My Scandalous Mennonite Diary #27

-Abe

The sound of traffic is constant.

I suppose that this is part of life in the city. Still, I prefer the peace of rural life to this endless racket.

I place the last wooden box into the back of my truck and then wipe a sheen of sweat from my brow.

Wow, I’ve sure had to work today.

The truck box is full of heavy wooden crates that I transferred from the wooden loading dock of the warehouse I’ve backed up to.

Still, I’m glad that I’ve been selling so much stock.

I’ll need all that money for my new family.

Well, I’m done here for today. It’s time to move on.

I slide into the driver’s seat and stick a key into the ignition.

There have been challenges but overall I’ll have to say, being a storekeeper has been rewarding. I enjoy serving people and helping meet their needs.

I look forward to raising my children to do the same.

The truck rumbles to life as I turn the key.

It’s interesting. When we were just married, she surprised me a bit with some of her eccentric habits. To be honest, I was wondering what I had gotten myself into. But now, I can’t wait to get home to my wife.

***

-Mary.

The house before me is a humble one. The blue paint on the walls is faded and chipped. The windows have been boarded up and weeds are infesting the ground all around it.

I’m kind of nervous about how this is going to go, but there’s no doubt about it, this confrontation needs to happen.

Supper is on the stove and Abe will be home soon…I’ll have to make this quick.

I reach for the door and rap my fingers against it.

The door opens, revealing a plump, middle-aged woman. Her face is worn and a black kerchief is perched on her head of black hair.

“Good afternoon Mary, what can I do for you?”

“Is Edwin in?”

The woman at the door looks puzzled. “Why yes he is, but what do you want with him?”

“I’d just like to talk to him for a bit.”

“Oh, what about?”

I take a moment to explain what happened the night before.

“Yes, you certainly should speak to him,” his mother says as a firmness comes over her round plump face. “He’s in his bedroom but I’ll get him. Come in.”

I follow the mother into a living room area. The chairs and other furniture are just as worn as the rest of the house.

“Edwin, come out here, there’s someone to see you.”

As I watch, a small boy comes out of his room.

He sees me and then looks down at his feet.

“Hello, Edwin,” I say as I approach him.

He doesn’t look up at me or say anything at all.

“Were you at our house last night?”

He still doesn’t speak.

“Mary asked you a question,” his mother prods.

“Yes, I was,” the boy finally says.

“Do you think it was nice what you did there?”

“I’m sorry Mrs Elias,” he mutters as he looks up at me with tear-stained eyes.

“I forgive you,” I say. “But, don’t you think it’d be better to say sorry to Jesus?”

Edwin looks puzzled. He stares at me for a moment and then turns and runs back to his room.

“I can assure you that this won’t happen again,” his mother says. “Did he cause any damage?”

“Just to a good night’s sleep.”

“Alright. Just let me know if it happens again.”

“Thank you. I will. Now, I hate to run off but I can see my husband driving into the yard so I better get home.”

“Oh yes, of course. It’s supper time.”

“Yes, it is.”

“And if he’s anything like my husband, I’m sure he wants to be served.”

“I’m sure he does,” I say as I move to the door.

For a while, I sure didn’t feel like serving him. But right now, I can’t wait to see him and continue our conversation from last night.

***

-Abe.

What has been going on here?

I see the table is set and supper on the stove but where is my wife?

Well, there’s no need to stand around. I wash my hands and then I get to work moving the food from the stove to the table.

As I finish my work I hear the squeal of the front door opening.

“Sorry, I’m late,” Mary says as she hurries into the room.

“No problem,” I say. “I set the table already.”

“You set the table?”

“Why are you so surprised?”

“Well, you know how it is, men never do kitchen work. That’s our job.”

“Really?” I laugh. “Why don’t we sit down and discuss it?”

“Alright. Why don’t we?”

With that, we sit down at the table set with food.

Mary is looking at me like she wonders what has gotten into me.

“Let’s pray,” I say as I bow my head.

“Pray?” Mary repeats as if she is confused.

“Yes, for the food,” I say.

“Oh yes, of course. Go ahead.”

“Lord, I thank you for the way that you have brought Mary and me together. I also thank you for the food you have blessed us with. Bless it to us, and us to your service, in Jesus’ name, amen.”

I look up to see tears flowing from Mary’s face.

“I’ve never heard you pray like that before,” she says.

“I know, but I’m not the same person I was before.”

“You mean, you’ve…”

“Yes, I’ve thought about it and I’ve realized that what you’ve been saying is right. Following a bunch of traditions without thinking them through doesn’t make sense.”

“Thank God.”

“Over the past while, I’ve been listening to those preachers on the radio like you said I should…and, well, I decided to follow their advice. I became a Christian.”

“Oh.”

“From now on, things are going to be a lot different around here.”

“What can I say, Abe? I’m sure glad to hear that.”

“Well, should we eat? It looks like you’ve made a delicious supper. I’d sure hate to see it get cold.”

With that, we start to fill our plates. And, you know, for the first time as a married couple, it feels like we are truly one.

I can’t wait to see what the future holds.