An Attempt at a short story (in parts)
The Widow & The Prophet (contains cursing)
The Widow
"A man will ask you for food. Feed him," said the Lord.
"But Lord, I ain't got none. All I have left will be fixed for me and my son, and then we will die," the widow said.
"Feed him first."
"Who is he?"
"A prophet."
"Oh, great," she rolled her eyes. "He gon' ask? Your prophets don't usually - "
"Feed him first."
"Okay, Lord. But I pray he won't ask."
While at the city gate, the widow bent over to look for sticks on the ground. She was going to gather a few to take home to make her meal.
~~
The Prophet
"Go see the widow," the Lord said to the prophet as he stood near the city gate.
"Who?" he said.
"The widow."
"What widow? I don't see no - " suddenly the crowd parts and he sees someone bent over looking at the ground. "Oh. Her?"
"Yes."
"You sure?"
"Elijah."
"Alright. I'm just saying."
Elijah approaches the bent figure. She's holding a stick.
"Excuse me," he says to her.
~~
The Widow
I hear the man say, "Excuse me" to me.
"Shit." Oh no. He's asking!
I bend lower.
"Excuse me," he says again.
I keep looking at the ground. Perhaps if I keep this up, he'll just go away.
"Could you please," he begins again.
Go. A. Way.
"Give me -"
No, please don't ask.
"A little water?"
Lord, you know you ain't right. All these people at this gate. All these people got stuff I ain't. And he has to come bother me?
~~
The Prophet
I say excuse me and she keeps looking at the ground. Perhaps her hearing is bad? Did I just hear her curse? Let me try again a little louder this time.
"Excuse me," I say as heads turn. Surely she hears me now.
But she remains bent over, looking at the ground, holding a stick. Should I help her? There really aren't that many sticks on the ground, but she seems engrossed in her search for them here at the city gate.
"Could you please," I begin again. She stays bent but seems to turn slightly away. Now I guess I have to follow her.
"Give me-"
She keeps turning away, and I keep following. I think she hears me even though she's trying to pretend she doesn't. I soldier on.
"a little water?"
She stops. Finally. And looks at me. Thank you, Lord, she's not deaf! Lord! if this don't work -
"OK," she says. And nods.
I sigh in relief.
Now what?
~~
The Widow
Looking at the Lord's prophet, I almost shake my head at him, but I don't. He looks like the kind to start some trouble. And you send him to me? What's he gon' do for me, except quote homilies?
But a promise is a promise. And I promised You a long time ago that I would be faithful, Lord. So I will obey.
I nod. "OK," I say.
Did he just sigh?
What now? Oh, right.
I use my vessel to go get him some water.
Maybe he can hold my sticks while he waits?
The Widow
"A man will ask you for food. Feed him," said the Lord.
"But Lord, I ain't got none. All I have left will be fixed for me and my son, and then we will die," the widow said.
"Feed him first."
"Who is he?"
"A prophet."
"Oh, great," she rolled her eyes. "He gon' ask? Your prophets don't usually - "
"Feed him first."
"Okay, Lord. But I pray he won't ask."
While at the city gate, the widow bent over to look for sticks on the ground. She was going to gather a few to take home to make her meal.
~~
The Prophet
"Go see the widow," the Lord said to the prophet as he stood near the city gate.
"Who?" he said.
"The widow."
"What widow? I don't see no - " suddenly the crowd parts and he sees someone bent over looking at the ground. "Oh. Her?"
"Yes."
"You sure?"
"Elijah."
"Alright. I'm just saying."
Elijah approaches the bent figure. She's holding a stick.
"Excuse me," he says to her.
~~
The Widow
I hear the man say, "Excuse me" to me.
"Shit." Oh no. He's asking!
I bend lower.
"Excuse me," he says again.
I keep looking at the ground. Perhaps if I keep this up, he'll just go away.
"Could you please," he begins again.
Go. A. Way.
"Give me -"
No, please don't ask.
"A little water?"
Lord, you know you ain't right. All these people at this gate. All these people got stuff I ain't. And he has to come bother me?
~~
The Prophet
I say excuse me and she keeps looking at the ground. Perhaps her hearing is bad? Did I just hear her curse? Let me try again a little louder this time.
"Excuse me," I say as heads turn. Surely she hears me now.
But she remains bent over, looking at the ground, holding a stick. Should I help her? There really aren't that many sticks on the ground, but she seems engrossed in her search for them here at the city gate.
"Could you please," I begin again. She stays bent but seems to turn slightly away. Now I guess I have to follow her.
"Give me-"
She keeps turning away, and I keep following. I think she hears me even though she's trying to pretend she doesn't. I soldier on.
"a little water?"
She stops. Finally. And looks at me. Thank you, Lord, she's not deaf! Lord! if this don't work -
"OK," she says. And nods.
I sigh in relief.
Now what?
~~
The Widow
Looking at the Lord's prophet, I almost shake my head at him, but I don't. He looks like the kind to start some trouble. And you send him to me? What's he gon' do for me, except quote homilies?
But a promise is a promise. And I promised You a long time ago that I would be faithful, Lord. So I will obey.
I nod. "OK," I say.
Did he just sigh?
What now? Oh, right.
I use my vessel to go get him some water.
Maybe he can hold my sticks while he waits?
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