ONE SUMMER IN THE 70’s…we found out about the Longview,
Texas “VooDoo-psychic -boggie-man-love-doctor-Jesus breather”…the most
terrifyingly accurate clairvoyant who ever told you the appalling truth,
"no holds barred"...the great Longview soothsayer...”Mighty Red”.
IF YOU had the courage to come calling on him for
help...buckle up buttercup...he never failed to shock and shake.
HE HAD a tiny shed shack out back of his trailer house. The
old colored fella was harsh, yet abrasive. He had a bad back and little
patience for the rubes when they’d show up drunk…couldn't hardly stand the
sight of these white pecker-woods and their drunken prom girls...However, he
made money hand over fist telling fortunes to these white kids from the city,
and didn't mind the perks of celebrity...therefore, my friends…in a lovely
southern twist of irony…the old man suffered these fuckwits…as the cash and
celebrity status…and the groupies, never ever gets old…when you do.
ONE NIGHT he took my money…sat me down in that shed…named
off 3 of my dead relatives real fast, and named off the secret name my
"girlfiend" called me, as well as a recent pregnancy scare… So, now
having my FULL attention, he folded his hands on the table and asked
me…”wadduwanna know man? I’m tired this evenin’ and my fuckin’ back is killin’
me” he looked up then and forced a smile through the sciatic haze and said “Aw,
man you know I love ya…tell me yo’ question little brother…I already know the
answer….and so do you…buts you gots to AXE me the question!”
THEN, he began to talk about our heavenly father...how
people made it so silly and complicated...and then he'd say a little prayer,
and, holding my hand, you could feel his power, and you could feel Jesus sit
down right beside us...about the time the candles would start to flicker and
sputter…straight up "Holy Ghost-buster" stuff...my hackles stood up
to attention, and I had chillbumps that could have grated cheese.
HE MADE ME CRY that night…he knew my trouble…and he helped
out my heart…and took a lot of my burden off my troubled little teenaged
shoulders…it was as if he was reading my mail. He hugged my neck when he pulled
the string and turned out the light bulb over the card table…and we both felt
better.
MY BUDDY went in there too...and came out of that little
shed white as a ghost, just trembling and speechless. He & I had just been
baptized and electrified by the “Mighty Red”. On our way home, we pulled in the
gravel and stopped under the yellow parking lot lights of the Liquor
store/Bar-B-Q joint…in front of the minnow tank.
bought a six pack,
and drove
Hwy 80 East back to Shreveport...
all the way home . . .
without saying a word.
from the award winning new Vernon Rust book FAKE NEWS on Amazon http://a.co/ctBGQiF
from the award winning new Vernon Rust book FAKE NEWS on Amazon
