Job had poled his skiff deep down a finger in the Bayou. Been a long time since he'd done that. Just had to go out.

Things had been going well. Got an increase in his V.A. pension with some back pay, so he and Katy got a new trailer. He married her and adopted the kids, so they got allowances for them, too. His new disability rating even jumped him to the top of the list and he got a license to harvest 'gators legal. As he said, "I done got downraht respecktible."

He lay back in the skiff and looked at the stars. Just staring and thinking how small he was and how big they were. He felt a little wind, warm and soft stir across the stand of cat tails.

"That you agin', Lord?', he said.

"Job, it's a new record. Been a lot less that 26 years and 232 days this time. I'm glad you called."

"You ain't too busy or nuttin, are you, Sir? I mean, old Job would understand if'n you got some new planets to make or sumpthin'."

"I knew you were coming, Job. I'm that way, you know."

"Heard that about you, Sir. And, thanks for comin'."

"Better start in your own words, Job."

"Katy's pregnant, Lord. Doc says its a boy. She's gonna let me name him Bernard -- for Bernie, that is. Says she can raise him Jewish if I like. I says it's O.K. 'cause that's what her grandma was. She wants that rabbi in New Orleens to circunsize him if I can use that word wit' you."

"That word's okay Job. People have been doing circumcisions for thousands of years. What do you think?"

"I'm thinkin on it, sir. Seems O.K. with me since I never was much of nuttin' myself. Just funny, though. Don' want little fella to think he's gotta take Bernie's place or nuttin'."

"Sounds like you and Katy are working that out Job. What's the real problem?"

"It's Bernie, sir. Like if I name the little fella after him makes him really dead or sumpin'. Crazy thinkin', huh, Sir?" "I'm listening."

"I hate it when Ya' do that. Sound like dat shrink at the V.A. Uh, I'm sorry, sir. Just full of nerves."

"I'm still listening, Job."

"I'm powerful sorry I yelled at ya', sir."

"Job!"

"It's Bernie, sir. I mean is he really dead or what? I done heard all 'bout Heaven and Hell and Purgytory from the Father but is that for Jewish folks?. Used to talk about it with Bernie and he'd say people just lived on in the memories they left behind. And I ain't gettin' no younger, sir."

"You don't pull me away from making new planets for the easy ones, do you, Job?"

"Sorry, Sir."

"Don't be, Job. I like tough questions. The problem here, though is that this is a tough one to put in words any man can really understand."

"Don' mean to interrupt but it's O.K. if you cain't tell Ole' Job."

"I'm going to have to show you, Job. That means I have to take you someplace. Up for a trip to California?"

"Yes, sir..." Job found himself inside a large Jewish Temple. He was standing before a wall with brass plaques on it. A few of the plaques had the light bulbs beside them turned on. Job saw Bernie's name on one of the plaques beside a burning bulb. He turned and saw the congregation. They were praying in a language he couldn't understand, "Yitkadal, v'yitkadash, shemay rabah...."

"What they sayin'. Sir?." Job whispered.

"You don't have to whisper, Job. They can't hear or see you. That prayer is called the Kaddish. Bernie's people say it on what they call the Yahrzeit, the anniversary of a person's death. It's in a language called Aramaic."

"So that's how they remember. Sir?"

"That's one way to do it, Job. You did the same thing when you put that money in the poor box and had your priest say Bernie's name in the Veteran's Day Mass."

"Guess I could go back to doin' that, Sir. Ya know, that lady in the front row looks kinda familiar.."

"That's Bernie's mother, Job. You saw her picture many times. And the lady beside her is his sister."

"Lordy, little sister's all growed up. Hate to say it, Sir. They's pretty ladies and all that but they aint gettin' any younger, just like me. And who's goin' to remember when they is gone and I'm gone? And when this buildin' is gone? I mean, old Saint Mary's Church done blew down in that Hurricane."

"And this Temple is near a fault line, Job. Earthquakes all the time."

"So, Lord, ain't none of these people and none of these places gonna last forever. Then who's gonna remember?" "To answer that Job I'd have to take you to another place."

"Where's that, Sir?"

"To Washington, Job. The Wall."

"I tried to go there, sir. I just cain't. Ain't there no other way?"

"It's 'way past time, Job."

"Ole' Job ain't scared of nuttin, 'cept that wall. "'Sides, ain't got gas money for my truck anyhow."

"I'll take you there now, Job."

"Sir, would you stay with me and all?"

"Of course... But I won't force you to go against your will."

"Okay, Sir, let's go." Job found himself standing in front of another wall, a polished black stone wall, on a bright summer day. Again, he looked at the names in front of him.

"Mr. Lord, Sir, that's him. That's Bernie," he whispered.

"Don't have to whisper, Job. Those people can't hear or see us, either."

"God. I really mean God. There's his name. Never knew a fella could feel so proud and so sad at the same time. Is that all that's left of Bernie, a name and some bones and old people sayin' prayers?"

"Look deeper into the wall."

"I'm scared, Sir. Old Job is scared."

"I can't make you, Job, but it will be okay."

Job stared at the polished stone and saw part of his reflection. He stared more and it was almost as if he was drawn into the darkness. He found himself in a small hut in the village below their firebase, holding a flashlight while Bernie was delivering a young Vietnamese woman's baby. His hand shook as Bernie yelled to hold the lantern still. Then there was a baby. He heard the woman say something quickly in Vietnamese and Bernie answer more slowly. Bernie handed Job a pair of sterile scissors. "Cut it between the knots, Job."

"I ain't no doctor or nuttin', Bernie."

"She wants you to cut it, Job. Says the boy doesn't have a father to do it. Says it's her way to thank you for protecting her."

Job cut the cord. Bernie bundled the child and placed it on the mother's breast. He delivered the placenta and massaged her lower abdomen until he was sure the bleeding had stopped. Job stepped out of the small hooch and suddenly he was blinking and staring at the wall again.

"You kind of forgot about that one, Job" the Voice said.

"Thanks, sir. I had. Funny how we folks jes' remember the bad stuff."

"How did you feel, Job?"

"Like I was his daddy. Real daddy got hisself killed in the ARVN Army, ya' know."

"I remember, Job."

"Sir, it was like I helped make a new life. Real special."

"Yes it is, Job."

"But, sir. No disrepeckt, but what's this to do wit' Bernie. Where is he?"

"Look in the wall again, Job. Tell me what you see."

"I see this Vietnamese woman but she's wearin 'merican clothes. There's this young fella she's huggin' All dressed up in a robe. He a preacher or sumpthin', Lord?"

"No, Job. That's his graduation gown and hood. His mother is hugging him because he just graduated second in his class at medical school."

"A doctor. Bet she's powerful proud. Uh. sir, I don't know that young fella but that lady looks familiar like... Wait a minute, that's the woman from 'Nam!"

"And that's her son, Job. You cut his cord."

"They made it to the States, sir?"

"All the way to California. One of my better efforts, if I may add."

"Even if you're God and all, I'd still be powerful proud of that one, Sir."

"I couldn't have done it without you, Job. Now we're going to have a fine new pediatrician. He'll take care of sick babies."

"Just like Bernie wanted, Sir..."

"He'll be a great one, just like Bernie would have been. Let me tell you how it happened. Through all the times in the camps and on the boat, that boy's mother would hold him each time he was scared and tell him of the night he was born. She'd tell him of the medic that helped her and the brave young soldier that watched over them."

"I was scared to death, Sir."

"She is a Catholic, Job. Calls you her guardian angel."

"How 'bout that."

"That story put a fire inside that boy, Job. He's going to save thousands of young lives. All thanks to you and Bernie."

"So long's as that young doctor and me and his mama remember, Bernie's alive."

"You're leaving someone out, Job."

"Nope, Jest us three, them and me. Don' remember nobody else there."

"Uh, Job."

"Was you there?"

"I thought you'd never ask, Job. I wouldn't have missed that one for anything."

"So you remember, Lord."

"I have a good memory, Job. Better than an elephant."

"And you gonna remember that night forever, sir. And as long as somebody remembers, Bernie is still alive."

"He's alive in a lot of ways I can't explain to you Job, but this is the most special way, living on through his deeds. You know, Job, Bernie's people have a saying that if you save one life, you save the whole world."

"That young fella's sure helpin' all those sick kids in California, Sir. And all thanks to Bernie. You see, sir, the thing that had me so bother'd was Bernie never had no son, like I'm goin' to. But now I see he did."

"You make a pretty good guardian angel too, Job."

"Thank you, sir."

"Ready to go back to your skiff, Job?"

"Almost, just have to look at Bernie's name one more time."

[end of part 2] Boudreaux's Mission, Part 3

02/15/98