“Uh-huh. And you’re saying that God put you there?”
“Uh-huh.”
There’s a moment of silence, up until now any conversation on this topic would have led the two into heated debate, but with her guard finally lowered, Lauren simply replies, “Okay. Well then, good job!” James’ broad smile flows freely now, his satisfaction magnified by her understanding.
They continue up the turnpike in this way, talking most of the time, but at other times just silent or listening to the radio. Occasionally Lauren would find herself just looking at James; not so much because of his good looks, but because of who he is as a person. She finds his honesty and genuinely cheerful disposition very refreshing. And, though he vaguely reminds her of someone, she couldn’t honestly say that she’d ever met anyone quite like him. She begins to develop a little nickname for her new, positive and upbeat friend; so as the afternoon passes and the temperature begins to slide, she says:
“By the way, Jimmy-sunshine, since ours seems to be a friendship based on frankness, can I tell you that it’s getting a bit chilly to have the top down?”
James, “Really?”
Lauren, “Don’t you think so?”
With a puzzled expression James answers honestly, “You know, I’m not sure. I’m either actually warm enough, or I’m so excited to be driving a convertible, I only think I’m warm enough. But it doesn’t matter; I wouldn’t want to deprive you of comfort in any way. What do we do, pull over?”
Lauren, who is giving him a long stare because of the way he phrased his answer, says “Uh, yes, it’s automatic and really fast, so we’ll only be off to the side for a moment.”
James simply says, “Cool.” And they pull to the side where he pushes the button to close the convertible top. It literally takes all of two minutes. Sitting on the side of the road, Lauren glances over into the woods and sees what appears to be a large beautiful male deer, just like the one she saw in Denver. She focuses her eyes to look deeper to make out its form, but James interrupts her saying, “So much for the look on Joe’s face when he sees me pull up in a convertible.”
Lauren turns her attention back to him, and after processing what he had just said, she just shakes her head, slightly saying, “Men.” Looking back out the window, she notices the deer has vanished from sight. She shakes it off, and gets her head back into her job. James is, after all, her most valuable asset, and for the time being, her protectee. Watching him, she is impressed at how well he has figured out how to lock the top. She, on the other hand needs to figure out what to ask next. With the car all closed up it warms up nicely as they pour down the turnpike.
“That’s much better,” she says, “my head is warm and toasty. Which reminds me, somewhere back there we were talking about a fire and your kid brother’s premonitions, or as you called ’em, his episodes.”
“Ohh, yeah.”
“I think you left me hanging on the mystery of the church fire.”
“That’s right, that’s right. Let’s see, what did I tell you so far?”
“Nothing! Just that he seemed to be able to predict things, and the last time he did it had something to do with a church fire. Talk about keeping a girl in suspense!”
James says, “Okay, I’m sorry.” He takes a deep breath and says, “I’m gonna tell you the whole story.”
Lauren thinks to herself, “Hallelujah!” Then, conscious of whom she’s with, edits the thought, “Sorry, God.” She then repositions and makes herself comfortable facing James, as to settle in for a good long story. While doing so, she secretly reaches into her pocket, takes hold of her PDA, and launches a recording program to get every word that he is about to tell her. “Alllll right then, let’s hear it.”
“You already know that Joey had predicted how our neighbor’s sister would die and it came true, right?” Lauren nods her head, not daring to utter a word that might interrupt. “Well, here’s the whole story. It all started the summer he turned five, when he wrote these strange things in his journal. It was a surreal summer all around, you know, but this was the coup de grâce. There was a whole lot more in that journal than just the death of our neighbor’s sister and the church fire. Most was about people we– Actually, all of it was about people we didn’t know, or never heard of; except, I guess, the president.”
On that sentence Lauren’s eyes grew huge. She could barely keep her composure. With her heart racing she just gets out, “The president? Of the United States?”
“Yep. It’s been so long, I really can’t remember what he wrote, but something about seven days after some lady died in her rocking chair the president is supposed to die.”
“Oh, my God! The President!”
“I know right? We even called the Whitehouse about that, but they just brushed us off as a bunch of loonies, just like our whole town did … until the church fire.”
“Okay, wow, my head is spinning here, this is like a movie! What happened next, I mean, after the neighbor’s sister.”
“Golly, let’s see if I still remember the order, first it was her, then uh … the stranger who was supposed to come there just to die and bless the town—which never happened.”
“So he didn’t die?”
“No, he died alright, but he just didn’t bless the town. It was about that time when people started calling Joe the prophet of doom—which we thought was cool, but our folks weren’t so thrilled. Then um, then came the president, and then was the church fire—Page seven.”
“What? What about page seven?”
“That’s the page everybody wanted to see or touch; that’s the one about the church fire.”
“What happened?”
“Okay, you gotta remember this was almost ten years ago, so I’m working from memories that are pretty sketchy.”
Playfully, Lauren says, “Spill it!”
James laughs and says, “Okay, okay. Um, well, with Agnes– WOW, I can’t believe I remembered her name! That was my neighbor’s sister who died after inviting everyone over for one last party. Not Arlene, Agnes! Anyway, with her, people were shocked, but they just chalked it up as a wild coincidence. Then, the um … Who did I say was next?”
Lauren, without missing a beat, “The stranger who came just to die.”
“Yeah, okay. With him, people began to believe; believe that Joey really could tell the future, and there was a lot of debate about it. Some people thought Joe was a prophet; others called him some kind of possessed modern day Nostradamus. Joe had written something like God will send a man in need of love, be a blessing to him and he will bless your whole town. So when dude shows up, we were all quite hospitable to him. It was so weird. People were just waiting for this poor guy to kick!”
“That’s terrible!”
“I know. But then, one day, they go to turn his bed down and … he was gone.”
“He was dead?”
“Yep, outta here. We hope in a much better place … but he did NOT bless the town, they couldn’t even find a living relative so we wound up footing the bill for his burial.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah, so people basically began to resent Joe, our whole family really. What a weird summer that was. I remember thinking, this has to be the end of the world. There was so much arguing; neighbors threatening us.” He shakes his head as he recalls it.
Lauren, “Wow, that had to have been tough on a ten-year-old. But why were they so hostile to you? You guys weren’t doing anything.”
“Well, the church fire was a big, big deal. See, our town had put on all these fundraisers to pay for adding a tall bell tower and steeple to the church. Even Joe and I had raised money collecting bottles and cans. It was a big community effort. So when someone reads in Joe’s journal, I think it was my mom, anyway, when she reads that it was going to be struck by lightning and destroyed, people were more than a little uncomfortable.”
“Really?”
“Oh yeah. Somehow it got on the local news, and they broadcast the date.”
“Hold it! DATE?”
“Yup, date. He had written—and I really cannot be expected to remember this accurately, but basically—something like I am not pleased with this body. Repent. The project you are building will be taken down by fire from heaven, and something about, the twenty-fifth Sunday. When people got wind of what he said they just freaked. I guess they kinda felt guilty for looking at that poor stranger as some kind of lottery ticket. Next thing you know the local news, county, and I think state news agencies sent over reporters! It became a big to-do!”
“Really!”
“People packed lunches! They setup picnic tables and lawn chairs, all waiting for a prediction from a five-year-old boy to come true.” Again he shakes his head in disbelief as he remembers. “But when the forecast called for clear skies and there was not a cloud in sight, by noon most of the reporters packed it in.”
“Yeah, keep talking.”
“Well, time wore on, and it got to be about dinnertime, finally my folks gave up the g– Uh, took us home. Next thing you hear CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG, fire trucks, police cars, you name it!”
Lauren, “I don’t believe it!”
“Yep. Outta a clear blue sky! A bolt of lightening hit the steeple.”
“No!”
“Yes! About six fifteen p.m..”
“And nobody saw it?”
“Actually our fire chief, Mr. Watson, videotaped the whole thing. He had setup a camera to catch anyone who might try and set a fire on purpose.”
Fighting back a smile, Lauren says, “You don’t say, Sherlock!”
“I know, everybody gives him grief about the name.”
Then Lauren says cheerfully, “But seriously, this should have proved without a doubt that you guys didn’t stage this in anyway right?”
“Yep, if it hadn’t been for that video, my dad says they would have run us outta town!”
“Wow, wow, wow.”
“Incredible, no? I honestly forgot how involved this story is ’til I started remembering I– Whoa! This is our exit coming up.”
Lauren hands him the toll card and they get in line to queue for the tollbooth. She says with genuine relief, “At least no one died in the church fire, so that clears Joe’s prophecies from being prophecies of doom!”
“Yeah, that’s true”
“Why did you say that so hesitantly?”
He thinks a moment then says, “Well, it’s funny, when we realized that no one died, everyone was greatly relieved, we were kind of reinstated into society, and everything seemed great. But my mom who actually read the prophecy– Oh, did I mention that this one was in Latin?”
“Nooo.”
“Yeah, well, this one was in Latin, and my mom reads and understands some Latin. So, when she read it, she said there was a part that still concerned her; a part left unfulfilled. But after it was proved that no one died– Did I mention that the debris from the rubble was sent to the New York State crime lab?”
“Nooooooo.”
“Oh yeah. And to make sure that there was absolutely no sign of foul play, they sent debris and stuff from the fire to the state labs.”
“Wow, I guess video wasn’t enough for the Justice Department!”
“Guess not. At any rate, um, my mom was never quite so sure. Even after she heard the official report. But after a few years, she let it go—pretim singuli vita.”
Lauren, “Okay, you do, and you’ll clean it up!”
Laughing, James says, “I’m sorry, that’s the part my mom had me memorize. I may have it wrong, but it’s something close to that.”
“What does it mean?”
“I think it means, every single life, or costs one life.”
“And so your mom read this in Joe’s journal?”
“I think so, a couple of things she heard him say directly, but most everything was in that journal.”
“Oh, my God, please don’t tell me your mom heard your five-year-old brother speaking in Latin!”
“Okay, since you said please.”
“Shut up! Oh my, that is just TOO creepy!”
“Yeah, I know.”
“And all of this, spoken or written in this journal was from what he heard in church?”
“He told her he had heard it in church, then my dad looked into it, then it turned out that he seemed to be interpreting tongues.”
“Doing what?”
“Interpreting tongues—this is where we got off into our deep philosophical-religious debate earlier and–“
“I promise, not a word outta me, I’m just listening.”
James, “Wait, wait, mental note coming in again, never believe a promise from Lauren that she won’t interrupt.” They both laugh at his comment.
Too Strange Not To Be True
They arrive at the booth and James hands the lady the toll card and says, “Good afternoon.”
The attendant looks over and says, “Well, good afternoon to you!” James and Lauren give each other a quick look. “Eighteen fifty, please,” says the lady, and he hands her the twenty-dollar bill from his wristband. She already has a dollar and fifty cents ready and places it in his hand directly, “Thank you, sir. Have a nice day.”
James replies, “Thank you, and God bless you!”
The attendant replies, “Well, thank you! And God bless you, too!”
They pull off and again give each other a quick look, both fighting back growing smiles, Lauren says, “Bravo, Minister Market.” James, kind of shrugs his shoulders, to which Lauren continues, “Winning the world one toll booth attendant at a time?”
“I do what I can.”
“So, I think you were about to try and explain speaking in tongues, and I had promised not to comment.”
“You know, I think all Christians believe this; well, maybe most of them—Anyway, the belief is that when Christ was raised from the grave, God gave us—meaning mankind—these gifts. They are: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, and um … something I’m forgetting, uh … tongues, and interpretation of tongues, okay? The best description I can give on tongues– You don’t know about this? How were you raised?”
Lauren, “Catholic, but that’s the last word outta me, continue, I’m fascinated.”
“Gracious! I feel like I’m on the spot now. You’re not gonna tell my dad how bad I’m remembering– Ah! Distinguishing spirits! That’s the other one; healing, miracles, prophecy, distinguishing spirits, tongues and interpretation of them.”
“Excellent, now get back to what you were saying about tongues!”
“Okay. The belief is this. There’s a point in praise and adoration to God, when you run out of words, when you just shout, Hallelujah, or cry tears of joy. Have you ever just leaped for joy at a score or a great last minute victory?”
“Yeah, I’m sure I have.”
“Well, it’s kinda like that, you may have hollered or said yeah! … It’s an emotional overwhelmingness where you just let the spirit of joy come out! You’re not saying anything intelligible, you don’t literally mean yes if you yell Yeeaaaaah! Or, if you holler or make some sound, it’s just … a joyful noise. It’s really like that, only in our faith, when you are genuinely open to God, we believe that it’s the Spirit of God that gives you the unintelligible words you utter, sometimes even in a foreign language you don’t understand; you can’t tell what you’re saying, you are only aware of this one thing, that you are joyful unto God, and you are believing in and trusting him for what he has done, or what you need him to do!”
“Wow.”
“Are you making fun–”
“No, no, no. I really understand what you mean. It’s completely fascinating. But, okay, so now how does that get you to knowing the future?”
“Remember the last two on the list of gifts, tongues, and interpretation of tongues? It is believed that when you are in the Spirit and extolling the virtues of God in a tongue, some people—a rare few, from what I can tell—can actually listen and understand what you’re sa
ying.”
Lauren, with wide, wide eyes, “And Joe is one of those people?”
James, acceding, “In my opinion. And after my dad looked into it, not only do I believe, but it’s the only answer that makes sense.”
Lauren, letting her professional detachment slip a little, “You’re right, that does make sense.” Catching herself she adds, “Go on. Wow this is so incredible!”
“Well, now that we’re over that hurdle, here, to the best of my memory, is how that went down. That’s official cop lingo.” Lauren, just kind of nods her head, yes, in mock agreement. He continues, “Joe asked my dad on the way home from church, how come so many people were praying the exact same thing? And my dad told him it wasn’t polite to listen to what other people are praying. My mom told him is better to just join them in prayer, by agreeing that the Lord would take care of whatever they were praying. It was about that time when Joe got his first journal, and each night he was writing what he was hearing them say, only he was hearing their praises and exaltations in plain English!”
James senses that he’s lost Lauren’s undivided attention for a moment, and notices her gazing out of the window behind, past him. Looking out he sees the New York City skyline. He says, “New York City, there’s none like it.”
“Yeah.”
“Hadn’t you seen it before?”
Lauren, “Yeah.”
James, “Oh, that’s right, your–” At that moment he remembers not only the fact that she’s from New York, but that the skyline is missing a certain structure. He tries to take her mind off of it. “Where was I?”
Lauren, somewhat more subdued, “Your brother could understand the unintelligible praises to God.”
“Yeah, so it was about the third Sunday or so when my mom asked Joe how many people were praying the same thing to God. And Joe said, everybody! That’s when Mom asked Joe to bring her his journal. She took a look at it and got really concerned. When my dad came home they had a long talk with him, and that’s how it all started.”
Lauren, “Um, we are going to have to make a rest stop as soon as possible.”
• • •
The Journal: A Prophecy, A President & Death Page 16
