March
Lecken Prison, Oregon
Ask and ye shall receive…
Matthew 7:7
The prison doctor flexed the fingers on Teddy’s right-hand one by one. Then extending Teddy’s elbow, he slowly rotated the arm up and down as Teddy sat on the edge of the examining table.
“Feel any pain?” he asked.
Teddy shook his head. “Uh, uh.”
“Ball up your fists,” requested the doctor. “How does that feel?”
Squeezing his fists, Teddy nodded. “Good.”
As the doctor continued to examine him and scribble notes, Teddy studied the slender inmate orderly keeping his distance across the room.
“Ok,” announced the doctor as he finished his exam, “today’s the day.”
The doctor signed the bottom of a form.
“I’m releasing you into the general population.”
Teddy had not been expecting this. Nor was he mentally prepared. “General population, you mean out there with the criminals?” said Teddy, anxiously pointing past the bars on the window.
“Yes, out there with the rest of the criminals,” responded the doctor unsympathetically. “You can’t spend the next five years here hiding in the prison hospital getting your meals served to you.”
“But…”
The doctor shook his head and responded decisively.
“You are well now. Your bones are healed. It’s time to go. Your prison clothes are on the table. Get dressed,” he ordered.
The doctor and the orderly departed the room.
Teddy stared at the orange jump suit in front of him and tried not to cry.
“Oh, father in Heaven,” he murmured to himself, “why hast thou forsaken thy son?”
–Fear not, oh son of the Lord, echoed the voice softly inside Teddy’s ears. You are well protected. This prison is the stage from whence thou shall save the world from its sins.
“Give me strength to do what you require of me,” pleaded Teddy.
Teddy heard a slight knock on the door and the orderly re-entered the room alone. He jammed a chair underneath the doorknob behind him. In front of Teddy, he dropped to his knees and while he smiled he gradually lifted the hem of Teddy’s hospital gown.
“I am Peter, your other cellmate,” said the orderly meekly as he gently stroked the hesitant Teddy. “Cutter says I should worship you.”
Teddy was about to back away when…
–Allow him unto you, oh holy Teddy Bear, and let forth the seed of thy greatness to forgive the sins of the world.
Teddy braced his hands on the orderly’s shoulders and inhaled deeply. Then, as his holy father’s angel had instructed Teddy, he lifted his spirit unto heaven, and enjoyed the divine rapture consuming him.