Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Write in the HUMOR genre (04/12/07)
-
TITLE: Meet Dr Moldovian | Previous Challenge Entry
By Angeline oppenheimer
04/19/07 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
Chen took off his tortoise shell glasses and rubbed his temples in ripples of circles.
Seeing his wife’s puzzled look, he proceeded to explain his dilemma, “You know the pastor has been asking for pledges to purchase the land in Moldova?”
“Right, what about it?” Lian asked
“The pledges are due in two weeks and I can’t decide what to do?”
“It’s simple - give what you can.”
“What if you can give the amount but you won’t?”
“Why won’t you? God gave you a huge amount when you sold the stocks.”
“But the amount God has been laying on my heart will eat into our financial cushion.”
“I won’t tell you what to do but we never had any substantial cushion before we found the pot of gold.” Lian looked at her China man, the one who courted her through the office windows. He had spotted her through the window and had circled the building many times, many days before he found courage to ask her out. She often wondered at the little progress he made since he became a Christian five years ago.
“I hear what you’re saying but I just can’t bring myself to give up that amount,” Chen put his glasses back on and with that gesture; Lian knew that was the end of the discussion. As it is, he never speaks more than he should and it would take a sledge-hammer to uncover the range of emotions, if he has any.
While Chen debated within himself, God knew exactly how to resolve the situation. Through the corridors of God’s history, men had been visited with God’s humor. Sarah laughed when the angel visited with news of her impending pregnancy. Balaam’s donkey confounded him when it uttered words of reproach to its master. And the mighty Nebuchadnezzar? If we think how God caused him to grovel like an animal when his head was too lofty to catch the call of humility - we might be tempted to snicker. King David had a laugh or two while fleeing from Saul. The pursued had the chance to slice off a part of Saul’s garment while the he was taking a bathroom break. God has a perfect plan for Chen whose hands are tightly wound around the green notes.
Overnight, God had grown something in his body that would germinate into great pain as soon as he tried to get out of bed. Pain pierced through his lower body like he had just laid his body across a bed of knives. Tears came, he couldn’t stop himself. Lian noticed his coiled body soon enough.
“I think I need to see the doctor right now,” Chen managed to squeeze the words out of his mouth.
A cry for help - Lian knew right away that this pain must be tsunamic in proportion. She knows him to be so stoic that he wouldn’t bat an eyelid should a SUV run over his pinkie.
They waited forever at the emergency room and then it took another two hours to take all the necessary tests and x-rays.
As they settled him in his hospital bed, Lian wondered at the suddenness of this medical problem. Chen had no history of medical ailments and his physical last month showed a healthy viable forty-year old body.
Soon, the doctor was ushered in. As he lifted his chart from the headboard, Chen heard his name called as in a dream.
“Mr. Chen, I’m Dr Moldovian. The x-rays showed you have a cyst in your urinary tract. We’ll have to take that out but we need to wait for the swelling around it to subside. In the meantime, I will give you some codein to handle the pain. Come back on Wednesday and we’ll see if the swelling has gone down. We’ll schedule surgery right after that.”
Right after the good doctor left, Chen looked at Lian with quizzical eyes, “Do you see something strange here?”
Lian shook her head. Chen went on, “Did you hear the doctor’s name? Dr. Moldovian - I know he’s probably not from Moldova but doesn’t that strike you as more than coincidence?”
“It’s more than coincidence, it’s a revelation. Honey, give it up.”
P.S. Based on a true incident as happened to a church buddy. When Chen went back for his follow-up, the cyst was mysteriously gone. So was his bundle of cash he had stashed away for himself.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.
The characters came alive--great descriptions and dialogue. The title also sparked my curiosity--the use of a personal name always does. Good job!