Imagine the Dog

Book excerpt: Ricky Rudolph experiences a revelation that causes him to believe that he has been called by God to imitate Jesus, literally. He embarks on a personal journey of religious study and learns a few magic tricks that lead to his self-employment performing wedding ceremonies while portraying Jesus. At one such wedding he is approached by a young man named France who requests that Ricky officiate at his mother’s funeral. However, haunted by the deaths of his father and his mentally ill sister, Ricky declines. He’d rather focus on happy occasions and trying to get the beautiful but reserved Beatta, who owns the liquor store he frequents, to give him the time of day. Ricky’s youngest daughter Linda shows up pregnant and in need of his help. France won’t go away either and now almost homeless, leans on Ricky for support and a place to stay. Ricky’s once quiet life suddenly includes two young people in need of care he’s not sure he can give and all of this challenges his efforts to keep up the façade of righteous hipness he’s so carefully cultivated.