In the Valley of Hope

by Richard Weirich

  “Can't stop thinking about that boy, can you?”

  “Never had one take an interest in me before. He asked when we could get together again.”

  “You did the right thing, inviting him to church. If he's willing to go to church with you, that's a step in the right direction.”

  “Might scare him off.”

  “If it does then he ain't the one for you. What do you know about Charlie Polk?”

  “Not that much. I know he has some sisters and a brother and a very mean daddy.”

  “What's his father's name?”

  “Must be Bill because he said his brother, Bill, Jr. was coming to pick him up.”

  “Bill Polk. Hope it's not the one I'm thinking about.”

  “Why?”

  Moses Shown loved to tell stories, but he avoided gossip. “What I'm going to tell you is hearsay. Can't say for sure whether it’s true or not.” It was clear to him that Mable was falling fast for Charlie Polk and it was important that she knew what she was getting herself into. Since he didn't know Bill Polk personally, he could only reference the considerable talk about him.

  “Bill's a drunk,” they say. “A mean drunk.”

  “I don’t understand.”

  “Alcohol affects people in different ways. There's happy drunks, generous drunks, sloppy drunks, and mean ones. Most likely there are other kinds but that's all that comes to mind.” Moses proceeded to tell Mable about the source of his information and his reason for believing that some of the gossip was likely factual. “You know Buster Funkhouser.”

  “Comes to church once in a while.”

  “That's the one.”

  “Buster Funkhouser stayed out of church for nearly a year after he and Bill Polk got in an ugly brawl over in Edinburg. According to the newspaper, Bill Polk beat Buster severely, left him in an alley to die, and by the time somebody finally found him he had just about bled to death. Police found Bill Polk passed out in his wagon on Valley Pike and locked him up in the county jail for, as best as I can recall, assault, attempted murder, and public intoxication.”

  Mable could not stand the thought of violence. Even minor displays of anger or cursing were upsetting. What she was hearing about Charlie's father was so repulsive that she was feeling physically ill, to the point that she considered asking her daddy to stop talking.

  “Are you alright?” said Moses sensing that she was uncomfortable with the brutal story.

  “Not really, but go ahead anyway. It's something I need to know.”

  “They kept Bill in the jail for about a month but then let him go because, and get this, Buster Funkhouser didn't press charges. That's some forgiveness there.”

  “Good for him.”

  “Got to talking to Buster one Sunday after church and he brought it up, wanted to talk about it since he was ashamed of what happened. He told me that once upon a time he and Bill Polk were the best of friends and Buster even helped Bill work his farm. Then one day Bill got mad at him and ordered him off his property and told him to never come back there again.”

  “What was the spat about?”

  “Didn't say but I gather there's been bad blood between the two ever since.”

  “Wonder what led to the fight in Edinburg.”

  “Buster told me that they had both been in Woodstock earlier that day for the livestock sale. They didn't speak to each other, but Buster said he could tell that Bill was none too happy that he was there. He stopped in Edinburg on his way back home to get something to eat and when he came walking out of the restaurant, Bill chased him down and started cussing him out. Buster said he just kept on walking, but Bill wouldn't stop and then pushed him into an alley and beat him senseless.”

  “It scares me to think that Charlie lives with that horrible man.”

  “Well, now. Let's not go to judging. Remember, there's always two sides to every story and we've only heard one.”

  “From what little I know about Mr. Funkhouser, he's a respectable man.”

  “Expect he is. But something went on between those two that Bill just can't put aside.”

  “Ever heard anything about Charlie or the rest of his family?”

  “No, can't say that I have. Just Bill. For your sake, I just hope Charlie ain't like his daddy. You just need to be real careful.”

  “I intend to be.”

  “Love is a powerful drug like that alcohol that we were talking about. It can make you do things you know is wrong and you just can't help yourself.”

  As the sun went down on this eventful day in the Valley, Mable wondered if possibly she had been premature in concluding that Charlie was the answer to her prayer. No question that her time with him was magical and unforgettable, but she had also been taught that the devil was the great deceiver. Was her experience part of God's plan or something sinister concocted by the Father of Lies? What felt so right, now seemed so uncertain.

  There were now new questions to be asked of God. “Once you have prayed specifically and then you get what appears to be the answer, how can you know for sure if it’s God's answer or Satan's deception?”

  That Old Time Religion- September 15, 1918

  Apprehension grew as the first date drew near. Both were worried about doing something to ruin the magic that existed in their drugstore encounter. Will he still like me? Will she still be interested? What if I say or do something stupid?

  Mable couldn't make up her mind as to which of her three Sunday-go-to-meeting dresses to wear and modeled each of them for her disinterested sister, Pearl. “I ain't exactly the one you need to be asking about how to dress to catch a man,” said Pearl.

  Attire for the occasion was the least of Charlie's worries since he only had one suit. His concern was attending church with Lutherans. “What's a Lutheran, anyway?” he wondered. “Wonder if they're anything like them holy rollers I heard about?”

  As he rushed to finish his chores early that Sunday morning Charlie agonized over attending his first ever church service. Where would he sit? When should he stand? He couldn't carry a tune in a bucket so what would he do when other folks started to sing? Even more bothersome was determining how he could find one on one time with Mable with all those church people around and her family living right next door.

  Mary Shown had already laid down the law to Mable about how she was to meet with Charlie. “You can have him join us for lunch after church and then the two of you can sit in the parlor with me and your daddy, but I want him out of here before dark.”

  “Time to go in now, Mable,” said her mother as the family stood at the entrance to St. Mary's Pine Lutheran Church.

  “Give him another minute,” said Mable. “He'll be here.”

  “Time's up. Let's go,” said Mary.

  “Wait. I think I see him.”

  A rider on horseback rode into view. “It's Charlie. He came.”

  “I'm going inside. You're acting plain silly, Mable,” said Pearl as she wheeled around and headed for the church entrance.

  “Don't mind her,” said Mary Shown, displeased with her older daughter’s behavior. “I expect she's a little jealous of you having a gentleman caller.”

  Mable met Charlie on the road and pointed to where he could hitch his horse. “You made it.”

  “No thanks to a heifer that didn't want to come into the barn,” he said while dismounting.

  “Got to hurry. It's time to start,” said Mable grabbing his arm as the church bell rang.

  “Pretty nervous about this.”

  “You'll be okay,” whispered Mable as the couple walked through the front door. “Sit next to my daddy on the men's side. He's saving a place for you.”

  The women in the congregation outnumbered the men considerably which made the segregated seating arrangement appear unbalanced. Charlie wondered why it was necessary to separate the genders. Maybe it had something to do with the giant feathered and flowered hats the women wore. It would make it near impossible for the taller men to sit next to them, he reaso
ned. He then hoped that the old lady with a hat full of daisies didn't come near Butch, his horse. He'll eat her hat for lunch for sure, he thought amused at the headpiece that seemed wider that the woman was tall.

  Mable pointed to her daddy. “He's sitting in the middle pew.”

  “The what?”

  “The middle pew, with the rest of the men.”

  First the hats and now the bench they sat upon...called a pew. Wonder what they call the women's seats? These Lutherans have some strange customs, he thought as he came to rest by Moses.

  No one said a word and the only sounds were an occasional cough or the creaking of a floorboard. As Charlie tried to acclimate himself to his surroundings a door opened near the front of the room and in walked a mountain of a man carrying a large Bible.

  “Good morning and welcome to St. Mary's Pine Church,” said the minister. “Will you please rise.”

  Relieved at such a simple instruction Charlie rose to his feet with the others.

  “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost.”

  Together the congregation responded, “Amen.” Charlie hoped nobody noticed that he didn't respond.

  What happened over the next few minutes made Charlie feel very uncomfortable. The minister would speak a few sentences and then the congregation would chant after him. Not only did he not know what to say or do, but he also didn't have a clue as to the meaning of what was being said.

  After a series of recitations, the minister finally instructed the congregation to be seated and a piano began to play and they started to sing. He couldn't help but notice that there were some atrocious singers among them. Later Mable would explain that it's alright to sing off-key in church because the Bible says that all that is required is to make a “joyful noise.”

  When the music stopped, the reverend delivered what he called the homily. Maybe he meant, hominy, thought Charlie. Mama cooks it for breakfast once in a while. Finally something I understand.

  As the minister spoke, Charlie understood something else of real importance to him. “God loves us and forgives our sins.” However, when the parson talked about “forgiving others, even those who treat you badly,” Charlie struggled with that instruction. His father had done some awful things to him over the years and the thought of forgiving those misdeeds seemed next to impossible.

  The congregation was suddenly distracted by a gigantic and playful horsefly that darting about the room, bouncing off walls, and occasionally landing in the ladies’ flowered hats. Even the minister stopped his message to address the interruption. “Please feel free to send that critter to its great reward,” prompting laughter from the assembly. Soon after a loud pop could be heard in the back of the room and order was restored.

  “All rise,” said the parson and they were back on their feet with more recitations until he raised his hands and spoke the final words of the service. “The Lord bless thee and keep thee, the Lord make His face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee, the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee peace.”

  The congregation responded with one more “Amen,” and then headed for the exit. As each of them waited their turn to shake the minister's hand, they happily chatted with one another. In fact, the only person who seemed the least bit irritable was an elderly lady in a blue bonnet who was annoyed that her husband had fallen asleep during the service. She poked him in his ribs with her walking stick and said, “This ain't the place for sleeping. Go home and go to bed.”

  “Well, what do you think?” said Moses putting his hand on Charlie's shoulder.

  “I liked it,” said Charlie relieved the ordeal was over.

  “It was really good having you here today.”

  Before Charlie could respond Mable had made her way across the room to greet him with a smile as bright as the sunshine beaming through the stained glass windows. “How did he do, Daddy?”

  “He's going to make a mighty fine Lutheran,” said Moses turning to shake the hand of a friend.

  Once outside the sanctuary Mable properly introduced Charlie to her mother who invited him to join them for lunch which he gladly accepted. “One thing nice about living right next to the church is we get to eat before everybody else on Sunday. Pretty handy,” Mary said while leading the way passed Mable's cherished oak tree to the front door of the Shown home.

  Working on Sunday was strictly forbidden in the Shown household. Consequently the food preparation for Sunday was handled on Saturday. Mary, Pearl, and Mable carried the meal to the table while Moses entertained Charlie with one of his stories.

  “Ever hear a coon dog talk?” said Moses.

  “Can't say that I have.”

  “Used to have one that could. Called him Ralph.”

  “Is that right?”

  “He could say his name, and my name, and the cat's name.”

  “Never heard of such.”

  “Used to drive that cat crazy. Ralph would lay on the porch and watch for the cat and when he saw her, he'd call her name. Then she'd come running and he would chase her till she ran up a tree. Darndest thing you ever did see.”

  As Moses wrapped up his first of many stories to be told that day, Mary and Pearl took their seats while Mable poured a beverage into Charlie's glass. “Hope you like tea with lots of sugar.” Then she sat next to Charlie.

  “Let's pray,” said Moses. “Lord, we thank you for sending a guest to our table today and we pray that you'll always watch over him. Now thank you for this food that you've blessed us with. Amen.”

  “Dig in,” said Mary.

  “Eat all you can and can what you can't,” said Moses while stabbing a large piece of ham with his fork and plopping it down on his plate. “Get you some of them homemade rolls, Charlie, and make you a sandwich. Mary Shown is an excellent cook.”

  “I can see that.”

  Sensing that Charlie was shy about helping himself to all he wanted, Mable loaded his plate for him. “I know you're hungrier than that. Oh, and by the way, don't believe you've been introduced to my sister, Pearl. Pearl, this is Charlie. Charlie, this is Pearl.”

  “Nice to meet you, Charlie.”

  “Likewise.”

  “Got my work cut out for me tomorrow,” complained Moses. “Sure will be glad when folks in these parts take to driving automobiles to church instead of mules and horses.”

  “Why's that?” asked Charlie.

  “First thing every Monday morning I have to clean up the mess they leave.”

  “Now, Moses. That's not something you should be talking about at the dinner table,” said Mary.

  “Pine Church Cemetery has the greenest grass in Shenandoah County, if you understand my meaning. Charlie that's some powerful good fertilizer.”

  Mary endeavored to change the subject. “Tell me about your family, Charlie. Brothers? Sisters?”

  “One brother and 7 sisters. Oldest is pushing 30 and the youngest is 2.”

  “My goodness. How about your mother and father? They still both living?”

  “Yes, mam. Mama's had a lot of health problems lately. Complains with her back. I just think she's worked so hard all her life that it just plum gave out. Doc says daddy's got a bad ticker, but it ain't slowed him down none.

  “And their names?”

  “Mary and Bill.”

  “Do you live nearby?”

  “Over near Conicville.”

  “Good way from here.”

  “Yes, mam. Had to hurry to finish my chores before coming to church this morning. Barely made it.”

  “We're glad you did,” said Mable, who had not stopped grinning since she first saw Charlie arrive at the church.

  Moses stabbed another slab of ham and scooped more potato salad out of a dish beside him. “Pearl, how about passing the pickled pears down this way.”

  “Got to go into town tomorrow,” said Pearl. “I'll need the wagon.”

  “I won't be needing it. What you got going on?” said Moses.

  “There's
a real nice room for rent over in Edinburg I wanted to look into.”

  “Now, you don't need to be moving out. It's not safe for a woman to be living out on her own. Besides, how would you pay for it?”

  “They're hiring at the sewing factory. My friend, Edna, told me that the boss said the job was mine if I wanted it.”

  “Well, you know what I think about that,” said Mary.

  “There is no reason that a woman can't support herself. We deserve the same rights as men.”

  Moses shook his head disapprovingly. “Now you done went and set her off.”

  “By next year women will have the right to vote. Congress is working on an amendment to the Constitution right now.”

  “Women don't need to be meddling in politics,” growled Moses. “They don't know the first thing about such matters.”

  “That's ridiculous, daddy. Women are just as smart as men, maybe smarter, and we deserve equal treatment.”

  “God made women to take care of men and have babies. It's as simple as that.”

  Mary took exception to the dispute that had erupted at her table. “Where are your manners? We have a guest at the table. This is not the time or the place. Charlie, please forgive us.”

  Pearl wasn’t finished making her case. “It's time for me to move out on my own. Then I can be more active in the League.”

  Mable rolled her eyes in disbelief at Charlie. “Do we have to hear this again today?”

  “Open your eyes, Mable. One day you and the women of Virginia will have the same rights as men. The League grows stronger every day. There will be no stopping us.”

  “Charlie, she's talking about a club she joined.”

  “It's not a club. It's an organization of concerned citizens called the Equal Suffrage League of Virginia.”

  Moses pushed his chair back from the table and laughed. “Ain't no rooster ever gonna come near that old bunch of hens.”

  “It was nice to meet you, Charlie. Think it would be best if I leave now,” said Pearl as she gathered some dirty dishes from the table and retired to the kitchen.