Short Stories

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The next day,
as they went on
their journey
and
drew near the city,
Peter went up
on the housetop
to pray,
about the sixth hour.
Then
he became very
hungry.
[Acts 10:9-10]
*******************
"Lord?"
(Look, searchingly,
up at the sky.)
"Can I go DOWN,
NOW?"
(Grimmace!)
"I'm....really HUNGRY!"

[SILENCE.]
[SOLEMN NOD.]

(A big sheet is let
down, from Heaven.
It is a cotton, king-sized
sheet. The sheet is a
pale blue, and decorated
with little pictures, of
horses and chariots.)

"What's THIS,
LORD?"
(Clueless squint.)

[SILENCE.]
[SMILE!]

(Balanced impeccably,
on the king-sized sheet,
are several hard, flat,
dark-colored objects.
On the objects, are several
strange-looking boxes.
The boxes have steam
rising above them, and
a very strong, not-so-
unsavory-odor about
them.)

(Peter stretches his
shaggy, bearded
head, and leaning
forward, takes a
big sniff.)
"What's THIS,
LORD?"

[RUMBLE.]
"Sniff,
child!"

(More clueless squinting.)
(Sniff!)
(Look up at the sky.)
"What IS IT?"

[RUMBLE.]
"Food,
Peter.
Eat!"

(Suspicious squint.)
"But.....I don't know
what it IS,
LORD!"

[CHUCKLING.]
"It is FOOD!
EAT!"

(Peter leans forward
again; he touches one
of the boxes. He pulls
his hand away, because
it is very hot.)
"OUCH!
It's HOT!"

[PATIENT NODDING.]
"Yes,
My Peter.
Open it!"

(Slight suspicious frown!)
"Hmm.....I dunno....."

[SMALLER RUMBLE.]
"OPEN IT,
PETER!"

(Frown.)
(Sniff, again.)
(Mumble.)
"Well.......OKAY!
If You.. SAY SO!"

[NODDING.]
[SMILING.]

(Gingerly, Peter
uses only one finger
to carefully open one
of the very warm,
steaming boxes.)
(He looks inside,
and takes another sniff.)
"It smells GOOD,
LORD!"

[NOD.]

(Peter, very carefully
unwraps the strange,
thin paper around
the hot piece of food.)
(Sniff.)
"What IS IT?"

[STRANGE SOUNDING
WORD.]

(Squint at the air.)
(Lips moving.)
"CHHH'EEEZZZZ....
.....AAAHM'BAH'GAAHR?"

[NOD.]
[CLOUDS RUMBLE.]
"And,
pickle.
And,
onion."

(Peter sticks one
finger, carefully,
into the hot,
moist food. Then,
very slowly, he touches
his finger to his
tongue.)
"I know what THIS is..
LORD!"
(Look up.)
(Nod!)
(Smiling!)
"MUSTARD!"
(Nodding, happily.)
(Then, a squint.)
"What's this RED STUFF?"

[CHUCKLING.]
[ANOTHER STRANGE SOUNDING
WORD.]

(Suspicious sniff.)
"KAHN'CHAH'P?"
(Reach over,
and touch one
of the other
boxes: it is smaller,
and smells more
familiar.)
"APPLES?"
(Sniff.)
(Sniff.)

[DELIGHTED SMILE!]
[NOD.]

(Suspicious gaze,
up at the white clouds.)
"Is THIS one 'a
those FOODS....
from the land-to-the-WEST,
LORD?"

[SOLEMN NOD.]
[CHUCKLING.]

(Peter picks up
the strange, round
piece of food. Then,
he looks over at the
other strange box:
it is bright red,
and oddly shaped.
The smell,
emanating from it,
is making his mouth
water with unbelievable
ferocity.)
"But......what's THIS,
LORD?"

[STRANGE
SOUNDING
WORD.]

"FUN'CHAAH'FIIIS?"

[NOD.]

"Hmph.
I DUNNO.....!"

[FAR OFF
RUMBLE.]
"Eat!"

(Peter licks his
lips. He stares
at the strange,
warm round thing
in his hand. He
looks up, once more.)
"Are You,
SURE,
LORD?"

[RUMBLE.]
"YES.
EAT."

(Shrug.)
"Well........OKAY.
Here, GOES."

[NOD.]

(Holding the strange,
round piece of
steaming food in both
of his big hands,
Peter takes a huge bite.)
"HMMMMM!"
(Peter's mouth is
full. He is chomping,
and chomping. His
eyes become wide,
with supreme surprise.
Mouth still full, cheeks
bulging, Peter looks up
very happily, at the sky.
He nods, furiously. Then,
taking another full-mouthed
big bite....and gulping..
Peter gives a big,
thumbs-up sign.)

[CHUCKLE.]
[NOD.]
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But while they
made ready,
he fell into
a trance,
and saw
heaven opened
and an object
like a great
sheet
bound at the
four corners,
descending
to him
and let down
to
the earth.
In it were all
kinds of four-
footed animals...
wild beasts,
creeping things,
and birds...
And a voice came
to him,
'Rise Peter;
kill
and eat.'
[Acts 10:10-13]

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