Revival

 Fall 1984

On a Saturday night Nick is stretched out on the back pew during choir practice. A few years ago, and in colder weather, he would have been doing a back stroke of sorts along the smooth floor after discovering his polymer-based coat slid like a pea on ice.

Revival starts on Thursday night and goes through Sunday night. Attendance is mandatory, at least for him still, as Tim has been attending elsewhere –as in, else where some chick or another attends. Ned had some things to work on and might make it later, but Irene didn't want Nick to miss out on anything.

There must be worse things to endure than sitting through a service to earn one's eternal security. Back in grade school years he would choose sitting with his folks in service rather than go to childrens' activities. There was a kid back then, Jack Leatherman, his mom couldn't drive at night so Irene would pick them up, and Jack would beg and plea Nick to go with him,

"I'm not like you, I can't just sit and think."

But that was Jack's problem to deal with, and now Jack is being accused of plagiarizing English papers and had some pills with him at school the other day and took one, Nick thought you had to see the nurse for medications, but, who knows.

When they arrived, some of the other guys were standing around out front snapping rubber bands, so he asked his mom if she had one in her purse, she didn't but said to ask the associate pastor Jim for one.

"What do you need it for?"

"I just want one"

"Well if you are going to shoot it at someone then I can't give you one, but if you need it to hold some books or papers then you can have one, but I'm not going to give you one just to shoot it."

Nick just pauses a second, "Never mind." Then proceeds to the back pew to lie down.

Services aren't so bad, but it seems a few times a year he ends up attending someone's wedding with his mom, usually some couple they don't know well but have been attending just for the eligibility for a church wedding.

It was during a revival service when they brought Roger Yates with them, from down the street and a year behind Nick at school. Ned drove the church van and overheard Nick advising Rog,

"People will want to shake your hand, but you don't have to."

"Nick, you know better than that, no need to be a jerk."

"Dear," Irene jabbed from the shotgun seat, somehow hearing him during her own conversation, after which Ned just shook his head and turned a corner.

After service there's a prayer response, all are welcome at the altar and the rest are invited to kneel at their pews. This is always the best time to screw around naturally as long as you can stay quiet, especially if the parents head up front.

It's at this point Nick always listens for a special feature, almost like a kid at Christmas, for Rick Stevens, the distinctive vibrato-laden tenor of the choir who usually leads out in prayer, softly at first, then building, louder, more passionate, and eventually one notices the scope builds out from the building to the entire globe. Does anyone ask him to do this?

So as ol'  Rick winds back down Nick can't help but wonder if tonight is one of those special nights that hasn't happened yet this series, the rare double-humper, where he picks it back up for another round. He's down to a whisper...amens and such...and wait...there it is, Nick can feel it, and eventually he gets there, not as fire-laden as the first hump but still makes a crescendo. Well that was something. Next time Nick will try to time it with a watch. Doesn't Radio Shack sell some sort of meter so you can get the decibels?

They get home and find Ned finishing up some things in the garage but he waves her in. Irene relates what a blessed service it was, Ned asks Nick to help with something as she heads to the house.

"Hey, just so you know, you're getting to the age where you don't need to go with her all the time. If you ever want an out just ask me, 'kay? We'll find you something to help with around here and we can do that instead."

"Okay."

"I think we're gonna make popcorn, sound good?"

"Yeah."

So they close up shop and head inside.

The Lock-In

Greeted by a squeeze at the door, along with the smell of summer veggies frying in oil, maybe some garlic bread, Nick asks, "so you've been painting today?"

"Yeap just put on some Steely Dan and zoned out."

"It's really nice. How come you never paint while I'm here?"

"You know why?"

"Why?"

"Why ask why?"

"BUD DRY!"

Noreen gets a firm grip on his buns. "My how you've grown up nicely."

"Since I'm a working man now?"

"You tell me, did Al keep you busy like I asked him to?"

Nick almost gets sidetracked by the idea of them colluding, but brushes it off, "We had lunch with a couple other faculty and the computer lab director was around, I learned a few things."

"Well we can never do that enough. So is there much work?"

"Absolutely nothing, which is expected, I have time to get used to the space."

"I'll have to visit your space soon, have meetings later this week."

"Smells awesome, kinda Italian?"

"Howbout Midwest Italian a la Nori."

"What happened to Steely Dan?"

"Ooh didn't think you were into them."

"Mostly Led Zepp from that era, but I try to get to know the classics."

"Never was big on Led Zepp but kinda got into Robert Plant in the 80s."

That brought to mind a fellow at Ned’s plant, sat at a drafting table and would work listening to stuff like Robert Plant, gave an air of sophistication.

"So much music..."

"Is something bothering you?"

Nick stares over her shoulder for a moment. "Just letting it all sink in."

"Well sit or stretch out if you want, I need to check on the kitchen."

"I'm sure it's where it's always been."

She heads toward the kitch and wiggles her rear in response.

Nick pops off the kicks and leans back sideways on the sofa, one foot on the floor. She has the windows open and a couple fans running. "Too bad I didn't think to bring shorts."

"Hey didn't I end up with those boxers from our lake adventure? Lemme check..." She finds those and he changes in her bedroom, which feels like a dream in itself, checks out the kitchen scene and holds her while she works.

"You're trying to make me screw this up aren't you?"

"It's going to be marvelous...mahbelous, zeemply mahbelous..."

"That's more like it, was starting to wonder if you'd seen a ghost recently."

"Well, kinda..."

"Alright, spill it Fritz."

Nick draws a breath and leans on the wall. "So yesterday afternoon my mom made a special request..."

"Oh the dinner, anniversary?"

"Yeah Bud and Louise, we've known them since time began, they were part of the old church, 50th anniversary."

"Oh that's so sweet."

"Yeah it was short notice and in the middle of the afternoon, or we would have seen if you wanted to come over."

"I understand, next time if you want, I'd love to, just ask. So how'd it go?"

"Huge crowd, they know everyone, but for some reason I was surprised to see one of the gals from the old group, Kandy."

"OOOhh..."

"Well, we weren't involved, she was...well...I never knew what to think of her. She's very outgoing, likes people, her sweet sixteen party filled out their house. She used to sing in front of the church during offering, things like that, always dresses up."

"Sounds like a popular girl."

"Yeah, she liked to have a lot of guys around her."

"Owwww...go on."

"At the camp meeting one time, sheesh, back in 7th grade she wanted me to sit with her and like 3 other guys, I started to go but it seemed weird so stayed with my folks."

"Sweetie that sounds about right for you."

"Anyway, she showed up with her kids last night, and it reminded me of the big youth thing at the Y."

"Oh I've been in your Y, it's an older building?"

"Yeah, they had the pool open, I went with Vance and we just walked around, there were hot dogs and baked beans, fart food -"

She laughs into her hands, "Oh honey"

"Well that's what they always have...you still with me?"

"Keep going, you putz."

"Alright, well we went up to the top level, the running track, and there's a small hallway, so we took that and figured we'd try an unmarked door, it was unlocked, and we found the roof."

"Ohh cool."

"Well, at first..."

"Utoh."

"We heard voices, so we crept along, Vance went ahead and looked around a corner, then he pulled back with eyes like saucers. I took a look, and it was her, well, part of her..."

"Oh God, how old were you?"

"Freshman year, well, my freshman, her junior at one of the private schools.

"Oh the academy?"

"You know it...and she ended up getting pregnant the next year and had to finish at Halloway. So...there she was leaning against, I think, the rail, couldn't see past her waist, but we could see this dude named Tad, tall blond, muscles, girls thought he was hot shit but basically a cock."

"So where was his cock?"

"It took me a minute to figure out exactly what was going on, he still had his trunks on, but she was standing on something, I knew those black shoes, short heels, and her french-cut swimsuit, that used to get the moms buzzing."

"Oh I bet it would in that setting."

"Yeah and, well she kinda had the dimples, on the thighs, back there..."

"Cellulite?"

"Sounds right."

"Well if she's still that confident with her body I have to admire that, sassy heels, good lord, but still, this was at a church thing?

"Totally a church thing, you know, several congregations put this on every year, I think they moved it since then, but anyway, yeah, we hightailed it out of there, and for whatever reason I didn't bother to close the roof door."

Noreen busts up laughing.

"Did you tell anyone?"

"Nope, we were done, slipped out then walked around town then got home about the same time we would have, needed to let it wear off."

"Um...let what wear off exactly?"

"Huh? Oh the shock..."

She chuckles, "I'm messing with you."

"Oh...no, I had never thought of her that way, she just seemed a tad creepy, I couldn't trust her."

"Sounds like somebody did. So is he the father of her kids?"

"Probably not, they're black."

"Oh, wow....progressive."

"Yeah that caused a stir."

"Among a bunch of white church folk? Wouldn't have guessed..." with a knowing look.

"So yeah, seeing her now, pudgier and less talkative, she's preoccupied with kids and I just stayed out of her way."

"I dunno, did the facility have a roof?"

"Ill roof YOU."

After a good once-over they have the bodacious summer feast, watch the news, some MST3k, some frolicking, they make love slowly, on their knees, in their underwear, with a Night Ranger tape playing at low volume, facing the open window towards the woods, with Nick glad to be alive, to be here, at this time, and with her.