Four disguises

>> In transit

When she got into the back of the white van, the driver nodded and grunted a greeting to Bodhicita Guzman, dressed in her Sister Mary Miraculoso disguise. One of those no-like-talk local guys, she figured. He wore a big straw hat that came down over the eyes, wrap-around shades, a blue palaka shirt and jeans. David Wong was his name, the rabbi said, the local businessman who brought the rabbi and imam to Hawaii to speak.

Riding in the back of a van without side or rear windows, Bodhicita quickly decided, was like riding in a cave. Fortunately, it would be a short ride to the Waikiki hotel where the second Lama Jey Tsong Khapa awaited her arrival. So as they turned left from Dole onto University, Bodhicita, prone to claustrophobia, closed her eyes for a moment, meditating Jey.

But suddenly she felt the van turning, and that moment of beauty and peace was shattered. Opening her eyes, she saw the entrance ramp onto the H-1, Kokohead-bound.

"Oh, this isn't the way to Waikiki," she said, trying to sound helpful, and more calm than she felt as the van accelerated onto the freeway. "Oh, I see, you're going to take the King Street exit and go down Kapahulu."

But the van continued past the exit.

"Wh-what's going on?" she said, fear beginning to sound in her voice.

"I'm sorry, we have to make a side trip," Rabbi Sol said from the passenger seat. "I unfortunately left my Torah at David's house. I'll be needing it for our talk in Waikiki. Rabbi Sharif and I like to point out passages in the Old Testament and the Koran that are similar, references to Noah and Abraham, for example. I hope this will not inconvenience you too much."

I should have just waited five minutes and taken TheBus, Bodhicita was thinking. "No problem," she said, ever the humble nun.

The route was familiar as the driver took the Waialae exit, turned right on Hunakai, left on Pahoa, right on Pueo. The same way Fon Du always took when they returned to the Kahala estate he shared with other so-called employees of the Bank of Lhasa's downtown office, who were in fact members of Te-Wu.

Waiting for the light at Kilauea, Bodhicita saw a bus cross the intersection. "You know what, I can just get out here and take TheBus," she said. "I hate to be an inconvenience, especially if you're running late."

"Not at all, sister, no inconvenience at all."

As the streets passed -- Moa, Farmers, Aukai -- Bodhicita couldn't help thinking what a small world it would be if David Wong was a neighbor of Fon Du's.

As they turned onto Kahala and approached the estate she knew so well, the driver removed his hat and glasses.

"Hello again, Bodhicita," Fon Du said.