HELP WANTED

Dark clouds covered the Carolina stars that night, making it almost impossible to see.


One hand still on the wheel, Chuck shook himself from the cheap suit and whipped it hard against the window where it slid into a humiliating heap.


He eyed the gas gauge of the borrowed truck. Empty.  


“Figures,” he muttered. Another thing he couldn’t fix like his broken home, their broken hearts. When it became too much for his young shoulders, he had run away. 


Now the guilt overtook him.


Still each morning, Chuck made his bed, went out to buy a paper and a coffee - unwilling to take one drop more from the strangers that had taken him in. A pencil stub and dime waited in his pocket for a ‘help wanted’ ad to appear, but jobs were as scarce as luck those days.


Earlier though, he caught a break and checked his watch. He could make it if he hurried.


As he headed to his rusty Pinto, his host dangled truck keys in the air. “Why don’t you take mine, son?” he offered.


Chuck swallowed hard, forcing himself to accept. “Just once,” he vowed.


A pretty blonde showed him to the office when he arrived. He stepped in, stopping short at the sight of a man disguised as a donkey. 


“Here for the job?” the donkey asked.


“Um, yes.” Chuck’s hands shook as he unzipped the portfolio.“Here are my designs.”


Mr. Donkey said nothing, then motioned toward the door. “Mr. Pig? Please join us!” The next character stumbled in amid snickers from the hallway.


Face burning, Chuck proceeded until both men stood abruptly. “We’ll get back to you.” 


But Chuck knew the joke was over.


Now here he sat on the roadside. Empty. Alone.


Forehead pressed against the steering wheel, he squeezed his eyes shut, tried to stop his world from spinning. 


“Jesus, if You’re real, please show me now!”


Moonlight pierced through the clouds and pointed to the dashboard.


Tank one. 


Tank two. 


With one flip of a switch, the lifeless needle bounced from empty to full with a whoosh.


“Hello, Jesus,” he whispered, “Time to head home.”


The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 10:10 niv

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THE DEBT

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THE BIRTHING ROOM