The Alpha, The Beta and The Gamma↔Omega -- first mini-scene
Node LinkNext[ Recent Note: I now believe this split (inspired by this blog post and this one ) was a false lead and I'm planning future characters to be mostly Alphas. I'm keeping it here only as a plot element. ]
[ Athena takes some wooden cards from her possessions, shuffles them, and puts them on the table. ]
Athena: Hey Josefus, let me read you your fortune.
Josefus: Sorry, Athena, but such witchcraft is explicitly forbidden by the Torah .
Athena: Well, it’s more rational than traditional witchcraft. See, I give my own associations based on the cards, and instead of telling what I think they mean, I ask you what they mean.
Josefus: Sounds relatively innocent. Well, I have sinned enough since I wrote the scroll, and if God has mercy on my soul, maybe I’ll still live long enough.
Athena: Yes. OK, let’s start. [ Puts a card. ] I’ll call this card “The Alpha” - what does it mean to you?
Josefus: the Alpha… I’m reminded of some philosophers who studied biology who discussed the herds of some animals, where there was an alpha male who mates with all the females. But…
Athena: Who is he among humans?
Alexis: Or she… [ she continues to throw the knife. ]
Josefus: An alpha female? Yes! The most coveted female… Phoebe … a rule breaker… keeps challenging social norms… the “bad girl”… gets into a lot of trouble, but usually not remotely in danger - she can get out of it.
[ Image - anthology of alpha females: Alicia Silverstone, Sarah Geler, Natalie Portman, Jenifer Lopez, Beyoncé, Paris Hiltonn, Miley Cyrus, and Jenifer Lawrens. ]
Josefus: Yes, in stories or plays she, is usually the antagonist.
Athena: OK, next. This card is “The beta”.
Josefus: The beta female? Hmmm… Let me think…
Josefus: Yes! The “protagonist”, the good girl, solid, “responsible adult”. She’s more respected than the Alpha female, and some men find her more attractive. She’s featured in conversations less, and people assume there’s a rivalry between her and the Alpha female.
Josefus: In Damascus’ case, it is the princess. She’s already engaged, and her marriage may make her the Beta female emerita, but only time can tell. She and I flirted a few times since I published “Qoheleth”. And she did hint that Phoebe wants me.
[ Note: challenge accepted, and won! Bar Refaeli is now happily married and still coveted and featured in conversations. ]
Athena: OK, fair enough. Now next. Hmm… it’s a card of complete consumption, so seems like it will be “The Gamma all the way to the Omega”. Who is she?
Josefus: Gamma-to-Omega? Hmmm… yes! The Gamma↔Omega female— the one who is sheepish, always gets herself and everyone else into trouble, pitiful. The true villainess.
Athena: OK, next card. Hmmm… that’s funny - it’s a card that’s indicative of something above and beyond the previous cards. But not divine… I wonder what it could be…
Josefus: Above and beyond but not divine… above and beyond… oh my… there are many Alpha/Beta/Gamma↔Omega males and females - each in their own society and sub-society. But there is one person, or maybe a selected few above them… the Master Philosopher! The Hacker King!
Josefus: Moses, Cyrus the Great, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle - they were all the Master philosophers. But who is he now? Who the hell is he?
Josefus: Who the hell is… the Qoheleth?
Josefus: Me? The scroll, it is nothing… I was just faking it… I cannot be the hacker king.
Athena: You could not be… the scroll was written in past tense. And I think you were… were the hacker king!
Josefus: So you're saying that in the scroll I distilled my wisdom, and it became my Magnus opus as the hacker king and I officially stepped down? But who is the new Qoheleth now? I must find out.
Josefus: I beg your pardon?
Selena: Do you really think you've lost it?
Josefus: You mean… I'm still a hacker king? A messiah?
Josefus: Wow!
Selena: And tell you what: Athena, Alexis, and I are in it too.
Josefus: Welcome to the club.
Josefus: In any case, following the publication of the scroll it seems I have become the most coveted male in Damascus — the Alpha Male so-to-speak. And all the single girls want me. And I don’t know what to do? Perhaps I should talk to the king about that.
Athena: And what can he do?
Josefus: I don't know… order all the girls to stop lusting me.
Athena: Well let me tell you something— if I learned anything from the Greek mythology it is that Aphrodite always gets her way, regardless of how much the authorities try to withhold her. A decree from the king will likely only make all the girls crave you even more.
Josefus: Yes, I guess you are right. But what can I do?
Athena: Well, one thing is to take it the right way. The Stoic way. They want you — just live with it and even try to enjoy it.
Josefus: Interesting. I didn’t think of it.
Athena: And the second thing you have to do is to marry one or more girls you like.
Athena: Well, monogamy is the same thing.
Josefus: I guess I should marry someone. Maybe Phoebe if she’s willing to convert to Judaism. She should be enough of a competition for the other girls to ward them off.