She was different, the wee tender girl.
She talked differently, dressed differently, loved differently. Like the charming allure of a red rose in spring and the daunting stance of a Glamorgan rock, so stood her morality - in a way that shamed, humiliated and infuriated.
So, they hatched a plan to erase that shame, the shame that burnt like the heat of a nagging fever, the virulence of a venereal disease, like a bad boil in a pudendal area.
There had to be something still human in that frame, still flawed in those eyes, imperfect in those toes.
But, she would neither party nor get into a compromising position. She wouldn't go loose - said she was keeping it for the he. She wouldn't lie, wouldn't cheat, wouldn't hate; wouldn't curse, wouldn't swear, wouldn't smear.
Week after week kept they watch - on social media, at work, at play. Week after week poked they, nudged they, laid they snares.
But week after week left they disappointed, eyes weak from self-imposed insomnia, from watching her laugh, joke and dance, completely oblivious.
But like a light-bulb moment did it come. The idea so brilliant, sudden and woke.
"He's trans." they said. "Whatcha say? Agree or disagree?"
"Agree? No. Respect and love him still? Yes." came the answer.
Bingo! There it was - Bigot.
The label looked good on her, humiliating, incriminating, thoroughly satisfying - Bigot!
They pulled the strings some more. Would be totally foolish not to - abortion, homosexuality, morality.
And failed she all their "tests".
Bigot. It worked so well.
"Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.
Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God." (Daniel 6:4,5)
Friends, let this be their testimony: "We shall not find any occasion against this person, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God."
Do not be found within the vicinity of rubbish.
