Read Online You Found Me by Joel Cobbs - Free Book Online Page A

f ou r, t wo s a n c tu a r i e s o n oppo si t e s id e s o f t h e c hu r ch a n d a l a r g e f e l l o ws h ip h a l l i n th e m iddle th at c onne c te d a ll th e sq u a r e s t o get h e r . A c r o ss th e s t r e e t , the re w a s o n e bu ildi n g wi t h a gy m n a si u m, w al k i n g t r ac k , a n d a d e c e n t s i ze l obb y f o r g r ou p m eet i ng s a n d su c h . I t w as th e on ly bu ildi n g th at s too d b y i t s e lf.
    I did n 't r e a lly h a v e a n y ob j e c t i on s t o th e w ay th e f u n e r al w a s be i n g d on e a ny m o r e . A p a r t f r o m me spe a k i ng , ev e r y th i n g see m e d go o d t o m e . Pe o p le c ont i nue d c o m i n g t o me a n d g i v i n g t h e ir m o st s i n c e r e a po l og i e s. I g a v e my fa k e s m il e s a n d t h a nk s t o a ll o f the m. The y j u st ke p t c o mi ng . Pe o p le I d on 't r e m e m b e r a n d did n 't kno w w e r e c o mi n g up , hugg i n g m e , c r y i ng , a n d a po l o g i zi n g f o r so m eth i n g the y did n 't do.
    I f e lt n a u s e a te d. I s t a r te d i gno r i n g p e op le a n d w a l ke d t o th e b a t h r oo m. M y s k in w a s th r obb i n g s o b ad I c ou ld f ee l it d e e p d o wn i n side o f m e . I w al ke d i nt o a s t a ll a n d vo mi te d. I d id n 't k n o w i f it w as f r o m t h e p a in o r f r o m th e thou g ht s o f th e f une r al, b u t I kne w i t w as so m eth i n g . I w a s n 't s i c k . I nev e r ge t s ic k .
    I wi pe d my m out h wi t h t o i l e t p a p e r a n d fl u s he d it a ll d o wn th e to i l e t . I p u t t h e s e at c ov e r d o wn a n d s at d o w n . M y he ad, s k i n , a n d a n y th i n g e lse w a s h u r t i ng . I j u st s i ghe d a n d r ubbe d my he ad. I kne w I w a s go i n g t o c r y . I kne w I w a s. O u t th e r e , be y on d th e do o r s o f th e b a th r oo m s t a l l, w e r e d o z en s o f p e op le j u st w a i t i n g t o h u g m e , a sk me ho w I 'm f ee li ng , o ff e r u s e l es s w o r ds o f c o mf o r t a n d w i s d o m I w ou ld f o r ge t b y th e t i me I go t ho m e .
    I b ra c e d m y s e lf a n d l e ft th e s t a ll. I w a she d my h a n ds a n d l e ft th e b a t h r oo m. S u r e eno u gh , the re the y w e r e . P eop le r unn i n g ( alm o st l i t e ra ll y ) t o g i v e me h u g s. I t r i e d t o a vo id the m a s m u ch as I c ou ld. A g oo d f r i en d o f o u r f am i ly s t a r t e d r ubb i n g my ne c k ; I h a v e n o id e a ho w I k e p t f r o m sc r e a mi ng . H e w a s a b ig m a n , so th i s w as m o r e li k e a wa x i n g th an a r ubb i ng . I w a n t e d t o r un . T o g e t a w ay f r o m a ll t h e se pe o p le a n d j u st th i nk .
    We m ade ou r way t o th e ne w s a n c tu a r y . T h e r e w a s a p la t f o r m, w h ich e ve r yth i n g w ou ld b e d o n e f r o m, a n d th e s e a t s. We h ad d e si gn a te d s e a t s f o r u s. We sl o wly made ou r w ay t o th e pe w s th at h ad bee n r e s e r ve d f o r me a n d D ad. I s a t d o wn a n d g a v e m o r e f a k e s m il e s a n d h a n ds h a ke s. I 'd ho p e d t h at s i tt i n g d o wn w ou ld sa v e me f r o m h a v i n g my s k in b u r n m o re t h an u s u al. No w, j u st a bou t ev e r y on e c ame d o wn t h e a i sle a n d p a tte d me o n th e b ac k .
    I sat t h e r e , en d u r i n g a l l th e p a in f r o m th e peop le a n d my sk i n . I t w a s a m a tt e r o f t ime no w. T h e o r g a n ist h ad s t a r te d p la y i ng , g i v i n g th e c u e it w a s t ime t o s t ar t . Th e peop le beg an t a k i n g the ir s e a t s. We w e r e o n t h e fr on t r o w, s i tt i n g l e ft o f th e p la t f o r m. I 'd n o i d e a ho w th e f un e ra l w as go i n g t o p l ay o ut . I k n e w w he n I w a s s uppo s e d t o g e t up , spe a k , a n d s i t d o wn a g ai n . Th e m i n i s t e r w al ke d t o th e po di u m. I t w a s th e m an w ho 'd hug g e d me e a rl i e r , ne a r ly t a k i n g my s k in o ff. H e w as o