"I wish he would just leave!" shouted an angry Alister.
"Who you talking about?" asked Gordon.
Alister turned from the window while pulling the drapes tightly together.
"That beggar I told you about.
The one that has perched himself upon my steps everyday for the past month.
He only sits on my steps, and nobody Else's.
He does not say a word.
He just sits there watching the people who walk by him.
" "Did you ask him politely what he needs.
Perhaps if you supply him with what he wants then he should leave.
" "No, I just walk by him.
I ignore him and hope that he gets the message and leaves.
" "But Alister, he hasn't left, so ignoring has not worked.
Perhaps, you should confront him.
" "Have you looked at the size of him? Also, how do I know he is not a thief, and if my confrontation would only give him a reason to rob me.
" "Look, if he scares you that much, you just can't ignore him, or he will read your do nothing about him as a sign of weakness, and he may attack you.
" Alister knew Gordon maybe right, but for some reason he did not want to do anything.
He wanted to change the subject, walked over to the table and picked up a canister of Brandy.
He poured the golden brown liquid into two sniffer glasses.
He presented one to Gordon and reclined in the chair next to Gordon.
Gordon studied the wrinkles on Alister's face, and he noticed how his friend's hair had turned from grey to white.
He noticed a slight tremor in Alister's left hand.
The poor old boy really is letting that stranger get to him.
Alister broke the silence, "I had good day trading stocks in the Market.
I made twenty thousand pounds.
" "Yes, I heard that the whole Market went up because of good news from America.
I heard that their war finally ended.
" Replied Gordon.
"Yes, but the Confederates loss.
" Alister, like many in Great Britain had supported the South.
Though they had not supported Slavery, they hope a win by the South would have split the Union, and thus come back under British rule.
The Union's victory did not sit well with Alister, but he accepted Lincoln's assassination as small reward.
After a couple of more drinks, Gordon left Alister's house.
He walk down the steps pass the stranger without any acknowledgement.
Alister poured more Brandy into the glass, and settled back in his chair.
His thoughts wandered back to his day at the Market, and to the other traders at the market.
His back stiffened when his mind drifted back to the man who sat on the steps in front of his house.
He rose and walked hesitantly toward the pulled drapes.
He closed eyes as he drew the drapes apart.
He desperately hoped that he would not be there.
He kept his eyes closed for almost minute.
He did not want to see him sitting there.
He slowly opened his eyes.
He drew a sigh of relief when he did see the man, but that would be for only a minute when he saw the man standing near the street.
Their eyes met briefly before Alister quickly closed the drapes.
He went and filled the glass full of Brandy, and quickly gulped the warm liquid down his through while some drops of Brandy rolled down his cheeks.
He could not sleep that night because the vision of the stranger would not let him.
Every time he closed his eyes, he would see the stranger with dark blue eyes and charcoal stained face.
The stranger's unkempt appearance did not bother him as much as the eyes.
The eyes pierced Alister's soul for some strange reason, but he was lost to find an answer as to why the eyes made him uneasy.
He had met many beggars in the streets of London and they never left him so emotionally perplex or better yet unnerved.
Who is this man? And why is he sitting on my doorsteps.
A evenings later, as Alister turned the corner to the street of residence he notice a crowd up in front of him.
As walked closer, he noticed the crowd in front of his row house.
He stopped suddenly as his heart began to race.
He did not know what to back of it.
He wanted to turn around and run, but he compose himself.
As he started toward the crowd, he could hear the stranger speaking.
When Alister reached his steps, the stranger became quiet, and both the stranger and the crowd looked at Alister who did return gazes.
He raced up the steps, and entered his house.
He slammed the door shut behind, and rested his back against it.
He tried to slow down his heavy breathing.
After he composed himself, he walked away from the door, and tried to comprehend what he had just seen.
Though he did not hear a word that the stranger spoke, he judged the stranger to be some kind of Socialist.
He had read about how these Socialist such meetings like the one outside all over the streets of London.
I shall go to constables and have the stranger and his followers removed, tomorrow.
I do pass a station on my way to the Market.
Finally, I can get rid of this public nuisance.
He thought as he finally composed himself.
The following day, he did as he planned, only to find that the crowd not only grew, but the Constables had also joined the crowd.
Anger turned into surprise when he found his friend Gordon listening to the stranger.
Alister dragged Gordon out from the crowd.
"My good friend have you lost your mind.
This man is Godless Socialist!", Gordon pushed Alister's hand off his arm while giving him a puzzled look.
"How do you know, he his Godless Socialist?" Asked Gordon.
"Have you ever listen to him?" This time Gordon grabbed Alister by the arm and dragged him toward the crowd just as the stranger told the parable of Lazarus and the Rich man.
Alister would have known of this, so he stormed out of the crowd toward his house while Gordon continued to listen.
That night, white light brought Alister out of a sound sleep.
He could not believe his eyes.
"How did you get in my house, and if you don't leave, I will call the authorities!" The stranger stood before Alister, and remained silent.
"Listen, if you do not leave, I promise I will call the authorities.
Still, the stranger remained silent which pushed Alister into a panic.
"What do you want from me?" shouted Alister.
"Leave me alone.
Just get out my house, and leave me alone!" "This night, I have come for your soul.
" Finally, the stranger spoke.
"What do mean my soul?" Asked a bewildered Alister.
"Who are you to make such declarations?" "Alister do you know who I Am," the stranger asked.
"Your answer shall mean you come with Me, or I leave you at the gates of Hell.
" Alister could not answer the question, so the stranger proceeded.
"You must give me an answer now.
" "I would rather live," replied Alister.
"If you let me live, I shall..
..
" "Long before you even existed," replied the stranger.
"I was offer the riches of the world, and turned it down when I already own the world.
One last time who Am I?" "Have piety on me because I do not know who you are.
" The next day they found Alister's body after he did not show up at the Market.
After Alister's death, the stranger never showed up at Alister's Steps.
Some thought of foul play by the stranger, but the corner ruled Alister's death a heart attack.
The Gospel of Matthew 26:39-40
"Who you talking about?" asked Gordon.
Alister turned from the window while pulling the drapes tightly together.
"That beggar I told you about.
The one that has perched himself upon my steps everyday for the past month.
He only sits on my steps, and nobody Else's.
He does not say a word.
He just sits there watching the people who walk by him.
" "Did you ask him politely what he needs.
Perhaps if you supply him with what he wants then he should leave.
" "No, I just walk by him.
I ignore him and hope that he gets the message and leaves.
" "But Alister, he hasn't left, so ignoring has not worked.
Perhaps, you should confront him.
" "Have you looked at the size of him? Also, how do I know he is not a thief, and if my confrontation would only give him a reason to rob me.
" "Look, if he scares you that much, you just can't ignore him, or he will read your do nothing about him as a sign of weakness, and he may attack you.
" Alister knew Gordon maybe right, but for some reason he did not want to do anything.
He wanted to change the subject, walked over to the table and picked up a canister of Brandy.
He poured the golden brown liquid into two sniffer glasses.
He presented one to Gordon and reclined in the chair next to Gordon.
Gordon studied the wrinkles on Alister's face, and he noticed how his friend's hair had turned from grey to white.
He noticed a slight tremor in Alister's left hand.
The poor old boy really is letting that stranger get to him.
Alister broke the silence, "I had good day trading stocks in the Market.
I made twenty thousand pounds.
" "Yes, I heard that the whole Market went up because of good news from America.
I heard that their war finally ended.
" Replied Gordon.
"Yes, but the Confederates loss.
" Alister, like many in Great Britain had supported the South.
Though they had not supported Slavery, they hope a win by the South would have split the Union, and thus come back under British rule.
The Union's victory did not sit well with Alister, but he accepted Lincoln's assassination as small reward.
After a couple of more drinks, Gordon left Alister's house.
He walk down the steps pass the stranger without any acknowledgement.
Alister poured more Brandy into the glass, and settled back in his chair.
His thoughts wandered back to his day at the Market, and to the other traders at the market.
His back stiffened when his mind drifted back to the man who sat on the steps in front of his house.
He rose and walked hesitantly toward the pulled drapes.
He closed eyes as he drew the drapes apart.
He desperately hoped that he would not be there.
He kept his eyes closed for almost minute.
He did not want to see him sitting there.
He slowly opened his eyes.
He drew a sigh of relief when he did see the man, but that would be for only a minute when he saw the man standing near the street.
Their eyes met briefly before Alister quickly closed the drapes.
He went and filled the glass full of Brandy, and quickly gulped the warm liquid down his through while some drops of Brandy rolled down his cheeks.
He could not sleep that night because the vision of the stranger would not let him.
Every time he closed his eyes, he would see the stranger with dark blue eyes and charcoal stained face.
The stranger's unkempt appearance did not bother him as much as the eyes.
The eyes pierced Alister's soul for some strange reason, but he was lost to find an answer as to why the eyes made him uneasy.
He had met many beggars in the streets of London and they never left him so emotionally perplex or better yet unnerved.
Who is this man? And why is he sitting on my doorsteps.
A evenings later, as Alister turned the corner to the street of residence he notice a crowd up in front of him.
As walked closer, he noticed the crowd in front of his row house.
He stopped suddenly as his heart began to race.
He did not know what to back of it.
He wanted to turn around and run, but he compose himself.
As he started toward the crowd, he could hear the stranger speaking.
When Alister reached his steps, the stranger became quiet, and both the stranger and the crowd looked at Alister who did return gazes.
He raced up the steps, and entered his house.
He slammed the door shut behind, and rested his back against it.
He tried to slow down his heavy breathing.
After he composed himself, he walked away from the door, and tried to comprehend what he had just seen.
Though he did not hear a word that the stranger spoke, he judged the stranger to be some kind of Socialist.
He had read about how these Socialist such meetings like the one outside all over the streets of London.
I shall go to constables and have the stranger and his followers removed, tomorrow.
I do pass a station on my way to the Market.
Finally, I can get rid of this public nuisance.
He thought as he finally composed himself.
The following day, he did as he planned, only to find that the crowd not only grew, but the Constables had also joined the crowd.
Anger turned into surprise when he found his friend Gordon listening to the stranger.
Alister dragged Gordon out from the crowd.
"My good friend have you lost your mind.
This man is Godless Socialist!", Gordon pushed Alister's hand off his arm while giving him a puzzled look.
"How do you know, he his Godless Socialist?" Asked Gordon.
"Have you ever listen to him?" This time Gordon grabbed Alister by the arm and dragged him toward the crowd just as the stranger told the parable of Lazarus and the Rich man.
Alister would have known of this, so he stormed out of the crowd toward his house while Gordon continued to listen.
That night, white light brought Alister out of a sound sleep.
He could not believe his eyes.
"How did you get in my house, and if you don't leave, I will call the authorities!" The stranger stood before Alister, and remained silent.
"Listen, if you do not leave, I promise I will call the authorities.
Still, the stranger remained silent which pushed Alister into a panic.
"What do you want from me?" shouted Alister.
"Leave me alone.
Just get out my house, and leave me alone!" "This night, I have come for your soul.
" Finally, the stranger spoke.
"What do mean my soul?" Asked a bewildered Alister.
"Who are you to make such declarations?" "Alister do you know who I Am," the stranger asked.
"Your answer shall mean you come with Me, or I leave you at the gates of Hell.
" Alister could not answer the question, so the stranger proceeded.
"You must give me an answer now.
" "I would rather live," replied Alister.
"If you let me live, I shall..
..
" "Long before you even existed," replied the stranger.
"I was offer the riches of the world, and turned it down when I already own the world.
One last time who Am I?" "Have piety on me because I do not know who you are.
" The next day they found Alister's body after he did not show up at the Market.
After Alister's death, the stranger never showed up at Alister's Steps.
Some thought of foul play by the stranger, but the corner ruled Alister's death a heart attack.
The Gospel of Matthew 26:39-40
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