He is sitting on the upper deck of the lake house in Maine. His wife is in the kitchen with her sisters making dinner. Towels are drying on the rail in front of him. He opens the Bible to Ezekiel 37. Most Mormons like it for the stick of Joseph and the stick of Judah.Continue reading “The Vision of the Valley of Cancerous Bones”
Author Archives: Gordon Laws
Meet Mr. No
The man holds Grant’s hand and clenches tight. Grant is dressed in an Eeyore costume—really, it is a big stuffed donkey head and vest. Grant hates it. He has been trying to wiggle out of it while they take pictures and again while they grab the plastic jack-o-lantern to go. Now, they are crossing theContinue reading “Meet Mr. No”
I’m Sure It Wasn’t THAT Word
The first counselor in the Primary presidency is leading a group of children through the church hallway to a classroom. She has a large smile on her face. “Grant spent sharing time telling everyone that you called him the F word.” The man is standing next to his office after interviewing a youth. “I’m sureContinue reading “I’m Sure It Wasn’t THAT Word”
The Space for the Bad
They are at Raymond Rimkus park in San Antonio. The boy’s mother has pitched three rounds to the boy and to Stephen. They are walking back to the car. “We have been learning about drugs in school.” “It’s sad they have to teach you that so young.” “Mom, do you ever get scared about stuffContinue reading “The Space for the Bad”
You Will Give the Blessing
The room is dark. Lauren is breathing deeply, almost snoring. His mind is filling with random, disconnected thoughts. And then, they change and become clear. “I call down the powers of heaven and the holy angels on your behalf and command you to be well. I rebuke your cancer and command your bones to heal.”Continue reading “You Will Give the Blessing”
Flank Road
He liked to come here on his lunch hour because no one could find him. He just grabbed the lunch cooler in his car, crossed Flank Road, and disappeared into the swamp. There was a fallen tree with lichens growing over it maybe 200 yards in, and the water rarely got so far out asContinue reading “Flank Road”
You Will Understand When You Get Older
He is sitting in his grandmother’s front room. His father comes down the hall and settles into the easy chair next to the couch. “I don’t know what to do with her.” “What do you mean?” “She refuses to pack. I have her suitcases open, and she won’t put anything in them.” “She can’t stayContinue reading “You Will Understand When You Get Older”
Yes, Virginia, There is a Bigfoot
Even now, his mother tells the story the same. “There are so many things all these doctors and experts don’t know. Like Bigfoot. People think he’s fake. He’s not. My daddy saw one.” “Really?” “Yes. He was a coal packer and trucker. He used to haul loads down from the mountains in Utah. One time,Continue reading “Yes, Virginia, There is a Bigfoot”
I Think It’s an Important Message
Near evening, the author has just finished and printed his first novel. It is about a white football coach in a black part of San Antonio. The author’s father is preparing for trial, so they are sharing the office. “Dad, can you read the trial scene for me? I want to make sure it isContinue reading “I Think It’s an Important Message”
We Don’t Know What the Next World Will Be Like
It is early afternoon. The man sits on a kitchen chair next to his father. His father pushes a button, and the train begins to run around the long oval track. “I love trains. Your mother got this for me as a very early Christmas present so I could enjoy it longer.” It has beenContinue reading “We Don’t Know What the Next World Will Be Like”
His Smile Lit Up a Room and Other Things to Say at My Funeral 