Robert Brock shivered in the chill of the January morning. The only warmth to be found was the heat from the dull ache of the hunger pangs that wracked his empty stomach. He tried to roll himself tighter into the the dirty horse blanket that he had pilfered from the barn behind the Pavilion, but in the years of dry rot and decay the blanket had lost its ability to provide warmth. The sun had yet to rise and in the predawn twilight Robert stared at his surroundings through the receding darkness and hummed gently to himself. He could not remember the exact words nor the name of the tune, but it was a hymn. A hymn about “Walking with Jesus” and Robert found comfort in the thought of one day walking out of the cold and cruelty of this life into the arms of Jesus into Heaven.
Robert imagined a smiling bearded Jesus like the ones from the pictures in his momma's Bible. He imagined himself on his knees before him... ready... to receive his heavenly reward. Jesus would praise him for a living out his difficult life. Jesus would forgive him for the trips to Ripley to the whore house... the bouts of self gratification that he allowed the Devil to lead him to in his younger years. Jesus knew that a man was not without sin , and he would see that Robert had always repented ...he would see that Robert ...was a righteous man.
Roberts thoughts tip toed through Heaven and though he was hungry and cold he found that once again the Lord was comforting him in his time of need... and somehow he knew that once again the Lord would provide....(to be continued)
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