Chapter 8: A Woman's Place
She decided to go to the kitchen to see if there was anything she could do to help. After all the most homey place in a home was usually the kitchen! She was too distracted by all these recent events to read anything, but still, deep down inside something inside her heart was saying “I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE WHAT HE’S GOT IN THIS LIBRARY!” . . . that was her more intellectual side speaking, which had been taking a short sabbatical.
She looked up at the chandelier in the dining room, and watched as the reflections of its crystals shone on many hanging family heirlooms stretching up two floors up to the ceiling. There was a railing above encircling the dining area, and beyond the railing appeared to be more space up there for more rooms. It became clear to Annette that you could fit quite a few people in here, if you wanted to. The arches and stonework were also inlaid with all kinds of precious stones everywhere that made mere walking through the Dallas a spiritually intoxicating experience. She walked at a slow pace, drinking in all the sights, smells and beauty of this place. The gentle crackling of the torches could be heard in the adjacent hallway.
Creaking open the dark blue door to the kitchen (although there really wasn’t any creaking sound—it was made perfectly and oiled properly) she saw a large dinner in the works. Time was short, so the meal was being put together by the helping hands of the ship. No, seriously, the literal hands of the ship were cooking. Almost like an automobile assembly line, large arms extending from the ceiling were busy doing all the work of making a beautiful dinner. The smell was incredibly—she was going to say REAL— but yes, it was real, it wasn’t just ‘spirit food’ or angel food, whatever that was. This was REAL FOOD and it smelled and looked FANTASTIC. The robotic equipment itself was also very scrupulously constructed to have a look that was pleasing to the eye. They worked tirelessly and effortlessly, opening and closing cabinets, removing things from pantries and refrigerators, baking bread and stirring eggs and sauces in a happy whir of activity.
“Well! Doesn’t seem I’m needed here!” She said to herself.
She did not expect the kitchen to notice. However, at that exact moment one of the arms handed her a broom.
“Of course you are needed!” said a gentle female voice that resonated throughout her whole body.
As soon as Annette took the broom, the arm politely gestured to some of the vegetables shavings that had dropped onto the floor. She laughed and immediately proceeded to sweep them into a nearby dustbin.
Amazingly, even though all this ‘AI kitchen’s’ arms were everywhere and (as she later found out) were propelled by a magnetic energy network installed into the ceiling, it seemed none of them ever even brushed against Annette. She swept the floor, and the arms continued to prepare the food. One of them politely offered Annette a sip of the soup, and the All-Encompassing Voice asked her “Do you think this needs salt?” She tried the soup. . . . . it was the most fantastic clam chowder she had ever tasted EVER. But it did need more salt.
“Yes. . . perhaps just a little more salt would do.” She replied, happy to be of service.
Another arm immediately did the job of putting some more salt in the big soup pot, which happily bubbled on the stove. Dallas's kitchen was a mixture of a modern top-of-the-line industrial appliances including stainless steel refrigerators with odd looking old stone ovens and even a giant cauldron you’d expect to find in a medieval castle. Everywhere on the ship the paradox of combining both the ancient and the futuristic was present, teasing the learned mind.
After their work had finished, Annette washed her hands and headed back out towards the dining room. “Thank you so very much” the gentle voice said. As they had finished their individual duties, one by one the robot arms neatly tucked themselves back into the ceiling. If you didn't look up the kitchen looked pretty normal. Annette decided to go find Enoch and bring him for dinner. Rather than call out his name, however, she used this excuse to explore more of the rooms—this time heading upstairs.
Each of the bedrooms on this floor had magnificent large open windows and external patios, but the doors leading outside to these were locked. She looked out of one of the windows and was startled to see some kind of large dinosaur like creature stomping around outside, digging in some rocks. It didn’t look like it was threatening to the Dallas, but nevertheless she was happy the outside world was sealed off safely away from them. The room was a kind of suite, obviously some sort of guest room, as it was devoid of any personal effects. She found her own room, through the genius method of recognizing her name on the door. She really felt it to be her own room, despite the fact of having just arrived here.
"Later, I'll have to decorate this place!" she said to herself.
Despite being small, it looked very functional and comfortable. There was a little desk (on top of which was placed a vase filled with purple flowers and a welcome card on the outside), a queen sized bed and a couple of reading chairs as well as an extra small table for setting down your things. Next to this was a large window that showcased the outside. The amazing spectacle of the Starlion was there just outside, reminding her of where she had just come. She felt a twinge of sadness for a moment at leaving behind yet another home, but this passed with the warmth and love she felt in this new abode.
She then continued on down the hallway through a few more of the same kind of comfy little guest rooms, until she found Enoch’s personal quarters on the far side of the whole circular passageway. He wasn’t there, either. She decided to take a peek deeper inside, stepping into the suite which had a little table in the middle of the room. There was a richly decorated double door leading to a large king-size bedroom just beyond. She stared out the window, captivated by the impossible sight of Starlion and the valleys of Mars (and the goofy dinosaur creature was lumbering around this side of the ship now). She found that his window had some kind of automatic viewer on it. She could focus on a certain spot on the landscape with her eyes, and that spot would zoom in, and against all laws of physics, the perspective could bend and change according to the will of whoever was looking into it. She watched as her view through this window shifted and zoomed up high, above the whole gigantic spaceship up all the way to the upper dome area, and was then able to see the countryside and township of Eleneth inside. Then she could zoom into Eleneth’s suburbs and was even able to find the dormitory where she lived before. On one of Eleneth's beautiful streets just outside the main entrance of the dorm was a small gathering of people there talking about something with excited looks on their faces. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but she figured there must have been some kind of investigation going on as to what had happened to her. It was quite a commotion! She didn’t detect any ill will from these folk, but they certainly would not be able to understand her present state and mind as to why she had left, and the types of things she was yearning after. She indeed felt a deep love for them, but she was resolute on following this man, and going to see the King Himself herself! She wouldn’t look back –
“Ahh, looking back, I see! Not ready to ‘forsake all’ yet?” Enoch stood at the doorway, dressed in a bathrobe.
Annette was caught off guard and her face blushed.
“No, of course not! I just wanted to try out this cool window thing you have here.” She quickly returned the viewer back to its normal un-zoomed status and hurried to leave his room.
He stopped her. She thought he was going to try something romantic, but looking down at herself suddenly realized she was still covered in vegetable stains and kitchen smells.
“I’ll be down in a moment. Go and talk with Dallas! I hope you two can become friends.” He said, turning back into the small bathroom connected to his private bedchamber.
Somehow disappointed but also relieved, Annette hurried back downstairs. She realized sheepishly she hadn’t yet cleaned herself up for dinner at all. She went back to her room to see if there was a change of
clothes or anything else she could wear for this ‘dinner with a king’ as it was becoming. She was realizing, without having been told, that Enoch was a very special dignitary and that she was probably unconsciously becoming a bit too familiar with him.
Quickly rummaging through some of the drawers, she didn’t find any clothes, but off to the side was her own private washroom which had a simple bathrobe matching the one she saw Enoch wear. She decided to take a shower, and dress for the occasion as it seemed also Enoch had. She was also very thankful for the simple things that are often taken for granted by humans but are so wonderful when you’re in an alien environment— simple warm showers, soap and towels and little toiletries.
As she washed herself in the refreshing water she thought about this man, Enoch, who despite being royal was also treating her practically as an equal. She felt so special, sitting down to eat and being treated as a close confidant rather than a little ‘lost soul.’ There was a sense of profound warmth and invitation to deep communion here, even deeper than those in Eleneth had shown her.
At dinner, at last she was introduced to ‘The Spirit of Dallas’ which was this pure and simple little maid girl. Enoch was just beside himself trying to get her to sit down and stop serving them. She simply refused to quit, continuously bringing out dishes and drinks. Every time she was about to sit down she would remember another thing, and finally Enoch picked up his fork and winked at Annette.
"You pray, and let’s feast! She won’t stop working."
Annette was suddenly put on the spot.
“You mean, pray and say grace for the food?” she asked with a look of surprise. Enoch laughed.
“Of course! It is your first time eating a meal as a saved soul, right? You might as well try it out! Just speak naturally.”
She didn’t know what to say, but perhaps that was what he wanted.
“Well, ah, dear Jesus, I really appreciate all you have done for me, and, this place and these friends, and. . . well, I thank you so much. And Amen!”
“Excellent, amen! Let’s eat!” Enoch exclaimed.
The meal was fantastic. At last Dallas also sat down and humbly began to enjoy the feast which she herself had made. As soon as Enoch started to talk with her, though, she brightened up a great deal and began to laugh and smile a lot. She seemed to be a very old friend, or perhaps a servant of Enoch.
“Is this your house, then? You live here always? Why don’t you go live in Heaven?” Annette asked.
“What is Heaven?” Enoch said through his food. “If it’s an ethereal land of harps and clouds and whatnot, that’s not exactly my idea of Heaven!”
“No, I mean it looks like you have a mobile home. Were you kicked out for being bad or something?” Annette teased.
“Enoch is a naughty one!” he admitted about himself, “this is true. . . I do get into all kinds of trouble and have all sorts of adventures on a regular basis. I am . . . controversial due to some of my stances on things. You might say I am infamous! But I am just doing my job, just as a simple humble servant like everyone else is in the Kingdom.”
“You just said Kingdom— so that is Heaven, then? It’s like a domain for a king?” Annette asked.
“That is sort of the case. There are places and realms of glory in the spirit that you have not yet seen, my dear! And that spirit should be capitalized. In the Spirit you can worship the Father anywhere, as long as you are in His Spirit and in Truth. It’s no longer about going to a temple or church. However you may be talking about New Jerusalem and The Father’s House. These are similar things, since The New Jerusalem was built there, but one day the New Jerusalem will come to Earth. That day is sooner than you think!”
“I vaguely remember hearing scattered details about ‘The Kingdom of God,’ when I was on Earth. Funny that they rarely mentioned it in Eleneth.” Annette said, taking great delicious bites of all the scrumptious dishes she could.
She was also doing her best to not look like a slob, but it seemed Enoch was completely relaxed and unaware of any formalities. Somehow she also felt very relaxed and at ease. It seemed all her questions would be resolved in time. Each question that was answered just brought up ten more questions!
“Dallas, you are so quiet! I think you must take good care of Mr. Enoch, here! Do you get paid?” Annette asked.
Dallas was a little shy whenever Annette talked to her. She seemed to not know what to say, so Enoch always spoke for her.
“This fine woman is in charge of this entire battleship! After we do the dishes I’ll take you upstairs to see the full power and might and scope of this ‘house’ of mine. Dallas is the pilot and spirit of the craft, and it is her that controls everything and does everything here. Who am I, but a little child who plays in this house, and she is like a mother! I would be lost without her! She is God's love in my life, and His hand of direction. Marvelous sweet and kind Dallas! She also keeps a careful and watchful and loving eye on me, so that I don’t go off the deep end anywhere,” he said.
His praises made Dallas visibly blush but Annette could tell she was pleased.
“Enoch loves to study.” Dallas suddenly chirped up, her eyes bright and shining as if suddenly she had a great idea. But her words were so simple. “And he’s always figuring out new stuff. I just try to help him so he’ll be able to do a better job.” And then she blushed again as if she had said something embarrassing (which she hadn’t of course).
Finishing the feast, they stood up and headed towards the kitchen, carrying dishes with them as they went.
“Now, you stop!” Commanded Enoch to dear little Dallas who kept trying to clean, wipe, sweep, and mop.
Enoch himself was a big fan of the cleanup process and in this job HE could not be stopped.
“Annette, you take this girl upstairs and have her show you some of the diagnostics of this craft. I’m going to stay here and must not be interrupted in my work! It’s important! Washing dishes is one of the highest duties in the Kingdom of Heaven!” He said with mock dignity.
It was obvious with the technology in the kitchen that they could have washed all those dishes automatically. Dallas noticed Annette staring as the kingly Enoch walked off with a huge pile of dishes.
“He loves to do the dishes," the quirky Dallas said, "I have no idea why. . .” and then took Annette’s hand. “Let’s go!”