Saturday, October 27, 2007

Phone Booth



Hey all! Just watched 'Phone Booth', a flick about a man called Stu Sheppard, a publicist whom is held hostage in a phone booth by a sniper wielding caller on the other end. The premise is simple: The caller does not desire a ransom or money but to rather see Stu transform his life - removing his mask and being honest with himself...and others. Sometimes I think God would like to have us alone in a phone booth - with Himself on the other end. There He could talk, we could listen - and not run away or let ourselves be distracted. Certainly God would never hold us at gun point - His invitation is Grace and Love. It takes Stu Sheppard a good few hours - at gun point - to look inside himself and have the courage to see what is there, I wonder what we would find? What fear, insecurities and hostilities to we need to let go of? God is always listening.
This is the confession of Stu:
"I have never done anything for anybody who couldn't do something for me. I string along an eager kid with promises I'll pay him money. I only keep him around because he looks up to me. Adam, if you're watching, don't be a publicist. You're too good for it. I lie in person and on the phone. I lie to my friends. I lie to newspapers and magazines who, who sell my lies to more and more people. I am just a part of a big cycle of lies, I should be president. I wear all this Italian because underneath I still feel like the Bronx. I think I need these clothes and this watch. My Two thousand dollar watch is a fake and so am I. I've neglected the things I should have valued most. I valued this junk. I take off my wedding ring to call Pam. Kelly, that's Pam. Don't blame her. I never told her I was married. And if I did she, she would have told me to go home. Kelly, looking at you now, I'm ashamed of myself. Allright? I mean, work so hard on this image, on Stu Shepherd, the one who refers to himself in the third person that I only proved I should be alone. I have just been dressing up as something I'm not for so long, I'm so afraid no one will like what's underneath. But here I am, just flesh and blood and weakness, and uh and I love you so much. And, um, I take off this ring because it only reminds me of how I've failed you, and I don't, don't want to give you up. I want to make things better, but it may not be my choice anymore. You deserve better."

-Paul