The coliseum was huge, there was probably fifty or sixty thousand people attending. Everything was as Frank had expected, designed and coordinated to emit as much emotion. As they entered the building, music and the songs of a choir filled the arena. Before the program even started, a bucket was being passed and people dropped cash and checks inside. When one bucket was filled, another empty one took its place. As the bucket made its way to Frank, he passed it to Bill.
“It is a bucket,” he said.
“You thought I was kidding?” answered Bill.
There were hymns and prayers and the normal things one would expect at such an event, but when Reverend Billy Taylor came out everything changed. The music and the choir was louder and everything that was done was done on cue. As Frank had observed so well on television, everything was perfectly coordinated.
Traylor’s prayers got louder and stronger. He would walk up to a row of people and touch one on the head and the entire area would fall back in their seats. He would pray some more, touch a man in another group, and that group would fall. This action circled the stage. The music got even louder and Taylor’s prayers moved even faster. People were crying and some where speaking in what Frank assumed were “tongues”.
Frank was going to punch Bill and ask him if what he heard were people speaking in tongues, but Bill was gone. Frank assumed nature had called. But Frank really wished Frank was there because the entire production was growing more and more emotional.
Then, a brief silence and Billy Taylor began to sing. Behind him, the choir followed humming in perfect unison. As the choir continued to hum their song, the lights were dimmed and Taylor informed the audience it was time for those who needed the lord to come forward.
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