Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Illustrate the meaning of "A Man is Known by the Company He Keeps" (without using the actual phrase). (01/31/08)
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TITLE: Blowback | Previous Challenge Entry
By James Rouse
02/07/08 -
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Yes. Thank you, Lord, sighed Paul internally. “You don’t have to thank me. Just let me know if there’s anything else I can do.” Smiling, and chuckling a little he asked, “See you next Sunday? Good. I’ll talk to you later. Yeah. Bye.” He pressed the off button as he strode across the living room before collapsing into his favorite chair, a ratty faux-suede job from his college days. Early college. The way God worked always amazed him—changing minds, hearts, souls—and he never felt like he could respond adequately.
Paul closed his eyes, squinting them as his prayer tumbled from his lips. “God, just...just thank you. Thank you so much for Tom’s openness, his response.” He paused, scavenging for words and sentences. Praying had never been his forte. When he began again, a hint of joy shone through in his words, “I know it’s your will that no one would be separated from you, so please continue to work in Tom’s life and mine as well. Please help us to follow your will in all parts of our lives and direct us in your ways. Amen.”
Paul reached for the TV remote, but picked up the phone instead, answering before the first ring was quite completed. He didn’t even check the caller I.D. like usual, but happily answered, expecting Tom again. “Hello. Oh, hey Phil. How’s it going?”
There was an odd note in his voice when he responded that Paul couldn’t place. “Listen, Paul. We need to talk.”
“Sure, what’s up,” he said leaning forward in his chair. This didn’t feel like a routine call from church. “Is everything ok?”
“I’m just going to get right to it. I don’t think it’s going to work out for you to teach Sunday school to the kids anymore,” he began, the words rapidly escaping his lips. “People are starting to ask questions and I just think it would be better if you stepped down. Maybe you can find some other way to serve,” he ended trying to sound hopeful, but not really believing it would come to pass.
Standing now, Paul paced to the window, “Questions? What questions? I’ve been doing this for years. What’s changed?” His voice eased as hurt and a dawning realization began to creep in.
A sigh, “Paul…I don’t want to suggest anything, but you’re middle aged. You’re single. You like kids. And now you bring an obviously gay may to church. You’ve got to see what this looks like to people, don’t you? How they might be concerned for their children” he asked, a little more forcefully than he intended.
Silence.
Then, “I see. I…I was just trying to reach out to someone who needed God. But, I guess…I don’t know. I guess I’ll just talk to you later.” The conversation ended.
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Very well-written, too, although the end fizzled just a bit for me.
I enjoyed reading this story.