Man of God (standard:other, 174 words)
Author: KShaw	Added: May 09 2005	Views/Reads: 3719/3	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
An observation

An old woman sits hunched on a bench in the church while the moon's
light falls across rafters and dribbles down the coral textured stone 
walls, illuminating the dark shadows under her tearful eyes. Beneath a 
buttonless raincoat she wears a cabbage-green blouse, blemished with 
alcohol stains, and torn. 

A shapeless character, adorned in black, makes his way toward her
through the ancient prayer-books to stand over her. She coughs, moans, 
and whispers a clutter of meaningless sounds. He raises one hand, 
crossing the air above her head, selling his religion with the same 
kind of animation a market seller sells his bananas. He moves away, 
cloth billowing in haste of his walk. 

An old man holding a cloth cap, watching from the holy font, moves to
sit down beside her. He doesn't talk, doesn't cross the air, but opens 
a small neatly folded parcel which he took from his coat pocket, and 
placed it between them. The old woman reaches out a dirty hand, taking 
hold of the cheese sandwich without looking up. 


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