The Last Kiss

I'm cussing like a sailor just before Church is scheduled to start.

The POS sound system isn't working.

If you don't know what POS stands for it's PIECE OF SH!T!

POS's aren't supposed to be in Church ... though as everyone knows but doesn't publically say ... they are.

Of course this is Bar Church ... yep Church in a Bar that reeks of cigarette smoke, stale beer and people who wouldn't be caught dead in a real Church because ... a real Church wouldn't have us unless we changed.

"Oh well," I sigh, giving up.

"If God doesn't want us to have a sound system today then by God we are not having one."

I start strumming and singing "Losing my religion" when Gordo arrives to play the harps.

"No sound system," I tell him.

"Rut Row," he exclaims sounding like Scooby Doo. "I'll be right back then" ... and he goes elsewhere to fix a drink.

Monty Parks shows up and does his very best to raise the POS sound system from the dead ... but fails miserably ... pagan that he is ... before asking, "What song we doing first?"

The crowd ... er, I mean Congregation, stumbles in bringing food and spreading it on the Pool Tables, pour themselves thick cups of coffee or drink whatever they bring inside.

Tom Freeland arrives to play drums.

Faye Allan brings the percussion.

And a miracle occurs.

It's a killer service!

We cry, clap, celebrate, eat, enjoy, sing and a woman in a MooMoo keeps raising her hand to give the Lord all the glory.

Towards the end we're jamming to "Knocking on Heaven's Door" as a note on a cocktail napkin is slid in front of me.

"Can you play 'Last Kiss' for Mike Clouse. He passed away in 2011 @ 42 years old. He loved Tybee. His son was 10 yrs old when he died."

I show it to Monty who fumbles for the chords.

I have no idea if this ever happens in other Churches but it's par for the course where Jesus plays golf on the Beach.

The Holy Spirit descends and with Monty taking the lead we do a righteous version of "Last Kiss."

"Oh where O where can my baby be? The Lord took her away from me."

And as we sing and play it's harder than Hell to keep from crying ... like the man who wrote the note is sitting at the table in front of us ... weeping like Jesus wept.