This book is a memoir, so it is the real-life collection of memories of the author told by the author. Casey Gerald opens up his memoir with I don’t want the world to end. A thought he had when he was 12-years-old.  But he was likely told that he was too young to have an opinion. He also added that nobody asked him anyway. But he figured and noted that, “if twelve is too young to think, it sure as hell is too young to die.”

Gerald is reflecting on New Year’s Eve of 1999, the end of the world, when Jesus was set to come. Let me be more specific (and this is not a spoiler alert because the book is interesting enough to hold its weight even with a few lines told, and not to mention long enough to have much more to look forward to if you plan to read it).

He goes on to say that Jesus is coming back for good reason because this world has gone to ‘waste’ since He’s been gone. Gerald made some sharp mentions that Jesus went and got Himself killed just for trying to help people, and when Jesus’ buddies began to spread this story, they would eventually be killed too. “Hung, shot and flayed even.” (Those were Gerald’s words of wit and humor).

He wraps up this narrative to say, “and still, somehow, it seems each day, there are more poor, more weak, more scorned among the earth, myself included, which is why the Son of man is on His way to pick me up.” Sitting in the sanctuary of his great-grandfather’s church, minutes before the clock strikes 12 midnight, twelve-year-old Gerald has prayed, “Lord, please take me with You when You come.” It turns midnight and to his dredge of disappointment, young Gerald was still here. He is still here. With us. To share his story.

The inspiration of the book’s title comes next, in a tiny story, and it’s pretty cool. I won’t spoil it for those who will read the book.

Gerald recalls being so many things along his curious journey of life —a poor boy, a nigger, a Yale man, a Harvard man, a faggot, a Christian, and a few other descriptions. And no lie, this news was only page 6 of this near 400-page book. I realized this journey was a problem. Gerald’s problems. My problem I had when I first started to read the book. That uneasy energy I felt. And that was the story. I could have stopped reading right there.

But this is when Gerald becomes so eloquent but also objectionable at times in his writing of his story. He took his sweet little time to tell us all about it. So, I won’t.

But I will share some of those moments and quests that Gerald faces that I think matter- to any of us. Then I will soon finish with my personal and genuine message to Gerald. Hopefully he is ok with that.

To Be Continued… in Chapter 3 Review