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.