When he reached an area about a foot and a half in front of Noah, he stopped abruptly. Without taking his eyes off him, stranger slowly opened his mouth and began to speak.

"You, Noah Paul King, have been brought to highest court in universe, at my request, to tell your truth, and nothing but your truth, so help your God."

His hollow, gruff voice hammered like final nail driven into a coffin.

He paused, and his smile transformed into a devious grin, revealing a distinct set of pearly white teeth. Noah stared in complete bewilderment.

After a moment of desperate search, Noah seized his voice.

"Ah, okay."

Without warning, man erupted in a fit of laughter.

"Okay? Is that all you have to say?"

Noah wiped his sweaty forehead with his shirtsleeve. The stranger grinned, enjoying his anxiety.

"Well, I'm puzzled," Noah replied.

"I bet you are," he laughed.

"I have no idea where I am, and what I am being charged with, and..."

"Wait," stranger interrupted, "its Your God thing, isnt it?"

"Yes."

This has got to be some sort of hallucination, Noah thought.

"I can eliminate your confusion simply," he said. "First of all, you are not on trial. You are here as a witness for Defense. Secondly, it is I, Prosecutor, assigned to trial. And thirdly, this is best part..."

By now, man was snickering devilishly.

"You know term God, that is used to identify Creator?" Noah was not sure if he was asking him a question or making a statement. Feeling dampness behind his neck grow cold, he answered with a blunt, "Yes."

"Well," man said, "I am pleased to inform you that this higher being does in fact exist. You are here not only as a witness, but also as evidence of His creation. You have been assigned with delightful task of defending Him."

Staring intently into his eyes, Noah felt as though he was just caught with his pants down.

After a moment of gathering his thoughts, Noah was overcome with realization that everything he believed in for such a long time was instantly annihilated - road kill.

With all vast knowledge he had acquired over years, only one futile thought emerged: Oops

The Sinking Of Noah's Ark (ISBN:1589392191)

Copyright 2002,2003 © TrysDan Roberts

For a review copy e mail: sprucecove@bwr.eastlink.ca www.trysdansbooks.com

90 seconds later, cold sweat had miraculously been replaced with a single affirmation: "I will improvise"

The next morning, I began my speech: "You might be wondering why I am wearing running shoes today. Well, it's about this petition here. When I'm done speaking, I'll be running door to door and I want every one of you to come running with me, too."

It was not speech I had come to deliver, but it worked just as well. Better, in fact. My little "goof-up" became a clever demonstration of action speaking louder than words.

Shoe lesson number two. When you forget your shoes, improvise.

My brother was getting married. We had just witnessed signing of papers at their house, and they were rushing over to another place for the ceremony. Don't ask!

As we locked up their house, my wife's sandal broke. She tried walking in it, but to no avail. So off to nearest shoe store we flew – figuratively, that is. This is not another story about losing shoes hundreds or thousands of feet above a desert or a traffic jam.

We knew they would wait for us before starting ceremony. What we did not know is how long they would wait.

That day, my wife performed a miracle that no other woman has done before or since. She went into store and came out just five minutes later with perfect pair of sandals – smashing to smithereens old woman-shopping-for-shoes Olympic record!

Shoe lesson number three. If you break your shoes, improvise.

Perhaps most important lesson here is that, contrary to popular belief, shoe does not make man (or woman). But lack of shoes sure can build character.

And it gives us a great opportunity to improvise.