Commencement

by Lawrence Cherry

November came in with gusty winds and left as quietly as falling autumn leaves. Then on came December with it’s dry cold, that gave no indication of the weather that waited. Some had even harbored a secret hope for an unseasonably mild winter. On this December morning, the forecasters had predicted a light rain that would clear out toward the end of the day. However, some time toward mid-morning, the rain began to change over to snow, creating slush on the streets below. Caught unaware, many commuters trudged through the slush with their canvas sneakers and ballerina flats, the cold freezing their feet and toes. Then the temperature dropped suddenly to 30 degrees, freezing the slush and creating icy conditions on the roads and resulting in traffic nightmares that unfolded all over the urban landscape. Storeowners and proprietors hustled to have sidewalks shoveled and salted, and people in offices worried about what their commute would be like when they started home.

  It was upon such a scene that Allen found himself shoveling the sidewalks in front of the Sheraton. He and two other porters had started on the front walk, but it seemed their efforts were made futile by incessant snowfall. They had just spent the last twenty minutes or so cracking up the ice that was forming under the snow and shoveling it. When they had finally finished the long block that ran in front of the hotel, there was a new coat of snow waiting to be shoveled. So the second time around, Allen and another porter shoveled as the two others spread salt behind them. When they were done, Allen understood why people often died of cardiac arrest while shoveling their driveways. It was 30 degrees outside, yet Allen had worked up a sweat that had drenched his thermal underclothes. He knew he should head inside before the dampness of his clothes caused him to catch a cold, but he desperately needed time to catch his breath.

  Allen leaned on his shovel and surveyed the city scene in front of him. Watching the people struggle with the unexpected turn in the weather, made him think about the past six weeks that he had been struggling at the Sheraton. The work was hard, and it seemed the winter months made it harder. The physical labor required to do his job was beyond back breaking. Since Thanksgiving weekend it seemed as if every room in the building was occupied with tourists who were in town for the Christmas season. With more guests there was always more to be done and it had to be done quickly. The only thing that made up for it was the fact that he had developed a physique that rivaled Tim’s during his heyday as a member of the Harvard lacrosse team. But the best development of all was Allen’s burgeoning friendship with Davis. For the past six weeks they had been working together and helping each other in various ways. Allen and Tamiko’s tutoring had helped Davis to improve in his English literature, history, and writing classes in night school. In return, Davis was helping Allen to learn more about buildings and how to make small repairs. Allen had learned all about how to detect mold, how to lay down tile and linoleum, and how to fix small plumbing problems. They also spent more time together off the job and were fast becoming good friends.

  In addition to church, Davis had been hanging with Allen and his friends when they went out to dinner or to some event or show. As with the integration of new friends into an old set, there is always some conflict that arises. Tim, didn’t like him, but then he was the type of guy who jealously guarded any friends he had, mostly because he had very few real friends he could trust. Tamiko and Richard, however, were nuts about Davis. Allen thought Davis and Jim would hit it off, because of Davis’s blue-collar background, but strangely enough, Jim seemed very cool towards Davis. Not that Jim had spent much time with their set anyway. For the past week or so, it seemed as if Jim were avoiding them all, and Allen had a sinking suspicion as to why. The few times Jim did hang with them he seemed very sullen, moody, and worst of all, inebriated. It was ironic and almost prescient that Davis should enter Allen’s life just as Jim seemed to be leaving it. It made Allen suspect that maybe God knew that Davis was the kind of friend he needed right now in this particular time in his life. The only one Davis hadn’t met was Callie who seemed to be MIA since the night of Richard’s Election Night Party. Jim mentioned speaking to her a few times, but she never returned any of Allen’s e-mails or texts, and whenever he called her, he always got her voice mail. When it first started happening, he thought maybe she was just busy, but now it seemed that maybe she, too, was avoiding him. However Allen could not fathom why. He knew he would actually have to go to her house to visit her to find out, and he didn’t know if he was really looking forward to that.

  Allen already knew, he had spent too much time outside and headed inside with his shovel. First he stopped off at the supply area to return the shovel, and had to wait for Kizzy to finish flirting with another porter who had joined the staff shortly before Allen. When he was done, he got on the service elevator and was going up to finish his rounds on the ninth floor when he heard Davis paging him on the radio.

  “Copy” Allen murmured into his radio.

  “We got a situation in 621 wit’ a toilet. Bring the bucket, a mop, and the wet vac.”

  “Got it.”

  “And make sure you got yo’ gloves man.”

  “Hear ya. Over.”

  Allen used his key to override the elevator and stop at the fifth floor to get the bucket, mop, and wet vac from the water closet. He also took some of the industrial cleaning rags as well. He almost forgot his gloves, but remembered when he was near the doorway. Allen ran back and grabbed them from the shelf above the sink where he left them and shoved them in his pocket. Then he headed back toward the elevator. In the past few weeks, Davis and Allen had been like the Batman and Robin of the Sheraton, extinguishing the small troubles in their wing of the building. They worked together so well that sometimes he could anticipate what Davis wanted before he even asked. And Allen was always in awe of the different things that Davis could do. He was not just some guy with a sketchy knowledge of repairs. Davis really could fix anything because he had a deep understanding of the science and engineering involved in his job. When he talked about fixing things, his persona would change. Davis would become more confident. His vocabulary seemed to expand as he spoke the jargon of plumbing repair. So it was no shock to Allen when he found out that Davis had excellent grades in math and science in Night School. Straight A’s to be exact. No wonder he didn’t want to settle for a

  G.E.D. It would have totally undersold the brilliant mind that he had.

  When Allen came to room 621 the door was ajar so he opened it and came in. Then he headed toward the bathroom where he found Davis who looked as if he had been working for some time. He had his toolbox with him and there were other sundry plumbing items lying around the bathroom.

  “Whatever is clogging it must really be stuck. Are we going to have to take it up?” asked Allen.

  “Maybe. I mean I plunged it, used the toilet augur on it…everything. Now we gotta get down and dirty. You got everything?”

  “Yes, sir. What do we do first?”

  “Bring the wet vac over here. We’ll try that first.”

  Davis put the nozzle of the wet vac into the toilet drain and then turned it on. It sucked all of the water out of the toilet, and He hoped the obstruction would come out with it. When all the water was gone, Davis turned off the machine and took the hose out.

  “Okay. Cross yo’ fingers.”

  Davis flushed the toilet and he and Allen looked over in the bowl with anticipation. The water came in and eddied before rising to the top of the bowl without flowing back out.

  “Dag. I was hopin’ but…looks like we’re gonna have to take it up. You ready?”

  “Just let me put my gloves on.”

  Allen quickly put on his gloves as Davis turned off the water supply to the toilet. Then Allen used the wet vac to get the remaining water out of the bowl. After this Davis deftly disconnected the water supply from the toilet.

  “Here,” said Davis handing his putty knife to Allen, “you could use this to get the caps off the base.”

  Allen took the knife and got to work. Aft
er taking the caps off, he then worked on unscrewing the bolts. He went through it easily as he had assisted Davis with installing a new toilet in one of the suites just a few days ago.

  “Okay it’s done”, said Allen when he was finished.

  “Good, now stand back a little cuz, I don’t want nothin’ left up in here to come down on you.”

  “I hear you”, replied Allen as he stood up and moved back.

  Davis lifted the porcelain stool and moved it to one side. A small trickle of water flowed out from the bottom onto the newspaper that Davis had spread around earlier. After that, there was nothing left except the forbidding looking hole in the bathroom floor.

  “Are you going to have to put your hand in there?”

  “You really shouldn’t ever, especially if you don’t have gloves. But I don’t think that’s where the problem is. You gotta rag or somethin’?”

  Allen handed Davis one of the cleaning rags he brought up and Davis used it to cover the drain to keep the sewer gases from escaping.

  Allen looked over and saw that Davis had leaned the toilet back against the tank, so that the base was facing them. Then Davis took the pocket flashlight from his belt to look up into the bottom of the toilet. Davis would have to put his hand into the base to pull whatever it was out. Thankfully he had on his work gloves as well. Allen merely gawked as Davis put his hand in. He would have not wanted to trade places with Davis at this moment for anything in the world.

  “I really hope this isn’t what I think this is”, grunted Davis as he started to pull out the obstruction. Allen grimaced with disgust.

  “Okay, I think I got it.”

  Davis slowly pulled his hand from the toilet, but Allen’s view was obscured by the position of the toilet.

  “Here, catch this”, said Davis unexpectedly making a pitching motion toward Allen.

  “No way, man!” exclaimed Allen scrambling to get out of the way and falling into the bathtub.

  Davis was laughing hysterically as Allen struggled back to his feet. Allen began to realize that Davis had not actually thrown anything at him.

  “I’m sorry, man, but the look on yo’ face…I just had to.”

  “Very funny. What was in there anyway?” said Allen half-laughing at himself.

  “Just this”, said Davis still laughing. He opened his hand to reveal what looked like a building block from a child’s duplo set. “Not what you was expectin’, right.”

  “Now how in the world…?”

  “I don’t know man. Probly a kid not big enough to reach the sink decided to play in the toilet.”

  “I’m just glad it wasn’t something…well, you know.”

  “I hear ya. Now we gotta clean up. I’ll let you take the lead here if you think you could handle it.”

  “Sure man.”

  There was a lot of work involved in re-installing a toilet. All the old ceramic sealant had to be scraped away, and the wax ring would need to be replaced. Fortunately, Davis had foreseen all this and had brought all the necessary materials needed. Allen got right down to business. Allen liked the added responsibility that Davis allowed him. It showed that Davis trusted him and his newly acquired skills and that meant a lot to Allen. It was a relatively simple job, but it was one Allen knew he couldn’t do a few months ago. As Allen prepared for the toilet to be remounted

  the two young men engaged in the chatter that usually surrounded their work.

  “So how’s your new paper coming? Have you chosen your topic yet?”

  “Yeah, I decided to go wit the one on Of Mice and Men since it’s somethin’ I’ma little more familiar wit, and they say that stuff like that is going to be on the test.”

  “When is the exam anyway?”

  “February.”

  “That’s coming up soon.”

  “I know. I got a handle on the multiple-choice questions. That’s no

  sweat. It’s just the essays that I’m worried about. There’s three of them.”

  “I think your writing has really grown a lot over the past couple of weeks.”

  “Yeah, but that’s because you and Miko is there to spot me. These essays are gonna be cold. No drafts. No re-writes. You feel?” said Davis with some concern.

  “I get it. But don’t be so hard on yourself. Your grammar has

  improved a lot, as well as the clarity of your writing.”

  “I just hope it’s enough to get a 75.”

  “I thought you only needed a 55 to pass.”

  “Yeah, but the program that I’m tryin’ to get into to get my license is requirin’ at least 75.”

  “Oh.” Allen remembered Davis briefly mentioning the program before. “I believe you’ll make it man.”

  “I hope so. I’m like sweatin’ it wit’ a sponge- no joke.”

  “So, what’s next once you get your license?”

  “I’m hopin’ that I can do some independent jobs and eventually start my own business. Then hopefully, I can help my mom get out of the mess she’s in.”

  “What mess?”

  “She got caught up in one of those bad loans they been talkin’ about. She got a house in Queens. The one I grew up in before I moved to the Bronx. See, my brother got locked up and she needed money to get him outta jail, and hire a lawyer and all that, so she went to the bank for a loan. The people at the bank told her to do somethin’ called a ‘refinance’ on the house and then the monthly payments wouldn’t be that much. Everything was good for the first year or so. Then one day she got a bill for like $6,000.00.”

  “Sounds like the hidden balloon payment.”

  “I don’t know what it was. All I know is my moms didn’t have no $6,000.00. I mean me and my sister are helping her out now, but once I get into this program, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to help out no more. I got my own bills to pay and soon I’m gonna have tuition to deal wit’ on top of that. There’s no way they gonna let her keep the house if she don’t pay. I’m just prayin’ to God about it.”

  “I’m really sorry about what’s going down, man.”

  “Then she might have to move in wit’ my sister, and they don’t really get along, at least when they in the same house. I want my mom to stay wit’ me, but I don’t have enough room. The worst part is that her credit is gonna be all messed up for good. At her age she don’t need that. How’s she gonna retire?”

  “I wish there was something I could do to help you and your mom.”

  “Don’t sweat it, man. You done more than enough for me already. You been better to me than people I knew way back in the day. Beside I’m looking to God to make a way. He’s brought us all this far. I’m sure he’s gonna work somethin’ out. If He doesn’t, it’s all good because He’s got His reasons, ya know? They can take the house but that’s all they can take. And who knows? One day maybe I’ll be able to buy my mom an even better house.”

  “That’s one way of looking at it”, replied Allen, still mulling over something in his mind. At times it seemed that Davis had more faith than he did, despite Allen’s church upbringing.

  “What you gonna do, son? I know you ain’t fixin’ to be no porter forever”, asked Davis. The question caught Allen off guard.

  “I don’t know. Everyone’s been telling me that I need to develop a relationship with God and allow him to show me. So far, I haven’t heard anything.”

  “You will, eventually.”

  “Has God spoken to you in your life? Like did you hear God telling you to go for the program you’re trying to get into?”

  “I don’t know if you could use my experience. I always thought God works for different people in different ways.”

  “You’re probably right, but just for curiosity’s sake.”

  “It was like, one night a couple of years ago, I was just layin’ in my bed thinkin’ about what I was gonna do wit’ my life. Then I started thinkin’ that I really should get my license ‘cause then I could get more jobs and
maybe even start my own business. Only thing was I didn’t have any idea how to get started. I was thinkin’ and thinkin’ myself in circles. So then a couple of days later, Mr. Hardy told me about a program I could get into that they was offerin’ at the City College. So I went out and I got an application and everything, but you had to have a high school diploma, and I had dropped out a few years before. And you couldn’t get into the program wit’ a GED. I didn’t think they would ever let me back into school given my past and how old I was, so I just threw the application in a bunch of old papers and forgot about it. Then some more months passed and I was prayin’ about my situation when somethin’ spoke to me and told me to go get the paper. At first, I was like ‘why should I do that?’ I knew I didn’t qualify for it because I wasn’t a student. But then, I just went and got it. As soon as I got the paper in my hand it was like God started to show me how I could do it. He led me to a school that had a night school program where you could get a real diploma. So I got registered and God worked it out from there.”

  “Really?” said Allen a little awestruck. “So he just spoke to you out of the blue?”

  “Yeah, like he was speaking to my heart. But then I had been praying about it for a while. It wasn’t like I prayed and then ten minutes later I got the answer I needed.”

  “One time I thought I heard God speaking to my heart, but that was over a month ago. I haven’t heard anything since. Sometimes I think maybe he’s angry me. After all, here I am having grown up in the church, but all my life I’ve just sort of taken Him for granted. I’ve even been ungrateful to God for all the great things He’s already done for me. I was like the children of Israel when they were wandering in the wilderness. Maybe God is punishing me now for being such a jerk.”

  “Don’t get so down on yourself. The Bible says that ‘God is slow to anger and plenteous of mercy. He will not always chide neither will he keep his anger forever,’ and then, ‘If we turn to him with our whole heart, he will forgive our sins.’1 God loves you Allen. He sees that you’re sorry about everything and that you really want to have a relationship with Him. He’s not gonna leave you hangin’. You just gotta keep seeking Him.”

  “Now you sound like Pastor Bynum.”

  “I don’t know if I got it like that.”

  “I think you do.”

  “All I do is just read the Word, pray, and trust God believing.”

  “I guess it’s easy for you since He’s done so much in your life and He’s always speaking to you.”

  “It’s not like he speaks to me everyday. Even in the silences you have to trust that when there’s a need he will speak. I’m not sayin’ it won’t be hard, but we have to keep on goin’ in spite of what everything seems like. That’s what keeps me goin’ at least.”

  “I think you’re right. In fact, I know you’re right. You don’t know how good it is to have someone to talk to about these kinds of things.”

  “But what about the Pastor and your friends. You don’t talk to them about stuff like this?”

  “Not really. The Pastor’s a great guy, but sometimes I feel like he’s on a whole other level. It’s been a long time since he’s been where I’ve been. And as for my other friends, the only one who’s really workin’ on a relationship with God is Tamiko. She’s sweet, but sometimes you just need another guy to talk to.”

  “I feel you. You know what. I was actually going to sign up for the Brotherhood Bible study group Daniel’s hostin’. I read about it in the church bulletin. Why don’t you join wit’ me?”

  “Bible Study?”

  “Why not? You said you wanted a deeper relationship wit’ God. What better way than to study his Word? Like the Bible says ‘study to show thyself approved unto God.’”

  “But I already know about the Bible. I read it everyday.”

  “But do you know what it means for yo’ life? Like how you suppost to live. I’ll admit that there are some things I need to learn.”

  “Okay, I’ll think about it.”

  “It’s at 2:00pm right after service on Sundays. But you probly already know that.”

  Allen didn’t but wasn’t about to reveal this to Davis.

  “Look at the time. We gotta finish up here so we can get through the rest of our rounds before quittin’ time.

  Allen and Davis finished the preparations for remounting the toilet. Then Allen helped Davis to fit the toilet onto its base and they re-bolted it and replaced the caps.

  “Nice work on the fixtures, Al. Now it’s time for the moment of truth.”

  After reconnecting the water supply and turning on the water, Davis flushed the toilet. It flushed normally. The seat was on securely and there was no water leaking from the foot of the toilet.

  “Guess we make a pretty good team, don’t we?” suggested Allen.

  “Yeah, we do”, replied Davis.

  Thirty-Nine