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"BRIARWOOD"
aka "Whence Cometh My Help"
Revised Version
A dramatic saga
by
Ritch Christopher
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BOOK THREE
"BRIARWOOD LOST"
Chapter Twenty-Eight
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"Your heart knows in silence the secrets
of the days and the nights.
But your ears thirst for the sound of
the heart's knowledge.
You need to know in words which you have
always known in thought.
Therefore, say not, 'I have found the truth,'
but rather, 'I have found a truth.'
Say not, 'I have found the path of the
soul.' Say rather, 'I have met the soul
walking upon my path.'
For the soul walks upon all paths.
The soul walks not upon a line, neither does
it grow like a reed.
The soul unfolds itself, like a lotus of
countless petals."
Kahlil Gibran
"The Prophet" (1923)
All rights reserved by Knopf
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Roger had left Briarwood on an early Wednesday morning. His every move had been calculated precisely to the final detail, as was the case in all of his endeavors. Roger never left things undone. He had always followed through with everything in his life. Roger had never known defeat or disappointment. His parents had always fulfilled his needs without extravagance. In spite of being from an upper-class environment, Roger knew the value of a dollar but the price of an object was insignificant. He had always accepted material things for what they could do, not placing importance on how much they cost. A car was a means of transportation...nothing more. It could have been an old Ford jalopy or a Porsche 550...it didn't matter as long as it got him where he wanted to go. Roger could tell time from a Timex as well as a solid gold Rolex. A watch had one purpose...to tell the time and the date...and as long as it was working properly there was no need for it to do anything else, no matter what kind of price-tag it had upon it.
Because he had been brought up with no material needs, it had somehow affected his drive to do something 'special' in or with his life. He had followed Cliff into the priesthood, only because he had no motivational occupation drive as Cliff has displayed, even as a child. In many ways, Roger had secretly played the 'monkey-see, monkey-do' game while watching Cliff grow up. The only area where Roger excelled over Cliff was sex. Roger was the first to learn about masturbation and how babies were made or how babies could be kept from being made, whatever the case. He couldn't wait to initiate his best friend into his newly found pleasure. He dreamed of experimenting with all kinds of sexual activity with the friend who was close enough to be his own brother.
Once he had indoctrinated Cliff in the joys of teenage male sex, Roger's life was complete. He had no desire to date a girl or even think about another boy, for that matter. Cliff was all he wanted and since he 'had' him, that was enough for the rest of his life. Little did Cliff realize when he made a decision, he was making it for both of them. When Cliff felt his "calling" to become a priest and Roger had done likewise, Cliff just assumed that Roger had heard the same cry that he had.
Roger had no firm beliefs in religion. He had watched the priest in his parish perform the Sunday tasks and assumed that becoming a priest was like becoming a doctor, lawyer, or plumber. The priesthood was just an occupation, nothing more. Quite often while they knelt side by side on a prayer bench during a mass, he saw Cliff being 'moved' by something, perhaps something their priest had said, and Cliff would get visible goosebumps beneath the tiny hairs on his arms, or else Cliff's eyes would fill up with tears. Roger never knew what had caused these things to happen to Cliff, but he knew he had to recreate the same reactions. So he would imagine the sound of fingernails scraping on a blackboard and he, too, would get goosebumps on his arm or he would try an emotional recall of the time when his dog had died, and tears would well up in his ducts. Cliff, having felt a joy in his pre-ministry, would look at Roger's arms and eyes and would smile, knowing they had shared the same religious experience. Cliff would have been both angry and hurt if he had known Roger was faking.
The two of them went through college and seminary together. Roger kept hoping that somehow along the way, he would feel the 'spirit', but he never did. Two months before the completion of seminary, jobs at various places around the country were being offered. Cliff had already decided on the town of Briarwood. Roger knew that the church in Briarwood was too small to hire two new priests, so it meant he would have to consider taking another church in a different state, perhaps. But, more importantly, it meant that the two of them would be separated for the first time in their lives. Roger didn't know if he could live or function without Cliff's example. He never had and the thought literally scared the hell out of him.
Roger decided if the two of them were going to be apart, it might as well be faraway enough to keep from interfering with Cliff's dreams in Briarwood. also, Roger wouldn't be tempted to visit every weekend or every chance he got to be alone with his one and only lover/brother. Roger was hurt by thinking Cliff would accept a position away from him. He wondered if Cliff loved him as much as he did Cliff. Roger thought that the two of them would spend their lives together... but this was not the way things were working out.
There was a church about 1000 miles away from Briarwood, which Roger's grandfather attended and from all rumors, had financed. It was a large church and when the selection committee, overseen by Granddad Cole, 'found out' they might get the grandson of their benefactor for a rector, the whole deal was practically a slam dunk. As soon as an offer was made to Roger, he had accepted. If Cliff didn't want him to be around, he would show Cliff how happy he was with his own selection, although Roger had not had much choice in the matter.
Roger was impatient. He wanted God to hurry up and contact him, but he had created a problem for himself. Roger was a straight 'A' student and studied more and deeper than most students. He always delved into any subject to find the final or real answer and how the answer had come to be dogma. The more he listened to his professors at the seminary, who were mostly priests, the more he confirmed his doubt that all religions were a hoax. The witch doctor in Africa or the voodoo lord in Haiti with all his snakes and mumbo-jumbo were as sure of their beliefs as the Archbishop of Canterbury was of his. Who was to say that Christianity was THE way to salvation. Was there any salvation...and salvation from what?...Heaven?...Hell?...Did they actually exist? There was no proof...only faith. Faith was the cornerstone of all beliefs. Without faith everything became non-conclusive...non-existent.
Judaism and Christianity could only date back a little over 5,000 years. That's supposedly when the world was created with the Garden of Eden. But yet the religions in the east outdated the Garden by thousands of years. If Adam and Eve were not created until then, then when did all the dinosaurs live? Was this the catch-all phrase..."and the earth was without form and void (for millions and millions of years)"? Roger couldn't understand how his teachers could fill his mind with doubts and the same men could go to their churches on Sunday and pray to a god they knew didn't exist. The more he learned or 'unlearned', the angrier he got. A simple man or a little child could take the Bible and believe it, word for word...live....die...and go to heaven...in total comfort with his infantile beliefs. But if the simple man or little child had been taught the same things their ministers had learned in seminary, they would have had no desire to go to heaven or the fear of going to hell.
Every day, Cliff had heard the same lectures, read the same books, and passed the same exams as Roger...but Cliff still had his belief in God...and Roger didn't believe in anything. Cliff would accept the position at the church and do the best 'job' possible and no one would ever know the difference except him and 'God', if He existed.
The night of the graduation was to be Roger's and Cliff's last night together for 'who knew' how long? Roger had arranged for them to eat in their favorite restaurant, eating their favorite South African lobster tails. He had also rented the bridal suite in the largest hotel. He had even had rose petals spread over the bed with a magnum of chilled champagne along side. Roger didn't need to impress Cliff, he just wanted the evening to be something neither of them would ever forget.
After dinner they had entered the hotel suite, undressed completely, put on robes and walked out on the balcony to drink in the night air. They stood there arm in arm. Roger leaned over and kissed Cliff, not caring if anyone below saw them. Let 'em! Let 'em see that two men could love, the same as any man and woman. Jesus! This couldn't be their last night together! Roger was ready to call his grandfather and refuse the job...but Cliff's awareness of having God's approval hindered him from making the call. He wanted Cliff to believe he was as happy about his church and his charge to do his duties to the faithful. Roger could never let Cliff know about the biggest secret of all that he had kept from everyone...and that was...Roger was faking his beliefs...and that secret would never be revealed to anyone, anytime, anywhere.
Roger reached into the pocket of his robe and retrieved two small black-velvety jewelry boxes.
"Roger...you didn't!" Cliff said. "We promised not to buy each other graduation gifts."
"I didn't," Roger said. "I bought us both something. You can have either box you like...Pick one."
Cliff reluctantly reached forward slowly and took one of the boxes and opened it. Inside was a long multi-linked solid gold chain with half of a solid gold ancient Roman coin with a jagged edge where it had been cracked and separated from its other half.
"I have the other half. It's valueless unless both pieces are put together. Once joined, you could use it to buy the world if you wanted. This coin represents you and me, Cliff. Without you, my life is worthless, but when we're together, I can fend off Satan, himself."
Cliff's eyes welled up as Roger placed the chain around his neck. Cliff did the same to Roger and they slowly put the two pieces together. The moment swelled as they embraced and locked themselves with the most meaningful kiss either of them had ever given or received. Their hands lowered and their fingers intertwined as they walked to the bed. Roger pulled down the bedspread revealing white satin sheets and pillow cases beneath. They lay down facing each other with only their lips touching delicately. There was no reason to rush the evening. They both had traveled across every inch of each other's body. There was nothing new to explore or find. They had grown so accustomed to each other's wishes and special quirks, it was like one person having total sex all by himself. Roger was right...the two of them did make up one person, but somehow Cliff had managed to find a way to survive singly. Or at least he thought he had. Cliff still loved Roger as much as he always had and always would, but Cliff knew that somewhere outside their world, other people needed him for instruction, comfort, reassurance, and advice, among many other traits he had to offer to his flock. Roger, on the other hand, had not given much thought toward the congregation he was about to administer to. Roger just couldn't understand why Cliff needed MORE than him. Why were these strangers so important to Cliff?
They slowly began to make love. It was different than ever before. This might be their last time together forever. That thought didn't cross Cliff's mind as he was relishing in every word and gesture. The thought of finality in their relationship scared the hell out of Roger. His fear, anxiety, and sadness kept him from getting an erection. He knew Cliff would suspect something was wrong and would question him about it. So Roger chose to act as the aggressor and go down on Cliff and explore that ever so familiar body one last time. This would help Roger cover up his inability to sexually function properly.
Six hours passed and they were still making love. The night was to have no end as far as Roger was concerned. They had taken one 'time out' to open the French champagne for a toast before the ice melted in the wine cooler.
"I don't want this to be our last time, Cliff." Roger finally managed to say.
"Why should it be?" Cliff asked.
"Then you'd better get used to phone sex because I'll call you every night at bedtime." Roger said.
"That would be nice. We've done it before and it was always successful on my end of the line. I would like saying 'Good night' to you to be the last thing I do every night before I fall asleep." Cliff replied.
"Do you think we should date others?" Roger asked.
"I don't plan to. Our brothers who take their vows in the Roman Catholic Church, vow celibacy. Why couldn't we do the same...except fudge on the vow a little by having nightly phone conversations."
"Dammit, Cliff. I'm going to miss you so much. I love you more than myself, my family, or anything else in my life that's important to me,"
"I know you do, my love. It's gonna be just as hard on me as it is on you."
"For two cents I'd call my granddad, and tell him the deal was off, that I wasn't going to Brockston and for him to find someone else to be their rector."
"Don't even think that, Roger. There are hundreds. maybe thousands, who need what you have to offer. What you have is what I've loved all these years...just don't love them the way you love me." Cliff said.
"Why don't you call the folks who hired you in Briarwood and turn your job down and come with me. My church is large enough to have two full time priests."
"I don't know who they are yet, Roger. But I feel there are many people who need me in Briarwood and that's why God pointed me in their direction. There may be guys our age just waiting for me to give them what God has given me to give."
"Just don't get romantically attached to one of them." Roger said, almost pleading.
"You're the only one in my life that can fill that need of mine. No one will ever take your special place in my heart." Cliff said trying once again to reassure his other half.
Cliff was tired of chit-chat. Talking was something they could do together over the phone...but as long as the two of them were here together alone for an entire evening, actions would speak louder than words, for Cliff was still horny and wanted to continue their physical conversation.
Roger had one more thing bothering him, but this was not the time to discuss it...Old Granddad and the way Old Granddad felt about gays. To Granddad's knowledge, no one on either side of his family had ever had any homosexual tendencies. Old Granddad was liberal enough to tolerate gays but not to welcome them into his family. He'd never had the slightest hint that something was going on between his grandson and his grandson's best friend.
One night when Roger was around 13 years old, the subject of sex was the topic of Old Granddad's nightly lecture at the dinner table when Roger was visiting.
"And now you take these homosexuals," Granddad was on a roll. "To me, it's wrong to make fun of a person...any kind of person...homosexuals included, but I've always thought that God made gay people, as they like to be called, in the same manner that God made mules. Now you may wonder about this analogy, but to me, the most pitiful and worthless animal on the globe is a mule. They 'happened' quite by accident, leaving them with no past and no future. Mules can't mate! They can't procreate. They're just work animals and that's all. You can't train 'em. It's a waste of time trying. They don't make good pets because they won't do anything you say!...Now that brings me back to 'gay people'. Everything I said about the mule applies to them. They have no planned past and since they can't make babies. they have no future. Being gay is the end of them. They'll not have any kids to carry on their name. You have to feel sorry for the mule because he can't help the way he was born...same thing applies to gays...they can't help it if that's the way they were born. I'll help them any way that I can. I'll be kind to them...maybe even have a couple of gay friends...but I WON'T have one in my family....Did everyone get my message?"
"Yes, Granddad...loud and clear." everyone at the table replied in unison.
Yes, Roger was going to have his hands full keeping his life-long secret from the patriarch. However, fate or Divine Intervention (Roger wasn't sure), stepped in and changed everything.
On Tuesday following Roger's first mass in Brockston, Old Granddad died in his sleep. He must've been expecting it because he had his funeral planned to the last detail. He was to be buried after a 7:00 AM mass, the first full day following his demise...no long wake or period of mourning. To Old Granddad, big lavish funerals were a waste of time and money and were held for the living survivors. He wanted to be the 'star' of his final spectacle so that all attention would be on him, not who sent the largest wreath or who cried the most. He wanted neither an obituary nor a newspaper announcement. He wanted a quiet private service to be held in the small chapel adjacent to the church's main sanctuary. His last will and testament was to be read at 2:00 PM the same day. Old Granddad wasted no time on anything.
So, early Wednesday morning, Roger held a small requiem mass with less than a dozen people attending. Apparently no one had heard of his death or half the town, looking for bequests, would have been there wringing their greedy hands and licking their chops.
No one, not even Roger knew the amount of Granddad's fortune. No one would ever know where or how he accumulated so much wealth. Granddad had made large deposits in every major bank in the state. If his beneficiaries decided to withdraw his holdings in one day, there was danger of the whole state going bankrupt. Granddad had. not one, but several law firms to keep track of his money...so actually no one knew just how much he was worth. The figure totaled almost as much as the National Debt. It was way beyond billions...but just how much? No one knew.
At the time of the reading of the will, there were nearly forty lawyers present representing over a dozen firms. They all had two things in common. Each of them was in charge in the dispensing of their share of the fortune and each of them had the name of only one beneficiary. His name was Roger.
To say Roger was overwhelmed when he learned of his inheritance was an understatement. There was no word in Webster's Unabridged Dictionary to describe his disbelief. If financial standing had been important to Roger, he would have realized he was suddenly one of the richest men in the world. This new wealth didn't faze him at all. To him, all that was important was that he could quit his priest's 'job' and hurry to be with Cliff and that's exactly what he did. Roger went downtown, bought a brand new Lexus and headed east toward Briarwood, without even saying goodbye to his church, its selection committee, or its members. Now if he could get Cliff to quit his job, they could ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after. But he knew asking this of Cliff was a great impossibility, for Cliff had gone where he wanted to go, to fulfill his service to God and His children.
Only a few weeks had passed since he moved in with Cliff when Roger found out he was a father figure for Troy, Jay, Rob, and Timmy. Roger made it his business to see that all their needs were met. This gave him more pleasure than he had ever known. The money was good for something at least. Cliff was so consumed by his ministry and his desire to help others, that it was up to Roger to help Cliff any way he could. He paid for all of Troy's hospital bills and therapy. He had assisted Troy in his legal matters concerning Kitty Marsden. He made sure that Jay was getting the best medical treatment for his AIDS. Timmy had gotten in trouble after false rumor started in his school. Roger had hired the best detectives possible in assisting him and Timmy's name was cleared of all the charges. He had done nothing more for Rob than help him get a divorce and providing a place where he could live. It was the overcrowding in the manse that had prompted Roger to buy the Marsden estate and make a home for all of them. Maybe it was only a financial ministry, but Roger was finding a purpose in life he'd never known before. Maybe his money had 'bought' it, but he now had a family to share with Cliff.
Roger could have and should have been the happiest person on earth. He had money, a family, his one and only love...but there was something missing. Something deep inside him that he couldn't explain or even talk with Cliff about. Cliff had found 'God'. That was something Roger couldn't accept OR believe in. Cliff had an inner happiness and glow that exuded from him to everyone he met. Somehow, somewhere, Roger knew he had to find that same feeling for himself or his, or his and Cliff's life together, would always be incomplete. Roger didn't know where to start looking. He'd read Hubbard's "Dianetics", something very popular with John Travolta and Tom Cruise. He'd heard of audiences with the pope or the Dalai Lama. In Divinity School, he'd studied the Koran. Each of these religious icons had totally different viewpoints, but each of them had masses who followed them and their beliefs. Which one, if any had the answer he was searching for?
Roger decided he would not show his 'weakness' or ineptitude to Cliff. He must go on a quest by himself to find something to believe in...maybe the idols on Easter Island or the big fat Buddha in Southeast Asia.
Roger made an appointment with a lawyer, Walter Clayton, to see to Cliff's financial needs and those of his 'sons', while he was gone. If he traveled the world and found there was nothing to believe in, at least that, too, would be a closure or an answer. He hated nothing more in the world than the idea of leaving the person he'd loved most all his life, but if Cliff loved him the way Roger felt he did, then Cliff would understand, give him time to search, and welcome him home with open arms when his journey was over.
He had made no definite itinerary because he didn't know what place would send him to the next...or if he should find his goal sooner than expected, the travel plans would've been made for nothing. His first destination was San Francisco and to points south of there, such as Monterey, Carmel, Pebble Beach, and Pacific Grove. During the 70's and the early 80's, many people had sought cults there and some had written about the love and happiness they'd found there. The idea might have been a "wash-out", but at least it was a place to start. Was there such a thing as a 21st century flower child? Why not? Maybe there SHOULD be. It might be fun to see what Haight-Asbury looked like thirty years after its hey-day. So on the way to the airport, Roger sang silently, "San Francisco, here I come..."
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The pool party had gone better than planned. If there had ever been friction between Jay and Kyle, it had dissipated, for they had bonded like two widows having loved and lost the same husband. Troy had had a great time talking with Ryan. They found in their pasts their similarity of having been 'two lost souls'. Neither of them could be inferior or superior to the other. Rob and Timmy were still like two newly weds and Alex and Ted had strengthened their love and relationship. As for Jason and Tony, they were just two kids, thrilled to be asked to join the throngs of adulthood. No one made sexual advances nor made off-colored remarks in their revelry. Walter loved the camaraderie of the two combined families and had truly appreciated the prospect of his and Cliff's newly formed friendship. All eyes had focused on the noticeable change in Jeff. The kid appeared to be sincerely 'taken' by his exposure to organized religion. Some, especially Alex, thought Jeff was using this as a ploy for one of Jeff's often mysterious motives , but this didn't seem to be the case when he asked to join Cliff at Evensong without the others accompanying him. Cliff decided he would test Jeff's sincerity in the car on the way to church, as Jeff appeared to be wide-eyed with questions and awestruck by his new feelings.
Once inside the car, Jeff's inquisition began immediately.
"How do I sign up to join?" was Jeff's first query. "Do I have to take a pledge and pay dues or something?"
"No, Jeff," Cliff replied, covering his slight amusement, "The only requirements to become a member of my or any church is faith, belief and sincere dedication."
"Tell me about those things." Jeff said.
"First of all, let me ask you a few things about yourself."
"Shoot! Ask me anything. I don't lie and say everything that comes into my head so long as it's the truth."
"That's what everyone says about you, Jeff. That you don't hold back when it comes to what you're thinking."
"Is that bad?" he asked.
"No, it's very admirable but sometimes it can get you into a lot of trouble."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, let's say for example that you meet a kid who's overweight, you just don't come out and say, 'Hey, you're fat!'. Even though it might be true, some things you just don't say."
"Oh, I know all about that. I used to say things like that and my dad told me I lacked 'tact'. I didn't know what he meant, so I looked the word up in the dictionary and Dad was right, I DID lack tact. Since then I try to think before I say something, but I don't always succeed."
"That will come easier for you, the older you get."
"Yeah, if I live that long Dad says."
"How do you feel about your Dad and your brother?"
"They're both super. My Dad and I are as close as two peas in a pod. I don't always tell him everything...but if it's important, I always go and talk to him."
"And Alex?"
"Oh, I tell Alex everything. He knows more of my secrets than Dad ever will. It's not that I trust Alex more, it's just Alex is not my parent and he won't punish me for the things I tell him."
"You tell Alex EVERYTHING?"
"EVERYTHING. You know, the kind of things brothers discuss. Recently, I've learned I can trust Ted the same as Alex. You know the two of them are the next best thing to being married."
"How do you feel about that? Do you respect their relationship?"
"Not at first. I used to think they hooked up just to have sex! Oops, I hope you understand about boys having sex together. Dad says it's natural and part of growing up. But then when I realized that Alex and Ted are really in love like boys and girls their age, I just decided, 'why fight it' and made Ted my new brother."
"You're very grown up and intelligent for your age, Jeff."
"I know, but I also know it's best to play 'dumb' at times."
"That even makes you smarter, young man!"
"I already know that too. Now what about the rules about becoming a member?"
"If you became an Anglican, one of the things that would be required of you would be to go to confession and tell all your wrong-doings to the priest. If I were your priest, do you think you could open up to me and tell me everything like you do to Alex and Ted?"
"I suppose. I heard what you said in the pulpit this morning and I think you're cool. I think I could trust you to tell you everything."
"And you wouldn't be afraid I would inflict some kind of punishment on you?"
"Nah, 'cause you said everything is forgivable. That means if I go out and do something wrong, I can just come to you and tell you all about it and you'll forgive me for it and I won't go to hell for what I did."
"Jeff, that only applies if you don't make a habit of committing the same sin over and over."
"You mean if I jerk-off and tell you about it and get forgiven, the next time I do it, I won't?"
"Well, we don't consider 'jerking-off' as a sin as long as you do it in moderation."
"How about other things?"
"Like what?"
"Blow jobs and corn-holing?"
Again, it was all Cliff could do to keep a straight face without bursting into laughter.
"Well, some things are against the law...not the church's law. You can be arrested for drinking or smoking while you're under aged."
"But it's not against the law to get a blow-job."
"It is if some adult does it to a minor. That is considered to be a form of molestation or sometimes it can be called statutory rape."
"But if kids the same age do it, it's all right then?"
"We know kids your age experiment...and as long as you're not forcing yourself on a child and the kid you're doing it with consents then it's not really a moral sin."
"Heck, I'd never do anything like that with a little kid." Jeff said.
"Good, I'm glad we got that settled." Cliff paused for a moment. "Jeff, you seem to be preoccupied with the term 'blow-job'. Are you and one of your girl or boy friends engaging in this activity?"
"You're asking about me...personally?"
"Yes, if you don't mind answering."
"I don't mind. This ain't no kind of confession, is it? I mean you won't give me a bunch of things to do if I tell you?"
"No, whatever you say will be just between us men...no one else will know."
"O.K. Alex already knows about it and I think Dad suspects something, but my best friend, Earl, and I get together sometimes and do sex things to each other."
"I presume Earl is your age and he's a willing partner?"
"Oh yeah, he's sixteen, same as me, and MORE than willing."
"Is Earl the only one you've tried this with?"
"So far, but I did jerk off a couple of time with Alex."
"Let's take one thing at a time. Alex is your brother and I don't know of any brothers who are close who don't at some time in their life engage in a little adolescent sex...the same thing goes for Earl. Nearly all boys masturbate or experiment sexually with their best friend...sometimes even brothers. Psychologists have told us this is normal"
"I gotcha!" Jeff said, pleased as he smiled.
As Cliff continued the drive to church he became aware Walter had not underestimated Jeff's ability to blatantly ask loads of questions.
"Can I ask you something else, Father Cliff?"
"Sure." Cliff agreed while clutching the steering wheel firmly in preparation for his next subject.
"What is an acolyte? I mean, what does the word 'acolyte' mean?"
"It comes from the Latin, 'acolytus', and the Greek, 'akolouthos', both meaning 'follower' or 'assistant'. In my case, an acolyte is one who assists me with the mass."
"I'm a little older than Tony and Jason, aren't I? I mean, have I missed out on getting to be one too?"
"There are a few requirements and a small amount of training you'd have to complete."
"What's the biggest requirement?" he asked.
"It's not really all that big a deal, but usually an acolyte has been baptized and has become a member of that faith. Have you been baptized?"
"No, my mom said I had to wait until I was thirteen and then, well, she died...Then Daddy stopped taking Alex and me to church so I just never got around to it. Alex was baptized, though, before Mom died."
"If you're sincere in your desire to become an acolyte or a member of St. Genesius', I could give you a small book to read. It's called a catechism. It tells you what the church stands for and believes in...and then you have to answer some questions...just like a test...to let everyone know that you are serious about your faith."
"Who all would be there when I took my test?"
"Usually it's done in front of the entire congregation at a ceremony we call 'Confirmation' where you're confirmed, as we say, into the church's membership."
"Couldn't you just give me the test in private and tell everyone I passed?"
"That could be arranged, I suppose...the same as a baptism. It would be nice if your dad, Alex, and perhaps Ted were there with you."
"Oh, that'd be O.K. Do you think my dad would let me do it?"
"I can't speak for your dad, Jeff, but I'm sure if you talked with him, he might be agreeable...Can I ask you a question now?"
"Sure."
"Are you really interested in becoming an Anglican or are you more interested in getting to know Jason and Tony better?"
"A little of both, I guess." he answered quietly.
"You aren't using your sudden desire in becoming an acolyte as a mask to hide an ulterior motive to get to know them the way you do your friend, Earl, are you?"
"Good gosh, Father! Are you trying to accuse me of something?" he asked, defensively.
"No, Jeff, but I just wanted to be sure of your intention, although, the other idea DID cross my mind."
"Then you don't know Jason and Tony. I mean I was afraid both of them were gonna proposition me in the pool. I steered clear and changed the subject! I mean they almost did it right there in front of Earl!"
"Oh, what did they say to you?"
"They said that if I got to be one of them. we could meet at the church every Thursday afternoon and there was some kind of initiation I had to go through just with the two of them."
"I'm sure they were joking, Jeff, but I'll have a talk with them just the same."
"Then there's no initiation where I have to eat bugs or run around the outside of the church naked?"
"No, Jeff. I'm positive they were just joking."
"I would've done it. I don't care who sees me naked."
"Believe me, that won't be necessary! But you want to learn the catechism, be baptized and confirmed, go through acolyte training?
"I really, truthfully want to join your church and become an acolyte. Only what would happen to Tony, Jason, and me if we did do things together?"
"As long as it's outside the church and you're aware that you're sixteen and they're younger than you."
"I guess I'd better stick with Earl and kids my own age."
Jeff was a real 'corker'. Cliff laughed to himself as he pulled into the church driveway.
When the small, mostly unattended, service was over, Cliff drove Jeff back to rejoin the party which was still going on. Everyone was still there, including Jason and Tony. Cliff caught Walter's attention as Jeff and Cliff entered and motioned for Walter to meet in the study.
"What gives?" Walter asked.
"Walter, I think you and I need to have a talk."
"Oh my God! Don't tell me Jeff tried to put the make on you while you were gone?"
"Nothing that drastic."
"I'm always kidding him about being sent to a reformatory."
"I think you'd better think along the line of sending him to a monastery." Cliff joked.
"Good God! What's he done now?" Walter asked. His face was white with fear.
"Sit down, Walter while we have a drink. I'll tell you all about it."
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Three weeks later, with Walter, Alex, Ted, Kyle, and Ryan attending as hopeful supporters, a private ceremony was held in Cliff's office at the church. Jeff was baptized, passed his catechism, and was confirmed into St. Genesius' parish. The next Sunday, Jeff helped Tony and Jason assist with the mass. Cliff overheard the three of them planning to meet to go to the movies the following Friday evening...something about a 'triple feature'.
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(To be continued in "Briarwood"---BOOK THREE-"Briarwood Lost" chapter-twenty-nine)
Copyright Ritchris, 2005.