Now I saw
when the Lamb
opened one
of the seven
seals,
and I heard
one of the
four living creatures
say,
as with a voice
of thunder,
Come!
And I saw,
and behold,
a white horse,
and its rider
had a bow;
and a crown
was given to him,
and he went about
conquering
and
to conquer.
[Revelation 6:1-2]
*************************
"Lord, this stuff
is REALLY weird.
They never TALKED
about this stuff....
in, eh... synagogue!
WEIRD!"
[PATIENT NOD.]
"What is that,
My precious."
(Kvetchy frown!)
(Whiny voice.)
(Yell.)
"L......O......R.......D!
I THOUGHT I TOLD
Ya.....to quit CALLIN'
ME THAT!"
"I heard you,
My child."
(Cranky frown!)
(Kvetchy look up at ceiling!)
[GENTLE SMILE.]
"But, I can see
inside the heart."
"YIKES!"
[PATIENT NOD.]
"Now,
[PAUSE.]
tell Me,
My precious."
(Squirm.)
"Well.........
(Grimmace!)
what's with all these HORSES?"
"What about them,
child."
"Well........HORSES don't
RIDE in the AIR!"
[PATIENT SILENCE.]
"Ya sure they're not
gonna come, in a
CAR?
Or, a.....PARACHUTE?"
[CHUCKLE.]
"Who, child?"
"Ya know: all these
BAD guys!"
"Tell Me, child.
[CURIOUS SMILE!]
"Eh.......
(Frown.)
well.....there's the first guy:
Ya know, the one whose horse
has a BOW?"
[PATIENT SILENCE.]
"Why would his horse....
be wearin' a BOW?"
[BURST OUT LAUGHING!]
(Thoughtful squint.)
"I sort'a picture this big white
horse wearing... a big red BOW,
Lord!
(Squint curiously up at air vent.)
Kind'a like, he's somebody's
CHRISTMAS PRESENT."
[CHUCKLE.]
"Oh.
(Squint at page.)
I see.
(More squinting.)
Oh.
(Close one near-sighted
eye, with disbelief.)
So.....the GUY is the one
who's got the BOW.
Ohhhh!
(Long nod.)
I GET it!"
[PATIENT GAZE.]
"So......it's kind'a like
a BOW ...
..and ARROW?"
[PATIENT SILENCE.]
[GAZE OFF AT DWARF PLANET PLUTO.]
"Yeah.
(Squint hard.)
But.....WHY would the
BAD guy.....
have a CROWN?"
[MORE PATIENT SILENCE.]
[GAZE DOWN AT THE GULF COAST,
NEAR GALVESTON.]
(Squint curiously up at ceiling fan.)
"I don't GET it?"
[SILENCE.]
(Sudden laugh!)
"Hey......LORD?
Remember when that
CUTE, OLDER brother...?
Ya know: the SEXY one?
... on 'PONDEROSA'*?
Who... wore that big black HAT?"
[LOVING SMILE OF A PATIENT FATHER.]
"WHAT was his NAME?
REMEMBER?
He wasn't one of the
regular brothers......like,
LITTLE JOE!
Or HOSS!"
[CHUCKLE.]
[SMILE.]
[NOD.]
"You REMEMBER that?
My whole family used
t'a WATCH that SHOW!
EVERY SUNDAY NIGHT!"
[QUIET VOICE.]
"Yes, My beloved."
(Silence.)
"That was a long time ago,
Lord."
(Long silence.)
(Whisper.)
"That was a long time ago."
[PATIENT SILENCE.]
[TENDER VOICE.]
"Yes, child."
(Shake head in self-disgust.)
(Swallow lump in throat.)
(Hold head up high.)
(Shrug uncaringly.)
"I don't GET any of this
STUFF, Lord!
(Smirk!)
It sounds like a big FAIRY TALE,
to me!"
[PATIENT SILENCE.]
"What's this gotta do with
ME, ANYWAY?"
"Everything,
My child."
"HUH?
(Disbelieving grimmace!)
You KIDDIN'?"
"No, My precious.
[LONG PAUSE.]
If it has
to do,
with Me."
************************
When He opened
the fourth seal,
I heard the voice
of the fourth
living creature say,
Come!
And I saw,
and behold,
a pale horse,
and its rider's name
was Death.
[Revelation 6:7-8]
___________________________
*'Ponderosa' was a popular
TV show....from the....
well, let's put it this way:
if you don't remember it,
don't worry about it.
[Author's note: for you
Baby+ Boomers: REMEMBER,
the burning MAP? They
don't make 'em like that,
anymore, DO they?]
__________________
[P.S.
I looked it up, Boomers.
His name was Adam:
Adam Cartwright.
YAY!]
_______________________
[P.S.S. Or...was it
called 'BONANZA'...??
Write me, and let me
know.]
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