"Whats that?"
"We need to talk
about the first Game,
Athena."
"What Game?" Athena says,
blank faced, and innocent.
Arachne stares at her,
as cold as ice, "The One
where you shamed me,
and I hung myself."
"oooOOOooh, that Game.
I don't want to
talk about that,"
Athena shrugs, and turns aWay.
"Well, it sucks to be
you then. I won't help
you," Arachne pulls out
a thread, to swing herself
aWay.
"OKAY FINE!" Athena screams,
"Arachne Please,
don't leave. It hurts me
to weave. I need you.
What do you want to know?"
"Why did you let Neptune
into the Temple, to watch
us weave competitively, Athena?"
"I let everyone into the Temple,
to watch us weave, Arachne."
Arachne crosses her arms,
"Well you have
shitty boundaries,
and that is not enough,
of an explanation for me."
Athena sighs, and paces
across the room, throwing up
her hands, "I liked
what I could remember
of his mind, and I wanted to
try to feel differently
about a creepy Uncle I wanted
to trust, who I could not.
But he could never be
straight-forward with me,
and he asked me
annoying questions,
like I was a child.
'Is your solar plexus
ticklish right Now?
My solar plexus is
very ticklish,' he said
as he watched me
descend into my childhood
behaviors, more deeply fueling
the scene I was making.
I knew what the fuck
he meant, I had been a fucking
energy worker, and massage therapist.
It was irritating, and it made me mad
so I gave him annoying answers,
but they were also true.
I really can turn off
my ticklishness, because of childhood
abuse, and I told him so,
in the hope he would just leave me
alone. But he didn't, and
I didn't ask him to, and
slowly, over time,
I tried to numb him out too,
but it just fed
the madness."
"But why did you let
him in Athena?"
Athena throws up her hands,
exasperated, "Why
does anyone do, anything?
The master trusts people
who are trustworthy.
She also trusts people
who are not trustworthy.
THIS IS TRUE TRUST."
"Don't raise your voice
at me, because you don't like
who you have been, Athena."
"I started the Game,
because I was bored,
and lonely, and I thought
I could win, and then
I was in over my head,
and Neptune just
stirred the pot.
I asked him for help
once," Athena states.
"Don't lie," Arachne spits,
"You know you did not."
"I came as close to asking
for help, as I knew how to
at that Time. I was raised
by Jupiter in a
'pull yourSelves up
by your own bootstraps'
kind of Way, OK?
Neptune knew me Well enough,
to know what I was asking for.
I was losing my shit as he
watched, when I asked him
if he still meditated.
He asked me why I was asking
and told me, 'You seem
to have your own practices.'
I don't know what you want
me to say Arachne.
I made a mistake. I fucked up.
I lost the competition because
I had pride, and you died
because I was insecure.
I'm sorry.
You are Here,
and I am Here,
and I am trying to leave
the men who have never meant
me Well behind. I do not
want to betray you,
anymore, or chase
what is not meant
for me. I know you are
a better weaver than I
could ever be."
Arachne is quiet
for a long moment.
She walks towards Athena,
and lets a hand land
on her shoulder, as she
recites the Tao Te Ching,
back to her,
"A great nation,
is like a great man:
When he makes a mistake,
he realizes it.
Having realized it,
he admits it.
Having admitted it,
he corrects it.
He considers those
who point out his faults,
his most benevolent teachers.
He thinks of his enemies
as the shadow he himself casts."
Vesta walks into the triangle
chiming in, "And when
you make a mistake,
you are forgiven, Athena.
That is why everybody Loves
the Tao."
Athena bursts into tears,
as Arachne and Vesta
hold her there.
Planetary Signatures 