Cross Roads (20 page)

“No trouble at all. Just give me a second.” Maggie turned and entered the kitchen. She whispered, “Tony, you are going to have to shut up… way too distracting. And the man’s name is Horace. Pastor Skor to you!”

“But he’s an…”

“Shhhhhh! Not a word out of you, got that?”

“Yes, ma’am! Got it, loud and clear. Tony signing off, over and out.”

“Thank you!”

She returned to the living room, interrupting a whispered conversation, and handed the glass to the elder, who
nodded his thanks. She seated herself facing what felt like inquisitors.

“Mrs. Saunders,” began the pastor.

“Ms. Saunders, actually,” corrected Maggie. “I’m not married.” She couldn’t help but smile at Clarence and then wanted to kick herself for doing so.

“Of course. Ms. Saunders, as you know I am Pastor Skor, one of the lead pastors of the church that you have been attending for, how long now? Six, seven months?”

“Two and a half years,” answered Maggie.

“My, really? How time flies,” recovered the pastor. “Well, I am sorry that we haven’t met before, or under better circumstances, but after last night’s… uh, events, well…”

“Oh, about that…” Maggie reached over and started to pat the pastor on the knee. He immediately shifted himself in the chair out of her reach, as if she was contagious. “That was a huge misunderstanding. You see, I have been under a lot of stress, you know, with what is going on with Lindsay, and last night it sort of all came out and I am so sorry…” She knew she was stumbling through her apology but couldn’t stop herself until Pastor Skor raised a hand. She halted midsentence.

“Lindsay is your daughter?” he asked, almost with an air of concern.

“My daughter? No!” Maggie was a little shocked and glancing at Clarence saw him shake his head slightly, almost as if warning her not to go there. She turned back to the pastor. “You don’t know who Lindsay is, do you?”

“No, I am sorry I do not, but be that as it may, what is important is that you understand I have certain responsibilities at the church and among them I oversee spiritual life, the spiritual life of the members of the church.”

“Hee-haw!” brayed Tony.

Maggie slapped her leg and then rubbed it as if bitten by a mosquito, trying to warn Tony to keep quiet and not attract question. She smiled, which the pastor took as encouragement to continue.

“In light of last night’s… uh… events, I find it incumbent upon me to help shepherd and educate our people in areas where we have become entirely lax, and I take full blame and responsibility for that. God knows he has convicted my heart deeply, and I did not hardly sleep a wink last night confessing and repenting of the sinful and lazy attitudes I have had toward the Word, toward essential doctrines and the order of church polity and member behavior. Ms. Saunders, I am truly in your debt. You have done our congregation and I a huge service by bringing to light our backslidden condition. So I am really here this morning to thank you!”

With that he sat back, as did Maggie and Clarence, the latter two stunned and the pastor satisfied.

“Uh, you’re welcome, I guess?” was all Maggie could think to respond.

“It’s a trick!” Tony couldn’t help himself. “I smell a rat in the manger. I’m thinking one of the wise men is on the take!”

Maggie slapped her leg again and was about to stand when the pastor leaned forward.

“Ms. Saunders, we have a healthy and vibrant religious community. We are open to the move and work of the Holy Ghost. We allow women to fully participate in the worship and even to occasionally bring a word of prophecy to the congregation, as long as the leadership first hears and then allows it, of course. Women teach our children, and there is no greater responsibility in the world than the teaching of
our young boys and girls. They are the future of our church. We are committed to the truth that before God, we, men and women, are all equal…”

“But?” Tony whispered. “I hear a ‘but’ coming… Wait for it…”

Maggie slapped and rubbed.

“Both men and women are able to express the gifts of the Holy Ghost; both men and women are essential to the life and growth of the church…”

“Wait for it…” The leg slap was a little firmer and more pronounced, but the pastor paid no attention.

“… And we affirm the Word, which declares there is no longer male or female, but…” And now he grew even more somber, moving forward slightly before he looked deep into her eyes.

“Ta-da!” Tony said, gloating. “Didn’t I see that one coming… This pompous dork sounds just like… me actually.”

“But the Word is speaking of how God sees us, not about how we function in the church, and we must always remember that God is a God of order. It is vital that each person play their part, and as long as they stay within the roles God has mandated, the church functions as it was meant to and the health of the body is maintained and even celebrated.

“Now, Ms. Saunders, I would like to show you a passage in my Bible,” and with that he produced a well-worn and aged King James Version, opening it directly to a place that had been marked in preparation for this meeting. Clarence sat forward in his chair, his attention riveted on the pastor and his Bible.

“Now it says, right here in First Corinthians, chapter 14; let me read this for you, Ms. Saunders, and you can follow along if you like, starting right here at verse 34: ‘Let your
women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.’ ”

Having emphasized four words in the reading—
commanded, obedience, law
, and
husband
—he closed the book and sat back, nodding to himself in an entirely sanctified manner. “Now, Ms. Saunders, as it has now come to light that you are not married and therefore have no husband, and as it says here you are to ask your ‘husband,’ then the church male leadership stands in place of your husband as your head and covering; and if you have any questions, I would like to make myself available to you personally for counsel and encouragement in all matters spiritual.”

The silence that descended in that moment was not holy. It was awkward. Even Tony was speechless. Maggie had no idea what she was supposed to do with this invitation.

“It’s sarcasm!” Maggie and the pastor both turned to Clarence, who had spoken in a tone firm and sure.

“Excuse me?” The interruption caught Skor by surprise, but he recovered professionally. “Elder Walker, I asked you along because you know Ms. Saunders and I thought your presence might be helpful, but as we discussed earlier, you are not here to speak but to be a witness.”

“It is sarcasm,” Clarence stated a second time, clearly and slowly. If he was upset, he covered it well behind a stone face, focused and intent.

“What are you talking about, Brother Walker? Do you think I am being sarcastic?” There was an edge of challenge in Skor’s voice, which Clarence expertly deflected.

“No, sir, not you. The apostle Paul. I believe that the
apostle Paul was being sarcastic when he wrote what you read.”

“Well, Clarence, did you go to a Bible school or seminary that I didn’t know about?” The tone now was clearly condescending. “Have you suddenly gotten ordained so that you understand all mysteries? Do you not believe that the Holy Ghost leads us into all truth?”

There was more than a challenge now, and still Clarence didn’t bite.

“I do, sir, believe that the Holy Spirit leads us into truth, but sometimes we can’t see the building for the underbrush, and sometimes it takes time for our eyes to heal.”

Skor whipped out his Bible again, for a second time turning to the marked passage, and stuck it out in Clarence’s direction. “So show me. And remember, I have been to Bible school and seminary, and I know the Greek pretty well.”

Clarence took the Bible from the older man’s hands and held it so both of them could see. “Here,” he said and pointed. “Look at this next verse. It begins with ‘What?’ which is the first of three questions. None of these three questions make any sense whatsoever unless Paul is being sarcastic, that the point he is actually making is the opposite of what you just told Maggie. He is quoting a letter that these folk sent him with questions, and he is in total disagreement with what they have written to him.”

“That’s utter nonsense. Let me see that!” And he grabbed his Bible from the hands of the elder. A moment of silence passed as the pastor read and reread the passage.

Maggie, her eyes like saucers, hardly dared breathe.

“What about the law Paul was quoting?” challenged Skor.

“Show it to me,” returned Clarence.

“Show you what?”

“Show me the law that Paul was quoting.”

Skor was flustered in the presence of a man undeterred, and as often happens when someone is caught inside their own assumptions, he changed the argument to something more personal. “You, young man, are contradicting centuries of church history, of theological minds much smarter and wiser than either of ours, and they agree with me. This has now become more than a situation where a woman has created an uproar by drawing unholy attention to herself…”

“Excuse me?” sputtered Maggie.

“I think you should hold your tongue, sir!” advised Clarence, but the pastor was beyond that ability.

“As an authority in the church and one to whom you answer, Clarence, you need to submit yourself and embrace what the Scriptures say.”

“I’m sorry, sir, but I don’t answer to you. I am a Portland police officer. I answer to God, and I answer to the people in my community.”

“Well! Then you have chosen your place alongside this… this… this jezebel.” Skor instantly regretted his loss of control, as both Maggie and Clarence rose from their chairs. Clarence towered over the man. “It’s best you apologize, sir! That was way outta line!”

“You’re right,” the pastor acquiesced. “I apologize for my lack of control. I am sorry,” he stated to Maggie, turning his attention back to Clarence, anger visibly rising above his shirt collar, starched and imprisoning. “But you, young man, along with this woman, are no longer welcome at my church. I expect your letter of resignation from the Elder Board as soon as you can get it to me.”

“You do whatever you need to do, Mr. Skor, but I refuse to send you any such thing, and I would also suggest that you leave this house. Now!” His tone was measured and sure, but there was no doubt of the intent and strength behind it.

“I love this guy!” exclaimed Tony, and Maggie allowed the slightest of grins to dance on her lips, which she was biting.

Without any further conversation Pastor Skor quickly vacated the premises, slammed the door of his automobile, and slowly drove down the street under the watchful eye of the police officer.

“Lord, save us from those who haven’t been caught yet,” he sighed mostly to himself. Then on his radio he called the precinct before turning back to Maggie. “I checked in and they’re sending over a cruiser in a few minutes to pick me up. I’m so sorry, Maggie,” he apologized. “I don’t think Horace is a bad man, he just doesn’t know any better. I had no idea what was coming down, and I’m embarrassed that I was any part of it.”

“Are you kidding?” hooted Tony. “Apart from last night, that was the most fun I’ve had since I can remember.”

“Uh… about last night…,” she began, but he didn’t let her finish.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” he exclaimed, reaching into his coat pocket and holding up a small ziplock. “The real reason I came with Horace was to return this. I think it belongs to you. I don’t often find a woman’s earring embedded in my clothes.”

Maggie was more elated than embarrassed. “Oh, Clarence, thank you! This is one of a pair that’s all I have from my mom and it means a lot to me. What can I say?”

And before Tony could scream, “Don’t kiss him!” she
turned, embraced her hero, and planted a big one right on his cheek.

“Crap!” Tony groaned as he started to slide.

As he emerged from the darkness, he found himself looking directly at Maggie. If kindness and affection were colors with attached emotions, he knew that is what he was feeling, right before the familiar wave of adrenaline picked him up.

Clarence pulled back and reached for his gun. “Maggie,” he whispered, “is there a man here?”

“Oops!” uttered Tony, and Clarence spun around to look behind him.

Maggie knew instantly what had happened.

“Uh, Clarence?” He turned back, hypervigilant and looking past her into the rest of the house. “Clarence, look at me!” she commanded.

“What!” he whispered, but seeing no movement finally locked his eyes on Maggie.

“We need to talk, quickly, because your police buddies are coming and there are things you need to know before they get here. Come and sit down.”

Clarence chose a chair where his back would be against a wall and sat down slowly, his senses still on alert. Only then did he turn his attention back to Maggie.

“Maggie, I swear I heard a man say, ‘Crap,’ ” he asserted.

“Well, you probably did…” Clarence looked right at her, confused. “But the man isn’t in my house, he’s in your head.”