The Liberal Lens: Finding Life in the Moment

Note from the author: I wrote this back in 2022, but never wrote the other two parts. If you want to finish the story, please be my guest. Just shoot me an email letting me know so I can see how this turns out.

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<<After buying him a few drinks, Frank is already looking like he wants to bash his head into the bar counter. You poke his shoulder and remind him of his promise.>>

What? Oh, that? Yeah, you’re right. I did promise to tell you about what happened. You’re not gonna believe me though.

<<Frank is slowly leaning to the left, away from you. It doesn’t look like he realizes he’s leaning. He hiccups and sits up straight again, and he flags the bartender for another cocktail.>>

So, you know that angel… what’s his name… Gabby or something like that, Gabriel? Gavin?

<<You sigh and motion him to get on with it.>>

Sorry, sorry. I think I might have had too much to drink. Look, promise me you won’t think of me any different. Please.

<<Ever since Frank had texted you an invite to go to the bar with him, he’s been incredibly nervous. After a little prodding, you had managed to get him to admit that something happened in a Wendy’s parking lot. He demanded a few drinks before he even considered telling you the full story, which you followed through by buying him a few shots. Finally, his lips were loose enough, although it still seemed he was worrying. You put a hand on his shoulder and promise.>>

Thank you. Alright, so Gabby comes out of my fucking bathroom, right?

<<He must be talking about the angel again. For a second, you wonder if Frank finally had a mental break. You shake your head of that thought and nod.>>

Yeah, so, apparently he had a message from God.

<<What.>>

Hey! hey, hey! Don’t look at me like that. Look, dude, it was the real thing. Apparently God had heard all the times I joked about punching him in the face and challenged me to a fight.

<<The bartender stops by Frank with the cocktail in hand. It appears he overhead the last bit of what he had said though, blinking a few times before taking a step back and walking away with the cocktail. It appears Frank’s been cut off for the night.>>

So, I’m looking at this angel fucker and he’s telling me all this, right? And then I punched the angel in the face.

<<Okay, you may have just yelled “what the fuck” in the bar right there, but it was warranted. A few people around you shoot you dirty looks, but you’re invested in this story right now. Screw social rules, Frank’s punched an angel. You ask him what happened next.>>

Well… I woke up on the floor with my cat on my chest.

<<???>>

Yeah no, the angel didn’t like that. Gabby must’ve smited me or something because I woke up with this wicked lightning scar on my shoulder.

<<Frank moves his shirt aside to show you his left shoulder. Indeed, there appears to be a scar there. So this actually happened. You ask him about the challenge.>>

Well, Gabby left me a letter. Take a look.

<<Frank hands you a letter stained with blood. Putting aside the fact that there’s blood on the letter, you open it and find elegant handwriting written in a golden ink. In short, it’s a challenge to fight the Lord himself in the Wendy’s parking lot by Frank’s house at 12p.m. You hand him the letter back in shock. He puts it back in his inside coat pocket before continuing.>>

to be continued