Frank’s Fatal Fly Affair

I have written elsewhere about my friend Frank Brandon’s introduction to the power of the Holy Spirit.

The following incident is worth sharing, I believe, principally to provide insight into the faith and personality of this delightful and eccentric and pure-hearted man.

It was late spring of my senior year in college. Houston was already quite warm. Frank, a sophomore, showed up unannounced at the door of my off-campus apartment, having walked barefoot from campus.

As we sat in my living room, a housefly buzzed annoyingly in my vicinity; it was clearly more attracted to me than to Frank. I waved my hand at it a few times, but it was very fast, and my half-hearted movements were futile. After several minutes of conversation, Frank rose from his chair, several feet away from mine. What happened was so astonishing that his statement was frozen into my memory. These are pretty much his exact words: “Fly, you shouldn’t be bothering my friend Brian. In the name of Jesus I rebuke you!”

Instantly the insect dropped out of the air onto the floor, dead.

We both were frozen in place for a few seconds, our mouths slacked open. Then we both burst out laughing.