1:55
Writing urges always come at the most inoportune times. Like when you're trying to go to sleep so that you can get up early for Jesus and bikerides. Not like I've been to church in two weeks. I need to get more regular about church. Do they have a pill for that?
Anyway, while listening to a crappy iTunes song I downloaded for free that I somehow cannot stop playing on repeat, I suddenly experienced a burst of creative energy.
Here's the result:
Diana stood next to Joseph while sounds of cicadas and water lapping at cold parcelain made her feel like a man waiting for the skin to be taken off his back. "We gon' be born again," Joseph had told her last night as they laid together in sin (It wasn't like they could get her knocked up twice at the same time). "We gon' get born again, and we gon' start anew, A. We gon' start anew." Joseph squeezed Diana's hand to let her know eight hours hadn't changed his mind this time.
A woman in a yellow hat poured grape juiced into dixi cups besides The Good Reverend's blessed yellowing bathtub. His words fell like gold and diamonds in front of the small crowd of faithful followers.
"A reading from the prophet Ezekiel," said The Good Reverend.
"Amen," said the crowd as they took of their shoes.
The Good Reverend read a passage that made the baby within Diana turn into a thousand snakes riddled with doubt and love. The woman broke a peice of bread next to each cup and walked over to stand next to The Good Reverend as he finished with the words of one prophet and made his way to the next. Diana had hoped there would be more sun. Every dream she had about this moment featured more sun. Why did they wait for July if it was going to look like June anway? Clouds kept trying to get in the way of the perfect moment Diana had been creating over and over again in her mind.
"Who is the first child to be reborn into Christ?" The Good Reverend asked.
Diana put a hand to her stomach and the crowd parted as if her simple gesture had become a universal sign for the baby so small it hadn't yet begun to push at the lip of her jeans. Joseph pushed her forward. She put one foot in the bathtub.
"Child... you have become a new creation," said The Good Reverend, "and you have clothed yourself in compassion."
Diana put the other foot in. The Good Reverend gestured to her t-shirt. "See this white garment, the outward sing of your dignity." He laid her back now, and her head broke the virgin skin of the water. "With your family and friends... " her head went into the water and moments later was pulled out again, "... that is already yours as a child of God. Recieve the light of his compassion."
Joseph cleared his throat. "'Scuse me, Reverend, but after you born me again, could you do us the favor of making us a wedded couple." Diana had never seen Joseph's shoulders curled over in humility - she'd never seen his shoulders thin and trembling except in moments after they'd done the things her momma told her were the reason she could never come back. "You see... we heard you the only man for miles we heard'd do us this honor."
The Good Reverend smiled and took his hand. He lead him to the tub and Joseph intuitively stepped in beside Diana as she shivered in the early morning air.
"Jesus knos your love is good," The Good Revered said, and baptized Joseph at Diana's feet.
And that's all I've got. I'll post an update if I am ever moved to write more. I still don't know what their story is. We'll see if they ever asked to be written about again.
Anyway, while listening to a crappy iTunes song I downloaded for free that I somehow cannot stop playing on repeat, I suddenly experienced a burst of creative energy.
Here's the result:
Diana stood next to Joseph while sounds of cicadas and water lapping at cold parcelain made her feel like a man waiting for the skin to be taken off his back. "We gon' be born again," Joseph had told her last night as they laid together in sin (It wasn't like they could get her knocked up twice at the same time). "We gon' get born again, and we gon' start anew, A. We gon' start anew." Joseph squeezed Diana's hand to let her know eight hours hadn't changed his mind this time.
A woman in a yellow hat poured grape juiced into dixi cups besides The Good Reverend's blessed yellowing bathtub. His words fell like gold and diamonds in front of the small crowd of faithful followers.
"A reading from the prophet Ezekiel," said The Good Reverend.
"Amen," said the crowd as they took of their shoes.
The Good Reverend read a passage that made the baby within Diana turn into a thousand snakes riddled with doubt and love. The woman broke a peice of bread next to each cup and walked over to stand next to The Good Reverend as he finished with the words of one prophet and made his way to the next. Diana had hoped there would be more sun. Every dream she had about this moment featured more sun. Why did they wait for July if it was going to look like June anway? Clouds kept trying to get in the way of the perfect moment Diana had been creating over and over again in her mind.
"Who is the first child to be reborn into Christ?" The Good Reverend asked.
Diana put a hand to her stomach and the crowd parted as if her simple gesture had become a universal sign for the baby so small it hadn't yet begun to push at the lip of her jeans. Joseph pushed her forward. She put one foot in the bathtub.
"Child... you have become a new creation," said The Good Reverend, "and you have clothed yourself in compassion."
Diana put the other foot in. The Good Reverend gestured to her t-shirt. "See this white garment, the outward sing of your dignity." He laid her back now, and her head broke the virgin skin of the water. "With your family and friends... " her head went into the water and moments later was pulled out again, "... that is already yours as a child of God. Recieve the light of his compassion."
Joseph cleared his throat. "'Scuse me, Reverend, but after you born me again, could you do us the favor of making us a wedded couple." Diana had never seen Joseph's shoulders curled over in humility - she'd never seen his shoulders thin and trembling except in moments after they'd done the things her momma told her were the reason she could never come back. "You see... we heard you the only man for miles we heard'd do us this honor."
The Good Reverend smiled and took his hand. He lead him to the tub and Joseph intuitively stepped in beside Diana as she shivered in the early morning air.
"Jesus knos your love is good," The Good Revered said, and baptized Joseph at Diana's feet.
And that's all I've got. I'll post an update if I am ever moved to write more. I still don't know what their story is. We'll see if they ever asked to be written about again.