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the top hat made him look most distinguished. It was a rather
pleasant sensation he would not have thought himself possible of
just a few weeks before when he used to wear ragged jeans and old
T-shirts. He walked as upright as he could and drew some quizzical
glances from others in the park. He put a fag in the corner of his
mouth and slowly wandered around trying to think about the
connection of top hat and God. He failed miserably.
    “Oh what the heck,” he said to
no one in particular. “This sure beats standing in a shop and
working. And if I keep walking and smoking a divine inspiration
will surely come to me.”
    But if there was any divine
intervention it came in a form very different from what he had
expected or hoped for.
    “Hey, Sycko, is that you?” a
voice called from behind.
    Sycko turned and found himself
face to face with Judas.
    “What the fuck happened to you,
man?” Judas said. “What are you wearing that stuff for? You robbed
a bank or something?”
    Sycko looked surprised. “No,
nothing like that. I’ve got a new life. I relax, smoke and drink
every day now. At the moment I’m doing my work.”
    “Your work? What are you
doing?”
    “I’m walking, smoking and
thinking about this top hat and God.”
    “That’s what you call work?”
    “Why yes, certainly. Want a
fag?”
    “A fag?”
    “A cigarette. Here have one of
mine.” He held out the packet of Drivellers’ Fags and Judas took
one. Judas lit his fag, inhaled deeply and squinted at Sycko.
    “You’ll have to tell me all
about it, pal. No way you get away till I know it all.”
    They walked, talked and smoked
and Sycko related what had happened to him since the night they
parted in the park.
    “I don’t know,” Judas said at
last. “My old man always used to say there’s no such thing as a
free meal in life and you seem to have been getting far too many
already. It’s all going to come back to you one day, mark my
words.”
    “Oh nonsense. Why don’t you come
with me and meet Jeremiah? He’s the nicest, most kind-hearted bloke
you could imagine.”
    “Really,” Judas said doubtfully.
“I guess having a look won’t do any harm. I’m curious about that
outfit of yours anyway. Let’s go.”
    Sycko led the way to the temple
where he found that Jeremiah was waiting for him already.
    “Ah, there you are Sycko,
excellent. How did it go?”
    “Well, I’m not sure. I was
thinking and praying to God for inspiration regarding the top hat
but instead He chose to put me in the way of an old friend. This is
Judas.”
    Jeremiah frowned. “How very
interesting and unexpected,” he said and held out his hand to
Judas. “Jeremiah, Master of the Holy Dryvellist Temple. Glad to
make your acquaintance. Are you in any way familiar with the lore
of top hats or Dryvellism?”
    “Hi,” Judas said feeling a bit
embarrassed. “Can’t say I know anything about them except for what
Sycko told me.”
    “I see,” Jeremiah said, “or
rather I don’t see. It’s all rather mysterious. Why did the Lord
send you? It’s a mystery we shall have to explore.”
    “No one sent me. I just took a
short cut through the park and ran into Sycko. It’s bound to happen
sooner or later. Just a chance meeting. There’s your mystery
explained.”
    “Nay, nay, young man,” Jeremiah
chuckled. “Things don’t just happen by chance. There’s a higher
purpose behind everything, a divine plan. Oh, I know, I know, it
can be very hard to understand at times, but always remember that
the Lord works in mysterious ways. It is not always for us to
understand everything. We must content ourselves to play the parts
we are given. But come, I’ll show you something.”
    They went into the grand hall
and sat down on cushions in the very middle as always. Jeremiah put
the sacred top hat between them.
    “Now then, young man,” he said
to Judas. “I invite you to share with us a unique experience. Let
us contemplate the sacred top hat and drivel together to