Bad for Business

Inside story

Do you belong here?

And where’s the donkey?

The Dry Land Swimming School

At Ease

Seeds

Soft Soap

The picnic

And where did you say...?

Goliath

Joseph looks back

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A dialogue - Abraham tells Sarah about a move

Abraham: Sarah, I've something to tell you, we've got to move again.

Sarah: I suppose you're going to tell me you've had another message from God? Why can't he find someone else to talk to? There are plenty of religious cranks, God knows, why pick on my husband?

Abraham: Don't take it that way, love. We're very privileged.

Sarah: Privileged! Fine sort of privilege to be forced to move house time after time! We've already moved 500 miles from my family in Ur. And you know how unreliable the pigeon post is. My cousin never got my last parcel for her daughter's twins and I'm certain some desert nomad is now the proud owner of two sets of goatskin bootees which I paid a fortune for in the bazaar. Or did he say we could go back? I miss Ur. Haran's OK for a provincial town, but Ur with its ziggurats, palaces, parks, shopping malls...

Abraham: Sarah. He didn't say it was back to Ur.

Sarah: I knew it. This God of yours is against family ties, culture or any hint of luxury.

Abraham: Sarah, he did say it was the Promised Land we would be going to.

Sarah: But that's what you said before and we ended up in Haran! I was a lot younger then and we had your father, God rest his soul.

Abraham: It was because of my father that the journey ended here. I couldn't leave him behind. But now we've no ties so we're free to go where God says.

Sarah: And where do you say we're going to? Where is this Promised Land?

Abraham: I don't know

Sarah: You don't know. You're telling me to move house without a forwarding address?

Abraham: I don't know where we're going but God knows.

Sarah: Why is it that he only speaks to you? Typical men talk - full of dreams, visions and notions but when it comes to a practical matter like a destination no inkling at all? So what shall I pack: summer frocks or winter woollies? And where shall we stay en route until God does tell you we are there?

Abraham: Sarah we'll pack everything we can carry. I think it'll be long journey. And I'll see about a tent.

Sarah: A tent! A tent? Abraham you mean us to live like gypsies, no inns, no rooms, no plumbing! Abraham we're senior citizens not boy scouts!

Abraham: It'll be fun - think of the wide horizons, the starlit nights, story-telling by the campfire, space to think, pray and wonder.

Sarah: Think of the cold, always searching for water, firewood and food, the robbers, the hard beds and those insects!

Abraham: Trust me, Sarah. God will be with us.

Sarah: That's a great consolation! Here we are bound on a long uncomfortable journey with no destination and only a promise to hold onto.

Abraham: Two promises, there's the Promised Land and...

Sarah: And what? These promises sound more like threats to me. What's this other promise?

Abraham: You are going to have a son. (Sarah faints)