What It Takes

It was years ago – perhaps in another reality – but a man came up to me and asked:

Do you have what it takes?

I said, “What are you talking about?”

What It Takes … he repeated.

Then he showed me a book.

I looked down and saw the title of the book, written large in Sharpie on Duct Tape over a floppy leather cover, it read: What It Takes.

I reached out for What It Takes and he quickly put it behind his back.

I said, “Let me see it.”

He said, What?

I said, “Give me What It Takes.”

What do you mean? he said.

“What It Takes! You showed me a book, you said it was What It Takes and now you’ve hid it from me.”

Well, that’s my point, he said, you don’t have it.

“I know,” I said. “May I have it?”

You can only have it with me attached to it …

“What? “

What it takes.

“What do you mean?”

You said, he said, that you wanted What It Takes … I’m willing to give it to you …

“Well, okay! Give me What It Takes!”

Ah … not so fast, my friend, you must …

The Orthodixie Podcast on Ancient Faith Radio.

“It Takes a Gentle Hand” – Image Source