“SUUU – ZZY…I’’M HOO-OME.” Benny sets the suitcase down, takes off his over coat.
Suzanne sashays from across the room. “Hi Ben, how was Anaheim?” She kisses him on the cheek. They break their embrace, Benny reaches for the suitcase, opens it, and points: “Four hundred three thousand eighty-two dollars!”
“OH MY GOD!” Suzanne’s hands comb thru the cash and checks. She stops, closes the lid, and looks up at him with doe-like eyes, “Benny, I want to--“
“NNOOOW SUU-ZZZZY,” his hands come up to his hips, his stare is stern, “We’ve talked about this before. I dun’t want you preaching at my conferences.”
“But Benny, I can sing. I can dance. I, I, I can fall down as good as anybody else on your staff.“
“I’ve told you before, it takes years and years of practice.”
“But BEN-NNY--”
“For the last time, NO!” His finger comes up to her face, “NOT ANOTHER WORD.” He picks up the suitcase. “I’ve got to go to the bank. When I get back, we'll go out and celebrate.” He turns and leaves.
Disappointed again, Suzanne drops on the couch. Bored, she looks around the living room of their $5 million mansion, and sighs.
She reaches for the remote and turns on the big screen TV and VCR. Benny’s theme song ‘How Great Thou Art’ starts, she fast-forwards thru the opening and sermon. She presses PLAY at the spot where the audience starts falling backwards. As she rewinds the tape, the people do a reverse “slain in the Spirit” as rows of bodies rise up off their backs. Benny’s cheeks puff out and in, his hand stabs at the air moving double time. She presses PLAY and stands close to the TV, carefully studying Benny’s movements, mimics his hand waving, yells “FIRE” with him, and blows like he blows.
“Heck, anybody can do this! You just got ta have the right gimmick. If Benny’d only give me a chance.” Her arms cross as she paces the floor thinking. She stops. Her eyes light up, “Yeah, it just might work!”
From behind the curtain, Suzanne watches Benny on stage. She listens as he tells the packed-out stadium his plans to build a memorial prayer garden.
Gosh, must be over 30,000 people out there, she tells herself. Well, she takes a deep breath, it’s now or never!
“Remember, you’re giving to further the kingdom of God,” Benny says as he nears the end of his pitch. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Suzanne walking on to the platform.
Everyone begins clapping at her entrance.
“SUZY?” Flabbergasted, he looks at her then back at the audience, “Er…you all know my wife.”
More clapping as he streaches out a hand to her.
Suzanne has a wide-eyed glazed look on her face. She’s looking up towards the blinding overhead lights, her head cocked, an ear pointing upwards. She slowly walks across the stage, trips over a camera cable, but gracefully catches herself.
At the microphone she begins, “Yes Lord, I hear you... I’ll do anything you ask, You know I will.”
Her hand comes up to the turned ear, “Say what? Tell the people you want to talk thru me? But Lord, I--Say what? You want to pour out your spirit thru me to all these people? Tell them what? They need a what? Yes Lord, I’ll tell them they need a Holy Ghost enema!”
She blinks several times, comes out of the trance. Taking a deep breathe, she runs across the stage emitting a high-piecing scream.
She drops to the floor, her feet begin kicking wildly in the air. She rolls across the floor, her voice blaring as she bounces off a couple of the singers causing three to tumble.
Suzy takes a quick peek at the front row to make sure she has their attention. She does, and rolls around more.
Her shrieking stops as a cold hand embraces her throat. She looks up.
Benny is staring down at her, his mouth tight, eyes red and bulging. Before he can say anything, she grabs his arm and pulls herself up.
“Ben… Benny, what happened?” she asks as she turns to look out at all the eyes watching.
I DID IT. I’M OUT IN FRONT OF ALL THESE PEOPLE. Her breathing quickens, nose flaring. The adrenaline rush is exhilarating. Her head feels light, What a feeling! This is what it’s all about. This is gotta be why he does it! And to think, he gets paid for doing it! Her heart is pounding. Her eyes blink, the audience is fuzzy then goes out of focus. Her hands and arms start to tingle. Both legs go numb. Suddenly, everything goes black.
“Mrs. Hinn…Mrs. Hinn…You’ll be okay. I’m Dr. Rogers, you’re at Mt Sinai hospital."
Confused, she looks at him.
"You're fine. You hyperventilated causing you to pass out. Do you remember? It was during your husband’s… conference. He wants to see you, but I'm advising him not to right now. We have him under heavy sedation. Seems his blood pressure was unusually high. We’re keeping him for observation, I’m sure he’ll be fine after a few days rest. I’m afraid he’ll have to postpone a couple of his crusades. Mrs. Hinn, can you hear me?”
Suzy hears but her mind is on other important things, Benny would want the show to go on, what dress should I wear? Which earrings? OOOH, I'll need some new shoes...