Prophecy

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And to the angel
of the church
in Philadelphia
write:
The words of the Holy One,
the True One,
Who has the key of David,
Who opens
and no one shall shut....
[Revelation 3:7]
***********************
(It's only past noon,
but the chill of
Patmos's gloomy
winds already have
picked up. They
ruffle the scruffy,
tattered papers
in the hand of
a rather distinguished,
though poorly dressed
elderly gentleman,
sitting hunched over,
under a lone tree,
and scribbling furiously.
Crumpled pieces of
the cheap looking paper
lie around him,
like little quiet,
and constant companions.)
____________
"LORD! PLEASE!
Would Ya slow DOWN?"

[PATIENT PAUSE.]
"What is it, My Apostle John?"

"Eh.....Lord, my hand's
gettin cramped, again!"

"What of it, Apostle John."

"WELL.......eh,
this is a lotta STUFF,
Lord!"

[NOD.]
"Yes, My Apostle John,
I know."

"Yeah, but..........
(sigh)
I need to go potty,
and, well....."

"Yes? What is it, Apostle John?"

"Eh......I hate to be,
eh, on the negative
side, Lord, but...."

"But WHAT, My Apostle John?"

"Well.....Lord;
I guess I'm just gonna
have to spit it out."

"Do so, My Apostle John."

(Pause)
(Another tentative pause)
"We're outta paper, Lord."

[MOMENT OF SILENCE.]
"Ah.
[SOLEMN NOD.]
I see."

"I'm SORRY, Lord!
I really thought I
had ordered ENOUGH,
the last time that supply
boat came IN!"

"I understand, My Apostle John."

"Yeah, those Romans
tend to get real
persnickedy about
ordering SUPPLIES!
Last time, when
I told 'em I needed
more fruit snacks,
they just replied:

'HEY! What do
ya think this is:
a VACATION island?'

So, I felt kinda funny
about tellin 'em I needed
more paper: Ya know,
for all the writing I do."

[SYMPATHETIC NOD.]

"Yeah, Lord.
One of 'em even
joked about it, and
said;

'So, eh....what d'ya
writing there, John:
your MEMOIRS?'

You know, Lord:
stuff like that."

"I understand,
My Apostle John."

(Frown)
(Sigh)
(Chews dispiritedly
on a tasteless,
clump of soggy bread.
Two small, gray birds
hop over, and wait
rather patiently.)
"Have Ya met my pet
BIRDS, Lord?"

[NOD.]

"I'm really gettin
tired of this here
island, Lord."

"Yes, child.
But, we haven't
even started yet."

"HUH?
But, LORD!
I thought, Ya know,
Ya just had a couple
LETTERS for me to
DRAFT!"

"Uh uh.
Better go potty, now.
We've got a whole
'nother chapter to go
before sundown."

"Sure thing, Lord.
(Sigh)
(Gets up from cold,
bare tree on the
side of Patmos's
only sunny,
though grassless hill.)
Hey, LORD?
Couldn't one
'a Your ANGELS
go and get me
some more PAPER?"

"Yes, child.
But, I want you
to be more resourceful."

"Yeah.
(Sigh.)
Sure, Lord.
(Looks about for one
of Patmos's raggedy
bushes.)
I understand."

[AFIRMATIVE NOD.]
"Good, Apostle John.
I know you can do it."

(Frown.)
(Shrug.)
(Sigh.)
(Flecks off lone crumbs
of soggy bread from
dusty robe. Patsy and Patty,
named so after their home,
both hop over, and peck
at the stray crumbs.)
"Okay, Lord.
I'll be right back."
(Puts down dirty, old stylus,
and wrinkled pieces of
the cheap marketplace
paper, that the Romans
had tossed at him, from
the exile-island supply
boat.)

[PATIENT SILENCE.]

"Hey, LORD?"

"Yes, My Apostle John?"

"I was just wondering, Lord;
when are we gonna be DONE
with this new Project
of Yours?"

"When Kingdom comes, child.
When Kingdom comes."
****************************
And to the angel
of the church
in Laodicea
write:
The words of the Amen,
the Faithful
and True witness,
the beginning of
God's creation.
[Revelation 3:14]

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