birth of Jesus Christ and his endeavour of spreading the religion equally to all humanity prepared his end. Because religions do not accept modification and the believers always want to believe in the same trustworty system, the system they are accustomed to...

That is to say...

Christians did not believe in Moslem. They did not accept that it was a new religion which was sent via Prophet Mohammed. Perhaps, they did not want to see that it was the new part of the divine program.. What will you see if you have a look at the ones who claim that they were the Messiah?

What will I see?

You will see that they ended up with tragic a death or they were suppressed by the states, governments and kings.

So, is the same end waiting for you?

Doctor, first of all, I hope you do not think that death can frighten me? Because if I can come close to the point where I can meet and become a united whole with our Creator, there cannot be any creature on earth who is happier than me...

No Adam, I ‘m not afraid of your natural death. Sooner or later we all will die one day as we were born. I’m afraid your belief can lead you wrong decisions...

Do you mean suicide? Don’t make me laugh! One who believes in the Creator cannot put an end to the lives of the ones He created. He cannot risk not only his own life but also others’. You can write down to my file that ‘there is no risk of commiting a suicide and he will not give any physical harm.’

Won’t you really hurt other people?

How can you spread a new form of ideology despite the ones who are opposed to it?

With faith...

What if they say that you are a liar, charlatan, thief or manipulator?

All the hardships can be put up with the help of God and faith.

Are you going to turn the other side of your face to the slap as Christ did?

Doctor, as far as I can see, you do not take my words seriously. I thought that the collapse of the shelf during our last meeting would give you enough clue. I think I am wrong.

Listen, Adam, in my opinion you are a clever and may be an educated person. Perhaps you realised that that shelf wouldn’t carry so many files and maybe you saw a discharged screw. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you can see the future. It means that you are a very careful person.

Adam looked into Doctor Cohen’s eyes as if he would reveal the core of his soul. Then he said I understand your doubts. In my opinion, we have to test your thesis and my belief. Please tell me the first continent you think of and I will tell you the first catastrophe that will occur.

"Asia....

Asia is a huge continent. Here is your chance. Tell me a catastrophe that will occur. Don’t talk about an earthquake in Japan. There are always such disasters in Japan. Choose another place and don’t forget to let me know the exact time and date of the catastrophe...

Allright Doctor, upto our next meeting there will be a huge slumping in Kashmir province, in Pakistan. This slumping will pull down three villages. I know that this is not the season of natural catastrophes but Kashmir is a relatively mountainous region and slumping is not something which occurs often but it will occur next Thuesday at 04.30 AM according to the local time.

See you next Friday at 12.30...

After he left the room Alex summarized the meeting and added it to his file. The ring of his mobile phone drove him away from his thoughts about Adam. His wife was on the phone and she was asking if he would be late again or not. Children have missed you so much. If you will be able to leave in half an hour, we can wait for you for lunch...

Other days of the week passed by the regular routine until the Wednesday evening... In the evening on that day, the international news was reporting that there had been an incredible slumping and three villages had dissappeared suddenly. This unusual natural disaster was not related to the rain, floods or earthquake. It had happened all of a sudden without information about why and how it had happened and it had swallowed those three villages with all its living creatures and people.

Dr Alex Cohen was born at the end of sixties in St Petersburg. His father was a Russian Orthodox Christian but his mother was a Jew. His father left them when he was a little child old. His mother brought him up on her own. During the migration to Israel in the middle of 80s, Alex and his mother came to Jerusalem to settle down. His mother couldn’t find a job as an Electrical Engineer. Therefore, she had to work as a charwoman. She never talked about with resentment or sorrow. Alex made a great progress in education in a short period of time and he was accepted to the School of Medicine with scholarship. During his education he met his wife nurse Rona. After a short period of dating, they decided to live together and got married. At the moment, everybody, Alex’s mother Paulina, Rona and their two children were living together in flat...

This crowded family frame was causing too much quarrel and noise. Rona was not happy with living with her mother-in-law. On the other hand, this situation was beneficial for both Rona and Alex as she was looking after the children when they were working. Because of this reason, everybody had to lead this compulsory cooperation pretending to be blind, deaf and dumb.

Alex was regarded as a devoted person who dedicated his life to his job and duty by his friends. He was a man who was ready to self-sacrifice for his patients! He was a man who could give you money for the bus to return home if you didn’t have any. He was regarded as a serious scientist and a good father. Nobody had suspicion about his love towards his children. However, it was clear that he was fed up with the quarrel and the struggle between these two women of his life, his wife and his mother...

The slumping news had a tragic meaning more