jesus loves everyone
i was sitting there thinking how it’s
still twenty-six years until retirement
when i see that he has this small group of teens
backed against the wall
he’s been in here all day
reading the bible on his laptop
he’s shaking his finger at the teens
they are holding pamphlets
their eyes shifting back and forth
looking toward the exit
what’s going on over here? i ask
he turns to me
has reddish-blonde hair
a beard with no moustache
i don’t like him
but that’s par for the course
where me and humanity are concerned
if they can stand here all day
and talk about sex
i can talk to them about jesus, he says
i don’t think they were talking to you, i say
but i could hear them
i look at the teens
typical troublemakers in this place
they are still holding the pamphlets
and looking toward the exit
the pamphlets have illuminated crosses on them
look, this is a public building and i can’t
have jesus talk in here, i say
why not? he asks, when jesus is all around us
i look around, hoping that this isn’t true
as the teens start to laugh
jesus loves everyone, he says
good, i say
someone has to because i sure as hell don’t
the man gives me a look
he’s holding a pamphlet and his hand
begins to shake
shit, i think
if he hands me one of those
i’m going to knock him out and lose my job
i look at the teens
why don’t you guys keep the sex talk down
i tell them
and why don’t you go back over to your seat
and talk to yourself about jesus, i tell the man
we're all going to one place
in the end, he says
but he leaves us and sits down
i’m thankful that he doesn’t put
up more of a fight, try to save me
most religious fuckers
are some of the most belligerent people
out there
the teens drop their pamphlets
in the garbage can and sit down
i know there will be more sex talk
more god talk
because the two go hand in hand
but for now it is quiet
and i go back to where i was
thinking about retirement
twenty-six years
countless hours
and five minutes less than the last time
i thought about it.
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