Short Stories

---

Jesus
said to them,
'Most assuredly,
I say to you,
before Abraham
was,
I AM.'
[John 8:58]
************************
(Jesus, and His disciples,
have been walking along
the Galilean shore,
and talking quietly. They
have just come from, yet,
another argumentative skirmish,
with the Pharisees. The Scribes
hadn't been there, for once. They
had all been absent: attending
a Scribe Conference, in Jerusalem.
All the Scribes, who were able
to pay the exorbitant fee
to attend the six-day Conference,
got a cloth bag, which said in
Hebrew, in bright blue thread:
'Scribe Conference -
JERUSALEM!'.)
_________________________________
(Peter has spoken up,
as usual.)
"What is
'RUUTAH'BEAR',
Lord?"

[SMILING!]
"Root beer?
Ah...yes."
[PATIENT GAZE.]
"It is a very
tasty drink;
only, it has too much
sugar in it."
[NODDING.]

"What is 'CHU'GHR'?

[THOUGHTFUL GAZE.]
"It will be discovered,
much later......"
[POINT TO THE WESTERN
SKY.]
"....Over, there:
in the land,
to the West."

(All the disciples
look at one another.)
(Peter speaks up.)
"Is this the land
of the oil'd CHARIOTS?"

[NODDING.]
"Yes,
My Peter.
Yes."

"What is this.... CHU'GHR'?

[SIT DOWN,
UNDER A SHADED PALM.]
[GAZE QUIETLY,
UPON THE DAPPLING WATER.]
"It is a plant;
they will make it
into something sweet,
to place in their water...
and food."

(Peter frowns,
and looks around
at his friends.)
"Why can't WE
have some,
Rabbi?"

[PATIENT PAUSE.]
[FROWN.]
[SHAKE HEAD.]
"It rots one's teeth."

(Peter grimmaces.)
"Oh."
(Look around,
at his friends,
once more.)
"That is HORRIBLE,
Lord!"

[NOD.]
"Yes."
[SIGH.]
"But, they love
it: this 'sugar'.
They will put it
in everything,
they eat and drink."

(Peter sits down,
on the grass; he
pull out a piece,
and begins to pick
at it.)
"But....then,
they will lose.....
all their TEETH?"

"No,
Peter.
They will all
go to special
doctors, who will
put their teeth
back together."

"Ech!
It sounds TERRIBLE!"

[NOD.]
"Yes: very painful,
and gruesome.
And, these special
doctors will make
them pay many sheckels,
for it."

(Peter looks around,
again, at his circle
of friends. He pulls
up another piece of
grass. He begins to
chew on it.)
"But.....WHY, Lord?
WHY don't they
just STOP it?
STOP putting this...
...this,
CHU'GHR,
into.. their FOOD?
...And,
WATER?"

[SIGH.]
"Some will try,
Peter. But,
it will be very difficult;
the lure of the sweet,
in those last days....
will become a terrific
struggle,
for all mankind."

(Shaking heads,
all around.)
(Much sighing,
and mumbling.)
(Peter speaks up,
again.)
"And......this,
DESCENDENT,
of the PHARISEES...
the one, in EXILE:
SHE will ALSO,
have....
this PROBLEM?"

[NODDING.]
[NOD.]
"Ah,
yes."

"But....why,
don't You
TELL her?"

[SIGH.]
"She very rarely,
listens to Me,
Peter."
[PAUSE.]
"....Only,
shouts,
at Me."
[CHUCKLE.]
***********************
Then,
they took up stones
to throw
at Him;
but Jesus hid
Himself
and went out
of the
temple,
going through
the midst of them,
and so
passed by.
[John 8:59]


_____________________
Dedicated to:
Dr. Majors.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE