Prayers

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When you pray,
go into your
room,
and when
you have
shut your door,
pray
to your Father
Who is
in
the secret place.
[Matthew 6:6]
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(Knock! Knock!)
(Muffled yell.)
(Knock, knock!)

(Joyful, serene shout.)
"Come IN!"

(Plump face appears,
in the doorway.)
(Halo falls off;
it's dusty, and
full of cat fur.)
(Mumble!)
(Grab halo, and
squash it down,
over rumpled hair.)
"Hey, JERI?
I gotta QUESTION!"

(Serene, joyful smile!)
(Go over,
to help friend,
afix her halo.)
"You didn't get lost...
going to the ZOO,
again,
DID you?"

"NO!
NO!
I know EXACTLY,
where it is, NOW!
HEY! I only got
LOST, ONCE!"

(Teasing, though
joyful and serene glance.)

"OKAY!
OKAY!
Alright; maybe,
just TWICE!"

(Serene laugh!)

(Grab a grape,
out of the little
bowl of grapes,
nearby.)
"Hey, JERI?
Can you ...
PRAY HERE?"
(Squint.)
"HOW does that
WORK,
ANYWAY?"

"What do you
MEAN,
Julie?"

"Well......"
(Sit down on the couch,
beside a small, little
barking dog.)

"PEPPER! QUIET DOWN!
SHHH!"

(Set little dog in plump lap.)
(Drop a grape on the floor.)
"Well....can you,
PRAY HERE?"

"SURE!"

"But....HOW?"

"Well, Julie;
how did you do
it, BEFORE?"

"Before WHAT?"
(Thoughtful squint.)
"OH!
YEAH!"
(Squirm.)
"I dunno!"
(Grimmace.)
"Most of the time...
I was just KVETCHING,
or..BEGGING!"

(Joyful Laugh!)

"Well....do YOU,
PRAY HERE?"

"All the TIME!"

"Is it any DIFFERENT?"

(Thoughtful,
serene, squint.)
"Hm....no...
I don't THINK,
so!"

(Frown!)
(Whiny angelic voice.)
"Yeah...but,
I was never good at
prayin', BEFORE!
It NEVER SEEMED
to DO very MUCH!"

[SOFT RUMBLE,
FROM NEARBY
SKY.]

(Two pairs of eyes
glance upward,
and then at each other.)

(Bark!)

(Laugh.)
"Julie!
You never CHANGE!"

"WELL, it's the TRUTH!
I was a bad PRAYERIST!"
(Kiss soft, floppy left ear of Pepper.)
Why should I think,
I'm any BETTER at it,
NOW?"

"Because, Julie:
you're an ANGEL,
now!"

"Angel, SCH'MANGEL!
I DON'T see MUCH
DIFFERENCE!
I'm still NEAR-SIGHTED!"
(Frown!)
"And, PLUMP!"
(Whine.)
"And, got BAD FEET!"

(Joyful scrutiny, at friend.)
"Hm....that IS true....
I wonder WHY?"

"CUZ, JERI!
The LORD,
HATES me!"

[SECOND RUMBLE
FROM NEARBY SKY;
THIS TIME,
A LITTLE CLOSER.]

(Thoughtful, though joyful,
and serene frown.)
"Julie.....maybe,
He just wants you
to PRAY, more!"

"MORE than WHAT?"

(Joyful shrug.)
"Well.......MORE."

"Oh.....JERI!
YOU'RE NO HELP!"

(Bark!)

"Have you tried...
getting on your KNEES?"

(Squirm!)
"I was never very
COMFORTABLE...
doin' that!"
(Grimmace!)
"Ya know:
with the FEET,
and all!"

(Joyful, though
curious squint.)
"Was that,
the ONLY reason,
Julie?"

(Jump, ungainfully,
up from couch.)
(Whimpers, and barking
ensues.)
"FORGET IT!
I'm goin' BACK,
to the COTTAGE!"
(Open door.)
(Slam door.)
"SEE YA AT DINNER!"

(Joyful, serene laugh.)
"Okay, JULIE!
And.....THINK about,
what I SAID!
Okay?"

(Whine!)
(Whiny yell!)
"YEAH!
YEAH!"

[SOFT RUMBLE
OVER HIS CHILD'S
RUMPLED HEAD.]
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Our Father
Who art
in Heaven,
Hallowed be
Thy Name.
Your kingdom
come.
Your will
be done
On earth
as it is
in Heaven.
[Matthew 6:9-10]

_______________________
In memory:
little Pepper,
from the downtown
animal shelter,
in Pittsburgh.

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