“That's right. It doesn't bother me at all to stand up for my country. It doesn't bother me at all to make sure our children don't have to speak English as a second language. It doesn't bother me at all to see people arrested who broke the law. No, it doesn't bother me to say, arrest all illegals. Illegal aliens need to be rounded up and deported now. That's my position, and I'm ready and willing to take that fight to the state house and anywhere else I have to. That's right, and remember, we can't do it without your support. Thank you, Thank you ladies and gentlemen, and thank you Ken Boorman for being an ally. Keep up the fight. Thank you.”
Sustained applause fills the air and Natalie Burke moves away from the microphone as Ken Boorman briefly speaks.
“Ladies and gentlemen, State Senator Natalie Burke, let's give her a big hand.”
As the music resumes, and the speakers descend from the stage Ken Boorman expresses his pleasure to Senator Burke for her presentation
“That was real good Natalie. I'm so glad you came.”
“I'm glad to be here Ken.”
As sandwiches and beverages are freely dispensed, a carnival like mood is in the air and the crowd becomes festive. Though food and music make for a convivial atmosphere, Natalie Burke is thinking about her son back in Kingman. It was understood that Senator Burke could stay only long enough to speak and immediately afterwards fly back to Kingman. Ken Boorman knows she's eager to return home and would also like to get underway as soon as possible. By the time he flies her back to Kingman and makes his return flight home, he will have put in a very long and eventful day so they're both ready to start the final part of their journey. The time is almost six pm, and within twenty minutes they're in the air again heading back to Kingman. In his haste to take his guest back home and distracted by the day’s events Ken Boorman neglects the first rule of every pilot or mariner; always be aware of impending weather conditions you are traveling toward. The first leg of their trip is routine as they talk about the rally they left. All seems ordinary.
“I'm really pleased with how it went,” Ken Boorman says.
“I think it went very well. I enjoyed it. Thanks Ken for taking me back so soon.”
“That's quite all right. I know you're concerned about your son. How's he doin'?”
“He's doin’ a lot better now. A couple of months ago we thought we might lose him.”
“But he's doin’ much better you say.”
“Thankfully. His doctors are very optimistic.”
“That's great. How old is he?”
“He's twenty-four.”
“That's a lot for a twenty-four-year-old to go through.”
“It was a miracle we found a donor heart when we did. He didn't have much time left.”
“Do you know where it came from, his new heart?”
“All I was told was that a young man, twenty-four years old, same age as my son was killed in a motorcycle accident a few miles south of Winslow. They immediately asked his parents if they could harvest his organs and they said yes. So, that's all I know.”
“Wow, well they must've been good people. I mean to be told your son is dead, then at the same time to be asked if his organs can be collected for someone else. I can't imagine that.”
“I was told they didn't hesitate. His parents whoever they were, said if their son's death could help someone else live, that would bring them a measure of comfort.”
“That takes special kind a people to say that. We need more people like that in this country.”
“Absolutely.”
As they continue onward they notice what looks like a fast moving storm system moving in from the west. With thirty-four years of piloting experience, Ken Boorman is confident that this flight like so many others will be routinely uneventful. After they touch down in Kingman, he'll check weather conditions before his return flight home. Nothing out of the ordinary is expected.
Meantime, for Colin Burke back in Kingman, the passing hours of evening bring the usual tedium he's grown accustomed to in coping with his physical condition. After watching another feature length movie and receiving a phone call from his dad telling him he'll be late coming home, Colin Burke, rests on the couch, gently drifting into a quiet sleep, and though the TV is still on with it's background noise it doesn't prevent him from dozing off. Several hours pass and he remains oblivious to the intermittent weather bulletins that are being aired on the wide screen TV less than fifteen feet away from him. Still sleeping, Colin Burke doesn't hear the announcer's voice break in with the news that a single engine plane has gone down about sixty miles south of Kingman because of the severe weather. It will be another four or five hours before authorities learn the identities of the two crash victims. One of the last things Colin Burke told his mother was that he would look for her on the evening news. Little did he know how tragically ironic those words would be. Though he won't receive the terrible news until the next morning, Colin Burke's mother is now dead.
As Natalie Burke wakes to find herself in a very different place, she remembers nothing about the violent impact that ended her mortal life. It's late at night. She's driving her car through a strong thunderstorm and she's in a hurry. She's trying to get back home to check on her son. Flashing emergency lights ahead of her indicate that driving conditions are hazardous. She's feeling anxious about her son, so she continues onward despite the risks. She comes to a partially flooded section of the road. After slowing down and proceeding with caution, what looked like a few inches of surface water quickly builds to something unmanageable. A strange sense of déjà vu comes over her, a vague recollection of trying to get home through a storm, as if she was reliving an experience from a thousand years before in some distant prior lifetime.
When Natalie Burke feels the car start to float, she knows she's in serious trouble. As the current gets stronger it carries her in its unrelenting grip. Sensing there is no escape from her fate, she suddenly feels her car lodge itself against a large tree. When water starts rapidly rising inside her vehicle, the panic of imminently drowning seizes her mind. Then, at her most desperate moment she sees a young man struggling to open the door from the outside. After they both manage to get it open, Natalie Burke sees the rope tied around his waist and knows it leads to safety. She thinks of her son Colin and summons all her strength to save herself. After an initial struggle, the young man ties himself to the struggling woman, thereby sealing his fate with hers. As they make their way through the threatening tumult, Natalie Burke sees that without his labored effort, she would've been swept away. There's a strange, surrealistic quality to what she's experiencing, as if she is present and somehow not present in the chaotic events surrounding her. She feels the presence of something profoundly mysterious and even with the torrent swirling all around her it evokes a primal human memory. This experience is strange and yet somehow deeply familiar for Natalie Burke. She asks herself, ‘where am I, and who is this young man?’ Then unexpectedly, a calming reassurance comes over her, dispelling any fear or confusion. In the slow, deliberate, protective strength of this man's dedicated effort she senses something more than the selfless action of another human being, something else seems to be revealing itself, something profound, something powerfully expressed through the intimate presence of her rescuer’s benevolent strength and compassion. The moment seems completely surreal and an unexpected thought enters her mind. Seeing the faithful constancy of this young man's continual effort against the water is very much like the soul’s journey through this world, she thinks, and the rushing water with its danger very much like the streaming unpredictable swirl of our own lives. These thoughts are atypical for Natalie Burke. Though she regards herself as a believer, belief in God for her is little more than an intellectual acknowledgment that he exists, not a relevant, living presence in her daily life.
These are the thoughts of Natalie Burke as she feels the welcoming relief of solid ground under her feet, and as the two
pull away from the danger, she turns to thank her rescuer.
“You saved me. Thank you. Thank you, the water came so fast. How did you know I was there?”
“I saw your car get swept away.”
“Well, thank you. I don't know what I would've done.”
“I'm, just glad I saw you.”
Natalie Burke sees a young man who appears to be in his mid-twenties. His dark hair and eyes suggest a mix of Anglo and Hispanic heritage. His voice is calm and reassuring. His friendly smile and courteous demeanor immediately put her at ease.
“You're soaking wet ma'am. I live with my grandmother very close to here. You're welcome to come and dry your clothes if you want.”
Exhausted and shivering, Natalie Burke is quick to accept the invitation. After taking off his jacket to keep her warm, they both walk the short distance to the young man's modest home and are welcomed by an elderly woman whose immediate concern is getting Natalie Burke warm and comfortable. Her benignant manner and gentle bearing speak a perfect vocabulary of kindness that her broken English scarcely conveys. After gesturing something in Spanish to her grandson, she gently touches the hand of her guest who is still soaked and shaken from her ordeal. She leads Natalie to a private room and takes from a small closet one of her own dresses. After offering the dress and a warm dry towel, she leaves the room closing the door quietly behind her.
As Natalie Burke dries herself and puts on fresh attire, she looks at the mirror on the wall. Seeing her own image awakens memories of when she would check her appearance before making a speech or public meeting and it calls her back to that frame of mind. She thinks to herself, ‘Wait a minute, am I really here? What is this place? I remember. I was in a plane flying home and something happened. I know who I am. I'm Senator Natalie Burke. I'm a member of the Arizona state legislature. I've received telephone calls at my home from the governor. How many people can say that? This must be a dream. By tomorrow morning the storm will be over and I'll be on my way home again.’
After putting on the warm dry clothes provided by her host, she moves closer to the mirror and checks the fit of the tri-colored dress she's now wearing. As she adjusts the collar and buttons the front, its snug fit feels warm and reassuringly comfortable. It's not immediately obvious to Natalie Burke that the green, red, and white garment she's just donned bears the same colors as the Mexican flag. When she emerges from the small side room back into the living area, she sees a table with a bowl of hot soup waiting for her. Seated a few feet away are the young man and his grandmother. She walks over to the elderly woman and reaches for her hand.
“Thank you. Thank you,” she says with sincere gratitude.
“Yes, okay. It's okay.” the elderly woman says, and with a warm expression of genuine kindness points with an open hand to the bowl of soup on the table. Before sitting, Natalie Burke steps over to the young man and offers her thanks to him as well.
“I want to thank you again for what you did for me.”
“It's my pleasure ma'am. I'm glad I was there.”
Sitting at the table Natalie Burke begins her simple meal.
“This is very good. Thank you,” she says.
As her curiosity rises, she asks the young man,
“How far is Kingman from here? Can you tell me the best way to get there?”
“No, I can't tell you how to get there from here ma'am. I'm sorry.”
“I have to get back to check on my son. He just had a heart transplant. I have to make sure he's all right. What's the name of this place?”
“It has no name.”
“Well, how did you get here? Where are you from?”
“I used to live in Winslow.”
“Are you going back?”
“I can never go back. I wish I could go back to help my mother, but I'm happy to be here with my grandmother. This is where I need to be,” he says.
“Well, I need to get back to Kingman to be with my son. Do you know how serious heart transplant surgery is?”
“I can imagine. I hope your son will be okay, ... with all my heart.”
“So do I. Why did you leave Winslow?”
“I left Winslow by accident.”
“I don't understand. Did you say you have family there?”
“My mother is still there.”
“Why did you leave?”
“My father is undocumented. After the law changed in Arizona, he was arrested and taken to a detention center. I was on my way to visit him, riding my motorcycle south of Winslow when it happened.”
“Wait a minute. You said you were on a motorcycle south of Winslow?”
“Yes ma'am”
“What happened?”
“The accident,”
“What kind of accident?” she asks tentatively.
“I was hit sideways by a pickup truck that ran a red light.”
Stunned at what she's hearing, Natalie Burke thinks to herself; “How can this be?” Is this where her twenty-four-year-old son Colin got his new heart?
Knowing the donor’s age was the same as her son she asks the young man hesitantly, “How old are you?”
“I'm twenty-four.”
“... Are you, an organ donor?” she asks.
“Yes, it's on my driver's license.”
Stupefied, Natalie Burke looks away in bewilderment and asks,
“Where am I? ... What is this place?”
She looks over at the elderly woman. The warm light of burning candles illuminates a face that seems to exude an angelic aura of goodwill. Then she hears a knock on the door, and moments later sees a middle-aged woman with a dark complexion and shoulder length hair enter the room. After the newcomer is welcomed by the old woman, they embrace and greet each other in fluent Spanish. Their familiar and affectionate exchange convinces Natalie Burke that the woman must be a relative. After their greeting, the newcomer moves toward the young man who stands to offer his respects. The woman then turns to Natalie Burke. She walks over and sits at the small table across from her.
“Hello Senator Burke.”
“How do you know who I am?”
“That's not a surprise. Is it? Senator Natalie Burke is well known. Your public appearances and speeches have been seen and heard by many. You command a following.”
“Who are you?”
“My name is Brianna.”
“How do you know about me?”
“Are you not a public figure?”
“I'm just a citizen like anybody else.”
“You're being much to modest, Senator Burke. Your name is known in the halls of the state capitol.”
Before Natalie Burke can respond their elderly host brings two cups of tea and places them before her guests.
“Thank you Maria,” Brianna says.
As the old woman moves back to her chair and sits, Brianna looks at Natalie Burke.
“Isn't she kind?”
“Yes, she is.”
“I'm so glad Antonio is here with her. He's a fine young man. He came to your aid earlier.”
“That's right. ... Who are you?”
“I told you. My name is Brianna.”
“How do you know these things? Why are you here?”
“I'm here to help you get to your destination.”
“Do you have a car?”
“No.”
“Well, how did you get here?”
“I walked.”
“How is a woman walking around in the dark alone going to help me? It sounds like you need the help.”
“I'm not alone. My apprentice is with me.”
“Your apprentice, Who's that?”
“His name is Calvin.”
“Well does Calvin have a car, because I need a ride to Kingman. Tell him I'll pay him to take me there. Where is he?”
“He's here beside me.”
After pausing a moment Natalie Burke asks,
“If he's here beside you, how come I don't see him?”
“He's not part of your journey. Your destiny and his are immiscible.”
“What's that mean?”
“It means this place is for you and only you.”
“This is ridiculous. What are you talking about? I have to get back to Kingman to check on my son.”
“There's no need to worry. Colin will be all right.”
“How do you know about my son?”
“I know a lot about you, Senator Burke, and your work.”
“If you know so much about me, then you know my son needs my help.”
“You care deeply for your son. Don't you?”
“Yes, of course, doesn't every mother? How can you say you know my work? You don't know me.”
Pointing to the elderly Hispanic woman patiently seated across the room, Brianna says,
“Maria has a son too, Antonio's father. He was a hard worker who paid his taxes and took care of his family until Arizona's new law HR1206 was passed. He was arrested and placed in a detention center in Nogales. One morning Antonio set out from Winslow on his motorcycle to visit his father, and through no fault of his own was killed in an accident on the highway. Your son now has Antonio's heart beating in his chest. So, your work product, HR1206 had an unexpected benefit for you, but not very beneficial for others. In one sense you could say your son had a change of heart while you didn't. So you see, I do know your work Senator Burke. I know it very well.”
“Well I- ... That law was passed by a majority of the state senate. I was just one member.”
“Yes, but you worked especially hard to get it passed, so your new found modesty is a little unconvincing Senator.”
A state of general disbelief comes over Natalie Burke. If what this woman is saying is true, then she must be dead. How can this be? She doesn't remember any particular moment when her life ended. Can any of this be real? It's impossible. Reasserting her identity, Natalie Burke convinces herself that what she's experiencing is not to be taken for reality. She knows who she is. She remembers being on stage and hearing hundreds cheer as she spoke. She silently tells herself, ‘That was real. That's who I am.’
A Journey of Souls Page 7
