Have Mercy On Us
by Philip Luber
Chapter One
All things being equal, I preferred to remain alive.
That was a stupid expression, I thought. All things being equal. What
things were people talking about when they said that? Other than the left and
right sides of a mathematical equation, are two things ever truly equal?
I once heard another father tell his children, "I love all of you
equally." But that was surely a crock. I don't know much about love -- who
the hell does? -- but of one thing I'm certain: We love different people
differently, not equally.
Thomas Jefferson wrote that all men are created equal. But he wasn't counting
slaves and freemen equally. And women were obviously not in his equation at
all. Of course, historians tell us that neither of those facts prevented
Jefferson from enjoying carnal bliss with one of his slaves.
Even identical twins have different fingerprints.
Of course, I supposed the Red Sox and the Celtics had equally poor chances of
winning their respective championships that year.
I was obsessing again. Anxiety always did that to me.
I checked my watch. I checked my odometer. Traffic was light, and with luck I
would make it from Concord to Cambridge before the morning rush hour kicked in.
I was on my way to meet with Jamie Ray: a woman who might soon -- literally and
figuratively -- hold my life in her hands.
All things being equal, I preferred to remain alive.
Read book description.
Ordering information
Return to Philip Luber's home page.