“Have mercy. Have mercy. HAVE MERCY!”
Nothing: not a word and all I need is one. They crowd him with muttering, staring but I will not be silenced, “Have mercy, Have mercy!”
Silence: followed by some crap about mercy not being for me and my soul roars. I cry louder and deeper and longer, “Have. Mercy.”
“Not for me!?! I’ll show you not for me, Mercy, I need just one word, one breath, one crumb from their laden table of obeisant religious pride. They sit with rotting feast while I kneel starving, begging for a crumb. You will have mercy – I know!”
His face tuns to smile … He leans and whispers, “Such faith!” And mercy floods my life. I eat, I am restored in his laugh. In his amazement I receive and I am whole again.