Thursdays With Death

TWD - Chapter 5 - A Real Buzz

I stared at Death for a moment. If I had heard correctly, I would experience amazing love after I die. This was a bit hard to digest. I had adjusted to learning that death isn’t the big sleep. It isn’t the dark night. It isn’t the end of everything. I had never considered this. Wow. Love happens after death. Wow.

When I finally realized that I was staring, I blinked my eyes a bit and shook my head quickly, kind of like my dog does, to clear my senses. Though I think my dog does it because he likes to feel his ears flop against the side of his head, rather then to clear his head.

“Hey, dog breath,” Death threw out, interrupting my thought patterns. “Can we stay focused here? I don’t care about your dog, unless he’s found a dead body, then I’m all over it.”

It was at this point that I realized that the glowing light of Death’s “face” was as bright as the galaxy on Orion’s belt. I had to ask while I was thinking of it.

“Death,” I stated. “You are really glowing.”

Death’s head moved back a bit, as if surprised. “I am?” Death asked.
“Yes, you are,” I replied.

“Excellent. That new facial scrub must really be working.”

I looked toward Death with a bit of confusion, but before I had a chance to continue my discussion, Death broke in.

“I need a Krispy Kreme,” Death said

“You need a doughnut?”

“Yes. I need that amazingly delicious, fantastic food of the Gods. A round, puffy piece of heaven covered in sugar. A pastry that angels helped Captain Hanson Crockett Gregory improve upon – he invented the doughnut hole, you know. Doughnuts are great for boosting creativity. Can you get me one?”

“Sure,” I said. “Let me run down to the kitchen and I’ll grab one for you.”

“Grab two,” Death said.

“Okay, any coffee?” I asked.

“Oh, God no,” Death said. “I get caffeine in me and I’ll buzz all day.”

“Wire’s you up, does it?”

“No I mean I really buzz. A buzzing sound comes out of me. It’s weird,” Death replied.

“Okaaayyyy," I said. I really didn't want to know any more. "I’ll be right back.” I opened my office door and quickly walked down to the kitchen, grabbed two glazed Krispy Kreme doughnuts for Death and a Three Musketeers bar for me. I don’t know why, I just felt like I needed to be a little floaty.

Upon returning to my office, I found Death stretched out in one of my chairs, playing with a Gumby doll that I had received in a course I had taken at work. I handed him the doughnuts.

“Thanks,” Death said. “I really need these little sweet bites of air.”

I watched as Death, well, consumed the doughnuts. It wasn’t so much an act of eating as it was pushing them into what you might call an opening in the mouth area. It was almost as if Death’s mouth was Alice’s mirror. Anything that touched that particular area just seemed to be swallowed up. As each doughnut disappeared, the glowing galaxy of light that was also there just shifted to one side.

“Sugar junkie, huh?” I asked.

“Yes. Big time,” Death said. “Sugar is the only thing I know of that gives me the energy feeling I had when I was in your state of consciousness. I really crave that feeling every once and a while, so a quick sugar fix takes care of it.”

Death had settled back into the chair and seemed content, so I figured I could ask about the light again.

“So, about that glowing thing,” I stated. “What’s that all about?”

Death just sat there, lost in the moment I guess.

“Excuse me, Death?”

“Hmmmm?”

“Are you okay?”

“Oh yes,” Death said. “I’m just enjoying that aliveness feeling. Now, what is it you asked?”
“The glowing,” I replied.

“Oh yes, the glowing. Well, it’s like this. Light is Love. Love is Truth. Truth is Light.”
I waited for more to come, but Death seemed to be done. “Is that all?” I asked.

“Pretty much,” Death replied.

“But that doesn’t really tell me much,” I said. “Light is Love. Love is Truth. Truth is Light. What does that mean?”

I looked toward Death expectantly, but nothing, no movement, nothing.

“Death, I asked you a question. Didn’t you hear me?” I asked.

“Oh, I heard you. But I’m not going to answer,” Death replied.

“You’re not?”

“Nope.”

“Why not?”

“Because you know the answer,” Death said. “Think about what you asked me, and then think about what it means. Don’t look to me for the answers. Look within. You have the answer. Don’t be lazy. Find it.”