On a recent cloudy morning, I was minutely contributing to the efforts of the conservation of the environment by taking public transit. No gas-guzzlers for me when I commute to work, especially with the way fuel prices have been steadily creeping up in the past weeks. Besides, I’m the type of driver you would NOT want to see in your rear view mirror during rush hour.

While I was waiting for the bus, I felt a gentle tap-tap on my left arm. I spun around and my eyes fell on this petite woman with a grandmotherly vibe. Her salt-and-pepper hair was neatly wrapped up in a bun, with a few coils of hair swinging freely about the frame of her face. With one hand, she hugged the moss green shawl that was draped around her shoulders closer to her body. With the other wrinkled and vein-ridden hand, she ventured out a tightly clenched pamphlet towards me. “Would you like to learn more about how you can be saved?” the woman inquired in a syrupy sweet voice.

With my arms crossed, I looked down at the folded paper and looked back up. The woman held me in a steady gaze while her question lingered in the air between us. I unflinchingly eyed her back, while fast and furious thoughts were running through my noggin at the speed of light. I felt like shouting to her:

“Lady, are you kidding me? Why don’t you take your prunely butt on over to those who need a helluva lot more saving than I do? People like Ted Haggard, Eliot Spitzer, and those priests and bishops in the Catholic Church. Let’s not forget about Warren Jeffs, the ringleader of the untraditional Mormon sect who recently had over 400 children seized from their compound? Certain people who are in high and mighty positions whose moral fiber beings are questionable, at best.

“Why are you here passing out pamphlets to the people here at the transit station? These people are a slice of everyday America…the majority of whom are living paycheck to paycheck. These people from all walks of life who managed to converge at the station this gray and cloudy morning are trying to lead a decent life, while a select few in position of power continue to bankrupt the wellbeing of the country. These politicians who have one hand on the bible promising to uphold the high standards of the offices they are elected/appointed to, but the other hand is wrapped around a beer (a lá Bush). Even better, they are caught with their pants down around the ankles (thanks, Clinton).”

Then my mind geared up for the last of my runaway train-esqué thoughts: “What you need to do, Grandma, is take your brand of sugary-spun sales pitch and go somewhere else to sweeten up those countless poor souls who could definitely use a reminder or two of the consequences of living in sin. Or, even better, why don’t you stick those pamphlets where the sun don’t shine?”

Only a few seconds transpired, but it felt like an eternity. Just then, the rays of the sun bursted through the clouds. Talk about timing… a moment of clarity. Or perhaps a sign from the Man/Woman upstairs? In any case, I realized what was really bothering me was to see people who have the Holy Ghost ingrained in them trying to preach to the regular Joes and Janes the virtues of living by God’s will. And yet we continue to put our faith in public servants and religious figures who continually abuse our trust. I don’t see someone handing these “sinners” pamphlets.

Now I am not claiming to be a saint, because I am so far away from that. With my faults and flaws, I am definitely not Mother Theresa. I am only human, like the prominent people I mentioned. The difference between them and me is that I’m not playing a crazed game of wack-a-mole with people’s beliefs, convictions, and purported perception of me.

But I do know the small-framed woman locking eyes with me is not the one to blame. She is simply preaching to the choir. I just think her message is being sung to the wrong choir. Affecting a disinterested nod, I politely refused her offer. “Thanks, but no thanks,” I said and I then glanced away.