A Talk with God

By Margie Woods

Major Stone was a man of few words who made good money, want for nothing, and kept to himself. But life has a way of drawing an introvert out of his shell through his needs, desires, and longings: the need to have friends and be friendly, a desire to socialize and be social, and a longing to love and be loved. Yet, of the entire world’s gr

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stratton Press
• Release date: Mar 12, 2018
• ISBN: 9781948654357

Margie Woods

Margie Woods, a Texas native, is an innovative author with stories as deep as the heart of this great state. The inspiration of the many novels she writes comes from a world within her mind’s eye, which is most definitely thought-provoking, stimulating, passionate, and gives a creative beauty and bloom to the unconventional. She is an artist who gives living color to fiction, non-fiction, lyrics, and poems.

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Contents

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

One

Bravo! What a nightingale performance accom-panied by a concert of songbirds from the east, west, north, and south corners of the Hospital de los Venerables in Seville, Spain. Then suddenly a robin launched from one of the many plants that framed the beautiful patio with a four-tier, round fountain below ground level located in a picturesque Baroque palace. And during flight past the staircase with a Baroque oval dome, the robin crossed paths with a golden eagle landing on the roof of the chapel as the sun was going down. And from a majestic bird’s-eye view, a man from the opposite side of the patio appeared.

It was a mysterious presence as he was dressed in a dark suit, walking slowly toward the chapel with a Belfry Bogart hat on his head that hid his face. As the man approached the large, dry fountain pool in the center of the patio, he took the four steps down into it, crossed over the middle where the actual fountain stood, and then he stepped up out of it on the other side. The man seemed to be in a daze and completely oblivious to the extraordinary beauty of the edifice around him until he eased open the tall chapel door of the Hospital De Venerables Sacerdotes. And behold, a glimpse of heaven. He stood awestruck at the enormous painting of the Last Supper above the altar as he was immersed in the glorious pulchritudinous splendor. And even though he was alone, he could feel a divine presence. Moments later, he came to himself and removed his hat. He then managed to move to the nearest aisle, entered the row of the pew nearby, and he sat down in the corner seat.

He kept his head down and eyes closed as an hour passed by without a word or even a movement. Slowly, a priest approached and sat down beside him. And as soon as he realized someone was there, he opened his eyes and stared at the altar.

I am Father Raphael. I suspected that you were praying internally as many do at the altar, but I noticed that you have been here on this pew for a good while now, so I thought that I would offer spiritual counsel or prayer if you’re interested. I am also here to listen if you need someone to talk to.

The man then looked at the priest. Father Raphael, my name is Major Stone. I have never said a prayer a day in my life, so I wasn’t praying internally, silently, or any other way a man can pray. I was just seeking peace and hoping for mercy by being in the presence of God.

You are an American, Father Raphael presumed.

How did you guess? Major asked humorously.

I suppose it’s the accent, Father Raphael replied with a smile. And then he was quiet long enough to let the amusement marinate.

What’s on your heart, Major? he asked.

Major took a deep breath and exhaled. They say that God knows everything. So, if he really knows everything, then he knows that my heart hurts and needs healing.

Would you like for me to pray for the healing of your heart? Father Raphael asked.

Yes, Father. She’s in room 312 with cancer.

There was a moment of silence.

Father Raphael looked at Major with compassion. I understand, he said while nodding. Tell me about her.

Major dropped his head and smiled.

I fell in love with her in the ninth grade, Major informed.

How do you know that you were in love at such a young age? Father Raphael asked.

I was slumped over my desk as usual, drawing a cartoon character of my teacher, Mrs. Jameson, during the roll call. I never paid much attention to what the teacher ever said until she called my name. But that day when she introduced a new girl to the class, I raised an eyebrow.

But how do you know that you fell in love with her? Father Raphael asked again.

Well, Father, Major said as he looked at him with a sparkle in his eye, this is how I know that it was love.

*     *     *

Class, we have a new student today. Please welcome Guadalupe Perez.

I glanced at her, and then I returned to sketching. But then I blinked a few times, and suddenly my fingers became paralyzed. I looked at her again and couldn’t take my eyes off her. And when Guadalupe was assigned the seat next to mine, chemistry came alive for me that day.

I sat up straight in my seat, put the doodling away, and I began to woo her. So for the first time in my life, I took my learning more seriously. I was on the verge of repeating my freshman year until I met Guadalupe. I call her Lupe. I was never late for class again. I did my homework. I studied for and passed tests. I did a 180 turn in my attitude regarding my education, and she was my inspiration.

Lupe was impressed with my smarts, and Mrs. Jameson was impressed with my grades. Throughout my freshmen and senior years, I always looked for opportunities to show kindness to her. If she’d drop a book, I’d rush to pick it up. If she was sitting alone in the cafeteria, I’d join her. If she was struggling with her homework in study hall, I’d brainstorm with her. If she was standing alone after school waiting for her ride, I’d wait with her.

In my school years, I had a freckled face, which is why Lupe has always called me Freckles. It was endearing coming from her, but if anybody else tried it, I’d be ready to fight. But as I became a man, the freckles faded. Man, I loved being with her, but I never had the guts to ask her out. But now, prom was approaching, and I began to build up the courage to ask her to be my date.

And finally, the day of do-or-die arrived. My plan was to ask the big question after school. I was really looking forward to seeing her walk through the classroom door in our first period class. It was all I needed to boost my confidence. She didn’t show, but sure enough, the butterflies did, in my stomach. I assumed that she was just going to be late today. So from the beginning of our lunch hour at noon, I waited by the entrance, hoping that she would be in the crowd of students rushing through the door to get into the cafeteria line. Anybody who’s ever late for school always showed up in time for lunch. So disappointed, I slowly walked to the end of the long line to get a hot lunch. And by the time I finished my burger and fries, I saw Mrs. Jameson leaving the cafeteria, so I jumped up and caught up with her before she walked out. I asked her if she had heard from Lupe. After she scolded me for leaving my tray on the table, she informed me that Lupe had a family emergency, and she moved back to Spain. And as Mrs. Jameson walked away, she said that she was on her way to the counselor’s office to have Lupe’s diploma mailed to her.

I was so depressed by the news and the possibility of never seeing her again, I not only skipped the prom, but they had to mail my diploma to me also. I had planned to go to college, but without the one person who gave life to learning, the motivation died.

So I joined the navy. I don’t have siblings. I never knew my father, and I never had anyone in my life that I looked up to until I met Julius Perez, a US navy attorney. Because I got in trouble so many times, I was on the verge of being discharged until he took me under his wing and became my best friend. And it didn’t take long for us to develop a mentor-protégé relationship because he had the same surname as my Lupe. To be cute, I’d sometimes address him as JP. After Julius and I became friends, I started calling him JP all of the time. But the most intriguing thing about him to me was that he was originally from Spain as Lupe.

So my next four years in the service was more successful than the previous. I went to school and received a degree. And I got a job in the navy as a computer programmer. I decided not to reenlist after the eighth year because Julius Perez retired. He and his wife, Zoe, who was also a navy officer, moved to Philadelphia to take over his deceased father’s law firm. And I went back home to Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, and accepted the first job that was offered to me—a mail carrier at the post office.

My five years as a mailman was rough. Every day I was either chased by a dog, a car, or a woman. The only reason I didn’t throw in the towel after five years was because I met a woman at the post office who fell in love with me. I know I cared for her, and those feelings were growing. But I never could make a slam dunk in the love and basketball hoop. I just went along with the relationship because she was pretty, crazy about me, and I was ready to start my own family. She planned a grand wedding, five grand to be exact. But the thing that made it grander was that it was held at a cabin by the lake. All I had to do was show up in a tux. But I tell ya, I began to have doubts that it was meant to be because all I could think of that day was my Lupe. And even when I saw my beautiful bride, Anna Beachum, approaching through the fuchsia-and-lavender-ribbon-decorated trees, and walking toward me along the glittery white path, my heart ached to see her face, my Lupe’s face. But I knew I had to bite the bullet and try to move on with my life with the one and only person who’s ever expressed love for me. Even though, deep down, I felt like I was making a huge mistake. I was about to marry