[The fourth of six vignettes in the publication The Withered Grape which describe picture scenes in navigating self denial and self control through the seas of legalism and freedomism.]
Orlando stood at the counter. You hoped he would join you at your table by the window. Then you saw her - Brunhilde Smythe.
Orlando stood at the counter. You hoped he would join you at your table by the window. Then you saw her - Brunhilde Smythe.
Worse! She saw you!
Her eyebrows popped up. She tapped on the glass and motioned for
you to meet her outside.
“Really,” she says as you approach. “This is very disappointing. I
heard you had been seen here, but I hoped it wasn’t true.”
You open your mouth. She continues, “There are people who look up
to you; and for you to be seen in a place like this creates confusion.”
No one contradicts Mrs. Smythe. That’s why you are surprised at
the sound of your own voice.
“As a matter of fact, Ma’am, Jesus confused folks about where he
hung out, too.”
Undaunted, she presses on. “Jesus is Jesus.”
“True, but Jesus told a lot of us not-Jesus folks to follow him.
Seems like he would have said something about making real-life contact with sinners being an
exception? And, I have friends from church and we watch out for each other.”
“I’ll overlook your rudeness,” she sniffed. “You’re young, after
all."
“You will not overlook it. You never overlook anything that doesn’t fit into your picture of the way things should be. And you're only forty-something. Mr. Reynolds is sixty-two and he's a deacon and he encourages me to..."
“You will not overlook it. You never overlook anything that doesn’t fit into your picture of the way things should be. And you're only forty-something. Mr. Reynolds is sixty-two and he's a deacon and he encourages me to..."
She sniffs. “I tell things the way they are."
“No, ma’am. You tell things the way you think they are. That isn’t
always the same thing.”
Her head goes back. She looks down her nose. “I see being here
has already taught you to be disrespectful.”
“Reading my Bible has taught me not to bow
to something that’s not true just because somebody tries to bully me. I’m sorry you
don’t approve of my being here, but, honestly, when I open my Bible every morning I don’t ask
God to show me your will for my life.”
Previous: You
and Emmett at the Dead Salamander
No comments:
Post a Comment