Part Three:

A Particular View of Heaven

I looked at him with my mouth wide open. I've met some nutty fruitcakes in my time, you know, at Greyhound bus terminals, outside train stations, and even squatting in front of Starbucks at 0600 begging for coffee and drug money, but this was way way fucking out there! What was he, Rain-fucking-man or something?

The light that fell from the Jack in the Box logo gave his face a strange glow, I could see his eyes now, they were steel blue, his face looked like ten miles of bad road. He smiled and raised his index finger, and pointed to the foggy sky.

"See that?"
I looked up, and nodded. All I saw was drizzle, fog and the outline of a Jack in the Box sign.

"Its up there. Ive seen it. Its just past the fog, hovering, waiting."
I nodded again.
I thought I should humor him, it just seemed like the right thing to do. I imagined he was a lonely soul wandering around, lost, nameless, faceless, and invisible. I don't know why, but I wanted him to feel like he wasn't, that someone out there recognized him as a person. A man. Even if it was just for these few moments while I waited for my food. Everyone deserved a little dignity, its a basic human right of all persons weird or not.

I looked down at my Rolex again. I hit it three more times, then listened intently for any sign of life.

"Sees sissty bive!"

He stared at me for a moment, there were dozens of young Asians standing in line waiting for their order at the Fort Knox walk in window.

"You don't see it do you?"

"Um, what is it I'm supposed to see?" I looked past him.
My attention was drawn to three giggling Asian girls staggering out of their car. They started at the end of the line, and within minutes made their way up to the order window, using their charm as a pass to get to the very front out of the drizzle. My eyes followed every tight curve very closely. It wasn't their charm, it wasn't even their little tight Bebe outfits with the sparkly Bebe logo rhinestoned to their respective asses. I eyed them up and down, it was more of what was just under the little rhinestone logo that got them out of the weather. I smiled.

"Heaven. Its there. Right there, look!" He pointed up again.

Everyone seemed to be looking at our table. Some laughing, most of them just staring and whispering. I imagine our conversation must have sounded a bit strange.

"No sir, I don't see anything but fog." I whispered. I was a bit perturbed. This wasn't really my best day from the start, I had been struggling with the idea that my relationship with the most beautiful and intelligent woman I had ever met was dead. At least its what I felt when I looked into her eyes.

"Let yourself go. You must break through the bullshit you've been told in your life about what you see."

He put the coffee down and slowly pulled his hat off. In the light his face glowed now. It had a strange golden aura to it. I looked at him closer, the sodium vapor lights in the parking lot must be responsible for that glow on his face I thought. He looked younger than I thought he was. And his eyes were sparkling blue. Bluer than I had ever seen on anyone, ever.

"About what I see?" This conversation was getting weirder I thought. I just wanted my fucking double cheeseburger and curly fries. The three bottles of wine I had earlier was beginning to have its way with me.

"Yes. From from the time you are brought into this world, you're made to believe things, forced to see things a certain way, its all a lie. Its a facade, invented by those who want this world to end."