On the Precipice of Hope

“Are you a believer?”

As his skilled hands continued kneading my foot, the middle-aged masseur continued rattling on in Chinese about his philosophy on religion and continued expounding why faith is not only about theology but needs to be exhibited through good works. Just a seat away, the Methodist-turned-Buddhist masseur with Adeline interjects once in a while, but invites an escalating discourse from my masseur who, amusingly in this context, a Buddhist-turned-Methodist.

Another masseur, a few seats down, “shushed” at both of them, as they started to bicker…