Gala The Word Wench
02-16-2004, 05:24 PM
Arturo spent his life ardent in the belief that when he died, he would be allowed to see the face of God---and ask the questions of his life. Since he was not an evil soul, at his life's end, he did in fact find himself at Heaven's Gate. St Peter was as he expected---but when he stepped up, the light around him... flickered?
"Hold up my man...message coming through." St Peter said. For a moment, his face went calm.
"Wow. Ok...coming right up. We don't get those often---you must be an interesting case." he said with a half smile. He pointed to a small cherub draped in silver...follow that one...it won't take long."
"Where am I going?" Arturo asked...a little alarmed. He did not feel peaceful in the least---and that was one thing about heaven he had always taken for granted.
"To meet God, of course." Peter said. "Next?"
And yes, Arturo was rather expecting a Throne...so the Easy Chair was a bit of a disappointment. And it's sole occupant reminded him uncomfortably of an old hippy he had once seen at a peace protest in Madison.God grinned at him.
"So you remember me, huh? Well at least you paid attention some of the time."
Arturo faltered.
"THAT was you?"
"Sure...I've been trying to talk you silly buggers out of war since the day one..." God said.
Arturo dropped his eyes...aomething about actually LOOKING at God...and heard God chuckle.
"We really aren't formal here. And i can look like anything I wish. I toyed with appearing as a woman...because i am that too...but I figured I'd be nice. And the female aspect---well, you always have issues there." another grin. Arturo found himself looking into eyes that were familiar---warm, wise---and he frowned. Not eyes he wished to remember.
God sighed.
"But you do. All too well. And that old boy, is why we are having this talk. You see...i almost NEVER intercede with you people. I send you down---and you have a life to choose. But every once in a while...I do pop in. I did in your case---and well...you blew it. So I asked you in to ask why."
"You what?"
"I did a personal intercession. Blew on your dice. And much to my shock...you walked away from the best thing in your life."
Arturo stared at God again. Again, those eyes...why?
"You remember her eyes." God said.
Arturo looked horrified.
"But I didn't....I couldn't." he whispered.
No...you wouldn't." God replied softly.
"But she was...married?" he said.
"Of course. If she hadn't been untouchable, you would never have wanted her. But you knew the husband was an idiot. You knew she would leave him---not for you, but herself...and you walked away from her. So I gotta ask you guy---I really pulled the stops. She could read your mind half the time. When you were with her, you felt alive. And when you touched her---you felt the answer to your every question...I mean---I guess I could have written something in the clouds with a flaming sword---but I figured I had given you enough clues?
So I gotta ask...WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?"
Arturo stared at God dumbfounded.
"But...I thought I was doing your will?"
"YOU IDIOT. What kind of flaming moron would I be to set you up like that? The odds that you would ever even meet that woman were many millions to one. Should have been your first clue. The odds that she would let her guard down long enough to love you? CLUE two. And exactly WHY do you think you knew my will?
"The bible...the commandments---the Church...Arturo stammered.
"A book, two pieces of stone, and a freaking BUILDING, and who knew how I thought, and what I wanted, huh?" God looked upset...angry in fact.
"JUNIOR...I gave you reason---free will, and the ability to distinguish from fact and fiction...and you're standing here telling me you pushed away a miracle with both hands...because of something man made?"
"But the word of God---" arturo said...
God sighed.
"You did see the Grand Canyon, right?" God sighed.
"Oh yes---" Arturo began.
"STOP. You saw that---some of my best work really...and the best clue I ever gave mankind collectively. If something that was "god's will" or god's word did NOT make you feel the same awe or emotion---it wasn't mine, capeche?"
And then Arturo got it. Years of regret smashed into him from every side, and never had he felt...so small.
He crumpled, and tried not to show his tears.
Silly really...i mean...God was there. From the arm chair came a heavy long sigh.
"Don't feel so bad...you are not the first. I just always wonder why you do these things to yourself. And after thousands of years, I am so damned tired of taking the blame for the choices you people make---the conclusions you draw. You really don't know how I think---and look at what you do?
"Wars, wasted lives...and let me clue you in genius. I sent you to her as well...and because of your damned arrogance, you blighted a heart I sent you to heal. So that Junior is the lesson I am sending with you...enjoy Limbo."
"Not Hell?" Arturo asked, dully, feeling his soul go flat and dry.
"Not Hell. I WANTED to send you there...but..." God stopped.
Arturo felt his heart splitting---literally breaking in his chest.
"She...she didn't?"
"Yes. She did. She asked divine intercession for you. God I hate those. But since she did not get what I wished for her in her lifetime---I agreed. She knew there was something special about what happened when you two were together...she could feel my Touch---even when you would not. And you know why? Because never in her life did she presume to know what I wanted. She just accepted what came.
I like her. Spunky lady...very kind."
But it's not going to be a cake walk Son. Every minute you are there, you will think of her. Everyone will have her eyes---and you will think you hear her laughing---but never quite be able to see her. If i ever send you back---you won't make the same mistake." God said.
Arturo was drowning in himself. He felt her---could smell her hair, feel the skin of her face--she was everywhere. He saw her eyes when he explained that loving her was wrong---and could taste her tears when she finally walked away.
"And son...if you ever do go back...try and remember this...opportunity will knock---but it won't kick in the damned door."
And God vanished.
Arturo was sent for a 1000 years of contemplation, and God invited St. Peter for a happy hour drink. Peter was whupped...the day had been busy. God was letting down her hair, and was kicking back with a singapore sling.
St Peter popped a cool one, and sat on the grass.
"So...how was your day?" he asked.
God laughed softly---sort of like Lauren Bacall.
"Oh...it had it's moments. But you have a question Pete...spit it out."
"That Arturo guy...why? I mean---he was decent and all. Good father, the whole deal."
"The Official Reason...or the real one?" she asked.
"Both, of course." Peter smiled.
"The Official reason is the arrogance of knowing my will...but the real one? Pete---that man prayed for love. Night and Day, he prayed for love. I hear that stuff all the time---but something about his request---he really wished for it. SO I said ok guy---here you go. And he just...blew it. I know---bad from for the Diety to hold a grudge...but when I made a point to give him what he asked?
"So...when it comes down to it, love matters?"
"PETE...i thought you knew that by now. Not just loving me---but loving me through the ones I give you to love. He didn't just blow off a lady down there...he blew ME off...and when was THAT ever a bright idea?"
Peter nodded.
"Ok...I'm hitting the Cloud room...tell Elvis I wanna hear Hound Dog..."
"You got it boss." St. Peter smiled.
And so it is in God's heaven....
"Hold up my man...message coming through." St Peter said. For a moment, his face went calm.
"Wow. Ok...coming right up. We don't get those often---you must be an interesting case." he said with a half smile. He pointed to a small cherub draped in silver...follow that one...it won't take long."
"Where am I going?" Arturo asked...a little alarmed. He did not feel peaceful in the least---and that was one thing about heaven he had always taken for granted.
"To meet God, of course." Peter said. "Next?"
And yes, Arturo was rather expecting a Throne...so the Easy Chair was a bit of a disappointment. And it's sole occupant reminded him uncomfortably of an old hippy he had once seen at a peace protest in Madison.God grinned at him.
"So you remember me, huh? Well at least you paid attention some of the time."
Arturo faltered.
"THAT was you?"
"Sure...I've been trying to talk you silly buggers out of war since the day one..." God said.
Arturo dropped his eyes...aomething about actually LOOKING at God...and heard God chuckle.
"We really aren't formal here. And i can look like anything I wish. I toyed with appearing as a woman...because i am that too...but I figured I'd be nice. And the female aspect---well, you always have issues there." another grin. Arturo found himself looking into eyes that were familiar---warm, wise---and he frowned. Not eyes he wished to remember.
God sighed.
"But you do. All too well. And that old boy, is why we are having this talk. You see...i almost NEVER intercede with you people. I send you down---and you have a life to choose. But every once in a while...I do pop in. I did in your case---and well...you blew it. So I asked you in to ask why."
"You what?"
"I did a personal intercession. Blew on your dice. And much to my shock...you walked away from the best thing in your life."
Arturo stared at God again. Again, those eyes...why?
"You remember her eyes." God said.
Arturo looked horrified.
"But I didn't....I couldn't." he whispered.
No...you wouldn't." God replied softly.
"But she was...married?" he said.
"Of course. If she hadn't been untouchable, you would never have wanted her. But you knew the husband was an idiot. You knew she would leave him---not for you, but herself...and you walked away from her. So I gotta ask you guy---I really pulled the stops. She could read your mind half the time. When you were with her, you felt alive. And when you touched her---you felt the answer to your every question...I mean---I guess I could have written something in the clouds with a flaming sword---but I figured I had given you enough clues?
So I gotta ask...WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?"
Arturo stared at God dumbfounded.
"But...I thought I was doing your will?"
"YOU IDIOT. What kind of flaming moron would I be to set you up like that? The odds that you would ever even meet that woman were many millions to one. Should have been your first clue. The odds that she would let her guard down long enough to love you? CLUE two. And exactly WHY do you think you knew my will?
"The bible...the commandments---the Church...Arturo stammered.
"A book, two pieces of stone, and a freaking BUILDING, and who knew how I thought, and what I wanted, huh?" God looked upset...angry in fact.
"JUNIOR...I gave you reason---free will, and the ability to distinguish from fact and fiction...and you're standing here telling me you pushed away a miracle with both hands...because of something man made?"
"But the word of God---" arturo said...
God sighed.
"You did see the Grand Canyon, right?" God sighed.
"Oh yes---" Arturo began.
"STOP. You saw that---some of my best work really...and the best clue I ever gave mankind collectively. If something that was "god's will" or god's word did NOT make you feel the same awe or emotion---it wasn't mine, capeche?"
And then Arturo got it. Years of regret smashed into him from every side, and never had he felt...so small.
He crumpled, and tried not to show his tears.
Silly really...i mean...God was there. From the arm chair came a heavy long sigh.
"Don't feel so bad...you are not the first. I just always wonder why you do these things to yourself. And after thousands of years, I am so damned tired of taking the blame for the choices you people make---the conclusions you draw. You really don't know how I think---and look at what you do?
"Wars, wasted lives...and let me clue you in genius. I sent you to her as well...and because of your damned arrogance, you blighted a heart I sent you to heal. So that Junior is the lesson I am sending with you...enjoy Limbo."
"Not Hell?" Arturo asked, dully, feeling his soul go flat and dry.
"Not Hell. I WANTED to send you there...but..." God stopped.
Arturo felt his heart splitting---literally breaking in his chest.
"She...she didn't?"
"Yes. She did. She asked divine intercession for you. God I hate those. But since she did not get what I wished for her in her lifetime---I agreed. She knew there was something special about what happened when you two were together...she could feel my Touch---even when you would not. And you know why? Because never in her life did she presume to know what I wanted. She just accepted what came.
I like her. Spunky lady...very kind."
But it's not going to be a cake walk Son. Every minute you are there, you will think of her. Everyone will have her eyes---and you will think you hear her laughing---but never quite be able to see her. If i ever send you back---you won't make the same mistake." God said.
Arturo was drowning in himself. He felt her---could smell her hair, feel the skin of her face--she was everywhere. He saw her eyes when he explained that loving her was wrong---and could taste her tears when she finally walked away.
"And son...if you ever do go back...try and remember this...opportunity will knock---but it won't kick in the damned door."
And God vanished.
Arturo was sent for a 1000 years of contemplation, and God invited St. Peter for a happy hour drink. Peter was whupped...the day had been busy. God was letting down her hair, and was kicking back with a singapore sling.
St Peter popped a cool one, and sat on the grass.
"So...how was your day?" he asked.
God laughed softly---sort of like Lauren Bacall.
"Oh...it had it's moments. But you have a question Pete...spit it out."
"That Arturo guy...why? I mean---he was decent and all. Good father, the whole deal."
"The Official Reason...or the real one?" she asked.
"Both, of course." Peter smiled.
"The Official reason is the arrogance of knowing my will...but the real one? Pete---that man prayed for love. Night and Day, he prayed for love. I hear that stuff all the time---but something about his request---he really wished for it. SO I said ok guy---here you go. And he just...blew it. I know---bad from for the Diety to hold a grudge...but when I made a point to give him what he asked?
"So...when it comes down to it, love matters?"
"PETE...i thought you knew that by now. Not just loving me---but loving me through the ones I give you to love. He didn't just blow off a lady down there...he blew ME off...and when was THAT ever a bright idea?"
Peter nodded.
"Ok...I'm hitting the Cloud room...tell Elvis I wanna hear Hound Dog..."
"You got it boss." St. Peter smiled.
And so it is in God's heaven....