Stars and Bars

 

Jacob grew up in town, was circumcised proper American, by a doctor in the city. Daddy taught him to shoot, like his daddy done, said “your gun is Freedom, boy; never let ‘em take it.”

Jacob painted a rebel flag on his first car, because mama told him “only hate those who hate freedom;” he thought he knew what that meant from TV.

But Rachel would point to the night from their bed on his hood at stars uncaptured by bars, but they winked too fast and far, so he wrestled with God till he knew which protesting city to point his Freedom at.