Part One
During Double Decker last Saturday, I was wandering from booth to booth when an old guy caught my eye. I was sure I’d seen the man somewhere, but I just couldn’t place him. I followed him around a bit. The man spoke with one of the vendors, “I want that pin for Jill.” I put two and two together, the halting steps, the shaky hands, the Aviator Ray-Bans, and Jill. Even with the bad fake moustache and the Dallas Cowboys cap, it was Joe Biden, trying to be incognito, but not doing a stellar job of it.
I slowly moved closer with the utmost care, pretending to be a shopper.
Welcome to Oxford, sir.
Thanks, man. Good to be here.
It’s good to have you here, Mr….
Shhh! I’m trying to be invisible here. Tired of walking, man. Need a place to sit and drink a beer. I really mean it.
I thought you didn’t drink.
I do today.
I know a quiet place about two blocks from here.
Let’s go, man.
(We shuffled away until we reached our destination.)
What’s this place, man? Looks like a hole in a brick wall.
Yessir, but it’s a great hole in the wall. Let’s go in.
It’s dark in here, man. What’s this place called?
Bar Muse. It’s one of the seven wonders of Oxford.
Nice place. I want a beer.
(Drinks in hand, we found the quietest table in the place and sat.)
What brought you to Oxford, sir?
It’s Joe. Just Joe, man. I’ve been trying to get some peace. Nowadays I’m getting blamed for everything. The war in Iran is my fault. The rise in grocery and gasoline prices is my fault. Even ice storm Fern that hit you guys so damn hard was my fault. Oh, and now, since I’m Catholic, the tension between the president and Pope Leo is my fault, too.
Now, Joe. You know that’s not true.
Sure, I know, but about half the country thinks Eve eating the apple in the Garden of Eden was my fault, too. But I was growing up in Delaware at the time (chuckles).
So what about this thing between the pope and the president? What do you think about it?
“The Pope and the President.” Sounds like a great name for a book or a movie. Look, I think the president is damn stupid, for blessing out the pope. I mean it. I really do. There’s this president who panders to evangelicals and doesn’t even know his Bible except for First Tarantino verses 1-6. Then you’ve got a veep who’s telling the pope he needs to be careful with his theology. That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard—a Catholic layman telling the leader of his church to watch his theology.
To quote a great Southerner, Saint Gump, “Stupid is as stupid does.”
(Belly laugh for both of us!)
Any serious Christian knows that their faith has to make a difference in everything they do, but you don’t need to be a Bible-thumper to love like Jesus said we should.
(Just then, the news broke about the would-be assassin at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C. Joe looked shocked. A tear rolled down his left cheek.)
Damnit, man! Is the president all right?
Why do you care?
Think, Randy. We all need to respect the office of the presidency. It’s another thing altogether to respect the man or woman who occupies the office. Hell, there’s not one damn thing I respect about that man, but he’s still president. If the leader of the free world is assassinated, it creates chaos you can’t imagine.
Of course. But we have protocols for that, like the line of succession.
Yes, we do, but we don’t want to have to use them. I mean it, man. I really mean it. Look, the tension between the president and the pope will eventually be a footnote in history. The presidency will survive. The papacy will survive.
Should we pray for the president?
Absolutely! If anybody in this world needs praying over, it’s this man. He needs it badly. I believe that. I really do.
What should I pray for?
That, my friend, is between you and the Almighty.
…and that’s the View from Beyond the Balcony.
(To be continued…)
Randy Weeks is a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Certified Shamanic Life Coach, an ordained minister, singer-songwriter, actor, writer, and a former triathlete. He may be reached at: randallsweeks@gmail.com.
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