VA Waiting Room

I sat in the VA waiting room listening to an over-enthusiastic man talking nonstop to two others, one of whom was quietly listening and the other, despite laptop and earphones, was engaging in this conversation whenever there was a moment to do so. This fellow was loud enough to entertain our waiting room and the one down the hall. "Yessss. Yessss. Yessss!" he cried. "You can't add to it and you can't take away from it!"
More chatter ensued, but I can't write that fast. So I'm giving you broken bits of it.

.…"No offense, James, but when He calls, you'd better be ready."

...."Psalm 37 says, 'Fret not thyself.'"

And, "We press for tomorrow. We press for tomorrow. We press for tomorrow. We press for tomorrow!"

"If you accept Christ, Walk - you - there - in - it!"

A man two seats down from the talker ducks his head to the side and rolls his eyes in the direction of the three men for just a split second, then looks away with a stare that's focused inward as if in self-control. Or maybe distress.

The trio is lop-sided. One makes proclamations; the others listen, except for a chuckle or a very quick comment here and there. He goes on. Something about "lust," and about Eve seducing Adam. "You must know the scriptures. You can defeat any rich man, any giant…. Look at what David did…."

I hear a quiet comment - then the silence is deafening. Then a comment comes from the earphones man. Then more expounding - something about "like a fool."

"Hallelujah! A man of God may be what? May be what? May be what? Perfect! When He comes, you better not have a spot…."

Another comment from the middle man. Laughter. He goes on, "Don't let the sun go down with your what? With your what? With your wrath!….Revelation says it's better to be cold than to be lukewarm. Either you're with the devil or you're with God."

A guy at the far corner of the room looks over at him, lids shading his eyes.

Now he's talking about a preacher who preaches that not everybody in this church is going to heaven. He worries that a drug addict on the street could come into the church and hear that and lose hope and leave and never be saved. "Yeah, brother. There are many false prophets. Many false profits in Rocky Mount! And Tarboro." He's silent for a nano-moment. Quotes from the book of Galatians burst forth. He stands, thrusting his fist through the air. He sits.
Then the nurse calls my name and I'm out of there! Saved by grace!