I walk into my office bright and early on a rainy Monday morning.  Walk over to my desk, sit down, open my laptop and what do I see?  An application for a job at my company.  Can I not escape this bumbling idiot?  I haven’t talked to him since I graduated.  So, after all this time, Kenton Dewig wants a job from little ol’ me?  Well, that moron can take his application and… oh, who would be calling me right now?

“Hello?”

“Hey Tony, guess who I just heard from.” I guess Paul is back from his business trip.

“Kenton.”

“Uh… good guess?”

“He just sent me an application for a job.”

“Ha! Well, I’ll let you get on that!”

“Yeah, I’ll get right on that.”  The day Kenton works for me will be the day I resign.  I wonder if he’s still with that dunce, Latrice Beeland.  If so, I doubt either one managed to graduate from college.  They probably won’t have a house either.  Now that I think about it, this could be an interesting interview, and I might just be able to rub all of my success in his face.  All right fine, Kenton, you get an interview.

*     *     *

“Would you like some coffee while you wait, sir?”

“No thanks, he should be here any minute.”  If he doesn’t show up soon, I’m leaving.  Last night’s phone call had gone about the same as I imagined it would: he had nothing to do and even offered to meet for an interview within the hour.  I doubt he’ll even show up.  He never did care about being punctual unless it had to do with that girlfriend of his.  In fact, he never cared about anything except his girlfriend.  He almost didn’t graduate from high school because of her.  Once they started dating, his grades started dropping as did his level of care about anything.  Rather than do his assignments, he’d go sleep with her.  He cheated off me for most of his junior and senior year until I cut him off and watched his grades sink.  He graduated high school by the skin of his teeth.  Oh, here he comes now.  

“Hey Tony… long time no see, eh?”  he said, nervously.

“Will lovely Latrice be late?”  

“She couldn’t come.  She’s taking care of the kids.”

“Ah, I see.  Take a seat, Kenton.”  He sat.  “How’s life treating you?  Got a home, a pet, a job?”

“We have an apartment but no pets.  Neither one of us have a job.”

“You manage to graduate college?”  I already knew the answer.

“Not the first time; however, I did the second time.”  

“Do you really think I’m going to give you a job, Kenton?”  I said, chuckling.

“Look, Tony, I know what happened to you, Paul, and I resulted in my own actions, but that was a long ago, man.  I need your help.”

“You want my help?  Here’s some advice for you: find someone else.  I did so much for you in high school and you crapped in my face over and over for a girl that surprised everyone by counting to twenty.”  Alright, now I’m just being a jackass.  “Goodbye, Kenton.”

“Please Tony, I need this,” he said, starting to get mad, “have a freaking heart.”

“Hey, Kenton, do you still beat people with belts?”  That’s right: Kenton was a bully in high school.  He used to beat people with belts and choke them.  I even remember one time, back when Paul, Kenton, and I were best friends, Kenton kicked Paul square in the face, then laughed like a hyena.  The more I think about his whole thing, the happier I am with the decision I just made.  That jerk is finally reaping what he sowed for his entire life.  You know what, I’m going to go brag to Roxanne, my wife, right now.  I can’t wait to see the look on her face when she hears… THUD!

*     *     *

“Where am I?”

“You were hit by a car leaving your interview, Mr. Wick,” said the woman by my bed, “you’re in a hospital.”  

“A car hit me and I’m still alive?”

“It appears that way, sir.  It seems the ambulance came rather quickly.”

“Who called them?”

“A man came and took care of you until they arrived… I assume he called them.”

“Do you know where that man is at this time?”

“He’s waiting to see you, sir.”

“Send him in, please.”

“Yes, sir.”

I wonder who would’ve stayed the whole time… Kenton‽‽‽‽  Why on earth would that man be here to see me after what I just did to him?  Oh, I must be dreaming.  That’s it!  I’m having a terrible nightmare.  I’m not in the hospital and that man did not just save me; in fact, I’m probably dead.  That would be better than being saved by that half-witted ox.   

“You okay, Tony?”

Oh God, this did happen.  I was too busy thinking to look before I crossed the street.  Oh no.  “I DON’T OWE YOU ANYTHING!  GET OUT OF MY ROOM!”

“Tony, calm down.  This doesn’t mean you have to give me the job,” he said, plainly, “I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.  I called Roxanne and explained what happened.  She’ll be here soon.”

“Get out of my room and don’t come back!”

*     *     *

During my visit in the hospital, only Paul and Roxanne visited me.  That’s okay though, at least I had somebody, right?  I never really have had many people talk to me and I never quite figured out why.  Oh well, I’m back home now and everything is going back to normal.  Ah, here comes Roxanne now.

“You should go to church with me tomorrow.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me; you should go to church with me tomorrow.”

“Silly woman, I haven’t been to church in four years, why would I go now?”

“Simple: because you haven’t been in four years.”

“I assume I don’t have a say so in this matter… am I correct?”

“You have always been an intelligent man,” she said, winking.

I should’ve known this was coming.  She goes every Sunday and she always seems so happy when she comes back.  I wish she would just leave me alone about church.  God and I stopped talking four years ago and I’ve been fine.  

 

I get it, Pastor Howard, pride is bad and forgiveness is good.  Blah blah blah, come on, man, I have football to watch.  Oh my God, did Kenton and Latrice just walk in?  

“Roxy, do they come here every week?”

“Yes, they walk here every Sunday.”

“Those two lunkheads never used to go to church.”

“People have changed since high school, Tony.”

Did she just scowl at me?  “What are you saying?”

“Just shut up and pay attention.”

Ugh, fine, I’ll pay attention.

“I’d like you all to turn in your bibles to Romans 12:17-21.”

Sure Pastor, anything to take my mind off of the simpleton family over there.  Okay, let’s see, Romans 12:17-21…

“Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Why am I crying and why is Roxanne looking at me like that?  I have to get out of here… why can’t I move my legs?  What is going on‽  My heart is pounding and I can’t move.  

*     *     *

That night all I could think was all the things that Kenton did during high school and all my anger towards him.  When I read that verse, I realized that I had let my anger towards Kenton turn me into a grumpy old man at the age of thirty eight.  That night I did something I hadn’t done in four years.  I prayed and prayed and prayed for my own repentance and for the power of forgiveness.  That night I realized that God sent Kenton to me for my benefit, not the other way around.  I had been crapping in his face since high school out of anger.  I called Kenton, crying and apologizing for everything I’d done to him since high school and thanked him for saving my life after that accident.

Now, three months after that emotional, healing night, I walk into my office bright and early on a rainy Monday morning and what do I see?  My newest employee, Kenton Dewig, sitting at his desk across the hall smiling at me.