Climbing the evil maple tree required all of Bob's considerable athletic skill. He could not conceive how someone almost a foot shorter was able to do it. When he got reasonably close to Isabel, he wedged himself between two branches. She didn't appear to have any scrapes or scratches. He could not say the same about himself.
"We're in the same tree," she said.
"Have you heard of the Buddha of Compassion?" Bob asked.
"I don't know any Buddha."
"He is the Buddha who achieves Nirvana but stays in this world to help others."
"But Nirvana is in this world," replied Isabel. "It's in New Jersey."
"It comes from Seattle," he said and laughed weakly.
"No," she said, pointing to her head.
"Right, well, point being that it's time for you to be in this world. People need your help."
"You are a screen door, Bob. You might keep out some bugs, but the wind blows right through you."
"Well, follow that wind," he replied. "It's a strong one."
"We're in the same tree," she said. "We tilt together ... Oh, my phone is ringing."
With that, she fell backwards off her branch, and in seconds she had somersaulted out of the tree. Bob was stunned, but forced himself to follow her. By running as fast as he could once he reached the ground, he did manage to catch up to her before she got to her door. He could hear the phone ringing. Isabel walked in and picked it up.
"Hello?"
"Thank you."
"Yes."
"I will."
"Good. Thank you."
"Yes. Just a moment."
"Talk to him," she said to Bob.
"Who is it?" he asked.
"It's God."
"Oh," he said, and he reached for the receiver. His arm felt like it was made out of lead. He was convinced that he was holding a powerful horseshoe magnet in his hand that was going to pull something essential out of his brain, or just crack his head in half. Even so, he pressed it to his ear.