Blessed

He didn’t have a chance to enjoy an afternoon of arcade games or the breakfast of donuts because Craig was displaced yet again. He didn’t realize the transition until the change was completed. It was instantaneous. This time, he was sitting on a chair in his childhood bedroom. Moments after he arrived, he closed his eyes without willing it. He sensed others in the room. Hands were rubbed together. A throat was cleared. A nervous tension floated about the room.

A man’s voice spoke, “Are you ready, Tina?”

His mother replied, though she was nervous. “Yes, I’m ready.”

It was Parker Stevens’s voice asking the question. He was the pastor at Neiman Heights Non-Denominational Church. He was also their next-door neighbor.

He was eight years old at this time. He was also scared. His mother tore him from playing outside just moments ago. It was two thirty, he remembered, and the time was very important. Brandon would be home from work soon. Craig later learned today was the only day Parker could perform Craig’s indoctrination into the church. Today, he was being blessed. And if Brandon learned of this blessing, he’d punch a wall—and later punch Tina and possibly Parker.

His father was a devout believer in nothing. Craig asked him when he was older if he was an atheist. Brandon’s response was, “That’d mean I believe in some organized belief, and I don’t. Only thing I believe in is a dick in a pussy.”

The sense of haste was evident. Parker had skipped reading the scriptures he’d planned to recite. Parker touched both hands to Craig’s head. They were wet with holy water. “Lord, I invite Craig Horsy into our congregation. He is a young boy with potential to do good in the community and in his life. Guide him with your Holy Spirit and allow him to overcome sin in its many forms. Love him with your grace, support him with your infinite knowledge. Do you accept Christ into your life, Craig?”

He hadn’t been aware the question was addressed to him. The adult in the child’s body waited. He’d forgotten how he’d reacted to the private blessing back then.

Parker repeated, “Do you accept Christ into your life?”

Tina whispered, “Say yes.”

“Yes,” he said, too loud.

Parker wasn’t pleased. “Come to Christ willingly…come to him.”

The front door opened. Brandon was home. Tina gasped, startled and ready to panic. “He’s already home. Damn it.”

Parker turned up the heat and shifted into prayer overdrive. “God, guide this creation into your arms. He’s been blocked by a man worthy of your love and divinity. He has lost his way, but do not give up on this man. Watch over the Horsy family in the future and pray they can one day embrace your Holy Spirit together.”

Dad’s not going to embrace any Holy Spirit.

He snickered on accident.

Tina elbowed him. “Craig, stop it.”

Parker continued unaffected by his outburst or Brandon moving about downstairs. “Come to Christ willingly, Craig, come to him.”

Ssssssst.

Brandon had opened a can of Lark’s beer. He concluded the day of patching pot holes and cutting up the roads with a cement saw with liquid refreshment. Again, Craig had to stifle a laugh.

“Let me talk to him,” Parker urged her. He failed to end the prayer without the habitual “Amen”. Did that mean the blessing wasn’t sealed, that the stamp wasn’t placed on the envelope and wouldn’t ship to God, he wondered. “He’s a sensible man.”

“No,” Tina whispered insistently. “He won’t understand. He is not a sensible man. You can’t leave through the front door. I’m sorry. He’ll hurt you. Do it for me, okay? He’ll take it out on me and maybe Craig.”

Craig kept his eyes closed. The worried feeling increased. It was an unwanted force field of heat surrounding his skin. Tina was truly frightened. She feared Brandon and his repercussions, and with good reason.

“Okay,” Parker digressed. “I’ll go down the balcony. I can crawl like the best of them.”

“This is so embarrassing. You’ve been so nice to me. I’ll have to make it up to you. Let me make it up to you.”

He heard the rub of cloth. The two had hugged. “God bless you, Tina. Stay vigilant in your journey to find God.”

“I promise I will.”

The window was cracked open. Craig finally opened his eyes to catch the man in street clothes crawl out the window and onto the balcony and jump down into the backyard.

Tina looked at him, frazzled around the eyes. “I’m trying, Craig, I really am.”

“Trying to do what,” he asked in his kid’s voice. He stated the same question back then.

“I’m trying to raise you right.” She looked downstairs with disgust. “I wish I could do something to convince your dad to go to church.” She muttered, “I can’t go on like this.”

Craig agreed. He wanted to offer words of encouragement, but he was distracted by the blemish on her face. Her cherry blush lipstick was smeared.

Come to Christ willingly, huh?

Before he could comment on the observation, the scene cut to another part of his life.