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out from under some legal trouble. Dad was a close friend of Alwin’s.”
    â€œThat’s right,” said Bitter. “Sondra’s like a niece to me. Did you enjoy the sermon?”
    â€œIt was great,” I said. “Though I’d expected more science.”
    â€œWhat’s your field?” asked Bitter.
    â€œWell, I studied mathematics, but now I’m mainly in computers. I had my own business for a while. Fletcher & Company.”
    â€œYou’re Joe Fletcher?” exclaimed Sondra. “I know a friend of yours.”
    â€œHarry Gerber, right? That’s what I wanted to ask Dr. Bitter about. Harry’s trying to build something that will turn him into God.”
    Bitter looked doubtful. I kept talking. “I know it sounds crazy, but I’m really serious. Didn’t you hear about the giant lizard yesterday?”
    â€œOn the Jersey Turnpike,” said Nancy loyally. “It was on the news.”
    â€œYes, but I don’t quite see—”
    â€œHarry made the lizard happen. The thing he built—it’s called a blunzer—is going to give him control over space and time, even the past. The weird thing is that it isn’t really even Harry. The blunzer is just using us to make things happen. It sent Harry to tell me to tell Harry to get me to—”
    Bitter was looking at his watch. “If you have a specific question, Mr. Fletcher, I’d be happy to answer it. Otherwise . . .”
    What was my question?
    â€œMy question. Okay, it’s this: What if a person becomes the same as the One? What if a person can control all of reality? What should he ask for? What changes should he make?”
    Bitter stared at me in silence for almost a full minute. I seemed finally to have engaged his imagination. “You’re probably wondering why that question should boggle my mind,” he said at last. “I wish I could answer it. You ask me to suppose that some person becomes like God. Very well. Now we are wondering about God’s motives. Why is the universe the way it is? Could it be any different? What does God have in mind when He makes the world?” Bitter paused and rubbed his eyes. “Can the One really be said to have a mind at all? To have a mind—this means to want something. To have plans . But wants and plans are partial and relative. The One is absolute. As long as wishesand needs are present, an individual falls short of the final union.” Bitter patted my shoulder and gave me a kind look. “With all this said, I urge you to remember that individual existence is in fact identical with the very act of falling short of the final union. Treasure your humanity, it’s all you have.”
    â€œBut—”
    Bitter raised his hand for silence. “A related point: There is no one you. An individual is a bundle of conflicting desires, a society in microcosm. Even if some limited individual were seemingly to take control of our universe, the world would remain as confusing as ever. If I were to create a world, for instance, I doubt if it would be any different from the one in which we find ourselves.” Bitter took my hand and shook it. “And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to get home for Sunday dinner. Big family reunion today. My wife Sybil’s out at the airport picking up our oldest daughter. She’s been visiting her grandparents in Germany.”
    Bitter shook hands with the others and took off, leaving the four of us on the church steps.
    â€œWhat’d he say?” I asked Sondra.
    Sondra shook her head quizzically. Her long, frizzed hair flew out to the sides. “The bottom line is that he wants to have lunch with his family. But tell me more about Harry’s project.”
    â€œHow well do you know Harry?” put in Nancy.
    â€œWe’ve been seeing each other off and on for about six months. He introduced himself to me at the Vienna Café. It’s a