PART I
SPEAKING IN TONGUES
4
“FATHER,” MARINA SAID respectfully Wednesday morning over breakfast, trying for the umpteenth time to get what she wanted, “it’s really only politeness.”
“Will there be dancing there?” he asked calmly.
“I … don’t know.” That was true. She didn’t know if there would be dancing at Dot’s Friday-night church get-together.
“Marina, I’m very happy that you’re being so patient at working with Dot. She seems to be coming around to Jesus.” Not at all. “But I am not going to allow you to go socialize with her people. Dot is a lovely girl in spite of her upbringing and I think she can be saved.”
Marina was innocent about a lot of things, like why Dot insisted men were only out to get girls, but she understood manners because it was what she’d been taught all her life. If one kept constant company with a person, it was good manners to reciprocate an invitation whether one wanted to or not.
It was finally time she turned to Mother. She explained this carefully, as respectfully as she could. There was no shouting in this house, unlike Dot’s, where shouting was a sport. She would prefer shouting because the tense politeness hid too many things she didn’t understand. Father only shouted from the pulpit, but that was the voice of God thundering through him, so it didn’t count.
Mother listened politely, then her gaze flicked up to Father’s. They communicated in that silent way that made Marina uncomfortable. Not for the first time, she wished she had siblings so that she was not always the focus of their attention.
“And,” she added for good measure, having only just thought of it, “if her parents were to see me as a good example at their service, they might come around too.”
“You do have a point,” Father said gravely after a moment or two of thought. “I’ll pray on it.”
And God would tell him no. God gave Father almost everything he asked for. Occasionally, God gave Marina what she asked for, but not until she asked her father to pray for it. That was how Godly families functioned and Marina wouldn’t dare ask God for anything herself.
The only other thing she wanted was to keep Trey Dunham’s attention and she couldn’t ask her parents for that even if she wanted to. While she knew that her parents had begun courting when Mother was sixteen, Father had been eighteen, not twenty-four. She wasn’t quite sure how her parents would react if a twenty-four-year-old came calling, even if he did have a respectable and well-to-do business and was looking for a wife.
Marina wasn’t anywhere close to becoming a wife, but she was holding yesterday afternoon close and hoping Mr. Dunham would pop into Kresge’s this afternoon. Dot didn’t like him, but wouldn’t say why after meeting and talking to him. That bothered Marina. Dot took a dislike to very few people at first meeting—none that Marina could think of immediately—so why was she stuck on him?
Marina bit her lip and looked down at her plate.
Mr. Dunham was very handsome. He hadn’t fawned over Dot like every other boy, handsome or not. Was Dot … jealous? It was a thought she didn’t want to think, but …
“No, I’m not jealous!” Dot hissed at lunch when Marina broached the subject, “and I’m hurt that you think I would be. There’s something wrong with him.”
“Like what?” Marina asked, exasperated.
“He’s lying. He’s lying about who he is and what he wants.”
“How do you know?”
Dot shook her head in frustration. “I don’t know. It’s just … I have a feeling.”
That made Marina’s spine tingle. Dot’s feelings were right one hundred percent of the time, when she had them, which wasn’t very often.
She and Dot spent the rest of the day not speaking to each other, or at least, not passing notes in class. They walked from school to the bus stop to wait for the bus that would take them downtown. They rode in stiff silence until they got to their stop. As they walked to Kresge’s, Dot muttered, “I could be wrong.”
“What does Bishop think?” Marina asked reluctantly. Dot’s father wasn’t half as strict as Marina’s, but with Bishop Albright, there were lines one did not cross.
“I didn’t say anything. I didn’t want you to get in trouble.”
Marina and Dot lived three blocks apart, but their parents had never met. Dot’s father would if asked, but Marina’s father absolutely would not stand in the presence of a Satan-worshipping polygamist. Never mind Bishop only had one wife and had never met anybody who had more than that. Marina knew they didn’t worship Satan at all. Or at least, when she was around, they didn’t. Maybe Satan-worshipping families could be nice. She didn’t know.
That didn’t mean Bishop wouldn’t lecture Marina as if she were his daughter if he thought she was out of line. He never had, but Dot’s brother’s friends got yelled at for stupid things they did and Marina didn’t want to get in trouble with Bishop any more than she wanted to get in trouble with Father.
“That man seems to like you,” Dot said, still muttering, as they entered Kresge’s and found their booth. “I don’t … You know, in case I’m wrong. Maybe … I wouldn’t have to … I mean, when we went … ”
“Maybe you wouldn’t have to find me a date?” Marina asked softly.
“Yeah,” Dot admitted reluctantly. “I’d … like that. If you had your own somebody and weren’t miserable.”
“I have fun,” Marina protested.
“Not enough. Speaking of that,” she said, suddenly back to her perky self, “did your parents say yes to Friday night?”
“Father said he’d pray on it.” Dot deflated immediately. “Are you coming to church with me tonight?”
“I always do.”
“So … could you … ?”
“No,” she said firmly. “I am not getting saved. I’m not getting baptized. I’m not joining your church. Marina, I just come with you to be nice. That’s all.” She paused, then blurted, “I don’t like your god.”
Marina blinked and looked at her. “My God?” she asked, confused. “He’s yours too. He’s everybody’s God. He’s just … God.”
“Then I don’t like him,” she said firmly.
Marina’s spine started tingling once again. Nobody should blaspheme God that way.
“You think, if I don’t get saved, that I’m going to burn in a lake of fire, right?”
Marina nodded sadly. “Yes.”
“But what about the people in Africa? They don’t know anything about Jesus. Maybe they’d want to get saved, but don’t have the chance. He’s gonna send them to a burning lake of fire too?”
“Um … ” To tell the truth, that had always bothered Marina.
“But you say he loves everyone. Well, if he loved everyone, then he’d give those people a chance. So the only thing I can think is that he doesn’t love everyone. The God I learn about on Sunday doesn’t do that to people.”
Marina didn’t say anything because, while she didn’t understand Dot’s doctrine, she couldn’t refute her own. She’d asked Father the same thing and he’d droned on about something she really didn’t understand, then preached it that Sunday in a way that confused her even more.
“Do you have your skit ready for the talent show next week?” Marina asked, to shoo away her confusion.
“Still practicing. Do you have my dress ready?”
“I’ll bring it over tomorrow so we can fit it.”
The waitress interrupted them for their order, which was the usual, without onion rings this time because neither of them was hungry and Marina had to get home—
“Ladies.”
Marina and Dot both jumped, startled, and looked up. There was Mr. Dunham, as dapper and fashionable as he had been the day before in an ivory single-breasted suit coat over a tan vest and white shirt, white-polka-dot navy tie, and navy-and-white two-tone Oxford shoes. He had his tan fedora in his hand and his longish, slightly curly golden-blond hair was tousled.
“Uh, hi,” Marina said breathlessly as she slid over to make room for him. She took a quick peek at Dot, who was busy rummaging in her bag for probably nothing. “I … didn’t think you’d really come.”
The corner of his mouth tilted up the tiniest bit. “I come when and where I want to.” He glanced across the table. “Hello, Miss Albright.”
“Hi,” she tossed back, her voice muffled in her bag.
“Lime rickey,” he said to the waitress, who gave him the once-over once again, which made Marina nervous. She was much prettier than Marina, so it really wasn’t difficult to believe that Mr. Dunham was sitting here for some other reason than a simple desire to get to know Marina. “Miss Scarritt,” he began.
“Oh, Marina, please,” she said quickly.
“Thank you. Trey, to you.”
“All right. Trey,” she said, trying the word on for size.
“Your father has revival this week, doesn’t he?”
She wasn’t surprised he’d figured out that she was Reverend Scarritt’s daughter. There were bills posted all over town. “Yes. Do you want to come?”
“Very much. If you don’t mind my inviting myself.”
“Oh no! Father would love to meet you.”
Dot coughed into her hand and Marina cast a glare across the table.
“I see Miss Albright doesn’t agree,” Trey said, shocking both of them because no one was that forthright. It might be considered rude if he hadn’t said it in such an unsure manner.
“Well,” Dot began, taking up the challenge as she always did, “you’re twenty-four. We’re sixteen. Reverend Scarritt might not think it’s seemly for you to be courting Marina. If that’s your intention.”
He grimaced just a little and Marina’s heart sank so far down she thought she might be sick. “I would like to get to know Marina better,” he told Dot matter-of-factly, “but only with her father’s permission, which I can’t ask for if I don’t meet him.” He looked at Marina. “I don’t hold with sneaking out at night, running around, being disobedient and disrespectful to one’s parents.”
Marina’s bottom lip was open in shock. “But we just met yesterday!”
“Marina, I’m twenty-four, as Miss Albright pointed out. I’m a busy man and I don’t have time to talk to girls I don’t want to get to know better. We may or may not get along eventually, but I can’t find out unless we spend time together and I won’t spend time with you behind your parents’ backs. Meeting here for after-school sodas and homework is just fine for a couple more days but after that it’s just another form of sneaking.”
“Oh,” she squeaked.
“It would be nice if I also had Miss Albright’s permission, but I’m willing to try to earn it if she’ll let me.”
“Hrmph. If Marina wants you here, I’m not going to drive you away.”
“I appreciate that.” Their drinks came and after the waitress had left, he said, “No onion rings? Homework?”
“Revival,” Marina said. “I was late yesterday because we missed the bus and it embarrassed my mother.”
His brow wrinkled. “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. May I take you and Miss Albright home? Since I was planning to attend anyway?”
“Oh, that would be lovely,” Marina gushed. “Dot’s coming tonight, too. She always comes with me on Wednesdays.”
Trey’s eyebrow rose and he looked across the table, then back at Marina. “You don’t attend the same church?”
“No,” Dot snapped. “I’m a Mormon.”
Marina sighed. She said that as defiantly as she ever said it to anybody. She was automatically hostile the second religion was brought up, just daring somebody to shoot her.
“Oh,” he replied, surprised. “And your parents allow you to go to a Pentecostal church?”
“My parents trust me not to get sucked in.”
“Dot!” Marina cried, hurt.
Dot had the grace to look abashed, but Trey was chuckling. “I see.” He pulled his watch out. “Well, drink up, ladies,” he said, sliding it back in its pocket. “Don’t want to be late and embarrass Marina’s mother.”
4
If you don’t want to wait 2 years to get to the end, you can buy it here.
I was going to go back to work and I see this dropped.
Diving in…..
I like it.
I get the impression he’s trying a bit too hard. Also, he knows where to hit (figuratively), RE: the bit towards Dot about religion.
Maaaayyyyyybeeeeee 😉 but would the girls be able to tell really?
Dot seems pretty sharp. I dunno about Marina….
Thanks Mojeaux. Trey is a sly ol’ dog for being but 24. Does seem like the age difference will be hard to overcome to the parents. A quick background check by either of the fathers would be doom for the young man, it would seem.
Now to wait another week…
Spoiler: Marina’s father considers himself un-trickable and Dot’s father is busier than a one-armed paper hanger.
I dated a 17-year-old when I was around 23. It felt kind of icky but at least there were no fathers around – he was “emancipated” from his and I hadn’t seen mine since I was 3 years old.
My grandfather must’ve been about 26 when he courted my grandmother – only 17.
My grandfather was 20 years older than his wife.
Dad 29, Mom 18 when they got married. My Dad was dating my Mom’s older sister, went to pick her up and she was working so my Dad asked the younger sister (my Mom) out. 6 dates later they were married.
I knew some girls in my old high school and girls I worked with when I was in high school that dated older (into their 20s) guys.
The parents didn’t care because the guys were employed and responsible.
Trey is employed. 🙂
Heh. Trey is DEFINITELY employed.
Thanks for the story.
Still enjoying it.
#metoo 👍🏻
#methree
You so perfectly describe religious bigotry that I want to take a swing at the good preacher.
On topic!
https://i.imgur.com/2emgv27.mp4
NSFW.
https://archive.ph/o0Rxs/68e007507c360131c40257306f05104ed0c388e3.webp
NSFW.
https://i.imgur.com/GQvbSmO.mp4
NSFW.
https://archive.ph/tbvAe/9e3297670b493f1d163a2916733cadd0766848bf.webp
NSFW.
Like Trump with Media savvy.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2022/10/28/kari_lake_propagandist_journalists_will_run_with_any_story_that_benefits_democrats.html
And a lot better looking.
Definitely an up and comer. It’s going to be her vs DeSantis in two years or six.
Hey Moj, another thought on your civil war era dilemma – it’s upstate NY, you could always make the main character (in NY) a Copperhead. That would be a convenient way of diminishing the war into the background and be terribly historically accurate. Particularly if these were veterans of earlier campaigns (which would almost have to be the Mexican War).
I googled that. You, sir, are a plot saver. Thank you!
[steeples fingers] Excellent!
I might be the only Criterion channel viewer here, but if you have it, they are doing a big run on ’80s horror movies: The Keep, Henry portrait of a serial killer, Vampires Kiss, Dario Argenta movies, and so on. All the flix my friends and I watched in high school. It is fucking awesome! Right now I have Prince of Darkness going.
Im going to work
Leave a light on
Did you break the site?
LOL no, I did.
Mojeaux
Weird, weird emerald lady face.
Impossibly bizarre weirdness.
*poses*
This is my Halloween dress. Like it?
I;ve only got to
wait tll
we’ve not
we’ve not
any more
at all last
the least bit
The least bit
peanut butter
a little of
somewhat
come again
my god
I convince her we’re? That’s
No
NO NO NO GOD I LOVE HER but no that’s not how we reconnect
Hoo boy. It’s after midnight, isn’t it.
It is after midnight, isn’t it.
Scroat! Long time no see!
Son of a bitch
This is what I wanted to share.
I was in my early twenties watching Stand Alone Complex on Cartoon Network. this was over ten years ago. Good times. Good goddamn times.
I quite like you all and I’m sorry for making things weird.
(chorus): Spittyyy!
I didn’t see any tophats and monocles in the Astros stands. I wonder if our Glib representatives made the game.
2 of TBTB were there.
I wanted to be there but work. Looks like I saved myself some disappointment. Dusty makes bad decisions, and Verlander chokes in the post season. Just 1 game, we’ll get em the next 4.
“If you don’t want to wait 2 years to get to the end, you can buy it here.”
Muhuhuhuwaha.
YES!
Whoa. I just nodded off for almost two hours at my desk. I slept through one Bob’s Burgers and two It’s Always Sunnys.
It seems rather dark right now.
Morning Ted’S’
Dark it is but soon the sun will light our path.
That first cup of coffee makes every thing brighter. And the week end
I actually enjoy the changing of the seasons and seeing both the days getting shorter, and the days getting longer.
I’m not looking forward to winter,the snow/ice is my nemesis. I still enjoy seeing the snow coming down though.
I like the quietness of a lazy snowfall.
Mornin’. I see I beat morning links.
Morning y’all.
Yay, Saturday!
Doggo’s decided they didn’t need to wait for the sun to come up to go outside.
I should have a cup of coffee ready here in a minute, get awake and limbered up for some hot Sat morning links.
I work 6-2:30, so I’m used to letting the dog out before the sun comes up.
At least on Saturdays and Sundays he generally doesn’t go nuts particularly early.
https://www.pennlive.com/life/2022/10/pas-ufo-sightings-still-among-highest-in-us-study.html
We’re #6.
Morning fellers,
Hope the weather is good for your week end plans. Looks good here, another week and I can sit outside, like a squirrel in a tree, waiting for Bambi.
Good morning, 4(20), DEG, Sean, and Ted’S! I had rather hoped I could spend my morning out at Tranq Base, but so far it’s only 35 degrees, so….not just yet. 🥶 (Predicted high of 68, so maybe later?) Other than that, the only out-of-the-ordinary plans are to deal with leaves, the minor downside of living in a neighborhood with “mature trees.”
Being forced to stay inside at least appeases Little Black Cat, who has planted himself on my lap and will probably stay there the better part of the morning.
That’s not cold.
Got a song for you this morning, 4(20)! I’m listening to the jazz channel on the satellite radio while waiting for the Baroque show to start on the classical channel, and a familiar (and beloved) song popped up sung by a familiar (but not quite immediately identifiable by me) voice. I’d never heard that particular combination before (mainly know the song as sung by Lady Petula,) but it’s a nice way to start the day.
I can’t remember that song by Dinah but there’s a good chance I’d heard it when my older brothers were commanding the 5 tube Arvin. Thanks, GT
Powerline blog week in pictures
Off to the gym.
https://nypost.com/2022/10/29/house-democratic-aide-barbara-hamlett-fired-for-allegedly-working-with-chinese-embassy/
Commies work with Commies. News at 11.
“who didn’t like a piece of legislation introduced by the staffer’s boss.”
I guess we’re all Chinese now
suh’ fam
whats goody yo
Your work day done? Get some sleep!
Its about 6 pm in my head. Time for a couple of beers and a burger.
Good morning, homey! Hey, I think you’d asked me about switching nat gas suppliers – just confirmed that the switch I requested in late August took effect with the latest bill. Looks as if I switched not a moment too soon: Price went from 1.01737 per CCF with Direct Energy Services to 0.86899 per CCF with AEP – just as our usage went WAY up last month! 😳
https://ktla.com/news/california/ap-suspect-in-assault-at-pelosi-home-had-posted-about-qanon/
Trying so hard to tie him to Trump. 🙄
The narrative must be served.
Am I the only one that thinks Fetterman looks like a giant version of Slingblade ?