Weave the Web

An old man and a boy sat side by side;  one spoke to annoy and one spoke just to lie.

The old man said loudly to make sure he could hear, “I have nothing to live for, for I live without fear.”

 

“No fear?” said the boy without exposing his grin:  “Then what’s with those shades and that bottle of gin?”

 

The old man just smiled through his gray bearded face and he pulled out an apple with amazing grace.

Then he put it beside him and smiled again:  “I’m fearless, young man.  Fearless of sin.  The shades that I wear are not for my eyes.  They’re not for the sun and they’re not a disguise.  They’re simply to dim the world that I live from the Holy Spirit who will never forgive.”

 

But the boy wasn’t hearing; he was watching the rain and the serpent of water that slid down the drain.

Then a thunderbolt clapped like God’s mighty voice and the old man he shook at the sound of the noise.

 

Then this fearless old man of carriage and might picked up his apple but could not take a bit.

He polished it and watched it rolled toward the drain and there it was eaten by the serpent of rain.

 

Then the old man stood up and unleashing a grin, he took off his shades and pure out his gin.

 

And the young boy, he said, “Now you’re without fear, for God he has spoken through his sinful tears.

And there’s no need to dim the world that you live; for my Holy Spirit will always forgive.