He woke up this morning. Jesus Christ woke Him up. Jesus Christ woke Him up to spread His word from Brooklyn through Manhattan, up to the Bronx and into Queens. And then home. He will come back home.

He puts on his blue gloves and matching Mets knit hat pulled down just to His ears, above His eyes. So He can hear. So He can see. He puts on his brown leather jacket. There is no bible in the pocket. The Word is in His mind. The Word is in His heart. On the tip of His tongue.

He buys a cup of tea and drinks it on the corner. To each and every man and woman that passes by He says, "Good morning my brother. Good morning my sister." He drinks His tea the color of cool autumn sunlight. He is full of Light. He is full of laughter. He laughs within. He laughs out loud. He is the Way and the Truth and the Light.

He boards the train. It's crowded. He stands by the door. He watches people shuffle on and off. He does this for hours before He begins. He watches and then He begins.

"I LOVE YOU! I love each and everyone of you my brothers and sisters. Can you turn to the person next to you and tell them you love them? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! I know you can! I saw you do it on September 11th. September 12th. Can you do it today? Do it for me now. Turn to your neighbor and tell them I love you my brother, my sister! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. You can't even look at them. I am looking at you! Can you tell me you love me? Because I love you. I love you all. You think I'm mad? I'm mad! Let me tell you something. The world is mad. The world is full of hatred and greed and racism. I am full of love! And I'm mad? I'M CRAZY! I'M CRAZY! You would say to your neighbor 'This fool - he sure is crazy!' I'm not crazy. I'm not crazy. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha."

I'm free.

But you call me crazy. I see you laughing. Shaking your head. But. But. BUT! But if I were to drop dead right now. Drop dead on the 4 train you would say, 'He was such a good man. Yes He was. He loved Jesus. Yes He did.' You would mourn me. Tell me now. Tell me while I'm alive! Three thousand people dead and you mourned them. You mourn them! Let the dead bury the dead. You come follow Me."

A man covers his face with his hands.

"Don't get all teary eyed on me now! I was here. You were here. We were all here. We are all here now. And now we're all waiting. Waiting. Can you feel the waiting? I can. I can feel it. I can see it!"

Here? Again? Where?

"YES IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN! IT WILL HAPPEN HERE AND SOMEWHERE ELSE TOO! THIS WHOLE WORLD IS WAITING! And Y'all can't even look at each other. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. You can't even look. Three thousand people dead. Now that's crazy! Me? I let the dead bury the dead. Can I go bury my father? NO YOU CAN NOT! YOU LET THE DEAD BURY THE DEAD AND YOU, YOU, YOU COME FOLLOW ME. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

"Y'all dont live you exist. You exist in your cubicles. With your greed. Y'all are not alive. Think about it. YOU ARE STILL ALIVE! Think about THAT my brothers and sisters. And then let the dead bury the dead. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"Now is your chance. Turn and look. Now is your chance! Now I'm getting off at the next stop. I'm getting off at 42nd Street. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. I'm getting off this train. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. But before I do, before I get off this train, can I get a hallelujah?"

Silence. His message hangs heavy in the air. The brakes screech, passengers shake and tighten their grip on the hand rail.

"Can I?"

A young man heads toward the door and whispers to Him. "I feel you brother. I've been through some deep shit and Jesus was there. I feel you deeply."

"Okay my brother. Peace be with you."

The doors open. He exits and turns around and looks into train.

"Anyone else? Anyone? Come follow Me."

He knows the passengers hear His laughter fading like an echo.

Maura Barthel recently moved back to New York from San Francisco. She lives in Queens.