14

On Easter Sunday, a tornado tore through Bug Town and destroyed the Beyond God and the Devil building. Inside the church at the time were Pastor Perfume James and a dozen of her parishioners, early arrivals for the sacred day’s service. As darkness descended and the unearthly howling increased, the thirteen women prayed for the twister to miss Bug Town and Bay St. Clement, believing as they did so that even if they were taken in the whirlwind, as Disciples of Lazarus they would rise again. The pastor and nine of the others gathered in a close circle in the center of the room died when the walls collapsed and the roof fell in on them.

Pace and Perfume had three good months together. He was in his cottage when the storm arrived. After he heard on the radio that the tornado had made a direct hit on Bug Town, he called the church but there was no response. When Perfume did not answer her cell phone, either, Pace could only hope that the Disciples of Lazarus would be justified in their faith.

During his time with Perfume James, Pace did not have much to do with her church. Perfume told Pace it was not necessary that he believe as she did, that it was enough if he had confidence in her ability to improve people’s lives and inspire them to do the same. At Perfume’s funeral, Pace spied Oswaldina on the fringe of mourners but did not speak to her. Mamie June Rivers, one of the three survivors of the church’s destruction, was at the graveside. She told Pace that the pastor had spoken to her often of him and considered Pace to be further confirmation and living proof of her own salvation.

“I loved her,” Pace said.

“We all did,” said Mamie June Rivers. “Jesus, too. He’ll return her to us one day, you’ll see. They’ll be walking side by side.”

The day of the tornado had been Mamie June’s eighty-seventh birthday. It was she who made sure that Perfume was buried wearing the beaver coat Mamie June had given her and which had become the pastor’s favorite item of apparel.

A few months later, Pace prevailed upon the police captain in Bay St. Clement to find out for him what had become of Gagool Angola. The captain told Pace that Child Services informed him that the girl was living with a foster family in another part of the state. That was all he knew.

After Perfume James died, Pace stopped writing about Sailor and Lula. When he began again, after almost a year, Pace decided to tell his own story, to record the many unusual turns his life had taken, as well as his continuing search for the Up-Down. His objective, he realized, was not to make great literature—as if he could—or even be published, but to examine what he really thought had happened to him and those closest to him; and, if possible, to discover a few of the reasons why.

Pace recalled that In the gospel according to St. Matthew, the pastor’s preferred witness in the New Testament, two blind men stopped Jesus as he was leaving Jericho on his way to Jerusalem, where he knew the Romans would torture and murder him.

“What can I do for you?” Jesus asked the blind men.

“If you are really the son of God and capable of performing miracles,” one of the blind men said, “make us to see again.”

Jesus passed one of his hands over both their faces, they opened their eyes and could see. The two men then joined Jesus and his disciples on their journey to Jerusalem.

Pace decided that from now on whenever people in need approached him, regardless of whether they appeared hostile or friendly, he would say only, “What can I do for you?” If he could help them, he would; if he could not, he would say so. What followed would be their responsibility.