Heaven Is a Place

The little boy’s idea of heaven had fewer constraints. As he aged the church began to corrupt the perfect ideal. All your dead family members, pets, lost favorite items, Jesus.

The Talking Heads really nailed it in 1979, “Heaven, heaven is a place, a place where nothing, nothing ever happens.”

The woman before the 58-year-old man was alive, animated, and direct. It was their first meeting, over burgers. He had grown jaded about the potential of online connections, but what are the other options? Right?

Within a few seconds, there was a connection that felt different. Some quality in her attention, her listening, her enjoyment of literary banter, and participation in the jousting. He was leaning in to hear what she was saying, but he couldn’t take his eyes off her smile. It was clear he was missing some of the content in his fascination gaze.

“Well,” she said, abruptly. She waved her hands in small circles towards him. “So…”

He didn’t say the first thing that came to his mind, “I’m in.” He took a moment to understand the question and his all-important response. “You know I’m going to ask you to answer the same question, right?”

“Of course,” she said. Smiles flashed on both sides.

Read more Short-Short Stories from John.