Cripples
id you know that the Lord can heal you?"
Mark set his hamburger down and looked at the woman at the next table, then, at Elaine, who looked as surprised as he felt. Until the woman asked her question, he and Elaine were lost in their own universe. In their universe, only they existed. They told each other stories from their pasts and laughed at each other�s jokes. To Mark, it was a magical place, unlike anything he could ever have imagined. He hoped that nothing could reach them, there.
"I�ve been told that." Mark replied, hoping that it would placate the woman and she would leave them alone. Instead, she heard this as an invitation, picked up her basket of fish & chips and moved over to their table, seating herself between them. This completely broke what remained of the spell between them.
"What�s wrong with you?" The woman demanded, indicating Mark�s crutches, lying on the ground beside him.
"Born this way." Mark replied, his face burning with humiliation.
"Well, you know that this isn�t God�s plan for you?"
Mark wanted to ask if she was God�s personal lawyer. Not knowing Elaine�s views on the almighty, however, he decided that such sarcasm might only make matters worse. "I never really thought about it," he replied evasively. He certainly wasn�t going to tell her that he felt certain that this, indeed, was God�s "plan," and that for this reason, Mark wanted nothing to do with her god.
"This is the work of the �Evil One.� God loves you and wants you to be well. He will heal you, if you have enough faith."
"I always wondered if maybe God didn�t do this on purpose, if there isn�t something he wants me to know, or be." Mark said, half-truthfully. This question occurred to him on occasion, but wasn�t actually something he thought, or cared about much.
"Oh no. God does not like to see his children suffer."
"But I don�t suffer. Do I look like I am suffering?" Mark hoped that she would snap out of her little world and see that the only thing he suffered was some obtuse fanatic, horning in on his first date.
"God made a perfect creation, it is Satan that comes and does things to hurt us, and make us suffer. But, you can appeal to the Lord. He wants to help you. He wants to see you happy, healthy and whole."
Marks face glowed with anger, that he choked down, bitterly, for fear of leaving a bad impression on Elaine. Who is this woman to be so boldly presumptuous about my life? He looked at Elaine, who looked uncomfortable, but could offer no help.
"I am a �whole� person." Mark replied.
"Well, I didn�t mean to imply that you aren�t, but you know what I mean. Normal, like the rest of us." She explained, digging herself in deeper and completely oblivious to how it was affecting her victim.
"I had an uncle who was crippled, once," she started with a new tack, "and he was so proud. He wouldn�t let anyone help him with anything. You know what the Bible says about pride."
"Yeah, �pride goeth before the fall.' My grandmother tells me that."
"Your grandmother sounds like a wise woman."
"She is."
"Have you been saved?"
"Yeah, I have."
"So then, you know just how much Jesus loves you and there is no limit to what he will do for you."
Mark looked across the table for support. Elaine busied herself with her fries, wishing she could disappear. "I�ll be right back," she said, rising from her seat and heading toward the restroom.
"Look lady, I don�t have a problem with my disability. It is �disability,' by the way, not �crippled.� Just like I would describe you as 'heavy,' not 'fat hog.' OK? Are we clear on that?"
For once, the woman�s eyes registered what he said.
"Now, if you have a problem with my disability, I would suggest that you pray about that. All right? See, that isn�t my problem and I resent the you coming over here and making it my problem.
"Did you notice that beautiful girl going into the restroom?"
The woman slowly nodded.
"Well, she was my date. My first date, ever. I had a great day with her. I had a great day. We talked like old friends, we laughed and not once did she treat me any different than any other guy and you know what? I like it that way. I like it so much that I try very hard to make it that way. You, with all of your fucking ignorance and good intentions, come over here and come on like she�s going out with some kinda� freak show. Now, before she comes back, I want you go get up and go mind your own god-damned business, somewhere else. Get it?"
Without saying a word, the stunned woman picked up her basket, and went back to her seat. She finished her basket of food, then walked out of the restaurant. She took one last look at Mark before she shut the door behind her and shook her head sadly, saying, "Your grandmother would be ashamed."
Mark asked the waiter for the bill. As he paid for the meal, Elaine returned.
"So, did you pray with her, Mark?" She asked seriously.
"No, of course not. I told her to get lost." He replied, grabbing his crutches and standing to leave.
"Oh no. I hope you weren�t rude to her."
"Why?"
"She�s my aunt."
