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The Visit
(c) 2007 by Mike Dunbar

Mr. Harvey sat in his cell, the guard cleared the dishes from his last meal and Harvey was finishing his coffee. Two more hours.

He turned and looked at the calendar that was on his wall, thinking about the days ahead. Days that would go on without him. He heard the cell door open and thought the Padre was a little early.

"Hello Mr. Harvey, mind if I call you Sam?"

Harvey turned and looked over at the preacher, he wasn't the regular chaplain, some new guy.

"They call me Harvey."

"That's all over now, Sam, you'll get a new name and a whole new life." The preacher smiled as if he believed it.

"You can cut the crap," Harvey said, "I'm going to lay on that gurney, feel the needle in my arm and that's it." Harvey felt almost sad for this preacher, for one, most guys on death row got religion by now. They'd repented and gave thanks for the opportunity to have a fresh start. Not Sam Harvey. For another, this poor sap, if he believed his own line, was going to just go to sleep too, and without ever having half the fun Harvey had.

"I've had fun, Sam" the preacher said. It gave Harvey a little shock. "Fun isn't just getting even or getting over on someone, fun, real fun, is knowing you've made things better. You've lived according to God's plan."

"Things don't get better, they just get worse and then you die." Harvey looked into the preacher's eyes. Gave him the prison stare. This preacher didn't flinch and didn't blink. For the first time since he'd been on the inside, Harvey broke off the stare. What good's that stupid prison game? Just a waste of time, a big waste of a very little time.

The preacher closed his eyes. "It can get better, if you want it bad enough. Here's the deal, Sam, you've got to want it bad enough to believe. God's just waiting for you to believe in him, then he'll keep his part of the bargain. You'll live forever, and things will be better...they'll be better than you could ever imagine."

"Pie in the sky?" Harvey said.

"Better than pie, Sam, you'll forget your Granny's cherry pie." Now how did he know that? "You'll forget you ever had a problem, you'll forget anything bad." The preacher laughed. What a time to laugh. "Close your eyes and listen to me...Oh Father, give my brother here a gift, give him the gift of faith. In my time of need you gave me bravery...give him faith that he will be with me today." The cell door clicked.

Harvey opened his eyes and looked up. "That's it?" he thought. Where did that guy go? No questions about his crimes or his sins? No messages to send to his family? What kind of preacher was this?

The guard came to the cell. "OK, Mr. Harvey, the Chaplain's here to see you."

"He was just here." Harvey looked puzzled. There was the Chaplain standing next to the guard. "You must have let him out, he was just here."

The Chaplain and the guard looked at each other. "No one's been here Mr. Harvey." the guard said, "I...I'd have known." The guard opened the door to the cell and the Chaplain came in with a funny expression on his face.

When the guard left, the Chaplain asked him, "This man you say was here, was he about my size with brown hair and blue eyes?"

"Yeah," Harvey said, "That's right. You know him?"

"No," said the Chaplain, "but I've heard of him." The Chaplain shook his head and looked puzzled. Then he took a deap breath and began the litany. "Mr. Harvey, have you accepted the Lord into your heart."

"Wait a minute," Harvey said, "What about the other preacher?"

"Mr. Harvey, I really can't talk about him, I don't know what to say, I don't want to give you bad advice...please...let's continue. Is there anything you want to say to me?"

"Yes, I want to know where he went?"

"Mr. Harvey, the guard and I have been sitting in the hall for at least a half an hour while I filled out the paperwork. Now please let me continue, sir, are there people you want me to contact? Are there things you want to talk about?"

Harvey was speechless. It was his last chance. "I believe." He said.

"Did you say something, Mr. Harvey?"

"Naw Padre, just go on, you can go, tell them...tell them I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused. Tell them all it's ok. He took time...for me...He came here just for me! Tell them...just tell them all it's ok." Harvey began laughing.

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After the execution, the warden walked slowly back to his office. He had only done this a few times, but he didn't think he would ever get used to it. Could anyone? It was the hardest part of his job, but at least this one was a little easier. The chaplain followed him in and took a seat, followed by the guard. Finally, the assistant chaplain entered and shut the door before sitting.

"Well, gentlemen," said the warden, "the important thing is, Mr. Harvey was saved. As long as we must carry out the will of the state, our little conspiracy can at least send a few souls to God's peace."