Subject: Scratching My Head In The Sunshine State
Dear Steve and Shirley,
I recently met a lady down here in the Sunshine State” who at first seemed to be a woman of high esteem, full of honesty and integrity. She is over the age of 40. I am over 50. Both of us are divorced for several years. She is self-employed. I am retired. We met during a walk in the neighborhood. She told me she is in the ministry for more than 10 years. I was initially attracted to her self-description as well as her physical beauty. She invited me to swim in her back yard pool. We both had shared that we could swim during one of our conversations. It turned out to be a very nice evening of relaxing exercise for me, but she didn’t get in the pool. She just watched me swim. Something did not seem right after that so I checked public information. Within days, I discovered her several arrests for fraud, domestic violence, knowingly driving without a license and more during the same years she said she has been in the ministry. I politely confronted her about her perjury and misrepresentation to me, including her different names, ages and how long she has lived in the area because of her highly inconsistent comments to me. I thought she might give me a testimony about, for example, “How I Used To Be” but “Now look What God Can Do” stories. That didn’t happen. She turned on me, but not before we had consensual sex within two weeks at that time. It was passionate and spontaneous. The kitty cat was good to me. Next I received a naked photo from her. I began to shake my head, no pun intended. Early, early one Sunday morning, I asked her what she was doing that day, thinking we might get together. She responded, “I will be in Church ALL day.” That also turned out not be be true. She turned into someone after that different from my perception as a seasoned minister. Steve, we all have done things based on the way we were. I understand that. No problem. It’s good to focus on who we are in the present and our hope for the future.
I asserted myself a little thinking she has an open mind. We clashed and it didn’t last. I tried to diffuse her anger. Didn’t work.
Steve, I had sensed a potential “set-up” so I put my guard up. She put her guard up too. Those initial qualities I admired in her was making me scratch my head even though I wasn’t itch’n. This whole damn thing of deception made me upset. Steve, it is obvious me and this minister of the Gospel played together. Is it time we pray together? Or should we just lean not to our own understanding?
Listen to Shirley Strawberry and Nephew Tommy respond to this letter below:
