TEMPLE CLEAN

Golden Temple India

TEMPLE CLEAN

At the house of your estranged, dead wife I dined. My mother and I were welcomed to stay as long as we wanted or so the invitation read. At the door a knock. I stand to look out of the peephole. Now my stomach turns.  Two scantily clad women then you. You in all your misery... stumbling.. smiling... enjoying the decadence of your debauchery. Your presence is unexpected and unwelcome. Now the doorbell. Look at the smile you wear. Disgusted I ask "What brings you here?" Recognizing the voice of the little girl whose body you violated, whose trust you earned so very undeserved, whose life you turned upside and out with your perversion...  your smile widens. My stomach stopped turning and rage began burning. I now realized... You are the devil... it wasn't the action of violating my body that thrilled you...it was the action of corrupting my soul...not the tarnishing of my temple... but the rusting of its contents was your true pleasure. If it's contents were destroyed by vandals and scandal then it could be a home for any old transient, derelict and harlot. From your point of view it would make your type worthy of entry. I opened the door. Did you somehow believe that little girl was still I...all these years later? Did you think that the single bullet remaining in my .38 wasn't especially reserved for you? Where'd your smile go after I pulled the trigger and let the pistol blow? Your women didn't weep. Your women didn't run.  They took decent clothes from their bags, dressed, smiled and turned away. My mother runs to the door. Behind me I hear her voice: "What have you done sweet child of mine?" My response as I stepped over your lifeless body gripping her right hand while the left covered her face in shock: "The world a favor." Your smile vanished as did the tarnish of my temple as did the corruption of it's contents...as did the pain of the memories.