Chapter Four:

Jeremy:

    
“Yeah, right.”
    
“It’s the truth,” Benny said, holding up his hands to दिखाना that his fingers weren’t crossed.
    
“Whatever आप say, man.”
    
Benny thought for a moment. He had just let Jeremy Greene, a twenty-one-year-old mechanic on his way to visit his girlfriend, in on the fact that he was God.
    
“Okay, don’t believe me, that’s fine. I’m used to it, really,” Benny कहा with a laugh. “But, humour me.”
    
Jeremy huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “What do आप want me to do… repent या something?”
    
“That would be great,” Benny कहा with an expectant smile. It occurred to Jeremy that Benny hadn’t realized he was being sarcastic.
    
He stared at Benny, his eyes narrowed. “You’re insane. Do आप know that? आप are an insane man on a bus. Not God.”
    
“Hey, God has to get around somehow.”
    
“Can’t God fly?”
    
“I’m not Superman.”
    
“You’re not God, either.”
    
The two sat together for a while, not saying anything. Benny wanted to give Jeremy a मिनट to cool off. He knew that Jeremy had a bad temper and didn’t want to upset him so much that he just walked away. या hit him.
    
“You know,” Benny said, casually, “I don’t really expect आप to repent right away. Admitting things is the first step.”
    
“What did आप say?”
    
“What? Admitting things? Yeah, it’s the first step. आप know that, right?”
    
Jeremy swallowed, hard.
    
“Don’t आप know that step?”
    
“Buddy, I know all the steps.”
    
Benny nodded, slowly. “You can kick it, आप know.”
    
“Kick what?”
    
“Your dirty little secret, your bad habit.”
    
Jeremy furrowed his brow. “Excuse me?”
    
“Drinking,” Benny explained.
    
“I don’t drink.”
    
“Sure आप do. How else would आप know I was talking about the Alcoholics Anonymous twelve steps?”
    
“Lots of people know those.”
    
“Especially alcoholics.”
    
Jeremy quickly looked out the window.
    
Good, Benny thought, a reality check never hurt.
    
“You don’t have to be God to know that stuff. आप could have seen me या something,” he said, still looking out the window.
    
“I guess your right. But then again…” Benny said, drawing out his syllables irritatingly, “maybe you’re not.”
    
Jeremy didn’t say anything.
    
“You know what the सेकंड step is?” Benny asked.
    
“Yeah, uh… something about… power?”
    
“It’s coming to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity,” Benny quoted.
    
“So what?”
    
Benny flashed him a big, toothy grin. “Meet the Power greater then yourself.”