Shinji Fujita Searches for God

“Kami?”

The Galapagos tortoise returned the stare, hoping for lettuce.

“No, Shinji. ‘Kami’ is ‘god.’ ‘Kame’ is ‘turtle.’ ”

“But Auntie Koko said ‘God is a turtle.’ ”

Makoto rounded on her twin, “What’ve you been filling his head with this time?”

Kokoro brought her hands up defensively. “Wait, let me think…. Umm…. Oh! Last Sunday, he asked me ‘What is God?’… At one point, I think I told him ‘God is eternal.’ ”

Shinji, satisfied turtles were divine, turned back but was disappointed; the tortoise had begun to wander off. That wasn’t God? Hmm…. He called out to another.