to go now, Mantel."
"Your taxi awaits you."
Nineteen
The time was eight O'clock in the evening, twenty minutes before members had arrived to the home group meeting. Margaret and Phil had a frank discussion to clear the air. Margaret combed her long natural black hair in front of the mirror in the living room. She was about 18 years old when she married Phil who was twenty years her senior. At first, Phil was passionately intoxicated with Margaret's beauty. She was a slim and tall built woman towering over Phil by a foot. Phil was the main breadwinner when they first met. He supported her financially to pay off her student loans.
During those early days Phil had a regular job working as an accountant for a leading financial company before being made redundant. The gloominess of his job prospects had dulled his sense of adventure. He no longer acted with spontaneity or with any enthusiasm for the future. He became more withdrawn at home and was more inwardly looking and self -centred. He had lost his focus on God and was depressed and bitter about his life in general.
A disdained Margaret argued with him, "Don't you see, Phil, we need to renew our love to prevent it from becoming stale?"
"Are you saying I am not romantic anymore?"
"Yes. I am saying that you don't buy me flowers anymore, Phil and I love flowers."
"I know you want flowers but it's not a priority."
"Flowers don't cost that much Phil and the last time you bought me flowers was a few years ago."
"We didn't have the credit crunch in those days."
"Yes, we had black November under the Major government and you still bought me flowers. What's wrong with our marriage, Phil?"
"You are not saying that you made a mistake in marrying me. Are you, Margaret?"
"No. It's not about you, Phil. It's about us. I'm saying we need more time to talk about how to make our relationship better. We need to start speaking to a marriage counsellor."
Margaret gave him a stern look. Their relationship was fragile. She knew Phil hated talking to a counsellor and he won't put aside his feelings of jealousy toward her successes. Margaret had always complained to Phil about him spending too much time working on his allotments and having far less leisure time with her and the children.
Phil had two allotments in Lower Ashworth growing pumpkin, tomatoes, runner beans, rhubarbs, onions, lettuces, sweet corns and cabbages. He had green fingers and soil in beneath his nails. He sold his produce of vegetables to friends and family.
Margaret had several flourishing hairdressing businesses and was now the chief breadwinner. Phil was an old fashioned man with male chauvinistic tendency. Phil couldn't come to terms with his wife successes and he became resentful of her. He had lost his job due the economic decline in the manufacturing sector. He wanted so much to be less dependent upon Margaret. He had once loved her and she loved him conditionally. Nevertheless, they would argue about who would cook the meals followed by who was doing the washing up. Phil hated the idea of being a kept man who does the entire housework. Margaret was in love with Phil ever since she was teenager. He was a kind and gentle older man to her when she lost her beloved dad. In those earlier days Margaret was a lanky school girl with braces. She went to events where Phil would frequently visit to capture his attention.
"Phil, I can't stay another night here."
"Why?"
"There is too much pain here. We've grown apart. Our relationship has become routine and I'm tired of it."
Before Phil could fully reply to Margaret comments Mantel, Naomi and all the others arrived at the house. Margaret and Phil put aside their differences and greeted their visitors with hugs, handshakes and smiles.
"It's great to see you."
"You're looking fantastic, Sister Ruby."
"Thank you my darlings. Arthritis is killing me, Sister Margaret."
"We are getting old. One day Jesus will take us home and there will be no more crying and pain my dear sister."
"You are right, Sister Edna. I can't believe Sister Margaret has lost so much weight."
"It's all the exercise I have been doing."
"How are the kids, Phil?"
"They're doing well at college, Sister Ruby."
"Put the kettle on Margaret and make me a very hot cup of tea and make sure you rinse out the cup with hot water."
"Yes. Do you take milk and sugar, Sister Ruby?"
"No sugar please, I'm diabetic. Wind pain is travelling all around my back."
"Here you are, Sister Ruby, you should take a rennie."
"I have one in my bag, Sister Edna."
"I take them all of the time. They are good for trapped wind."
"Forget about your wind pain and warm yourself round the gas fire, "said Brother Reuben.
"Okay Brother Reuben."
Everyone gathered into the open lounge sitting away from the gas fire except Brother Reuben who took up residence there. Margaret was quietly reading her bible to herself and Jack, the elder of the church, was sleeping on the settee.
Sister Ruby, the wife of Elder Jack, nudged him to wake him up to no avail. He kept on snoring louder and louder. Phil turned off the electric fan because Sister Edna was having hot flushes. She was going through the menopause. Jan sat next to Mantel. Naomi sat opposite to Jan and positioned herself nearer to the exit door just in case someone may ask her to pray.
"I have not seen you in ages, Naomi. Where have you been hiding yourself?" asked Margaret.
"I have been there and everywhere."
"You are far too busy for me."
"It's good to see you, dear."
"We haven't seen you, Naomi, since your mom's went into care, "said Sister Edna.
A jubilant Elder Jack who raised Phil from childhood woke up immediately and was praising God for blessing him with sleep. Elder Jack spent most of his working life in England cutting metals at a local factory. He grew up in the parish of Clarendon, Jamaica. This was the same parish where Elder Jacks sister gave birth to Phil. Elderly Jack was a bit of a ladies' man, tall, dark and handsome.
"Who died?"
"No one died, Elder Jack."
"Go back to sleep, dear."
He told everyone that sleep was a gift sent from God. Everyone agreed with him to keep him quiet. Phil opened the meeting with a warm greeting to everyone. He could hardly hear himself speak without being constantly interrupted by Elder Jack's sermon on the benefits of sleep.
"Once again we welcome you all to our home," announced Phil.
"Sleep is good for your health," said Elder Jack.
"You will have plenty of rest when you're dead," replied grumpy Sister Ruby.
"I'm not dead yet. Let the dead bury the dead."
Phil was a little bit frustrated with Elder Jack's showmanship but he kept his composure in the midst of it. He stood up to readdress the group waving his hands in the air to get Elder Jack and Sister Ruby attention. Margaret was getting rather irritated with Elder Jack behaviour and his lack of humility. He wanted to be the main man. What's was important to her was the gospel of Jesus Christ rather than smothering Elder Jack's ego. Margaret took control of the meeting and addressed the group.
"Welcome to our home. It is good to see you all. The title for today discussion is called, 'Build your work upon the rock.' The scripture is taken from Matthew Chapter 7 verses 24-25. I would like to ask Sister Ruby to pray before Pastor Mantel read the scripture."
Sister Ruby looked visibly nervous before she closed her eyes to pray. "Please bow your heads. Lord, we want to thank you for your son, Mantel. We want to thank you, Lord, for the forgiveness of sin and protecting us from the evil one. We thank you Lord for saving us in Jesus name, amen.
"I can hardly hear you, Ruby. Speak up louder."
"Turn your hearing aid on, Jack."
Elder Jack refused to wear his hearing aid. He felt hearing aids were for older people. Ruby took out Elderly Jack hearing aid and he told her to put it back. Elder Jack burst into a song shaking his tambourine and praisin
g God for at least two minutes until Phil grabbed his attention from the centre stage.
"Thank you, Elder Jack. We want you to turn to Matthew Chapter 7 verses 24 to 25 and to focus on building the right foundation. Can Pastor Mantel begin to read Matthew Chapter 7 verse 24 to 25?"
"Yes Phil, lets us now turn to Matthew Chapter 7 verses 24 to 25. It is the first book in the New Testament. Have you found Matthew, Elder Jack?"
"Not yet, I haven't got my glasses."
"While you are searching for the scriptures I would like to share with you some background material to this well-known parable. Jesus taught people in parables. He used everyday life events and simple languages of the time to explain the gospel."
"I found Matthew, Pastor Mantel," shouted Elder Jack.
Janet and Naomi were giggling quietly between themselves. They both loved Elder Jack spontaneity and enthusiasm at the start of the meeting but even they were becoming increasingly wary of his dementia. Pastor Mantel smiled at everyone to reassure them he was still in control before he rose to his feet.
"In Matthew Chapter 7 verses 24 to 25, Jesus said therefore whoever hears these sayings of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who builds his house on the rock. The rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on the house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. Amen."
"Thank you for that lovely reading, Pastor Mantel."
"You are welcome, Phil."
Phil opened his black folder. He prepared his notes the night before. He read out his notes.
"God's word is a lamp unto my feet and a light onto my path. All mankind will travel along different journeys of life. Most