Religion dominated my Monday.

First, at the bus stop outside my apartment complex, I was reading a story out of the most recent edition of the magazine "Asimov's Science Fiction" which David from work found downstairs among the returned magazines the library receives. My headphones are on. I'm listening to the Pine Valley Cosmonauts and I am completely engrossed in the music and words. It was a good story about some guys who go back in time to the first century A.D. and take over the Roman empire and make the world a better place through technology. The only thing I want to hear or see in the next ten minutes is a bus.

In my peripheral vision I catch movement and it's a young lady climbing out an older Honda or Toyota. She is waving at me in the slightly desperate way that makes me think she needs directions. I tuck the magazine under my arm, slide my headphones to my neck and prepare to give her directions to I-77. The only directions I have ever given in my neighborhood is how to get to 77.

I am always willing to give directions. Doing so makes me look knowledgeable and allows me to do a fairly simple good deed. It puts me in the plus column with god for a couple of days with minimal effort. Instead of allowing me to feel benevolent and wise she says "I know you are aleady reading something but can I offer you this?" She holds out to me a pamphlet bearing the face of the ultra-white Christ. As politely as possible I explain to her that I am familiar with him. She smiles and moves on. Jesus freaks leave in peace much more quickly when you seem pious and in on whatever secret Christians share rather than behaving as annoyed as you really are. It annoyed the piss out me. I was reading and listening to music and in that zone where I am no longer conscious of reading but deep into the story and she chooses this time to testify to me. Me!?

I just told Wendell this story and he said "would you rather she was asking for money?" My answer was "Yes. If she was a homeless drug addict at least she would have a real problem and not some made up shit to bug me with." It takes me a couple of minutes to get back into that zone. Don't bug me unless it's important.

Later at work, while I am completely screwing up my attempt to shift our microfiche magazine collection into some empty drawers to make room for the recent arrivals sitting on the floor next my desk, I hear two guys discussing Revelations and other books of the bible I haven't read. From their conversation I gather that San Francisco is just a few years or days from facing the wrath of god. Which is good, I think, since a good disaster might bring Primus together for one more great album.

Later, after work, I was walking home from Park Road Shopping center. I was suffering a bit because I was wearing my work clothes and I was durn hot. After I finally got into my air-conditioned apartment I sat on my couch, looked up at the ceiling and said, "Jesus Christ." You see, religion really did fill my whole day.