Lawrence Joseph - Apocalypse 2012 - An optimist investigates the end of civilization

9. At least one scholarly interpretation of the Bible predicts that the Earth will be annihilated in 2012. The burgeoning Armageddonist movement of Muslims, Christians, and Jews actively seeks to precipitate the final end-times battle.

10. Have a nice day.

That the Rastafarian cabdriver sang reggae prayers to the Almighty Jah all the way to the airport, bowing his head right down to the steering wheel at least fifty times while shooting the rapids of 1405, the busiest freeway in Southern California, did not in itself disturb me. The man was an excellent driver, very smooth. No problem either with the interior of his taxi being plastered with 8 × 10 glossies of snarling lions covered with religious messages about love, death, and the Lion of Judah. I am originally from New York City, where crazy cabbies spice the day. What did give pause, however, was the flawless way in which, when his cell phone rang, Rasta Cabbie would become James Earl Jones saying, “West Side Transportation, may I help you?” After wrapping up his office business, it was back to Jah and the lions and the bowing and the prayers .

I was headed to Guatemala, to meet with Mayan shamans who would explain the prophecies of 2012. When I mentioned this to Elia, my housekeeper, who is from El Salvador, she shouted, “No te vayas! Gangas! Think of your children. What if you don’t come back?” and ran out of the room. Maybe Rasta Cabbie’s prayer dance was some sort of tripped-out empathic blessing for a safe trip. Praise … Jah .

We pulled into LAX and on impulse I asked Rasta Cabbie if he’d ever heard about 2012 .

“Educate me,” he replied, as he hoisted my luggage out of the trunk .

“Well, people say big things are going to happen in 2012. Maybe, you know, the End.”

“They always sayin’ that. I was waitin’ for that to happen in year 2000,” he said, shaking his head sadly. But it was tip time, and Rasta Cabbie wanted to end on a positive note. “We keep workin’ on things, and your year could be the one.”

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