A New Car Rental Place Part Iii
The church doors would then open on both sides of the street.
A young man heard Cecelia’s words sounding effete.
He said in response to those words no one would condone:
“There is no need for a car rental. We drive our own.”
Cecelia heard from the realtor after the jeers.
He said, “No one would rent a car in a hundred years”.
She replied, “There’s no reason to stay. I’ll go away.
I do not like it here. Your antics I will not play!”
Mr. Phillips said, “Even though all of this is true,
we want you to stay. There’s a rental office for you.
This place is located at Mount Moriah Baptist
on the lobby floor. You will stay and will not resist!
Your daily presence at this agency will give us
an outward show of completeness that looks congruous.
The town’s terribly discontented. Something is wrong.
We need you renting cars here. You really do belong.
We have attained perfection, unlike the other towns.
Perfection holds in check the discontent that abounds.
You must stay behind the counter.” That’s all he would say.
The woman responded to the man’s words in this way:
“You’ll be sorry when I dream about those things you fear.”
He grabbed her arm and yelled, “You are ours! You will stay here!”
This auto renter said she would not go quietly.
Cecelia answered defiantly: “Wait and see!”
Based on the short story "A City of Churches" by the late Donald Barthelme
Copyright © Robert Pettit | Year Posted 2011
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