The Awakening of John - Episode 6

Tuesday morning didn’t start well. John woke up with a sore throat and a pounding head. He desperately wanted to throw the alarm clock across the room and go back to sleep, but he was well aware that being late for work two days in a row was not a good plan. He struggled out of bed and headed to the kitchen. Bob was already up and cooking some eggs.

“Morning John, you look like death.”

“I feel like it.” John rasped, sitting down and holding his head in his hands. Then a thought crossed his mind.

“Er, I don’t suppose you’d like to heal me or something?”

Bob chuckled – it was becoming annoying – “Why, are you out of paracetamol?”

John stared at Bob in disbelief. “What? Aren’t you supposed to, I mean, you don’t want me to suffer, do you?”

“Of course not, that’s why I suggested the paracetamol.” Then seeing John’s gaping mouth – a habit that was becoming annoying – relented, “Why didn’t I heal everyone in the gospels? Why don’t I just heal everyone now? Is it a lack of power or compassion?” Whilst John struggled to process what had just happened, Bob went to the bathroom, returning with the paracetamol. He handed it to John with a glass of water and sat down opposite him.

 “You’ve got a cold, you’re healthy, it isn’t going to kill you, even if you do look like death warmed up. You’ve got medicine that will help you feel better and your body is wonderfully made – even if I do say so myself – it heals and repairs itself - how cool is that!? So, you’ll feel a bit yuck for a day or two – that happens after a big night out – or after you lie at work or break up with a girl… feeling bad when things are bad isn’t bad – it warns you that things aren’t right.” Then standing up and slapping John on the back, “Have a good day at work, be nice to Mubina, I think she fancies you.”

Fuming but with the paracetamol kicking in, John drove to work, hitting the steering wheel repeatedly and shouting at the empty passenger seat. He’d got out of the house as quickly as possible and was now at risk of actually getting a parking space with or without divine intervention. The thought cheered him a little until he arrived to see a car pulling into what he suspected was the last place. Feeling all the angst descend again, he snarled as he drove past the now occupied slot, only to realise two things. First, the car that had taken ‘his’ spot was Mubina’s and secondly, there was one remaining space next to hers. He glanced at the empty passenger seat and thought he heard an all too familiar chuckle.

“Hi” said Mubina, “you look like…” “Death warmed up” added John with more humour than he’d expected. Mubina laughed and said, “yeah, if it’s the cold that’s going round, it’s a bit rubbish, glad you’ve still got your sense of humour.” And with a smile, they parted to their different offices. The interaction brightened his mood but didn’t lift the pain that had been swirling since the morning’s conversation with Bob, and he was deeply anxious about going home, unsure how to face his guest. So, when he went to his car after work and saw Mubina unlocking hers, he was open to a delay and keen to be friendly. “Hi – how was your day – settling into the new role?” realising too late that it might sound like fishing in the hope of her being out of her depth. But she simply smiled and took his question at face value. “Yeah, it’s going to be a challenge, thanks for asking – how’s your cold, your voice doesn’t sound as husky?” John relaxed internally, “Yeah, the paracetamol seems to be working – look, I know this is a bit out of the blue, but would you like to go for a drink sometime?” Mubina looked a bit taken aback but recovered quickly. “A drink?” John realised his crassness “Oh God, sorry.” Then realising that his use of ‘God’ was unlikely to impress Mubina or Bob, shook his head and repeated “sorry…” Mubina smiled, “I was teasing, I’d love a milkshake sometime.”