The Race Marked Out For Us, Part One

Joe got up from the desk, closed his Bible and walked down the hall to Java Judy’s. There was a big line at the counter, mostly working people and college students in a hurry to get on with their day. Ellie was busy, which was good. Joe went behind the counter and poured himself a cup of coffee. He sat down at his usual table and opened the paper. The front page was all ablaze with the news of an oil spill up the coast. Joe wondered if his beach had been affected. Hard to tell from the map. He turned to the sports section. The baseball team was working real hard to have another mediocre season. The weather said there was a fifty percent chance of rain on Friday. By the time Joe had finished reading the comics all Ellie’s customers had filed out with cups in their hands.

“Hey, Ellie,” Joe said, “Did you see they are going to tear down the old opera house to put in condominiums?”

“Yeah, I heard that. Sad to see it go. I loved that old place. I saw them do A Christmas Carol there when I was ten. Took my breath away.”

“Somebody’s version of progress, I guess.”

“I guess. Say, I’ve been meaning to ask you, how is Reverend Steve doing?”

“Not too bad, I guess. The stroke set him back. It’s too bad he had to go into assisted living, but he gets a lot of visitors. I’m going to see him tomorrow.”

“That’s great. Tell him I said, ‘hi’ and that I’m praying for him, willya?”

“Sure thing. Say, I wanted to remind you of the big shindig this weekend.”

“The Cherrywood Fountain Festival? How could I forget? Last year it was my biggest weekend ever. I ordered extra everything for this weekend. I’m going to be rich.”

“Can you believe it’s been two years? So much has happened.” Joe paused. “A lot of good though.”

“A lot of good, Joe. Do you still miss her?”

“I think about her almost every day, so sure I miss her, but you know, it’s okay now. Life here is good. My job is a lot easier than it used to be and I’ve had the privilege to minister to more people than I thought possible.”

“By the way, thanks for the Bible.”

“If you have any questions, write them down. If I can’t answer them, I’m sure Polycarp could next time he comes over.”

“Thanks. Tell him I’ve got a dozen important questions and to get himself over here.”

“Tell him yourself. You’ve got his number.”

“Maybe I will, Joe.”

“I think he’d like that.” Joe looked at the clock. “Hey, I’ve got to go. I’ve got someone coming to look at an apartment in a few minutes. See you later.”

Joe had just sat down to look at the calendar on the computer in the office when a woman came in. Joe stood up and extended his hand.

“You must be the gal Sam sent over from the Refuge. My name is Joe.”

She shook his hand. “Hi, Joe I’m Elisabeth.”

“Sam told me you’re looking for an apartment.”

“You don’t recognize me, do you, Joe?”

Joe looked at this woman. She was about his age. She looked familiar, but he couldn’t place her.

“I think you knew me as a blonde,” she said.

Joe looked at her for a long moment and then it dawned on him.

“Randi? Is that really you?”

“Yes it is, Joe.”

“I’m confused. Is it Randi or Elisabeth?”

“Kind of both really. Elisabeth is my first name.”

“Have a seat. Tell me how you’ve been. It’s great to see you again. How long has it been anyway?”

“I think it’s been almost three years.”

“So…?”

“Where do I start? Rich fired me about six months after we met. I’m not proud of what I did, Joe. I-how can I say this?-I offered myself to Rich’s partner with the idea that I could climb to the top on my back, so to speak. It didn’t work, I got fired, and a week later I was back to doing temp work.”

“I’m sorry.”

“My fault and that’s the truth. Well, temp work wasn’t paying the bills. After a couple of months I was living in my car. That was awful. I was changing clothes in a hotel restroom, going to the food bank, and fearing for my life. I got mugged twice…once, I got raped. That’s when I knew I needed help. Someone told me about the Refuge. Sam and everyone took me in. They not only saved my life, they literally loved me into the kingdom. I follow the Way now.”

“Wow. I mean, I’m sorry all that happened to you, but I’m glad you found the Way. So, what brings you out here?”

“Well, I got a job in an office not far from here. Sam thought this might be a good fit for me.”

“That’s great. I’ve got two apartments I’d like to show you.”

Joe showed her the units. She liked the one on the third floor.  A week later she signed the lease and moved in. He was happy to be able to help her restart her life. Joe had rented to people he knew before and it was always kind of awkward at first because their relationship needed to readjust. Before it was friend to friend and then they had to add tenant to manager to that. It could be a little complicated, but it always seemed to work. As it turned out Joe saw Elisabeth little more than the once a month she came to pay her rent. She was so busy with her new job she barely had time for a social life. She never came to any of the Cherrywood get-togethers. That’s why Joe was surprised that next spring when he saw Elisabeth drinking coffee by herself at Java Judy’s. She looked up when he walked in.

“Hey, stranger,” she laughed, “fancy meeting you here.”

“Yeah, what a surprise. What brings you here on a weekday?”

“My boss is Irish. He always closes the office on Saint Patrick’s Day.”

“I suppose that saved you from having to wear all green today.”

“Well, the Lord works in mysterious ways. Would you like to have a cup with me?”

Joe got himself some coffee and sat down.

“Joe I’ve been wanting to tell you how sorry I am about what happened to you. When Polycarp found out I was applying for an apartment here, he kind of filled me in.”

“I appreciate your thoughts. Thanks.”

“You doing okay?”

“I think so. It was extremely hard for a while, and now it’s just hard. God has been good and I’ve got good friends around me.”

“So, what’s in your future? Do you have plans?”

“Yeah, I do. I’d like to stay here for the foreseeable future. I read the statistics somewhere that the percentage of people who live in apartments who don’t follow the Way is extremely high. Something like eighty or ninety percent.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah, so I think I’d like to stay living in an apartment just so I can introduce people to the Way. I mean that’s how I got this job. I think I want to make it a life choice.”

“So, no house in the suburbs, three car garage and a Golden Retriever?”

“Probably not. I think about people who want to be missionaries in some foreign land. They gave up that dream because they felt a burden for the people of that land. My burden is for apartment people.”

“Apartment people?”

“Apartment dwellers didn’t sound right.”

“No, I suppose not.” She said laughing.

“So, what about you?”

“Good question. I’m right there at the beginning of a new life. I don’t know, really. I’m just trying to figure it out. I’ve found the Seven Truths, and Maria told me about the Basic Lessons. I want to know more about all that. But as far as career or whatever, that’s another deal. I did poorly at that before and almost destroyed myself. I think I’m going to ‘keep on keeping on’ as they say and see how God leads.”

“I’ll be praying for you.”

“Thanks, Joe.”

“It has been really nice talking to you, Elisabeth. I think God has great plans for you. I’m sorry, though, I’ve got to get to the bank and make a deposit.”

“I guess you can’t close Cherrywood for Saint Paddy’s Day.”

“Or any other day for that matter.”

Joe turned and started to leave, but then he stopped. He walked back to her table and said,

“Would you like to have dinner with me sometime?”

“Yes I would.”

“Great. I’ll stop by when I get back from the bank. We can make plans.”

“You know where I live.”

They both laughed, and Joe smiled all the way to the bank.