The meek shall inherit the earth....

First thing in the morning on a Saturday.
Yea, I know it was 11 ish but that’s around when first things happen in my mornings. It was actually toward the earlier side, if you want to know the truth. Shankaran was still sleeping like a log and never before had I woken up before he did because that meant I have to make coffee for him.

I had just brushed my teeth, and making coffee and all when the doorbell rung. Unsuspecting, I open the doors and there are these two middle aged women standing outside, aren’t they?
The short one got off the mark with a , “ The world is a bad, bad place to live in, isn’t it?”
I nodded. I had drank rather like a fish (In fact, we had drunk, like a train around the bend) last night and that was now giving me a terrible hangover. So, in these circumstances, if someone was gonna say “ Isnt the world a bad place?” I couldn’t have agreed more.
That’s how I would have opened a conversation myself, with someone, when I have a splitting headache. I wouldn’t go knock on someone’s door and ask if they also held the same opinion, because what if they disagreed? I would have stood like a bum. Anyway, “Very” I replied.

She continued “ Every time you switch on the TV, they are always saying bad things, aren’t they? All you hear about all the time is murder, rape, theft, kidnap, assault, terrorism and such gory news, isn’t it?” She continued “ Don’t you think it would be wonderful if someone would rise and put an end to everyone’s sufferings.” Something rang a bell in my mind. But I didn’t say anything. I just stood there giving her the old eye. She had warmed up and was striking form now. She was asking me “ Wouldn’t it be great if that person could free the world of all sinners? Can you imagine how good it would be to walk free in a new world rid of all sinners?” I wanted to say that if that started to happen, I probably wouldn’t be here to talk with her about it. That person who would rid the world of sinners would start with me. That’s where he would. She was in full form now. No stopping her. Home stretch boy! “The world would become a paradise. There would be no crime and everybody would be happy. Secure. That’s how everyone will feel. The poor shall be happy, the hungry will get food, the homeless ones will find shelter and the meek shall inherit the earth. Don’t you think that’s the way things should be?” I couldn’t get to say a word but managed to mouth “ I guess so.”

The other one, the fat one, who had been silent all this while, took control when the small one paused for air. She asked, “ Do you know the person who shall free the world of the sinners? Do you know he is going to walk the earth soon again? ”. I suddenly felt like telling her about ‘ Anniyan’, but it was obvious they weren’t referring to him. And, of course I knew whom they were referring to, but I wasn’t going to say his name and fall right into their trap, was I?

They seemed least bothered by my silence. ‘ Yet another disillusioned, impoverished soul to show light to’ and ‘Lead kindly light’, they would have thought. The small one had caught her breath and took over from where she left. She fished the bible out of her bag and frisked it right till the page she wanted. You could say she had done it quite a few times before. She reached there pretty fast. And she started reading, straight from the bible. She showed the book to and I could see she was reading verses 11-15 from the ‘PSALMS’, chapter 729, I think. I don’t know how I remember and all. I am not too sure though, but I would place a small bet that was it. And frankly, I do not care. The verses talked about the messiah’s rebirth and how he would offer salvation and drink the blood of the sinners and all. It was gory, if you ask me. It was not something I would find solace from.

She finished reading, and the fat one, who didn’t speak much asked “ Well, wouldn’t you be interested to know more about it?” I wasn’t but I couldn’t say it in their faces. I am that kind of a person. I know some people can say stuff like that right in strangers’ faces and all, but I can’t do that. I was standing there, wondering how I could get out of this soon, but I didn’t say anything.

The small one then fished into her bag again and showed me a magazine called ‘Awake’ which asked ‘What hope is there for the poor?’ on the cover page and said “ We could leave this with you so you can go through it. Would that be okay? Would you go through it?” I could sense this was meeting was gonna end soon and jumped at it. I said I would be delighted to read it and took it and started turning the pages, right then, in front of their eyes and all.

It was a mistake. I had overacted. Encouraged, the small one started with new vigor and told about their church and where I could find it and how I should look them up if I happened to be passing that way. I continued to turn the pages and all. That’s all I did. When she was finished, they thanked me and all and I welcomed them, I mean not into the house and all, but just mouthed ‘ You are welcome’and ‘ Anytime’ which we all say when someone thanks us. I was about to belt in and lock the door, but she wasn’t finished.

The fat one said I was a good kid and asked which high school I went to. I told them I was a graduate. “ That’s surprising. You look so young “ she said. I told them “ Yea, I am old. I don’t look old, but I really am.”

They laughed politely and asked if it would be okay if they dropped in later sometime to see if I have any questions from the book and probably if I wanted to discuss religion and messiah with them. I would have puked when I heard them say that. But I didn’t and I didn’t say anything. I pretended to look at the book very seriously. That’s all what I did.

Anyway, they were about to leave and I was depressed as hell and wanted to kick myself for what I had gotten into. They would come again and all, but I wouldn’t turn them away if they did. I am too polite for such kind of stuff. I was already thinking of a polite excuse to tell them the next time they came and all when they suddenly said their names. Brenda and Grace, they told me.

I saw the opening and unhesitatingly took it. “ Shankaran” I said, extending my arms. I wanted to hug them and place a kiss on the small one's cheeks - she wasnt too bad if you ask me, but i didnt. I even spelt 'my' name for them and saw them place a tick mark against it. Then they noted our door number before moving to the door next to ours.

The coffee never tasted better.
Hallelujah, Boy!