right , behind him . What was that ? It was so loud , not from the radio .
“ AVROM ,” came the voice again .
My god , thought Avrom , I ’ m going nuts . I ’ m hearing voices . Why ? Why now ? He was freaking out . He tried to stay calm , hoping it would go away , like a chest pain he thought was a heart attack but turned out to be gas .
Suzanne had told him that she used to hear voices during her psychic phase , but then she had been delusional , seeing spirits filling her room . His daughter , Rachel , used to say she heard voices when she was very little , but they ’ d gone away .
He always thought that when people heard voices it was all in their heads , just their own thoughts attacking them . But he ’ d heard this from outside . And it was loud . It boomed so that it seemed as though every car on the road should have heard it . It was loud in volume , but the timbre of the voice was soft , yet scary . Ominous .
“ PULL OVER AVROM ,” said the voice , “ I DON ’ T WANT YOU TO GET IN AN ACCIDENT .”
Avrom pulled to the side of the road . He was gripping the wheel so tightly he thought he could feel it flex , as if it were about to snap . He was shaking , “ Wh-wh-who are you , what are you ?” he asked .
“ I am God .” The voice was a little less strident now , “ The God you don ’ t really believe in . The one who is too simple for your sophisticated conception of existence .”
“ Wha-a-a-a-t ?” Stuttered Avrom , “ Bu-bu-but , why are you here ?”
Avrom thought he could feel God smile , as he heard the voice say , “ That ’ s a rather silly question . I am everywhere ,” said God . “ If you mean why are you now cognizant of my presence , it is because I have come to command you , Avrom . I have come to make a pact with you so that you may lead the world to righteousness .”
“ No .” Protested Avrom . “ This isn ’ t real . I must be nuts . Totally crazy . I ’ m losing my mind .”
“ No ,” said God . “ This is real .” “ But why me ?” asked the astounded Avrom .
“ Another funny question , particularly coming from you , Avrom . Haven ’ t you always felt that you were great but undiscovered ? That you couldn ’ t manifest your desires . You walked like a stranger in the world , and you didn ’ t understand , so you thought that you understood too much . You couldn ’ t believe , so you couldn ’ t participate . You wasted your life .”
“ But I ’ ve changed ,” Avrom protested .
“ And I have not .” The voice intoned . “ I have just been waiting . Now , I am giving you what you always wanted — confirmation of the mystery of the universe , proof that I exist , and a mission to perform on my behalf .”
The red lights flashing in his rearview mirror startled Avrom . He felt like he ’ d just woken from a dream . He heard banging on the window .
“ Roll down the window ,” said the cop with the no-nonsense look staring out from his white motorcycle helmet .
Avrom ’ s eyes went to the cop ’ s bulky jacket and the heavy gun strapped to his waist . “ Yes Officer , what is it ?” he asked .
“ This is a no-stopping zone ,” came hurriedly out of the cop ’ s mouth . “ Is something wrong ?”
Avrom had been shaking all the way home . What if he ’ d told the cop that he ’ d pulled over because God had told him to ? Would God have bailed him out ? What should he tell Suzanne , Avrom wondered , as he opened the front door .
Suzanne was getting ready for work . “ God spoke to me ,” blurted Avrom .
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