I strode to the Pier in Coney Island br on Christmas day. Eleven degrees br and with a gale off the vast Atlantic br the temperature zipped br to well below zero. No place br to match this, my private scrap of Nirvana br but in the distance I spotted a soul br and when I approached br who should it be but Harry Henwood. br “Hey, ” I said. br He turned and at once br began to speak: br “God don’t love me br and not only me br my whole family is cursed. br My mother choked on a chicken bone br and died when I was seven br and my dad is doing br life for killing his brother br with an ax. No wonder br my sister is nuts br and gonna die an Old Maid. br I gave Ralph Dillon br the go ahead to poke Marie br but don’t you know she fell asleep br and Ralph filled with passion. br I told him the shrink’s medication br made her groggy, but I don’t know br if he’s ever coming back.” br As the tears fell br from Harry Henwood’s eyes br they froze in a flash br on his mournful face. br Silence. My body in bliss. Warm inside. br Suddenly: “What are you doing here? ” br “Getting ready to give God back br this load of flesh. br Enough is enough.” br “Not on Christmas day, you’re not br with a snowstorm coming in. br I’m only human, Henwood, br to watch you croak… br couldn’t enjoy nothing then. br A ten enough to make you smile? ” br Eyes shifting now br between me and the swirling sea br then a tilt toward Heaven, br fist suddenly shooting into the sky br finally: the smile.