The Surprise Twist
Illustration
by Carl Jech

A Methodist minister who just died was being shown around heaven by St. Peter. A couple minutes into the tour he saw an old friend of his. But it was a disturbing sight. Attached to his friend's leg by a large chain was the most hideous blob of sticky protoplasm he had ever seen. "What is that?" he asked St. Peter, scarcely able to control his horror.

"Oh," said St. Peter. "Well, you see your friend was far from perfect in his life on earth and this is his punishment."

A little further on the man saw another friend with an even more hideous blob attached to his leg. "I guess Leo did quite a few bad things in his life too, eh?" "I'm afraid so," St. Peter responded.

Going on the man suddenly recognized [name someone here that can take a joke being told on them], who also had a chain attached to his leg. But at the other end of the chain was Dolly Parton! "My goodness!" exclaimed the tourist. "Bishop Anderson must have been a very good fellow while he was on earth to receive Dolly Parton (or use a more contemporary star) as his reward!"

"Oh, no, no," said St. Peter, "you don't understand. The Bishop is Dolly Parton's punishment!"

CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Shadows and Symbols: Surprising Symbols of Easter, by Carl Jech