The Reluctant Savior. Krystan

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      chapter 15

      A Season for Grace

      Charleston, South Carolina

      December 2005

      Ryan squeezed through the aisle of the 727 with his backpack and roller bag as he headed toward the plane’s midsection and seat 21E. He had always loved the window seats and, when flying out of Portland, made it a point to sit on the right side of the plane in order to have the best view of Mt. Hood as the plane ascended just to the north. He was particularly excited today since school was out for the holidays and he was heading home to Charleston. Not only that, but Julian and Ben were right behind him. Ben slipped into the middle seat as Julian struggled to get his carry-ons into the overhead compartment. Ben had never seen Charleston before, and was particularly excited to see this magical place that Ryan and Julian had so often told him about.

      “Wow, I can’t believe I’m actually going to Charleston!” he exclaimed as Julian finally got his gear stowed and plopped down into the aisle seat beside him. “You guys have raved about this place almost from the day we first met—and Christmastime too. I know it’s going to be beautiful!”

      “It will be,” Julian agreed, catching his breath from the struggle down the aisle, “but maybe not in the way you would expect. There is a timeless colonial sort of spirit in Charleston, so you won’t see all the sensationalism of some modern cities. It’s a softer and more genteel sort of feel—candles in the windows, lots of wreaths, flickering gas lanterns, choirs singing in the churches…stuff like that. Definitely not ten million lights flashing in every possible direction!”

      “Good, I’m really kinda tired of all that commercialism, anyway. Actually, I’m looking forward to a little peace and quiet. I’ve never experienced anything but big bustling cities at Christmas, so this should be a welcome relief,” Ben smiled as he tried to adjust his tall lanky frame into the relative close quarters of his middle seat.

      Ryan noticed him squirming. “Why don’t you put your pack in the overhead? You’ll be a pretzel after four hours of sitting like that! Just get what you need outa there and you’ll be a lot more comfortable.

      “Yeah, good idea,” Ben agreed, pulling out an apple, two celery stalks, and a paperback copy of Larry Dossey’s ‘Reinventing Medicine.’ “This should last me a while,” he smiled and handed Julian the backpack.

      Just then, the stewardess’s voice crackled over the intercom, exhorting all passengers to once again endure the federally mandated safety lecture on how to buckle your seat belt or turn your seat cushion into a flotation device. Ryan zoned her out and decided to take advantage of the time together and find out how Ben had been faring at OHSU.

      “So, soon-to-be Dr. A, how’s the great medical world at OHSU? They brainwashed you with all that pharmaceutical crap yet?” Ryan grinned as he taunted his friend about what he considered to be a fairly conservative choice in medical education, and certainly not a route that he would have chosen.

      “Tryin’ their best,” Ben smiled, “but no friend of Ryan Christie could be even remotely susceptible to all that nonsense! I pick and choose what serves me best.” Brandishing the Dossey book toward his friend, he countered, “You’ll notice I’m not exactly reading the Merck Manual here!”

      Ryan laughed. “You know, that does look familiar. Jules, isn’t that the book you were reading last semester for some woo-woo class of yours?”

      “Watch it now, Mr. Know-It-All. Yes, indeed it is a book that I have read and thoroughly enjoyed. At least two of the three of us will soon be properly educated,” Julian added, winking at Ben.

      “Hey now you guys…” Ryan’s voice was partly muffled by the roar of the engines powering the 727 into the sky and on its course toward the opposite coast. As the plane’s nose edged skyward and the force of gravity pushed them all back against their seats, he continued, “I, myself, am reading a classic by none other than the revered New York Times best-selling author Dr. Dean Ornish. In fact, upon our arrival in Charleston, of the three of us, I shall be the one in sole possession of the keys to ‘Reversing Heart Disease,’ therein preparing myself to rid the planet of yet another malicious and unnecessary malady for which prevention seems a far better approach.” Ryan loved to tease his friends with a most scholarly and erudite delivery.

      “What a crock!” Julian chimed in. “Hey man, look out your window—thar she blows, the famous lady of the west, Mt. Hood!” It was a crystal clear morning in Portland, highly unusual for that time of year, but what a treat to travelers heading east. Just to the right of the plane, seemingly only a stone’s throw away, stood a jagged snow-covered precipice piercing the azure sky, welcoming those journeying west or, in this case, bidding fond farewell to those departing the Rose City.

      “Unbelievable!” shrieked Ben. “It’s been years since I’ve seen Mt. Hood from the air—just spectacular! Looks like we’re СКАЧАТЬ