Faith, 75219

Oaklawn, 75219. Its rare that I stop in this hood. I drive through it everyday -- on the way to the grocery, post office, Office Depot. Last time I stopped here I had lunch at Cafe Brazil and the Date 3 episode began. Its odd that I am here again at the corner coffee shop but it was such a nice day, only 90 degrees at 10am, I should take advantage of it before it gets really hot ;)

Ah, Blueberry Pie Coffee, a end table with an umbrella, my yellow highlighter and my oh so exciting stack of research articles for the term papers due next week. Lets get started!

"Excuse me sir?"

Black suit, white shirt, black tie, black skinny tie, wing tips and carrying pamphlets. You so don't blend. What do you want?

Me: "What can I do for you?"

Suit boy: "If I could just have a moment of your time, I'd like to talk to you about the Lord our ..."

Me: "I'm going to stop you right there, not interested."

Suit boy: "But sir, if I could just explain the power of ..."

Me: "Look, I'm not interested, I'm not a Christian, my faith is different, I'm Buddhist."

Mentally I have just cut him off. A skill developed years ago in reponse to being stopped on every street corner on Market St. in San Francisco or every street corner on Broadway in New York City or every street corner on Main St. in downtown Houston.

Suit boy: "But ... kingdom of heaven ... sir, if ..."

Me: "Look, I appreciate what you are trying to do and I think it comes from a good place. But really I am already happy in my beliefs, my faith, my way. Honestly I think its great that you are so enthusiatic about yours that you are willing to take time out of your day to tell me about it. But you know, all faiths are bottom line compatible, arent they?

Suit boy: "But sir ..."

I am suit boy, resistence is futile. Must deliver pamphlet. Must DE-LIV-ER.

Me: "I mean really if you think about it, strip away the minutae and dogma, aren't all faiths trying to give you some peace of mind, lay down some path in life that will make you feel good about yourself and life in general , to bring reason to the unexplainable -- to get through it."

Suit boy: "But the lord ... let me ... pamphlet ... better way to happiness ..."

Quit trying to sell me something I already have, you are starting to piss me off.

Me: "Keep it, I wont read it. Like I said I am happy the way I am. By giving me this pamphlet you are telling me there is a better way to happiness, its like giving me a problem I don't have so that you can fix it; its retrojustification of your beliefs. I'm not participating in that and its time for you to leave."

Then I put my headphones on and went back to my Blueberry Pie Coffee, HIV article and gave him the look that was genetically engineered in Brooklyn -- The 'I don't have a quarter, I don't want to party, I'm not lookin' for a good time, leave me alone, I don't care what you're sellin' cuz I aint buyin', this conversation is now over' look.

Beliefs, faith, religion, whatever you want to call it, is a personal thing; I think you find it when you need it and you grow it like you want it but it is never coming to you on a pamphlet in 75219.