The talking head on the news show continues to babble. My attention focuses on the speaker as he quotes Thomas Paine, "I prefer peace. But if trouble must come, let it come in my time, so that my children can live in peace". I laugh...a cold, cynical laugh of someone who has seen things no child should see. I retort back to the TV screen, "When men give up the privilege of thinking, the last shadow of liberty quits the horizon." Like that pundit even knows who Thomas Paine was! Pah! When I was a kid we had to memorize sections of Crisis I and KNOW what was meant by it!!
My shouting must have disturbed my wife who enters the living room with a disapproving look, "Talking to yourself again? I wish you would stop staring at that thing and do what you know you have to do."
I look up lovingly and say, "I know you are right, but it's just so damn hard! I've put it off my entire life, talking the talk, but when push comes to shove I just want to rest. I am so tired you know. Nothing has gone as I had hoped".
Sensing my distress, she asks me, "Are you going to go down to the church and register today, I did!"
Boiling with anger, the words tumble out in an explosion I soon regret, "WHAT THE FUCK FOR???? You know we are both atheists!!! They can kiss my ASS!!!
"Okay, honey" she says, looking down at my leg, she asks me, "How is it?"
I look at her, our souls touch and words are said that cannot be heard by those without the telepathic link of long years together. I get up, grumble, and make my way outside to pick some vegetables. It's been a long day and I am hungry.