THE END Salvation in a Person, not in confession
Neal -- (seated at microphone) WKDL news time is 3:40 and that
means it's time for a WKDL sports update with Bob Murphy. Bob?
(exits)
Bob -- (enters, sits) Thanks, Neal. The Boston Celtics win big, in
spite of yet another injury. The Raiders may move to...are you
ready for this... Las Vegas. And the Lakers squeak by the
Rockets. We'll have details of these stories and more right
after this word from our...
Neal -- (enters with bulletin) Excuse me, Bob. We have to
interrupt this commercial message for this wire service
bulletin: "Scientists at Kitt Peak Observatory in Arizona have
been measuring alarming increases in solar flair activity
recently. They estimate that the planets Mercury, Venus and
Earth with be vaporized by a solar flair in eight and a half
minutes."
Bob -- (pauses, smiles) And we'll be right back right after this
word from our...
Neal -- What's the use in running an ad for a sponsor, Bob.
We'll all be nothing but ashes before anyone gets there.
Bob -- (pauses, smiles) And how apropos, Neal, the commercial
message was for Sizzler. Heh Heh. Oh, and look at this sports
update: (reads) The Lakers take on the red hot Phoenix Suns
tomorrow night. Heh heh. We'll have a preview of tomorrow's game
right after this...
Neal -- There won't be a tomorrow, Bob.
Bob -- You weren't kidding, Neal?
Neal -- It's over, Bob.
Bob -- But, I had courtside tickets to the Lakers game
tomorrow... Right next to Jack... Nicholson...
Neal -- Vaporized, Bob.
Bob -- What do we do now?
Neal -- Jeanie. Jeanie, Honey, if you're listening, Sweety, kiss
and hug the kids for me. I'll see you in heaven, Honey.
Bob -- Well, I wanna go to heaven, too. I'm gonna confess my
sins.
Neal -- We don't have that much time, Bob.
Bob -- I don't care. I'll get started on the worst ones. First,
mom, dad..I was the one who killed Eddie - I ran over him with the car, but I was afraid to tell you. And, Janice...the bank hasn't been messing with our account..I have a little teeny problem with the lottery...I just KNOW we're gonna hit it big. But honey, I shouldn't have lied to you...I'll never do it again.
Neal -- You can say that again.
Bob -- Let's see...I cheated on my income tax in 1994. I don't
always drop a quarter in the basket when I take a cookie from
the lunch room. I have 5 unpaid parking tickets and I break the
speed limit all the time. And let's see...
Neal -- Listen, Bob, confession is good for the soul, but it
won't get you to heaven.
Bob -- It won't?
Neal -- No. The Bible says "as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name..." It's not about ANYTHING YOU do. It's about
what HE did for you already.
Bob -- Who?
Neal -- Jesus. He wants you to receive the gift of his death on
the cross as payment for your sins, whether you can remember
each individual sin or not.
Bob -- You mean I don't have to confess creasing the fender of
that BMW in the parking lot?
Neal -- What color was the BMW?
Bob -- Ah, um.... (clears throat, does a double-take at the page
in Neal's hand) Hey, look there.
Neal -- Look where? (reads) mmm mmm mmm Mercury, Venus, and Earth will be
vaporized by a solar flair. So?
Bob -- Read on.
Neal -- ... mmm mmm vaporized by a solar flair in eight and a
half ...millennia.
Bob -- That's eight and a half millennia, not eight and a half
minutes?
Neal -- Oh... Yeah.
Bob -- You mean I just spilled my guts to 600,000 WKDL newsradio
listeners for nothing?
Neal -- Wull, I ah... (stands, backs toward exit) I have to
check out the wire service.... (runs)
Bob -- (Rolls up his sleeves) Ladies and gentlemen, in just a
minute I'll be back at the WKDL newsradio microphone with one
more sin to confess... (exits in a huff) Wait till I get my
hands on you....
