“Chivalry”
Every now and then, you come across a story which is almost perfect: the tone, the characters, the atmosphere, the little details, the plot — everything seems to come together to make the story just right. That’s the case with Neil Gaiman’s “Chivalry,” one of the stories in Smoke and Mirrors. The story opens with this line: “Mrs. Whitaker found the Holy Grail; it was under a fur coat.” It’s not long after she brings it home from the thrift shop that Galaad comes looking for it, and Mrs. Whitaker invites him in for tea…. Gaiman says that the story is “very friendly,” and it is. It was a delight to read. (Alas, some of the other stories in that volume look horrid.)
I read “Chivalry” while sitting in Chapters up in Calgary this weekend. I had a pulpit exchange with Theo Hoekstra, the pastor of Emmanuel Reformed Church in Neerlandia, a small town about seven hours northwest of here. On the way, I stayed overnight with my parents in Red Deer and did some book shopping in Edmonton at a store that buys and sells seconded books at greatly reduced prices. Heavily laden with books, I arrived in Neerlandia, preached twice on Sunday, led the Young People’s study at their request, and visited several old friends. I arrived back in Lethbridge this evening. Now it’s time to read a bit and head to bed. Good night!