Kwazi was watching me intently as I sat with Willard in the break room. He and I were discussing the Bible when Kwazi, a devout Muslim, walked in...
The break room is where the prison's kitchen workers could hang out, play cards or chess, or simply rest awhile until we have to return to our assigned areas.
Willard is a large black man of about 270 pounds, and he's roughly 6'2" in height. I've known him for several years. He is a soft-spoken individual, very smart and well read. He reminds me of the proverbial "gentle giant."
Over time, Willard and I had had many discussions about God and "religion." And today Willard asked me a question about the life of Christ. So as I was in the process of answering him, in came Kwazi. I've known him for a long time, too. Kwazi is a determined recruiter for the prison's mosque. In fact it was only several days ago when I came across Kwazi and Willard engaged in a discussion about Islam.
But this time Kwazi saw me as a competitor. He's been trying to get Willard's soul, yet so have I. Meanwhile, Willard is somewhere in the middle, not sure of what he wants to believe in.
Nevertheless, I could tell by Kwazi's facial expression that he was not happy to find me speaking to Willard. When he first entered the break room, Kwazi greeted us with a pleasant hello. Then he took a seat about six or seven feet away where he proceeded to fix his eyes upon me and Willard. Kwazi had a noticeable frown as his watching eyes seemed to blaze into us. It was a creepy and uncomfortable feeling for me. Yet Willard and I were able to talk for a few more minutes before our time was up.
D.B.
Willard and Kwazi are not their real names.
Willard is a large black man of about 270 pounds, and he's roughly 6'2" in height. I've known him for several years. He is a soft-spoken individual, very smart and well read. He reminds me of the proverbial "gentle giant."
Over time, Willard and I had had many discussions about God and "religion." And today Willard asked me a question about the life of Christ. So as I was in the process of answering him, in came Kwazi. I've known him for a long time, too. Kwazi is a determined recruiter for the prison's mosque. In fact it was only several days ago when I came across Kwazi and Willard engaged in a discussion about Islam.
But this time Kwazi saw me as a competitor. He's been trying to get Willard's soul, yet so have I. Meanwhile, Willard is somewhere in the middle, not sure of what he wants to believe in.
Nevertheless, I could tell by Kwazi's facial expression that he was not happy to find me speaking to Willard. When he first entered the break room, Kwazi greeted us with a pleasant hello. Then he took a seat about six or seven feet away where he proceeded to fix his eyes upon me and Willard. Kwazi had a noticeable frown as his watching eyes seemed to blaze into us. It was a creepy and uncomfortable feeling for me. Yet Willard and I were able to talk for a few more minutes before our time was up.
D.B.
Willard and Kwazi are not their real names.
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