Ministry.

The church.

Such a place, for hypocrites. All my life I have been dragged here, with people trying to save me, from what I don’t know. I believe in God and in a higher power...it’s just sometimes, I am not sure what to believe.

“Frank,” my mother says to me, “You have to be in the church by ten o’ clock, I am going to let you come by yourself but be there okay.”

“Okay mom,” I say trying to avoid the conversation.

She tells me this every Sunday, but the way I see it, if people really believed in God...they would celebrate more than once a week. Not that I celebrate every day. I know I can’t judge, but neither can they. She always tells me to be there at 10...but this week I’m not going. There is this park...a park I heard about...and according to my friend, all your problems go away when you visit it...all of them.

I take off the clothes I put on to convince my mother that I was going to church. She just needs to be fooled...for ten seconds of her life. Just ten...that’s all.

I was fooled all my life...into thinking I could save my soul by only going to church on a Sunday...but in reality it took a lot more than that--It took strength, courage, hope, and a lot more time than a couple hours each Sunday. I need to get away from it all though going to church is okay...but I need a change in lifestyle--a change in me to feel what I am most comfortable doing, I am 16 for crying out loud. In two years, my destiny is going to be all up to me. If I even live that long.

I got on my new clothes...which consisted of a black t-shirt, and a pair of blue jeans, with a pair of black tennis shoes. I don’t really like to dress up much--plus Gerard says this is what everyone will be wearing, and I don’t want to stand out, I want to fit in.

I follow the directions he gave me, and slowly the town turns from bad to worse...I mean, I don’t live in the best part of town...but I don’t live in the worst part of town. I quickly find Gerard.

“What is this place?” I ask it doesn’t look like a place I’m used to.

“It’s the park I told you about, grab a beer,” he says.

“Isn’t that like illegal,” I say.

“Um...yeah, but who cares,” he replies.

“No one,” I say, “I was just joking.”

“That’s a good joke,” he replies laughing.

“Yeah,” I laugh too, “it was...I am a regular stand up comic.”

“Some one help!” a random girl screams, “He isn’t waking up!”

“Oh my god,” Gerard says, “Lisa, are you sure.”

“No, I’m just screaming for the hell of it, some one call an ambulance!” she says.

“I got it covered,” I say getting out my cell phone.

“Oh my god hurry up!” she screams at me.

“I’m trying,” I reply while frantically dailing 911.

“Hello, New Jersey Police Department, how may I help you?” says a woman on the other end.

I tell her everything. She tells me the ambulance will be down here in a matter of minutes.

“You told me all my problems would go away,” I say to Gerard.

“I thought they would,” Gerard said.

“OH MY GOD HE’S NOT BREATHING!” Lisa screams.

“Maybe all his problems went away,” I say tear rolling down my cheek.

“Maybe so,” Gerard says.

Is it still too late to go to church...