The Man in Hell

Now that my objective was known I became the sounding board. Jesuit Brother Bill made it his mission to tell me religious story after religious story. He did this in one of his afternoon classes. He would tell the whole class, but I believe most of it was directed at me, me the wayward catholic, for I hadn't been to confession in years, and that, believe me is something different in a catholic boys school.

This is a religious story as told by Jesuit Brother Bill. I call it "The Man in Hell" aka "Not One Drop of Water".

As Jesuit Brother Bill would tell the story he would take on the personifications of the main characters, using facial expressions and arm and hand gestures, using them as the story required.

"The Man in Hell"

The man lived an openly sinful life. He had all the pleasures of life and cared not for others. The man died well into his old age, not giving up his evil ways.

While the man was living, Jesus was all forgiving; but, now.....now the man was dead he would be judged. It was now that Jesus would be all judgemental. There would be no forgiveness.

Because the man had lived a flagrantly sinful life he was sent down to hell where it was unbearably hot. The heat was relentless. It would be forever. The man's lips were parched and cracked from dryness. His mouth and throat was like sand.

From the depths of hell the man looked upward. High above he could see those who had been saved. Those people who had lived good lives. They who had gone to church and received the sacraments. They were now in heaven.

The man cried for mercy. He pleaded for water. 'Water! Water!' he cried, and he opened his mouth hoping for one drop of water. But his cries fell upon deaf ears. 'There would be no mercy.'

From his desk Jesuit Brother Bill takes on the outward appearance of the condemned man. His face pleads. He partially opens his mouth and demonstrates how the condemned man, deep in the bowels of hell wishes only for a drop of water to quench his unbearable thirst. With mouth partly open, Jesuit Brother Bill slowly pushes out his fat tongue, it coming to rest upon his lower lip. His eyelids are half closed. It looks as if Jesuit Brother Bill is about to receive communion. Not a communion of bread, but of water. Water from Jesus.

"The man pleads, 'Please! Water! Mercy!' but there would be no forgiveness. Not now."

Jesuit Brother Bill holds out his hand toward me, as if I am to remain where I am seated. It is the same posturing hand are movement used when the mad bastard priest had cursed me!.....Stop! remain where you are!.....Then Jesuit Brother Bill slowly moves his hand and points to his forehead. Again! It is the same as when I had been cursed.....the vile bastard curse of the kiss upon the forehead......Jesuit Brother Bill knows I had been cursed by the mad bastard priest, and covertly he is telling me, "there will be no forgiveness! Not now! Now you will be like the man in hell, begging for Jesus to forgive, pleading for His mercy. Now that you have refused confession. Now that you have refused the sacrament. Now that you are remaining a sinner. It is now that the curse of the priest will come full force. Now!" That is what he is telling me. That is what the fat bastard is saying; yet, no one in the class is aware of the hidden meaning between the speaker and I....those vile pervert subtle bastards.

Not one drop of water was to touch this man. Jesus was no longer all merciful. Now He would be all judgmental.

The man cries, 'Water.....please.....water!' but Jesus wouldn't allow it.

The man recognizes his fate and makes a different plea. He asks Jesus to allow him to return to earth, only for a moment. He must warn his relatives.....his family and friends. He must warn them. Beware! Do not lead a sinful life. You will go to hell where it will be unbearably hot. And it will be forever. For all eternity. With hot unbearable heat. A dry desert heat with no water. Go to church. Lead a saintly life. You will be richly rewarded. Beware of the sinful pleasures of life.

Yes, that is what he must do. He must go back and warn those who do not know of the terrible fate that awaits them.

But Jesus wouldn't let the man return to earth. 'Those on earth must learn for themselves.'

This religious story will become useful and will become part of an exercise I will give to people in the future. If people are to do the exercise and strike the pose of the 'Man in Hell', mouth open, pleading, tongue hanging out. That is the pose. It is the pose of a man in hell, and not one drop of water is to touch that person.

Do that pose in an exercise and you will obtain 'center stage'. But that is for the future and will take a little more explaining.