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My Kind of Town Don Chapman |
Dharma the Dolphin (4)
» H-1, townbound
As they drove back to town, where the second Lama Jey Tsong Khapa would resume the very dangerous role of being himself in public, he continued telling the story of Dharma the Dolphin to 9-year-old Elizabeth Resurreccion, who moments ago had attained her Buddhahood on the accelerated path virtual-reality program the lama and his brother Joe Kharma created.
The terrible devil Mara on his boat Mal de Mer was chasing Dharma, prince of dolphins. The devil shot at him 200 times, but every time Dharma nimbly leaped out of the way. Focusing only on capturing Dharma and dragging him down to hell, he didn't notice that Dharma was leading him closer to shore until he went aground on the reef. The waves were big that day and pounded the boat, and soon it began to break apart. The devil couldn't swim, grabbed at a small piece of wood to stay afloat, but waves pushed him toward the rocky shore.
"Surely the next wave, maybe the next, would drive him onto the rocks and crush him," the lama said.
" 'Help me, someone, please!' the devil cried out.
"In the devil's plea, Dharma heard the echo of his friend Tara as the devil had dragged her to hell. 'Help me, Dharma, help me!'
"That's when Dharma realized there was still a way to save Tara.
"Not knowing if the devil had a knife or a gun, or maybe a magical trick, Dharma swam swiftly beneath the waves, came up under the devil and nudged his foot with his nose.
" 'Shark!' the devil cried, seeing a fin. 'I'm dead! Help!'
" 'Don't be silly, devil. It's me, Dharma. Grab hold of my fin.'
" 'How do I know I can trust you?'
"Because I am Dharma. Or you can go on trusting that piece of flotsam to which you cling. Just look where it's getting you.'
"As the next big wave, the one that would kill him, crested and began to break over him, Mara grabbed Dharma's fin. With a powerful tail thrust, Dharma leaped easily over the wave, carrying Mara to safety.
"'Why are you saving me?' the devil asked. 'I killed your mother and dragged your friend to hell. Why are you doing this?'
" 'Because I am Dharma.'
"The devil Mara had never known such compassion, and it touched him. When Dharma set him down on sandy Buddha's Beach, the devil said 'Wait here.' He ducked into the water, dug into the sand and a moment later Tara leaped out of the sea into the air. 'You saved me, Dharma!' she said.
"Then the devil Mara transformed into a dolphin. 'I am a devil no more. I will follow you, Dharma. I will be your protector. By the way, you see that beautiful human female lifeguard up there in the chair? That is your mother.'
"She waved and blew Dharma a kiss."
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Don Chapman is editor of MidWeek. His serialized novel runs daily in the Star-Bulletin. He can be e-mailed at dchapman@midweek.com