Peace on Earth or the Earth in Pieces?

“This book will tell you about real peace on earth,” I promised. “All right, sir, I’ll give it a look.” The young airman smiled as he tucked the volume under his arm. “Have a nice Christmas,” I added. “Hare Krsna.”

I’d been distributing my spiritual master’s books to San Antonio servicemen since nine o’clock that morning. Now I had to catch the bus from the base back into the city to join the other members of my group. It was late afternoon, and the mid-December air was cold and still. With numbed fingers I fumbled for the exact fare (thirty-five cents) and shuffled up the narrow metal steps onto the bus, along with half a dozen young airmen. I tried to seem casual about slipping into the only available seat. Whew! It had been a busy day. I glanced at the airman beside me. He squinted back from beneath a blue service cap pulled low over his brow.

“Hi,” I said. “How’s everything going for you?”

“Fine, sir.” Then relaxing his newly acquired military formality, he pushed his cap up. We recognized each other and smiled. On his lap he held the book I had handed him back at the bus stop: BHAGAVAD-GITA AS IT IS, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

“You’re a Hare Krsna, aren’t you?”

“That’s right. My name’s Mandaleswara dasa.”

We shook hands. “Mine’s Steve,” he said. “Where are you headed?”