An Hour in the Darkness by Michael Bailey

– and I hope you do – you take a long good look at his face. I hate to say this about the Creator of the Universe, and everything, but he sure looked like the most insignificant person I ever met.
    He sure was friendly though.
    â€œI think you should ring your parents, Franklin, tell them how you’re getting on.”
    There he was going on about my parents again. I was starting to feel a little uncomfortable in his Holy Presence.
    â€œI will, I sure will, and thanks for pointing it out to me. I’m going to go and see them, and tell them how I’m feeling. I’m going to let them know how I keep sinking to the bottom of the sea and how I can’t swim back to the surface, and everything.”
    Old God just nodded in that solemn way of his. He smiled again and I thought,
Boy, old God sure does smile a lot
. He really did though. He must have smiled about a million times on top of that mountain.
    â€œHave you been to the hospital?” he said.
    Boy, old God really got to the point. Hell, if it had been anybody else and not God sitting with me up there, I would have told him where to get off. Old God was starting to make me feel uncomfortable, if you really want to know.
    â€œNo, sir, I haven’t.”
    â€œI can take you there, if you like?”
    Boy, that really threw me all over the place. Boy, I think I really loved old God at that moment. I was touched that he could find time in his busy schedule to take me to hospital like that. I’ll tell you something, shall I? Don’t you ever tell me any crap about God not caring and all because I’ll spit in your eye and tell you that he does.
    â€œThanks for that,” I said.
    I think I must have started to goddamn cry, or something, because old God suddenly leaned over and hugged me.
    â€œI had a son who had some troubles like you,” he said.
    Boy, I think old God was crying too, remembering about his own son, and everything.
    â€œI know,” I said.
    I did as well. I’d read the Bible like everybody else, for Chrissake (no offence, sir).
    â€œI wasn’t there for him,” said God. “I didn’t know how he was feeling until a long time after. Until after he was dead.”
    My goodness, old God was really bucketing tears down his face and everything by then.
    â€œYou did all you could, I’m sure,” I said.
    To be honest, that wasn’t strictly true; the bit about him doing all he could. I thought that maybe he shouldn’t have let his son suffer and everything like that – you know – for so long. I know he was dying to save our sins and all – but hell – it was his only son when all is said and done.
    â€œI didn’t, Franklin, I really didn’t. I knew something was wrong, but I just ignored it. I turned a blind eye. I thought he would be alright. A parent just doesn’t want to think that their son is different, do they? I knew deep down that he wasn’t happy, but I didn’t ask him and he never told me. That’s why it’s so important that you go and talk to your parents, Franklin. It’s not too late, for you.”
    Blimey, I sure felt embarrassed and humble, and everything, sitting there with old God pouring out his troubles to me.
    â€œI’m sure you did all you could, sir,” I said. “Listen, I really must be going. I’m meeting my sister.”
    Listen, I know it was crazy lying to old God like that, when he probably knew I wasn’t really meeting Jenny, but I had to get away. He sure was good about the whole thing, he never mentioned it and started making out like he believed me, until I was just about crazy red with embarrassment.
    â€œThat’s great, Franklin. I’m glad you’re meeting your sister. I really think you should talk to her about how you’re feeling. Franklin, listen, it’s none of my business, but go back home, for God’s sake.”
    Boy, I was confused. About him