"You enjoy it?" Jodie asked.
"It takes getting use to, but if I just lie there and don't think too much about it. I think I will go to the thrift store after this weekend.
“Maybe I'll get a red nightie. I know that he left early Friday, and he always brings home work on the weekend, so by the time Monday arrives, he will have had a bad day."
"Not if I find it first! I guess it doesn't have to fit. A little small would be okay," said a short, plump girl.
"Did you get the cover at the thrift store? It looks expensive. I like it with the little sheep running everywhere," someone inquired of Jodie.
"We are all sheep. Aren't we? We just go here and there. We do what some salesman tells us. At least, I do," Jodie said.
"We are all sheep as far as God's concerned," April stated. "He's probably looking at us now. I guess that's alright. He knows about us and what we are thinking. It's kind of nice.
“Just us girls, without the men listening. God knows, but He won't tell anybody. Jesus paid the price. All our sins have been forgiven. Even those we commit tonight, or when we return home."
"I've never thought about that before. I didn't think about it that way. I just liked it. It was different, a little girlish. Now, after hearing April, I'll never look at those sheep again without remembering this night,” Jodie said.
"Where did you find it?"
"I got it at the Christian bookstore next to the discount grocery store, I sometimes stop in to see if they have any bargains. You know, the one off Main Street. I turn left at the Arco gas station."
"Oh . . . yes . . . I know."
"I found a creche next door in the Catholic shop, but it was too expensive," April added.
"Are suppose to celebrate Christmas? How did Christmas get started anyway?" asked Diane, who had just sat on April's joining the group.
"Just like Mother's Day, a marketing ploy to separate us from our money."
"Don't tell me. We spent a thousand dollars on toys alone."
"There isn't much we can do. We all like to receive gifts." "Maryann, what do you do?" April. asked.
"She's not here. She's gone to talk with Anne and gossip. Boy, would I like to be there learning what Beth and Louise did."
"Beth and Louise? I would want to know what Anne did with
Louise. They were gadabouts, you know."
"Maryann has children and grandchildren to buy for at Christmas. How does she do it?"
"Has Pastor Ernie ever spoken on the origin of Christmas?" "No, not that I can remember. You girls remember anything?" "No, I wish he would. I would like to know. Who invented Santa
Clause?" Jodie asked.
"You know I was eight before I learned the truth about Santa
Clause"
"Eight? I was six. My Dad slipped about Santa Clause bringing the tree. I always thought Santa brought the tree. Now, thinking about it, I was pretty foolish thinking Santa could put all those trees on his sled.
“I guess Santa got mixed up with God. He could do all things. "I remember this one doll. I just had to have it. She had blonde
hair about . . . oh, eighteen inches high, and she was wearing a lace dress. I just had to have it.
“I remember sitting in Santa's lap at the department store. I told him, and I knew it was all set. Santa could do anything, April explained"
“Did you get the doll?” one of the girls asked.
"Of course. The tag said Santa, but I later learned my Mom bought it the next day."
"Aren't Moms wonderful?"
"Even now, my Mom is always there. It doesn't matter if I need a recipe, or a babysitter. She's always there. I don't know what I'll do if she dies. Although her mother died at ninety-seven; so, I have a few years left."
"How old is she?"
"Fifty-eight . . . I have a good twenty or more years."
"You know, we are all Moms, now. Aren't we?" Jodie said, looking around.
"I hear you. Baseball, basketball, ballet. I'm not sure I can always be there, but I try. Things are different now. Traffic has become denser."
"I know . . . it took me two hours in stop and go traffic to get to my gin rummy class. I went once with Teresa, and I've been going there ever since. The girls are so nice. There is this one . . . Kathleen is her name."
"I didn't have a good feeling about ballet lessons, the cost is higher than even karate. I never took ballet when I was a girl. Ballet wasn't even considered. My mother would roll over in her grave if she knew I was taking her granddaughter to ballet
lessons.”
Jodie had been standing in the crowd with her Bible with the sheep on the cover. She inquired . . . almost shouted it out: "Does anyone want to look in my Bible?" Almost like she had thrown a switch, the girls stopped talking.
There was a long pause. Anne, who had quietly returned with
Maryann, broke the silence.
"I wanted to know where it says that wives have to submit to their husbands. I just don't know anybody that does. They may say they do, but they don't. Manipulate is more like it."
Anne wanted her marriage woes to be all Kenny's fault, but she knew it probably wasn't. She grabbed Jodie's Bible.
"Let's see what God says . . . where do I find it?" Anne asked. "Look in Ephesians. I think Paul said it, not God."
"God is the author of the Bible. Isn't He?" Anne asked with some impertinence.
"Paul wrote the letter after Jesus rose from the grave. Look in the back of the book," Diane suggested.
Anne surprised herself: "I found it. A title heads each section of verses. Anne found "Married Life," and began to read:
"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the bod (Eph 5:22)
Anne said: "That's it. The first verse, 'Wives submit to your own husbands . . .' how could Paul say that?"
Some of the girls stood listening; they stated: "God said that through Paul."
Jodie indicated a truth: "God through Paul defined an order for marriage. Just like that canoe that Rose talked about. With two paddling their own way, nothing happens. Somebody has to steer.”
"I'll just have to back off," they all said, except Anne.
Anne thought something else, backing off will challenge me. "The speaker said something about Corinthians. Did anybody hear?" Anne wanted to be sure she heard correctly, God had said the wife submits to the husband.
Jodie took back her Bible. Jodie turned toward Corinthians: "First or Second?"
"First. Chapter seven . . . I think," Anne said.
Jodie read the seventh chapter, the first five verses:
"Now concerning the things of which you wrote to me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality,
let each an have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.
Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.
Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control." (1 Cor 7:1-5)
"The husband owns the wife's body? That agrees with a wife must submit to her husband. I'm glad they didn't get to that." Anne voiced her view, and walked slowly to her bed saying: "Let's all go to bed. I'm getting sleepy."
Anne lay on her bed smiling, thinking about Kenny, and how nice it felt when he washed her feet.
SIMULTANEOUSLY THE men were reading the same verses. Edward led, KB listened. Jim and Leo, the new friends of Edward helped where they could. Leo had been to Bible College for one year.
“Wow, Paul really puts the emphasis on the husband. The wife has to submit, but t
he husband has to love, give himself, sanctify and cleanse as the Lord did for us.
“Those directions contain more than two rules: wives submit, husbands love. I suppose you could condense this passage into two rules.”
Edward though slowly as he considered his relationship with
Maryann.
Let me read that. Is that what Paul says? Jim said. “My wife should read this.”
“Maybe not. If you show her the submission rule, she will show you the husband's role,” Leo offered with a smile and a wink.
Edward continued: “I'm afraid I'm as guilty as Mike in thinking about love the world's way. Sometimes I do Godly things, but not always. No way.
Maybe if I concentrated on being patient and kind, and not puffed up or selfish, she would would follow me .”
Jim thought about his wife, and said to the group:” There is no if
in this verse.
Edward replied: “Good, but not relevant, I have to love her more. It's up to both of us to go God's way. We each must decide.”
Many men had come into the dorm. Some lines were forming at the bathroom, the door remained open, and some were asking Edward and the others to turn off the lights. Jim and Leo went back to their bunks. Edward went to sleep.
Sunday was another day – the last day
--14 --
ANNE FELT RESTLESS, AND COULDN'T sleep. She went outside into the darkness. The rain had stopped.
Anne thought about Kenny, she wanted to share this rain-cleaned, starry night with him. The stars shone against the blackness of the sky like diamonds on black velvet.
She wanted to be close to him. She knew that she said good night to him four hours ago, but now she ached for him to wrap his arms around her, and tell her that he had accepted Jesus.
They would rejoice, kiss, and make out like rabbits. The night glistened. He has a chance tomorrow, maybe.
The thought of her submitting to Kenny bothered her.
Asking Jesus into his heart would bring so much to their marriage. There could be so much more, if he would do this one thing.
She acknowledged that God would have to call him, and she hoped God would make his move soon. This weekend would be perfect, the house would be controlled by Jesus, not Kenny or Anne.
She may be able to submit to him when he asked Jesus into his heart. He does okay, but I don't let him stray too far from what I know. He's in charge of most things, but I keep him on the straight and narrow. I know that I must submit to him: the Bible says so.
DIANE CAME out to find Anne. Marge had been Anne's best friend, and so, Anne had to know what Marge was encountering. "Anne . . . Anne," Diane called with desperation in her voice.”
ANNE THOUGHT about Kenny, and her role, their marriage.
"Anne . . . Anne," Diane called again. Then Diane saw Anne looking up, and she ran over to where Anne stood, looking up into the vast sky thinking about Kenny. After Diane caught up to her, she said: "Anne, Marge has a case of diarrhea that she can't stop.
“She swallowed several pills, but to no avail. She doesn't know what she's going to do." Diane let it all out in one fell swoop, catching Anne off guard.
“Hi Diane,” Anne said, "You said Marge had diarrhea?"
"Yes, your best friend has a bad bout of diarrhea, and she doesn't know what she will do."
"Let's go see her," Anne offered, getting some control of the situation. Anne met Marge at Our Savior's office. One day Anne and Marge had both volunteered at the same time and in that moment, they hit it off.
“Now she had diarrhea. A bad case. Pills didn't stop it.
As they entered the dark dorm, Anne asked anyone walking by or wandering, "Where is she?"
"I don't know. She must be in the bathroom." They looked in the bathroom.
"Not here," They concluded.
"Maybe she's on her bed?" Diane ventured. "Are you looking for Marge?" inquired Jodie. "Yes. Do know where she is?"
"She kept going to the bathroom repeatedly. I don't see her now. Maybe she went to her bed?"
"Where is her bed?" Anne asked Jodie, as she fought the darkness of the dorm.
"I don't know, but it must be somewhere . . . over there.” Marge lay on her bed. Six girls in night clothes gathered around offering advice. Anne looked at her best friend. Marge didn't look like the gay devil-may-care person Anne had come to know.
She worked her way past the other girls and spoke directly to
Marge: "Where does it hurt? What can I do?"
Marge acknowledges Anne: "Hi, Anne. I feel so terrible. I think I will have to call my sponsor for a ride home. Nothing works. I've tried these pills.
“They are suppose to stop my going to the bathroom all the time. You know . . . there are for diarrhea, but they don't seemed to work."
Anne felt badly for Marge: "You feel yucky. I will go with you. I'll drive you home."
"We don't have a car up here," Marge said weakly. "Oh, I forgot."
"Well somebody has a car. Not every couple had a sponsor drive them."
Anne had it all under control: "I'll find someone with a car, and then I will drive you home."
One of the girls who gathered on Marge's bed asked: "What about Marge's husband, Bill? KB as well . . . I'm not too sure that they would want you to drive Marge home. Maybe Marge and her husband can borrow a car, and then they can go home?"
Anne considered this suggestion: "Good idea. I'll find a car for them."
Anne thought, I'm glad she spoke up. That would be a terrible blow to Kenny . . . and our marriage. I wouldn't be here, and Kenny won't be able to ask Jesus into his heart, and our marriage wouldn't be any better than it is now.
SHE REMEMBERED the day she shared her marriage woes with Marge. She and Marge sat out at the pool, outside her house in the wicker chairs with the flowered print.
Anne had gone there wanting to talk, not necessarily about her and Kenny, but Marge had always been her best friend, and it all came out.
"KB left. It wasn't a big thing. He always leaves each Saturday," Anne stated.
"There . . . there," Marge comforted, "he went to be with his friends. Guys do that, don't they?"
"Yes, but I wanted to talk to him. I found this skirt at Marshals for only $74. That's nothing compare the department store price of
$185. There are other things too."
"You have a real problem, don't you?" Marge comforted.
"Well, it could all be fixed if he would ask Jesus into his heart." "You know, there is a Couples Retreat coming up. Maybe that's
what he needs? You and KB should go."
"He's so busy with work. I don't think he will have the time." "Don't give up. Something will happen. God wants to be a part of
Kenny's life. Doesn't He?" Marge asked.
"Yes, I guess so. If He wants to be a part of us, why doesn't He just do something? He could, you know. It would eliminate these Saturdays, when KB wanders off to be with his friends.
“KB would help me more. Maybe he would stay around, and we could start our family.
“I'm not getting any younger you know, but he keeps busy at work. He told me one day that we could start a family after he got these stores going."
Marge added: "He's always working on those stores. Bill looks at him with such awe. Responsible for three department stores. So young."
"Oh, KB is doing well in his business. I just wish he would be more talkative and do things around the house, like I do."
They went on like this for four more hours. Anne remembered how Marge listened to her tale of woe.
The next day they met at church and had quite a time pretending that they were angels, always working, and their husbands could hang themselves, if they so choose.
ANNE PROMISED Marge that she would find a way home. The first person she ran into, Mike walking on the steps, as she ran to the Dining Room, she explained: "Marge has been fighting
about of diarrhea, and she and her husb
and, Bill, need a car." "I'll see what I can do."
Anne saw Jack next: "Marge has diarrhea and needs a car to go home."
Jack's assurance was the same as Mike's: "I'll see what I can do." Anne found Al in the Dining Room, the Assistant Head Rosita,
whom she met when Mike gave his rollo. He must have a car and able to get a ride with somebody. Anne explained her dilemma again. Al would do something.
AL SPOKE to the Head Rosita, who slept in the bunkhouse next to the men's dorm, and they decided that Travis's car would be best. Travis lived near Al, and although Travis would wind up working later than usual, Al could take him home, and Al could use the help.
They considered where they might find Travis, and tell him the good news, that he would be traveling home with Al.
Then it struck the Head Rosita: "What about Shirley? We have to tell her too. She won't want to stay and help. Would she?"
"Let's ask her," Al offered.
Now they had to find both Travis and Shirley.