Wednesday, 22 April 2015

Thirteen Crucifixions, 112



            “Are you sure?”         

            “Yes.  Absolutely.  How’s your latte?”

            “Good.”

            “Would you like another?  My treat.”

            “You’re trying to buy my silence.”

            “Lazarus, cynical Lazarus.  What are your plans for the day?

            “Me?  I’m going back to the community.”  He looked at Michael, quiet and hard.

            “I’m not going with you.”

            “Suit yourself.”

            “Have you met Norman?”

            “I’ve heard of him.”

            “He’s awesome.”

            “He’s a human being.  Like the rest of us.  We’re all awesome.  We also all fart and burp.''

            “Sounds like you’re getting some wisdom.”

            “Have you talked to Sheila?”

            “Would she like me to talk to her?”

            “She badly wants to see you.”

            “My mother is her own universe.  Too self-contained to badly want anything.”

            “I think you should talk to her.”

            “Look, she is my mother, not yours.  I will decide if I should see her and not you, nor anyone else.”

            “Don’t get defensive.  But she hasn’t talked to you since the fire—“

            “Lazarus.  Please, let’s just leave it for know, can we. Look, why don’t you return to the shelter with me for supper.  Norman would be delighted to meet you.”

            “I already told Chris that I’d be back in time for Vespers.”

            “Oh, Chris.  He does like to have charge over everyone now, doesn’t he?”

            “Michael, you know he isn’t like that.”

            “Tone it down my boy. Do you want to cause a scene?”

            “I-am-not-your-boy.”

            “As you wish.  How are those kids doing?  The ones we sent you the other day?”

            “Not great.  They’re using drugs.”

            “On the premises?”

            “They’ve already been warned.  Chris has threatened to call the police.  Can’t say that I blame him.”

            “Does he have any idea of what that might do to the spirit of the place/”

            “Too late.  Those assholes have already wrecked it.  They need tight supervision.  We’re not a reform school.”

            “I know, I know.  Look, I’ll talk to Norman, maybe something can be done.”

            “You think pretty highly of this guy, Norman.”

            “He’s an absolutely awesome human being.”

            “Are you in love with him?”

            “In—if you’re going to go to such lengths to degrade my friendship with him—“

            “There’s nothing wrong with being in love.  So are you?”

            “I-I don’t know.”

            “Have you ever?”

            “Have I ever—“

            “Known.  That you’re in love?”

            “Look, Lazarus, you’re sure that you can’t come around to meet him?”

            “You’re sure you can’t come back with me?”

            “You know that’s impossible.”

            “Your mother—“

            “Never mind my mother.  Christ commands that we forsake mother, father, sister, brother, all--that we forsake all to serve him”

            “She needs you, Michael. And you need her.”

            “I’ll call her.”

            “Tonight?”

            “Yes.”

            “I’ll tell her.  She’s terribly traumatized.”

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