****
Allen couldn’t help but feel a little nervous as he approached the brownstone where Callie lived. Allen pressed the buzzer to her apartment, and not without much reticence.
“Who is it?” He heard her ask.
“It’s Allen”, he answered, his voice cracking a bit. There was no buzz back. Yep, she was mad all right. Allen took out his cell phone and dialed her number.
“Hello”, she answered with an attitude.
“I’m sorry, Callie. Whatever it is that you’re mad about, I’m really sorry. Now could you please buzz me in so we can talk about this like two mature adults?”
“You should have called first. How dare you just drop by unannounced! How do you know if I have company or not? And what kind of apology is that if you don’t even know what you’re apologizing for?” Callie blared into the phone.
“You’ve never had a problem with me dropping by before, and how would I know what you’re mad about when you’re giving me the silent treatment?”
“So it took you nearly two months to figure out I was giving you the silent treatment? It took you two months to even think of coming by to see me? Really makes me feel special.”
“Callie, as much as I’d like to work things out between us, I’m not going to do it from the front stoop. You can either let me in or I’m hanging up and going home.”
Callie hung up the phone. A few tense seconds passed before Callie rang the buzzer to let Allen in. It was a two family house and Callie lived on the second floor. Allen took the stairs two at a time until he reached her apartment. He tried the door, but it was still locked so he knocked. Allen could hear her stomping toward the door in fury. All at once the door swung open.
Callie stood with one hand on her hip. She was wearing the cutest little flower print pajama set with a matching terry robe along with a very angry glower on her face. Allen couldn’t help but notice that even when she was angry she was beautiful.
“Can I come in?”
“The door’s open, isn’t it?”
Allen maneuvered carefully past Callie into her tiny apartment. Allen hadn’t been here in such a long time that at first he thought she had changed the décor, but then realized that she had only had the walls painted ice pink instead of the white he remembered. It was neat and sparsely furnished with a feminine touch. The rose-colored velvet sofa was still the same, as well as the tapestry covered armchairs, and the mahogany tables.
“I’m sorry about leaving you out of the loop. But you have to admit your part, too. If you want me to know that something’s wrong, the last thing you should do is give a brother the silent treatment.”
“It’s not just leaving me out of the loop, Allen. For a long time now you’ve been taking me for granted. There have been times when I have done nothing short of walk on live coals for you and then to have you treat me like a mere acquaintance? That hurts, Allen.”
“When have I ever treated you as less than a friend?”
“Like at the Election Night party. How come I was the last one to know about your job? Huh? And what about you and Tamiko and Tim having dinner together every Sunday? Every Sunday, and you don’t even think of inviting me. And what about your new friend, David? When was I supposed to meet him?”
“First of all, I didn’t want anyone to know about my job. My mom blurted it out when we were having dinner. Then I thought word would get back to you anyway. And maybe you would have been invited to dinner and you would have met Davis had you not decided to throw a temper tantrum and cut everybody off.”
“Now you’re saying I’m childish.”
“Don’t put words in my mouth, Callie. I didn’t say that.”
“Well, only children have tantrums.”
“I want to make things right between us Callie! What do you want me to do?!”
“Maybe be there for me for once!”
“I’m always here for you, Callie.”
“Not since you’ve been off on your spiritual journey. It’s all about you and your God and it seems like you don’t have time for anyone who’s not a church going Christian.”
“So that’s what this is really about, isn’t it? You can’t deal with the fact that I want a real relationship with God.”
“Allen, I could care less who or what you worship, but does it have to consume your whole life? Isn’t there room for people of different faiths?”
“Callie, I’m a Christian. For a long time, I didn’t know what that meant. Now I know that my life is in Christ. He is my life now. I can’t and won’t compromise that for anybody.”
“So are you saying that we can’t be friends any more?”
“That’s up to you Callie. If you can respect my beliefs…”
“You mean that your way is the only way and if I don’t believe in Jesus I’m going to hell? Right?”
“Could you tell me just what is so repulsive to you about believing in God and in Jesus His Son? The Buddhists believe their way is the only way, so do the Hindus, and the Muslims, but no one ever gets upset when someone espouses one of those faiths. But let someone say they’re a Christian and you’re ready to pillory them for what they believe.”
“Maybe because Christians have used their God to sanction the senseless suffering of so many people on this planet…”
“And people of other religions haven’t?”
Allen was silent for a moment. He wanted her to understand.
“Callie, why don’t you come to church with me. Then maybe you’d understand…”
“Or maybe you could get me to convert? Be what you want me to be?”
“That’s not what it would be about!” said Allen trying not to shout. He was losing his patience. It just seemed like he couldn’t win with her. “You said you wanted to be included and then when I try to include you, you say no.”
“Because again it’s all about you! I have to get with your program! Why aren’t you interested in what I think or believe? Why can’t you be more open to me!”
“I’m open to you, Callie, but not to anything that goes against the Word of God.”
“Then I guess there’s no more to say then.”
“Fine. If that’s your choice, so be it. Remember it’s your choice, not mine. If you should ever change your mind, you know where to find me.”
Allen didn’t want to, but as painful as it was for him, he knew he had to walk away. Never in his life had he imagined that it would come down like this between him and Callie. He had always felt that she had a deep understanding of him. There were times when they would be able to finish each other’s sentences. Allen thought that things would have gotten a little bit easier after committing his life to God, but now it seemed that the opposite was true. He had just lost one of his best friends. Allen wondered just how much more he would have to lose to establish a relationship with God.
Forty-Seven