McGee: Answer door at own risk

It was another sunny Saturday morning on the High Plains and I was just kicking back at home.

The doorbell rang.

I wasn’t expecting anyone. I pondered whether to just stay in the recliner or get up and answer the door. I got up and looked out the window.

I smiled, put my hand on the door and opened it to a bright, cheery lady who handed me a card.

“Hi there, I just stopped by to invite your family to our church,”

she said.

“Thank you,” I said. “But we have everything under control in that department.”

“What do you mean under control?” said the woman, as she braced her foot against my screen door.

“Just what I said, ma’am,” I said while maintaining my smile.

“Well,” she said, raising her voice, “Everyone at MY church is

going to heaven.”

‘Why?’ I wondered in my head. ‘Do they all have special tickets?’

“Really?” I asked.

“What do you mean REALLY?” she responded, her voice rising more.

“I believe the deal is we do our best then admission to heaven is up to The Lord,” I said.

“I’M SO TIRED OF EVERYONE TELLING ME THAT,” the woman yelled. I had obviously touched a nerve here. “EVERYONE IN MY CHURCH IS GOING TO HEAVEN.”

There was a long pause between us.

“Ma’am, I’m closing my door now and you have a nice day,” I said, still smiling because I was afraid the next thing she’d do was hit me with her purse.

“Sir, sir, I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m just tired of people arguing with me.”

There was another long pause between us.

“You have a nice day,” I said as I closed the door.

The Lady of the House has often told me I don’t have to answer the door for every person who rings our bell.

Now I know why.