A Conversation With Jimmy

"What if I don't know where to go?"

"Julia, you know where to go."

"Not really."

"You and I are very different. We come from opposite sides of the country. You are living and I am not. I lived life to the fullest and you are drowning in stress and all of your fears. And you want to know where to go."

"...Yes."

"Go up."

"...Up?"

"Yes. Not up up Heaven up, but go to higher places."

"Like where?"

"Specifically? I can't tell you that."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not a fortune teller. I have no control over where you go from here. But the laws of divine retribution state that you will get what's coming to you. Karma and destiny working together. An unstoppable force. Neither you nor I have any control over it."

"So all that talk you just did? You can't really be sure, then, that I will save someone- anyone. I-"

"I know that as fact because I know you."

"...You know... me?"

"Scary, isn't?"

"Yes. It is."

"Before you called this interview, I did my research. You aren't a bad person."

"I used to be."

"So you say."

"I used to be like them. Them. The ones who are making me miserable now."

"You were never like them and you know it. You might have acted like them, but you were not them. You know that just as well as I do. Deep down, you know it."

"I hurt people."

"No you didn't."

"I didn't?"

"Your memories are clouded by guilt and fear of who you think you were. Fear has gotten you once again, Julia."

"But, Jimmy-"

"Just trust me. When I talked about divine retribution, what was the first thing that came to mind?"

"Nothing. I didn't think much of it."

"Well how about now?"

"Well I sort of thought about Hell."

"...Oh. Well, that makes sense, too. They use that down there, too. We all get what's coming to us in the end."

"Not all of us. I'm positive that they'll get away with it. Everything those kids back home do- they're going to get away with it."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because they've been getting away with it for thirteen years. They know how to get around the teachers, their parents, the law. They're masters. They are all criminals and everyone lets them get away with it. Because they are a different sort of aggressive. They're passive and crafty. They're masters of deception and persuasion. They let their good looks and their money do the talking. They've never been upfront about what they do.... Actually, that's a lie. Sometimes, they've talked about their crimes right in front of teachers. They would stand five feet away from the conversation and they wouldn't hear it. Drugs, drinking, sleeping around, they do it all."

"Well... it is pretty fun."

"You too, huh?"

"Lots of people, Julia. You'll never get away from it, but they will never get away with it. Even I..."

"Even you what?"

"I'm still on trial."

"But, you're a good person."

"But, it all catches up to you in the end."

"They're not going to kick me out of Heaven for drinking, but they're going to punish me for it. I've committed crimes."

"Oh. Well... I... I'm sure it'll be alright."

"Yeah, it will. I'll get what I deserve."

"You deserve Heaven."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. It's true."

"Thanks."