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Amazon’s recent meltdown of services was not without its bright moments. Usually, I can go into my favorite coffee place, put on my headphones, and jam while fueling up and listening to Maggie Rogers. Yesterday I was going with naked ears and it paid off.

Two guys were talking, both of them trying not to say too much, and both of them clearly not getting anywhere with the other. My table is near the window, inside, and I’m back to back with the guy with the blue shirt.

“It was five hundred dollars,” the man in the nice blue shirt said. “That sounds like a lot of money but in the context of our budget it’s not really that much.”

“The board never approved it. He can’t just hand out money without explaining why he did what he did.” The man in the white shirts replies.

Blue shirt is trying to get white shirt to do something both know is wrong.

“William is a leader. The board hired him to lead the congregation. He’s made a decision, and he expects your support. He deserves your support,” Blue Shirt says this with the tone of voice that suggests anyone disagreeing with him is the problem.

“I agree,” White Shirt replies but his tone of voice suggests he does not agree at all. “But he can’t hand out money to young women without approval. You understand the optics here, Greg. And the board isn’t going to approve the transfer of funds.”

“If the board doesn’t approve it are you going to follow protocol?” Blue Shirt spits the words out as if someone is suggesting an innocent man is being framed. He’s daring White Shirt to make an accusation openly.

“I recommend he pay the money back and not do this sort of thing again.” White Shirt sounds reasonable and calm now. This is the out. Both men fall silent for a couple of minutes. I think it’s over. It is not.

“The board doesn’t have to approve funds used to emergency assistance,” Blue Shirt says and I can feel the tension.

“She had an emergency at the beach?” White Shirt says and there’s anger now.

“That photo was taken at the beach. It’s not recent.” Blue shirt says and it sounds contrived, even from where I’m sitting.

“She posts on social media that she’s having a great time at the beach and it’s an old photo? And William tells the congregation he went to a retreat near the sea to pray? The timing is problematic. Are we going to go back through her social media and his and find out they were at the same place at the same time more than once, Ethan?” White Shirt’s cards are now on the table.

“You’re going to investigate the Pastor of your church? Do you realize how that looks? How many of the congregation will walk away? You’re hurting the whole church on nothing more than supposition? What’s this about? You want someone else in the pulpit? You want Willaim to resign? He’s done more for this church than anyone else has and you know it.” Blue Shirt sounds close to tears.

A third man joins them and the three of them sit without speaking now. My phone rings and all three stare at me as if they just notice I’m there. I have to go.

But I wonder how many churches in this area have a William as a preacher and if there will be one less by Sunday.

Take Care,

Mike