Short Stories

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Follow Me.
[Mark 2:14]
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Jesus is walking along the road to
Galilee, with His disciples. It's a clear
and beautiful day. Everyone is
talking amiably, and sharing some
bread for lunch. Suddenly,
a moan can be heard from the
back of the group. It's Levi,
son of Alphaeus. As usual,
he's lagging behind.
________________________
Jesus, smiling gently,
calls from up at the front
of His disciples.
"What's wrong, Matthew?"

(Silence.)
(Another moan.)
(Some woeful muttering ensues.)

(All the disciples, up at the
front, give each other a
humorous look.)

Jesus stops in His path,
and smiles patiently.
"Matthew?"

(John pauses for a moment,
to let Levi, son of Alphaeus
catch up to him.)
"Matthew, the Master is
speaking to you!"

(Deep sigh.)
(Another moan.)
"Oy.... my FEET!"
(Squinty look at John.)
"WHAT?
Oh.
That's RIGHT.
My name's MATTHEW now......
I keep FORGETTIN'!"

(John patiently nods.
He looks down at Levi
son of Alphaeus' feet.)
"What's wrong, Matthew?"

(Whiny voice.)
"It's my FEET!
They're killin' ME!
(Much whinier tone.)
L....O.....R......D?
Can You FIX 'em,
for ME?"

(All the disciples have stopped
in their tracks, now, waiting
for their whiny brother to
catch up. A couple of them
sigh, and shake their heads.)

(Levi, son of Alphaeus, has
now caught up with the Master.
As usual, he's breathing hard,
and his face is all red and sweaty.
Unfortunately, he's not used to
walking any distances.......being
that he's had a sedentary job
up until now.)
"HUH?"

(Jesus lovingly gazes at His whiny
child, Levi son of Alphaeus.)
"No."

(The whiny voice rises to a pitch.)
(Even some birds, that have been
merrily chirping up in the trees
closeby, suddenly fly off.)
"WHAT?
(Even whinier tone.)
Why NOT?"

"Because, My child."

(Levi, moaning some more,
trudges over to the nearby
tree: the one where the birds
were merrily chirping until
they heard his whiny screech.
He sits down, with a deep and
audible sigh. The others watch,
as Levi pull off his sandals
and puts his scruffy head back
against the tree trunk, moaning
loudly.)
"But......L....O.....R.....D!"

(Jesus comes over to His
whiny child. He crouches down
beside him.)
"You have flat feet, My child."
(He smiles gently.)
"They weren't made for walking."

(Levi's face screws up in a
woe-be-gone look.)
"I KNOW, LORD!"
Should I......just go BACK?
Ya think I can still get my old
JOB, back?"

(Jesus shakes His Head.)
"No, child.
You're with Me, now."

(Levi grimmaces.)
"YEAH!
But.....what about my FEET?
At my OLD job, all I did was
SIT there, all DAY!
Can't Ya FIX 'em?"

(Again, Jesus shakes His Head.)
"No, My child."

"But......You fix EVERYBODY ELSE!"

[SILENCE.]

(The other disciples give each
other a wary glance. They hope
a big earthquake doesn't show up,
right now, and swallow them all
up.)

(Loud whine.)
"WELL?
Why CAN'T Ya, LORD?
Just for ME?"

[PATIENT PAUSE.]
"Child, Who AM I?"

(Irritable sigh.)
(Kvetchy frown.)
(Rub bare, achy feet in the
cool grass.)
"Eh......the One Who gave
everybody in my family
FLAT FEET?"

[CHUCKLE.]

(All the disciples roll their
eyes, in exasperation. Realizing
this discussion is going to take
a while, they all begin sitting
down, also, in the sweet smelling
grass. John pulls out another
piece of bread, and begins munching.)

[DEEP SIGH.]
[GENTLE VOICE.]
"I'll tell you what I
will do, Matthew....."

"WHAT?
GIVE me some GOOD feet,
like ....all the REST a'
these GUYS?"

(Jesus pulls something out
of the sack He is carrying.)
"No.
But, I'm going to fashion you
some blocks of wood to put
in your shoes. They will
help you to walk."

(The other disciples look on,
really curiously. They move closer
to Jesus and Matthew, sitting
under the tree. Matthew,
already forgetting his woefulness,
is now munching on a raisin cake
from out of his own sack. A small
jug of water rests in his plump lap.)
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An hour later, Jesus is picking
up each of Levi's shoes and
fitting in the blocks of wood.

"There you are, Mattew!
Try them on!"
[SMILE.]

(Levi son of Alphaeus,
squinches up his crumb-
spotted mouth. Squinting
rather dubiously, he pulls
on each block-filled
sandal and stands up.)
"WOW!
HEY, guys!
THESE are GREAT!"
(Levi's face lights up,
for the first time the
whole trip. He goes over
to hug his Lord, and
then happily steps about
the big, old tree trunk.
Some of the birds come back,
and chirp.)

Everybody claps, and cheers.

The Master smiles.
***************************
He went out
again
beside the sea....
And as
He passed on,
He saw Levi,
the son of Alphaeus
sitting at the
tax office,
and He said
to him,
Follow Me.
And he rose
and
followed Him.
[Mark 2:13-14]

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