Short Stories

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Then
one of the Pharisees
asked Him
to eat with him.
And,
He went to the
Pharisee's house,
and sat down
to eat.
[Luke 7:36]
*********************
(Pharisee Simon is in
a horrible mood.
His wife's older sister,
Yett'ah, has just arrived,
this afternoon.
Yett'ah has recently
become a widow, and
has been invited by her
younger sister to stay
with them, for several months.
Yett'ah, very wealthy,
and somewhat loud and bossy,
has brought her youngest
nephew, Shet'mah, along
for the trip. Shet'mah
is barely six years old,
and has obviously not
experienced much discipline
in Yett'ah's sister-in-law's
household. Already,
Shet'mah has
broken two water jugs,
and a pair of candle sticks.
Yett'ah has also brought
along, a pet house cat.
Simon detests these animals,
greatly, and has already
gotten into an argument
with his wife, Berth'ah,
about the miserable creature.
Berth'ah, very
sensitive to her older
sister's recent widowhood,
only desires to be a good
hostess, and has assured Simon
that everything will calm
down, in a day or two. The
cat, supposedly named Tish'tah,
has already sprayed
urine on the side of Simon's
favorite sitting-on-the-floor
and-eating-dinner-pillow.
Simon's good friend,
Pharisee Plot'zee, has
just arrived to Simon's
large busy house,
for a very important meeting.)
_________________________
(Simon is whispering,
to his friend. All the
while, he is keeping
an eye on Berth'ah,
who is nearby, and
being very grumpy.)
"MUST WE,
PLOT'ZEE?"

(Loud whisper.)
"Yes!
We MUST!"

(Simon turns to look
back at the kitchen,
where Berth'ah is berating
one of their servants.)
(He turns back to Plot'zee,
and whispers.)
"But.....TONIGHT?"
(Moans.)

(Plot'zee stares at
his usually talkative
friend.)
"What is the MATTER
with you, SIMON?
You KNOW that
we have all decided to
INVITE Him, over...
to EAT! I've ALREADY,
had Him to supper
at MY HOUSE! Now.....
it's YOUR TURN!"

(Simon buries his covered
head, in one hand.)
"But.....TONIGHT?"
(Moan.)
"Can't we......POSTPONE
this? At least, for another
WEEK or TWO?"

(Loud whisper.)
"NO!"
(Sneering glance at
Tish'tah, who is sniffing
at his long colorful robe.)
(Grimmace!)
(Whisper.)
"I have heard that
He and those grimy,
filthy disciples of His...
are moving ON....
tomorrow... to another
TOWN! It must be
TONIGHT!"

(Low groan.)
(Waves Tish'tah away,
from Plot'zee's robe.)
(Frown toward the
kitchen, where Berth'ah
has stopped berating
the lowly servant,
for a moment, to give her
husband a meaningful glare.)
(Loud whisper.)
"But.......I CAN'T STAND
THE MAN!"

(Plot'zee gives a very
long, empathetic nod.)
(Picks up the hem of
his long colorful robe,
for a moment, to examine
the spot where Tish'tah
has sniffed.)
(Grimmace.)
"Yes!
YES!
I KNOW!
We ALL DO, SIMON!"
(Check under long colorful
robe, once more, to make
sure that the disgusting,
furry creature has not sneaked
underneath it.)
"But, we MUST continue
to QUESTION Him!
How else, will we CATCH
Him in His own WORDS?
And.....TRAP Him?"

(Simon snarls.)
(Whisper.)
"Why can't we have
Him to eat, at
Fart'zee's HOUSE?"

(Impatient frown!)
(Another check under
long colorful robe.)
"No!
NO!
He is a WIDOWER,
and his house is too SMALL!
Besides......"
(Glance at Simon's kitchen.)
(Whisper, conspiratorially.)
"Your COURTYARD is
situated, just to the EAST,
of the center of the TOWN!
We want to make as much
of a SPECTACLE, of Him....
as we CAN!"

(Groan.)
(Sighing.)
(Sudden laugh!)
"Perhaps.....we could
arrange a MARRIAGE?
With....our friend,
FART'ZEE?
And....my SISTER-IN-LAW?"
(Whisper.)
"My sister-in-law,
Yett'ah,
is quite WEALTHY!"

(Plot'zee squints,
with sudden interest.
For a moment, he has
forgotten all about
the wretched Man,
and His filthy disciples.)
"How long has she been
a WIDOW?"

(Frown!)
"Hmph!
Not long, ENOUGH.......
well...."
(Sigh.)
(Nod.)
(Frown.)
(Shrug.)
"It was just a thought;
go ON..."

(Thoughtful squint.)
"Hm.......well...."
(Distracted gaze.)
"WELL!
Then, it's all ARRANGED!"

"WHAT:
the MARRIAGE?"

"No!
NO!
The DINNER,
TONIGHT!"

(Simon heaves a great sigh.)
"PLOT'ZEE!
I don't WANT the
MAN, in this HOUSE!
His DISCIPLES are FISHERMEN...!
...And...
TAX COLLECTORS!
All VERMIN!
I have HEARD,
that they never
WASH THEIR HANDS!
HMPH!
They...probably never
BATHE, EITHER!
ECH!
I CAN'T STAND
THE SIGHT OF THEM!
(Fold arms, tightly.)
(Look the other way.)

(Impatient sigh.)
"It doesn't MATTER,
Simon! You MUST!
We are in this,
TOGETHER!
Now.....get UP,
SIMON!
COME!"
(Plot'zee stands up,
giving a shake to his
long colorful robe.)
(Takes a moment to
purse his thin lips
at the terrible Tash'tah.)
(Whisper.)
"Now, COME!
We must go into
the town square,
before the dinner HOUR,
SIMON! To....
INVITE HIM!
Now, COME!"

(Low groan.)
(Heave a great sigh.)
(Stands up.)
(Frowns, at the back
of Berth'ah, who is
now berating another
servant in the kitchen.)
"Yes.......yes;
I SUPPOSE......"
(Groan.)
"Why must it be
TONIGHT?
Of......all NIGHTS?"

"Come!
COME!
Let's GO!"
(Plot'zee turns to
nod politely to Berth'ah,
who has turned around
to glare, suspiciously,
at Simon and his conspiratorial
friend.)
(Nod, once more.)
(Whisper.)
"I do think,
however....that,
we should discuss
the matter of this
MARRIAGE arrangement,
with FART'ZEE!"
(Turn again, to nod
politely to Berth'ah,
who has already begun
to berate the 2nd servant,
again.)
"You know, however......"
(Fingering his beard
thoughtfully.)
".....That, it would necessary
for your sister-in-law to
remain at your house,
for at least six months.....
until the time of the...
BETROTHAL,
which....
of course,
would be,
for a YEAR."

(Loud groan.)
**********************
And
Jesus answered
and said
to him,
'Simon,
I have something
to say
to you.'
[Luke 7:40]

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