The Oblivious

Chapter Twelve: Close Encounters

        The bar door closed behind the person, shutting out the blinding light.  Nathan’s eyes adjusted, bringing his vision back into focus.  Then he recognized a face that he hadn’t seen since college.     

         “Glen?” said Nathan.  “What are you doing here?”

         “I came across this place a few weeks ago,” said Glen.  “After taking some kids from my church to go snowboarding, we tried to drive back home but all the roads were blockaded after the volcano erupted.  We’ve been stranded here ever since.  Then today I went to go pick up my rations when I saw a bunch of guys come out of the bar telling everyone about Jesus Christ.  They said that God sent them a messenger.  So, of course, I had to come in here see for myself.  I’m surprised to see you alive, but even more surprised that you’re talking to people about Jesus.  No offense but what happened to you?”

         “I don’t know.  I always thought I was alone to figure out my life.  I spent so much time focused on myself, that I left no room to notice God.  It wasn’t until I lost everything that I realized God had been there the entire time.  So now I just wanna help others come to the same realization.”

         Glen smiled.  “I can’t believe it.”

         “I can hardly believe it myself.”

        

~ Nathan thought back to his senior year in college ~

        Glen shared several classes with Nathan over the last four years, but they never socialized outside of school.  Glen invited him to come out to a party, but Nathan sensed something was misleading about the situation.  Maybe it was in how Glen invited him, like he anticipated to be turned down.  Nathan couldn’t properly describe what it was about his behavior that made it so awkward.  He related it to the shyness of asking someone out to prom, mixed with the craftiness that you would expect from a used car salesman.  Nathan had seen this weird behavioral combination before, but he couldn’t remember where.

         Glen picked up Nathan to drive him to the party.  While in the car, Glen asked, “Hey Nathan, I was wondering if you ever been to church before.”

         That was the explanation for Glen’s weird behavior, and Nathan snapped his fingers just as soon as he fingered it out.  He remembered back when his mom took him to church as a child.  His Sunday school teachers would guilt the children to get their friends to come to church.  Nathan knew the anxiety that Glen was experiencing.  He remembered the anticipation of being rejected by your friends, asking them to come to something that you yourself didn’t enjoy.  It was understood that he wasn’t really going to a “party,” at least not the kind where people had fun.

         “My parents go to church,” answered Nathan with a slight hint of irritation.  “They used to make me go, but I haven’t been since I started college.  I went to a Bible study once, but I had a bad experience.”  He turned his head away from Glen and rolled his eyes back, and then in a patronizing tone asked, “Do you go to church, Glen?”

         For the last two weeks, Glen thought about how this conversation with Nathan would go.  He had been waiting for the chance to ask him to come to church.  Now that the opportunity was finally in front of him, he panicked.  Glen’s instinct took over and he began to spew out a diarrhea of words.  “Yeah, I go all the time.  You should go too.  I can take you.  It'll be fun.  Do you want go?  Church is good for you.  I hope you want to go.  Then you can meet all my friends.  We can see them now.  They're all gonna be there at-”