"If yuh don't want to dieeeeeeeeee! Yuh bed not be bornnnnnnnnn!" *Rebben Izike preached.
I mean he moaned...hacked...hollered...screamed, as he gracefully floated from one side of Wesley A.M.E.Z. Church's sparse, wooden pulpit to the other.
*Rebben Izike could preach! If he couldn't set your soul on fire, "Your wood was wet".
He had no organ, drums, a good choir...nothing. Just raw scripture joined up with his interpretation of the Word.
*Rebben Izike was still dashing , old as dirt but, behind that weathered , leather black face and snow white hair stood a man once fine.
They say ole Reb was too lazy to work, that's why he went to preaching.
He had no "home Church", just the perennial visiting pastor.
Free meals, small collections and great accolades.
As far as I know, he only possessed one suit.
Snow white, double breasted, Silk with matching scarf.
"Knobhill" shoes.
That suit was the "bomb", only thirty years past it's prime.
I can still re-preach all of his sermons because WE always mocked him.
"Git on the wagon ...don't fall off!"
"Be ye puh-tik-lar like duh rabbit!"
Returning home from eight , nine, ten hours or "Church" every Sunday, WE
created skits.
Competed with each other to see who could capture what I (WE) considered his ignorance.
Growing up, visiting the "country" every Sunday was always the best part of my week.
No hollering, no cussing, no enslavement.
A granddaddy that handed out quarters like candy.
I didn't have to absorb my "mother's" horrid , unending insults because s/he could never find the courage to face her own issues.
A "fine wo/man" that burned with envy and jealousy for no reason.
A prerennial plotter.
YES!
A DEMON CONTROLLED RACIST!
AN INCESTUOUS PEDOPHILE!
A MURDERER!
"Good food" was guaranteed!
I could eat my fill, not be bombarded with insults about "her" keeping "OUR assholes open".
No, I never quite understood why WE were really there.
My "mother" never practiced anything s/he preached.
S/he was also very charismatic.
Totally full of shit .
But , so much fun.
While billions find comfort and great wealth using GOD's Word to exploit and use others,
"They shall not get away."
BEAMING!!!
Life has taught me *Rebben Izike was not so ignorant after all.
BEAMING!