On Time (Persaud Girl)

by Teisha Mott

  The ‘O’ shaped man was still praying. He was asking God’s blessing on the one who was going to be offering the Word. That ‘one’ was Matt. Klao wondered what he was going to be preaching about. She couldn’t imagine Matt preaching, and giving an altar call and baptising people. He was her friend, Matt, who she loved to spar with… How could he turn out to be a preacher?

  The man finally finished praying, and Klao got off her knees. She smoothed her skirt as she sat and looked at Mary.

  “I can’t believe that wimp didn’t tell you!” Mary chuckled. “When he said he’d invited you to church, I was sure he had!”

  Klao did not even knowwhat to do with that one. Obviously Matt had talked to his sister about her. Klao wondered what their conversations were about. She looked at Mary’s well-chiselled profile. She looked at Matt on the platform. He was looking straight back at her. He winked at her and smiled broadly. She had to smile back. He may be a Minister, but he was still her friend, Matt.

  The service continued, and it was so different from what she was accustomed to at the Anglican Church. There was a special song from the choir and story time for the children, that Klao had to admit she thoroughly enjoyed, and the deacons collected the tithe and offering in burgundy velvet bags. Klao recognised Matt’s friend, Marvin, who had loaned her the tyre for her CRV as one of the deacons. He recognised her, too, and mouthed a welcome and squeezed her hand as the bag passed her. She did, indeed, feel welcome, and she did not mind him squeezing her hand. He had cleaned up well and was dressed in a nice dark suit.

  Finally, it was time for the Word, and one of the women on the podium rose to the microphone to introduce the speaker.

  “That is Sister Barrett,” Mary whispered to Klao. She had been narrating the service all morning. “She has this huge, cougar-like crush on Matt. You ever see mutton parading as lamb? That’s her!”

  Klao looked at Sister Barrett. She was wearing a tight sky blue dress, showing off a body that was remarkably toned for a woman obviously up in age, and an impressive blue hat that went all over the place. She looked lovingly at Matt before starting to read from her prepared script.

  “The pleasure is all mine to introduce the speaker of the hour!” She began, in a very impressive voice – as if she used to be a flight attendant or radio personality. “He is our very own pastor, Matthew Levi St. James. With a name like Matthew Levi St. James, he could not have been anything but a Minister…”

  Her comment led to chuckles across the congregation, and Klao smiled. She looked at Matt, but he was not looking at her. He was looking at the toes of his shiny leather loafers. Klao wondered if he was feeling as nervous as she did when she was to stand up and speak in court.

  Sister Barrett continued her introduction – for the benefit of the visitors, she said. Matt had grown up in Mandeville – Klao had known that. He attended Belair High School – she had known that too – before moving on to La Sierra University in Riverside, California, (party school her butt?), where he did Pre-Seminary Religious Studies, followed by a Masters in Divinity and an MBA. That was news! He had a Masters in Divinityandan MBA? Impressive! Sister Barrett mentioned his twin sister, Mary, and Mary rolled her eyes. Apparently, she hated being mentioned, and then, to the amusement of the church, Matt’s bachelor status, and how much she was looking forward to seeing ‘Pastor Matt take a wife’. It was Matt’s turn to roll his eyes. Then Sister Barrett said something else that made Klao take note. She mentioned how dedicated Matt was to the Lord and to the church; how much he believed in meeting the physical needs of fellow human beings before ministering to their spiritual needs – just like Jesus did when he was on earth. She mentioned Matt’s inexorable efforts to build and grow the Wayside Inn. She informed the congregation that through Pastor Matt’s persistence, the Inn had improved from serving one meal on Sundays to a handful of street people, to providing a bath, clean clothes and meals every day of the week for hundreds! That led the church to say a resounding 'Amen', and Klao suddenly felt really proud of her new friend. He did not just volunteer at the Inn. He ran the Inn! Hewas a professional do-gooder. James Dobson always spoke about ‘inasmuch as ye have done it unto the least…’, but here was Matt actually doing it. He spent his own time, and according to Sister Barrett, his own money, tending to the indigent and destitute of the society.

  “You go, Matt!” Klao thought. One Sunday, she would have to forgo brunch with Grandma, and go to the Inn with Matt. She was sure he would be pleased with if she came to help.

  Sister Barrett finished introducing Matt, and then she introduced the choir who would sing before Matt spoke. The choir sang a song that Klao had never heard before. She could not even concentrate on the words. She just wanted to hear Matt speak. Finally, he took his place at the lectern, and smiled at his congregation.

  “Every time Sister Barrett stands to introduce me, I cringe!” He began, and the congregation tittered. “I don’t know what else she could possibly come up with, and she never ceases to amaze me. Thank you Sister Barrett for being so kind in your introduction, and thank you, choir, for that beautiful song.

  “In the immortal words of Dorothy from ‘The Wizard of Oz’, there is no place like home!” The church responded with an ‘Amen’. “This is my first Sabbath at St. Andrew in a while, having been at my home church in Manchester three weeks ago, then all the way in Hanover the week before last, and up in Aberdeen last week...”

  Klao recalled that he had said he was out of town that Saturday. He had told her that they hardly had roads leading to Aberdeen, and he had to go because it was ‘the nature of his job’. Now she realised that he had gone on a preaching assignment.

  “I must say, sincerely, that I missed every one of you, even those of you who give me a hard time at church board meeting!” There were chuckles all around. “It is good to be here, and to see your smiling and familiar faces. I am also pleased to welcome our visitors today. Thank you for coming to St. Andrew SDA, where we have the proud distinction of being the coolest church with the warmest welcome in the entire East Jamaica Conference! I am especially pleased to have, sitting in the congregation this morning, a very dear friend of mine, who I confess – and apologise – I brought here under totally surreptitious conditions…”

  Klao started. He was not going to point her out to the entire congregation, was he? She stared at her hands, feeling warmth creeping up her neck and her ears. She would be mortified if she had to stand and be introduced to the entire church.

  Fortunately, Matt did not call her out. He did not even look in her direction. He simply continued with his opening comments. She relaxed a little, and shuffled down in the pew to make room for Marvin, and who she assumed to be Marvin’s wife, Sheena.

  “Could you turn your Bibles, if you have them, to the nineteenth chapter of the book of Luke? The first ten verses were read earlier in a tone befitting Nehemiah 8:8, but I want us to return to it for a moment. I only need the first three verses as the basis for our discourse for the next thirty-five minutes or so. Luke 19, beginning at verse one, and the gospel says: ‘And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature’. I have entitled our time together this morning ‘A Sinner, A Saviour and A Sycamore Tree’. Let’s talk to Jesus!”

  ***

  Klao was riveted, subconsciously gripping the edge of the cushioned seat. The sermon was in full swing and Matt was on a roll, as he expounded on Jesus’ meeting with Zaccheaus. The congregation was on its feet, and Klao was seeing Matt as she had never seen him before. He was nothing like the sleepy, archaic reverend who spoke at the church she rarely attended with her grandparents. He had such passion and fire in his belly as he stomped across the podium and down the aisle of the church, cordless microphone in one hand, and a handkerchief in the other, to mop the beads of sweat that formed on his forehead ev
en though the church was cold. Klao absorbed every word from his mouth, as though the story of Zacchaeus was not familiar to her. She did not say ‘Amen’ with the rest of the church, but she did believe that what he was saying was true.

  “…There are some things that have a noise,” Matt was saying. “People walking with Jesus have a noise. ‘Cause while Jesus walks, He heals; while Jesus walks, He forgives; while Jesus walks, He builds faith; while Jesus walks, He says to the cripple, ‘boy, you’ve been sittin’ there too long – get up!’ There is a noise. But above the noise of the crowd; above the noise of the screaming, angry priests, above the noise of the joyous congregation; above the noise of the hangers on, who weren’t hanging on for any other reason but to hang on; above all that noise, Jesus heard the heart and mind of one short publican who had climbed up a tree. His mouth wasn’t talking, but his mind was screaming out, ‘help me! I need somebody to help me! Nobody understands me. Nobody cares. Nobody is willing to look beyond my faults and see my need. Nobody stops to see who I am’. You see, the fact is that while you are not even talking about your situation out loud, Jesus can hear you talking in your mind. That’s how well He knows you. That’s how much He cares. Somebody ought to say amen!”

  Matt did not need, Klao thought, to solicit an ‘amen’ from the congregation. They were more than generous with their amens and he deserved every single one of them. He continued his elocution on how well Jesus knew every individual, and Klao was transfixed when he emphasised how awesome it was in an age of anonymity, when people are reduced to a number – a crib number at birth, an ID number at university, a Tax Registration Number in business, a claim number when you have an accident, and a plot number when you die - that Jesus knew everyone by name. He had numbered the hairs on her head, Matt said. He did not only count them, but he gave them a number, so He knew that, just that morning, she had combed out hair number 4,327, and number 2,678!

  “Jesus knows who you are!” Pastor Matt reminded his congregation. “And even when you come in here with a ubiquitous smile plastered across your face, He reads your heart when you walk through that door, and He knows every problem that you are contemplating. He knows all your fears and your insecurities. Jesus knows!”

  Klao smiled, when she caught his eye, and he smiled back. He had used her word in his sermon! She felt as though she had contributed to his masterpiece that was clearly resonating well with the mass of church goers that Saturday morning!

  Klao felt as if she could listen to him preach all day, but it was 9:20, and he was winding down. The church had become sombre once more, and Matt reclaimed his position at the lectern. He spoke of the moment when Jesus looked into the tree and saw Zacchaeus; when a righteous Jesus, rejected because He was too good, looked into the eyes of an unrighteous Zacchaeus, rejected because he was too bad. He mentioned the change that took place in Zacchaeus when Jesus looked into his eyes, called him by his name, and went into his house.

  “Any moment of your life, Jesus can catch your eye!” Matt said. “In fact, he may have been looking for you or at you for months now, but you never took the time to look back. But now is the time for you to meet His gaze, and listen for Him calling your name. There’s nothing more wonderful than Jesus looking into your eyes and calling your name. That is a moment that mesmerises you. When you respond to His call, and He comes to your house, a change takes place. Jesus wants you to come out of your Sycamore tree. He wants to come to your house and have lunch with you. He is seeking you out because He loves you – not because of who you are, or what you may have or have not done. He doesn’t care about your reputation. He loves you just because!

  “With that thought, I end for this morning. Until we meet again, may God hear you when you call; may God lift you when you fall; may God bless you as you stand, and may God hold you in the palm of His hand. God bless you!”

  Matt took his seat, and the congregation stood to its feet, and gave their Minister a round of applause. Klao had never gone to church before where the congregationclapped for the Minister! She wondered whether that was a phenomenon in the Seventh-day Adventist Church! She was going to have to ask Andie when they met for lunch next Wednesday.

  The closing hymn was announced, and she stood with Mary, who still did not sing along with the congregation, although her hymnal was open. That hymn was not familiar to Klao either. While the congregation sang, her eyes were fixed on Matt, as he sang along on the podium. She was looking at him through absolutely different eyes. At a glance, there was nothing even remotely ecclesiastical about him. He was a regular 27 year old man. But now… He had transformed right in front of her into a man of God. She could hardly believe it was the same person who told her just that morning that she looked hot, but that her shoes needed a pole. She could hardly believe that he was the same person who described her as a ‘four threat’. She knew he was an enigma, but this was just crazy! Without even realising it, she had befriended a Preacher Man.

  ***

  The service was over, and Mary delivered Klao over to Matt in the vestry.

  “Good message, baby brother!” She told him. “Here is your friend. By the way – you’re an idiot!”

  She gave him a look of pure pity before disappearing off to goodness knows where.

  Matt smiled at Klao sheepishly. “Did you enjoy the service?”

  “You never told me you were a Minister!” Klao accused.

  Before Matt could offer a defence, a round, dumpling of a woman came up to him and hugged him thoroughly.

  “Lawd, Pastor!” She said, as she squeezed the breath out of him. “You preach good, eeh? Mi love you so till! God bless you, bless you, bless you!” She planted a kiss to his cheek before waddling away.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were the Minister?” Klao asked again.

  “I didn’t?” Matt said, looking confused.

  “Don’t even play that with me!” Klao began. “I…”

  “Good sermon, Pastor St. James!” A distinguished-looking gentleman with a bald top said, coming up and shaking Matt’s hand.

  “To God be the glory, Elder!” Matt responded. “I can only do it through Him.”

  The Elder smiled at Klao. “Hello. Welcome.”

  Klao smiled back. The gentleman looked from Matt to Klao, as though he was expecting an introduction. Matt did not offer one, so he took the hint and walked away.

  “Let’s go to my office and talk,” Matt suggested. He opened the door to the vestry and ushered Klao out.

  “HiPastorMatt!HiPastorMatt!HiPastorMatt…” A swarm of young girls, ranging anywhere between fifteen and eighteen, swooped down on him like a flock of seagulls swooping down on a fish. Suddenly, that scene from ‘Finding Nemo’ popped into Klao’s mind.

  “Morning ladies!” Matt replied. “Happy Sabbath!”

  “Happy Sabbath to you, too, Pastor Matt!” They replied in unison.

  Klao looked at the girls, all youth and teeth. Obviously they adored their charming, eloquent young Minister. She wondered whether any of them had hopes of growing up and becoming ‘Mrs Pastor Matt’. The thought brought a fizzle of something to her stomach that she told herself was not jealousy.

  “Are you coming to weekend camp?” One girl asked.

  “Of course!” Matt replied. “Wouldn’t miss it!”

  “Can I put you down to do something?”

  “I’ll have to think about that,” Matt told her.

  “You better say yes!” The girl warned him.

  Matt laughed. “We’ll see!” Was his final word on the matter. “Aren’t you going to your Sabbath School class?”

  The girls flocked away. “ByePastorMatt!”

  “Well, aren’t you the toast of the town!” Klao said sarcastically, as he ushered her into his office.

  “Well, I’ve got it like that, you see!” Matt kidded. He closed his office door behind her and turned on the air conditioning.

  “You’re a Minister!” Klao accused.

  “Yes, I am.”
/>   “You went to seminary school and you preach and you baptise people and marry people and bless babies…”

  “Guilty!” Matt sat behind his desk. “I also serve communion, and conduct funerals and chair the board meeting and offer counselling and visit shut ins…”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “If I had, would you be here right now?”

  Klao was quiet. That was the million dollar question. If she had known before that Matt was a Minister, would she have taken him to La Fa? Would she have entertained him in her apartment? Would she have spent so much time texting him and chatting on Facebook with him? She certainly would not have spent four hours on the phone with him last night if she had known he would be preaching a sermon this morning. She blushed as she recalled the raunchy undertones that had been a part of their conversations that week. Everything would have been so different if she had known he was a Minister.

  “That is so not the point!” Klao said when she finally spoke.

  “That is exactly the point!” Matt contradicted. He looked at her, and he looked more serious than she had ever seen him look before. “I may be a Minister, Klao, but I am also a man. I wanted you to get to know Matt the man, before I introduced you to Matt the Minister.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I like you, okay? I really, really like you and I want you to like me too.” He sighed. “And honestly, I was a bit afraid that if you met Matt the Minister first, it would be difficult for you to like Matt the man.”

  Klao thought she had heard it all.

  “You like me? You ‘like me’ like me?”

  “Yes. I do.”

  There. He had said it, and once it was out, it did not seem all that bad. In fact, Matt was relieved. He liked her. He had only known her for a month, but he really liked her, and he knew that he being a Minister would complicate the issue. He had wanted to tell Klao from the first time she asked, that he was a Minister, but girls – particularly attractive young girls; particularly attractive young girls who were not in the church – tended to get weirded out when a Minister started checking them out. Mary and Marvin and Sheena had thought that he had been cool with the idea of Klao coming to church, and seeing him in action, but in fact, he was a mess. It was the toughest week of his life; even tougher than the week he took to prepare his message on ‘Joseph’s Bones’, his inaugural message at St. Andrew a year and a half before.