Better
is a neighbor
nearby,
than a brother
far
away.
[Proverbs 27:10]
*******************
"I get TIRED
of people,
Lord."
[LISTENING PATIENTLY.]
(Shake scruffy head.)
(Whine.)
"They just never
UNDERSTAND me."
[PATIENT NODDING.]
[LISTEN TO A CHOIR
PRACTICING A CHRISTMAS
MUSICAL MEDLEY.]
"People are
always getting
MAD at me."
(Squint up.)
"WHY?
HOW COME?"
[SMILE.]
"Don't YOU
think,
I'm EASY to KNOW?"
[GLANCE TO HIS
RIGHT.]
[GENTLE CHUCKLE
FROM THE
RIGHT SIDE
OF THE THRONE.]
(Whiny voice.)
"I just don't
GET IT;
WHY are people
always trying to
CHANGE ME?"
[MORE CHUCKLING
CAN BE HEARD
FROM THE RIGHT
THRONE.]
(Shout to the ceiling.)
"They're always
tryin' to FIX ME!
I get SICK of IT!
WHAT do they think
I am: a CAT?"
[MORE CHUCKLING.]
(Glare up at the ceiling.)
"HEY!
Who's LAUGHIN',
up THERE?"
"Your
Lord,
child."
(Squint.)
(Cranky voice.)
"Then.....
WHO am I
TALKIN' TO?"
[PATIENT VOICE.]
"Your Lord,
My child."
(Squinty frown.)
(Shake rumpled head.)
(Scratch rumpled hair.)
(Squint.)
"THIS ISN'T
one 'a those
weird PARABLES...
IS IT?"
[SMILING WITH
DELIGHT.]
"SERIOUSLY,
Lord;
why are my FRIENDS..
always tryin' to
CHANGE ME?"
[SILENCE.]
"And, WHY
DOES there have
to be TWO 'a YOU?"
(Irritable face up
at the ceiling.)
"When I was a
little JEWISH KID...
there was just
ONE 'a YOU!"
(Frowning.)
"Heck;
NOW,
there's THREE."
[BURST OUT LAUGHING!]
"It was a lot
more SIMPLE!"
(Frown.)
"How COME?"
[QUIET VOICE.]
"I AM,
child."
(Kvetchy frown.)
"That NEVER
made any SENSE,
to ME."
(Glance up.)
"It's such bad
ENGLISH."
[MORE GENTLE
CHUCKLING.]
(Long pause.)
(Shaking head.)
"So.....WHAT should
I do, 'bout my
FRIENDS,
Lord?"
"Be a friend,
My child."
(Lean back against
chair.)
(Fold arms, stubbornly.)
(Smile up at the
ceiling fan.)
"But..
I ain't EASY,
Lord."
[QUIET VOICE.]
"Neither
AM I,
child.
Neither
AM
I.
****************
Thus
the Lord
used to
speak
to Moses
face to face,
as a man
speaks
to his
friend.
[Exodus 33:11]
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