Unknowingly right out of a Chilli Peppers song, Ted Polanski lies in his usual spot on the sunny rocks near an I-5 overpass along Coyote Creek in Buena Park, California, as with most of his days these days, trying to separate the real from dreams.
It was a sure thing. One of his railroad buddies had come out here and gotten into Christian media, at least that’s what he called it, but wanted to bridge the gap between it and the big talkers, the nationally syndicated, but appeal more directly to church folk, just mix in the right words here and there, and to Ted this is what it’s all supposed to be about..
So one day he liquifies his savings and vested pension into traveler’s checks and drives out here, without a word to his wife and son, let alone a phone number, only to find out that he, Ted, was by far the largest investor. There was a studio space but no equipment, that was the next step, but the next day his old railroad buddy was nowhere to be seen, gone without a word, let alone a phone number.
All those years kneeling at the altar praying fervently for eyes to be opened, our enemies, within and without, vanquished, elected leaders to wake up to the truth, all from an unknown thirst that could never be quenched.
He never drank.
He never chased women.
He never craved evil substances.
He tried his best not to associate with nonbelievers.
For the wages of sin is death.
He rallied against the evil secular media empire that’s tearing out society apart.
The police were able to confirm that his old railroad buddy had passed away under suspicious circumstances, and there were clues that someone was using his identity and they would try to follow leads. Ted said he’d check back since he had no phone number to give them.
The righteous shall live by faith.
This was months ago. His car was impounded at some point.
Welfare was not an option and calling his family unthinkable.
Ted’s grasp of words like blastphemy are nothing compared to his grasp of the concept of persona non grata.
One can only wonder if this was what he was truly looking for all along.