Hypocrites and Pharisees

the Barista is telling me, "Watch out, the boss is on a tear today."

"Why?" I ask.

"Don't worry, he'll be telling everybody - at nauseous!"

Steppenwolf chimes in, "I think you mean ad nauseum."

The Barista says, "If both of them mean telling you until you're sick of hearing it, what's the difference?"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37426719/ns/politics/

"AND THAT's what's killing Christ all over again!" I hear Verble yelling from the back (even though I think he's preaching to the choir) "These liars! These hypocrites and Pharisees! God wouldn't give anybody a MISSION to unseat judges! God only cares about what we do with our souls!"

I hear Verble coming out toward the front now. I duck up to the small stage where there is a stool and a Taylor.

I pick it up and begin to play. Dylan's "Shelter from the Storm" should do the trick. Calm the old man down.

Pray for me, folks! Or else it'll be a long day!

Hello Dali

John Steppenwolf at the counter talking with Verble about Dali on a Saturday morning, over steaming cups of coffee . . . and kolaches (which Verble and his had just discovered on a trip to Houston. His wife learned how to make them upon return, and are now served most mornings):

John is saying, my favourites, generally speaking are his crucifictions. I always wondered why he painted the various angles, and yet we never see Christ's face. One in particular that I was viewing the other day is the one where He seems to be looking down, and there is a boat at the bottom, greatly out of proportion to the angle of the rest of the painting. I can't for the life of me figure out exactly what the boat's supposed to mean.

and Verble says, it's Dali, most likely it doesn't mean anything but a passing errant dream he had one night.

John, that he spent hours of time and energy in putting it deliberately off-kilter, just to juxtapose it irreverently against the other 75% of the painting?

Verble, that's our Dali!

Overheard at Booth One

Lucky Moran: All I know is that the one time our President actually reaches out and gives the Republican dogs a bone, one that they can gnaw on over and over, and the next week the very same offshore oil industry goes and pees black crude all through the entire Gulf of Mexico . . . dang! Our president just can't get a break. But it just goes to show you, whenever you follow a Republican agenda, bad things always ensue!

Overheard at Table Two

. . . don't ask don't tell I don't know really what that was all about

- it was about not getting homosexuals drummed out of the military just for being who they are!

- yeah, but what I don't understand is all this stuff going on about it, right now!

- they see it as a civil rights issue, why should they have to pretend to be something they're not?

- why do they have to pretend at all?

- because if they come out, no pun intended, they're "telling"and they get kicked out of the military.

- but that's not my point, my point is this, and it's what NOBODY is saying: Look, I want my military over there fighting for our freedom, I don't give a flying hootin'hell if they're straight, gay, bi, crossdress on Saturdays or like the soles of their feet tickled with blue feathers - I want my military on the job, well-trained, focused on eradicating the enemies of America, and rebuilding the infrastructure of other countries so that THOSE countries can build democratic governments so that they can make the same freedoms WE do. I don't want them arguing and arguing about living accomodations, sharing of bathrooms, partners vs. spouses on base, or any of that - I want them focused on the job. and this is NOT being focused on the job.

- man, I didn't know you were such an idealist. You really believe all that's possible? The rebuilding and the democracy and all that?

- of course it's possible! Twenty years ago a guy would get tossed out of the US military for being gay! Fifty years ago he would have been shot! Now we're all wrapped up in THIS! If we've come this far, then spreading democracy HAS to be within reach, right?

Jars of Clay

Ah - says Verble - I sees ya admiring the Jars of Clay album hanging on the wall:not only is it a nice photo, love the colour, and not only is it a great Christian album, of the type that I wish they would make more of, that is, with lyrics that are truly intense, striking to the very core of both sincerity and doubt, rather than being simply zealous outpourings, not that I mind that mind you, but it is refreshing to have somewhat more depth in the lyrics of CCM,

but back to the main point - it is a great ACOUSTIC album. The sound of the guitars is like a breeze, like a wave, like the lull of gently rolling hillsides . . . is that enough nature imagery fer ya? Do you understand? This is a great album on many different levels - those are alway my favorites.

Now that I'm on about it, I'll admit that this album contains their one single crossover pop hit in the mid-90's "Flood" but every other song is just as good, some even better, I'd say.

One thing I'll never forget about these guys is from an interview I read with them about the time that "Flood" was peaking, the lead singer mentioned that they never wanted to stray from their message of Christ - His love, His mission, His role in our lives - and he said that if it were God's will that they would never have another hit, they would be fine: all they wanted to do was to keep making music for Him, for the rest of their lives. I mean, it's decades later now, and they still are - they keep coming out with albums, all of them very nice - great sound, great harmonies, great guitar work. But no, they've never had another hit like "Flood" - but God has allowed them to keep on doing what they love.

Prove positive once again that when you praise the Lord, you will be satisfied. He promised to take care of your needs - sometimes all it takes is bringing your desires down to the level to meet your needs.

Yah, I see yer eyes glazing over at that one. Tell you what, here's a copy of the CD - you give it a listen, and you tell me if you don't feel just a little bit more content, peaceful, after hearing it. Tell me it doesn't make you feel just the tiniest bit better about sending praise straight up to Heaven.

Give me your honest opinion - and I'll give you one free mocha swirl.

Verble serves a lone woman at booth one

He notices that she sits in the booth closest to the door, but with her back to the window, she continually glances toward the framed picture on the wall, and she always shirks from the gaze of passing people, who can't help but look at her,

because she looks familiar, like

maybe someone from a movie.

nah, that can't be it. She just has one of those faces. Looks like someone who is the not-her.

Can't be her.

"Hey," says Verble, "didn't I see you in . . . ?"

More at Booth 2

here, you need to go here - take a load off, relax

- you are so right, that would be totally onehundredpercent perfect . . . but you see, that's the whole point, you and I can't afford it. We would have to have already sold our souls when we were still in college just to have fasttracked a job in order to make the kind of scratch needed even to afford a decent PICTURE of a place like that, much less go there on our own dime - reminds me of something i read the other day when I took the kid to get a haircut - get this, one of those slutty uberrich girls - famous only because they're rich, right? the Kardashians, right, one of those - well, I picked up one of those rags, like Star or Us or something like that, and she was in Mexico with her on-again off-again husband, and the article was talking about how they needed to "reconnect" - at a resort that costs $4,700.00 PER NIGHT. And I'm thinking 'do you know how many poor villages could send their kids to school and buy them decent meals for a year with what these rich pricks blew on EACH night just to "work" on their emotional issues? i mean, it just made me sick! there's another ulcer in my gut, right there, right below the small intestine.

- you're right.

- i know i'm right.

- it's insane.

- yer dang right it's insane.

- you gotta get yourself to tahiti. 'cuz if you don't i'm gonna throw you through that plate glass window right there in front of this here coffee shop.