the kid looked like a ginger Tom Sawyerno Huck Finn atall no mischief no spitting in his palm when he was lost slapping it with two fingers and going in the direction the biggest gob of spit led No no perceptible charisma a foot soldier a devotee one who took orders and followed them without question

                                                                               just the kind of person either Christ or an evangelist would love unerring  unquestioning

all that cascaded in his brain as they approached each other on the main road through town

he knew the town

he was an outlier

his daughters still couldnt believe he was living there after his wifetheir mother died

he smiled patiently explained that it was their choice to move to it to live in a more rural setting  Youve made your choices as women  You didnt have a choice when you were girlsI know that 

Iyou must know love being a fly in the ointment a stick in the eye a burr under a saddle Im happy here up in their face

You know that

they did

          still theyon occasion wondered where hed go if he didnt live there

I havent a clue

If I were unhappy I might give it some thought

But Im happy

Excuse me the ginger asked after they exchanged nodschimed hellos Do you have a moment?

Yes

the young man extended a pamphlet towards him I wondered if you might . .

. . Ohno he said abruptly looking into the gingers hand he glimpsed GOD halfway down in its text GOD is always written in capitals and bold he wondered if GAWD was insecure

No thank you

Im not a believer

Not a believer? ginger was incredulous his eyes suddenly went wet a cherry  a cherry presented to convert a Christians wet dream  he could probably taste it

Not a believer? again it had to be echoing shallowly in his erotic imaginings

Correct  Keep your pamphlet

ginger did not withdraw it

                            enthusiastically he chimed just like saying Hello When we die, all of us, when we die we’ll all come face to face with Jesus Christ.

Not me

Did you want to talk about it?  the pamphlet still hung in the space between them  a rope a lifesaver extended to a drowning man who hadnt any idea he was drowning  We could talk about it.

We just did

             he had no intentions of cockteasing the boy any furthur

1440,  Monday,  23  9. 19

1308,  Twosday,  24  9. 19