The World Was My Shepherd
by
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The Royal Baby
Now it was my turn; I moved cautiously forward at the beckoning of the shellback and his whipping hose, creeping ever closer to this caldron of degradation, this trial by jury, sanctioned by my seaworthy peers.
As I entered the circle the master-at-arms stood tall and firm, towering over my crouched body, demanding obedience and loyalty to a yet unseen figure that was directly behind him. Foreboding and unyielding he slowly stepped to one side to reveal the royal baby, a first class petty officer with way too much girth for one man, leaning forward on his throne with a thick, black grease smeared all over his behemoth gut. At the epicenter of this monstrously large pile of grease and abdominal outcropping was a strategically placed, clean red cherry.
Paradoxical as this was I had no time to contemplate the hidden meaning and symbolism behind this grotesque display of fat and petroleum, and I was then instructed by the master-at-arms to remove the ripe cherry from the baby’s belly, using nothing but my lips. Not to show disrespect, cautiously I leaned in towards this man and his ocean-sized gut, carefully planning the cherries removal as I lowered my head. With so much thick grease smattered all over his stomach I knew this would not be an easy task.
When my head was about six inches from this tart little fruit, I began the maneuvering and puckering of my lips to pick the lonesome cherry. Suddenly, without warning, the royal baby reaches out, grasps my head tightly between his two paws and pulls my face into his greasy mass of voluminous flesh, violently rocking my head from side to side, completely engulfing my entire face and parts of my ears in this human grease trap. Needless to say, I didn’t retrieve the cherry.
A towel was thrust at me as I pulled away from fatso, and I was given just enough time to wipe off the bigger mounds of grease before resuming my place in the herd, awaiting my next torturous event.
With no time to discuss the finer points of bobbing-for-cherries, the line of wogs proceeded aft as we made our way on all fours to what appeared to be the fantail, where from what I could see from my vantage point was a large open tub.
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About the Book
The World Was My Shepherd shares the story of Ben Shocklin’s life. Filled with hope and security, he had a childhood most people only dream of—lots of family time, vacations, game nights, and time with friends. His life suddenly changes after viewing disturbing images and experiencing inconsistent, improper behavior from the God-fearing parents he placed on a pedestal. What began as an idyllic childhood transformed into something entirely different.
His experiences with intimacy and normal relationships were hindered by this distorted past, leading him through a life of worldly desires and an occasional glimpse of greatness through Christ. He takes us through the good and bad, the righteous and the evil of this world, explicitly detailing his life experiences with teenage love, a failed marriage, drug-filled naval adventures, addictions, lost romance, accidental death, and sexual escapades while trying to get sober in AA.
Though aware that God was present in his life, again and again Ben fell victim to his own desires, Satan’s temptations, and a secular world full of hedonism, hypocrisy, and contradiction. The World Was My Shepherd is Ben’s personal journey brought to life through provocative reflection, graphic imagery, and candid storytelling.
About the Author
Ben Shocklin, currently working full time in the Public Works Sector for a small municipality, eagerly awaits his retirement. After graduating from high school, he served in the US Navy for six years. He and his wife live in Upstate New York.