A worldly man meets with a journalist

Hello. I’m sorry I’m late.

Two coffees, please.

Now, where are we going to sit? It gets very full in here at times. Have to find a corner somewhere or we won’t hear ourselves.

Over here will do. Chance to sit down. Now, tell me again what it is you want to talk about.

A piece for your paper.

I’m not too sure I could give you much help there. People hear I have travelled a bit on business and the next thing I hear is that they have me sailing all around Europe. Daft stories begin; you would wonder where people get them from.

The other question I get asked is about the cup from the meal. I have no idea what happened to it, I wasn’t there. Read the account for yourself; I wasn’t there. Anyway, it doesn’t matter. I keep trying to explain to people that they’ve missed the point of the whole thing if they start looking for the cup, but will they listen to me? It becomes some kind of holy grail for some of them and they forget all about the important part of the story.

So, having got rid of silly tales about my travels and missing crockery, have you serious questions?

My grave, why did I give it away?

If you have done your research, you will know exactly where my grave is. Furthermore, you will not only know here it is, but you will have been there and you will have discovered that I have not given my grave away, because it’s empty. I simply loaned my grave out, for two nights.

Why is it empty?

I thought you were a reporter, haven’t you discovered why?

Let’s think about it. There are two possibilities.

One, the grave is empty because someone has taken the body. Who would take it? The person’s enemies? No, they want to be able to show the person is dead. The person’s friends? Well, maybe, but why would people, who know their friend to be very firmly dead, be completely changed? Why would you put yourself in mortal danger for something you have made up?

Did you think about that? Did you think about why anyone would want to take the body?

Waiter! Two more coffees, when you have a moment.

Second possibility, the grave is empty because the person is no longer dead. Come on; think about it! You’re the investigative journalist. If the person is dead, it should be easy to prove. All that is needed is for someone to suggest where the grave is, or to show there had been some sort of conspiracy – I don’t hear anyone coming forward. “Show me he’s dead!” I challenge people, and all I hear is silence.

Go and talk to his friends. They are changed and not only are they changed, but they are prepared tell this story to anyone who will listen, no matter what it costs them. Be realistic, look at them: fishermen, a taxman, not exactly the types to make up such a story, are they?

You’re a hard nosed man and you will say to me, “people do not rise from the dead.” I’m telling you, this one did. So, how about that for a news story, a good news story?