The Gilgal Passage

by Bob Brown

  Turns out Gus was a sales magnet. Or was that magnate? Either way, people came to Garrett Motors and wanted to talk to Gus. Seems integrity, a rumpled shirt, and a crooked tie were much in demand in the auto sales business.

  “Gus, I probably owe you more favors than I could possibly repay for the rest of your life,” began Jason. “But I’m going to ask you for another one anyway.”

  “Well, I plan to live a long time. So you better figure on a long repayment schedule.” Gus was feeling frisky.

  “No problem. Anyway, how’d you like to be in a television commercial for Garrett? Kyle’s in talking to his dad right now. I’m doing an internship in town with WADP TV, so we’re hoping to get the OK from Mr. Garrett to do a commercial with them.”

  “I wouldn’t have to sing or dance or get naked, would I?” Gus was definitely feeling frisky.

  “Not unless you wanted to.”

  “In that case, I’d be happy to do anything I can to keep in the good graces of my employer,” Gus replied.

  Jason made a mental note to check the thermos in the lunch pail Gus brought to work -- must be something in there other than tea or juice. Then he shook hands with his friend and wandered back in the direction of the showroom.

  *****

  As Jason approached the showroom window, he saw that Kyle and his dad were shaking hands. Then as Jason watched, the two broke the handshake and grabbed each other in an intense hug.

  Jason went back to the truck and climbed inside to wait for Kyle. The wait wasn’t long. As Kyle opened the door, Jason could see that his friend was visibly shaken.

  “Everything OK?” he asked.

  “Yea, it’s all good,” replied Kyle.

  Kyle told Jason about the conversation with his dad. About how he had confessed to his long-standing resentment over having to go to college, and how he had subsequently come to realize that he was actually benefiting from the chance to mature while at USD. About how he had promised to bring a new sense of responsibility and purpose to his work at Garrett. And about how he had told his dad how very much wanted to re-build their relationship.

  Jason could see tears in his friend’s eyes.

  “I’m glad it all worked out,” said Jason.

  “Thanks,” was all Kyle could manage.

  They drove west up Grand Avenue toward the beach, then turned right onto Mission Boulevard, looking for a place to park.

  As they stopped for a light, Kyle changed subjects. “By the way, my dad thinks an ad campaign with WADP is a good idea, provided we can work out the details. He’d like you to work with WADP to get things rolling.”

  “Cool,” replied Jason.

  “I’ve also been thinking. What do you say you and I head up to the mountains this weekend? My family has a cabin on a lake near Big Bear. I think we could both use the break. We can burn some meat, drink some beer, tell a few lies. What do you think?”

  “Cool,” replied Jason again. Then it occurred to him that he used that term a lot. He was, after all, almost a college graduate. He should probably work on increasing his vocabulary.

  Chapter 16

  Jason met with Bert Tyson and Merle Perkins early the next morning to work out the contract proposal for the ad campaign at Garrett Motors. Jason had some exposure to basic contracts through his coursework at USD, but he was in uncharted waters with the details of the WADP advertising contract.

  Jason sat quietly while the WADP management hammered out the details for a one year contract featuring a thirty second commercial within sixty days of contract signing and a second commercial six months later. There were to be options for two additional years. To Jason, it seemed like a fair way to establish a new business relationship.

  After the basics of the proposal were finalized, Jason and Merle retreated to Merle’s office to sketch some creative ideas for the first commercial.

  “So you really think we should use this guy Gus in the commercials?” asked Merle.

  “Absolutely,” replied Jason. “Think Tony Dungy in a Fred Sanford body. He’s the guy you would want your granddaughter to buy a car from.”

  “Well, if he has as much charm and character as you say he does, we’ll make him a household name in San Diego by Christmas. And based on my experience, if we don’t increase traffic at the dealership by fifteen percent with the first commercial and add an additional five percent with the second, then we probably have no right to expect Garrett to exercise the options.”

  *****

  For the next two days, Jason worked with Tub and Susan on copy for the initial commercial. Jason was surprised at how easily the format and dialog emerged. He found it helped a lot to understand the car business and to know how Gus thought, spoke, and reacted to different things. He wanted to make sure Gus would feel comfortable. After all, Gus was the reason people went to Garrett. The whole point of the commercial was to put the real Gus in front of more people.

  Jason had a lot of fun working the different sketches with Tub and Susan. Susan kept the discussions on-task with ideas and dialog that focused on Garrett’s integrity and generations of service to the community. She played up the reliability of Honda automobiles and made Gus the centerpiece of honesty, value, and experience.

  Tub, on the other hand, kept things relaxed. He wanted Gus to be the hero of everyone who had ever struggled to find a car they could afford. Gus would be the go-to guy for the blue-collar working man, the single-mother with two jobs, and the college student trying to buy that first car.

  During the brainstorming process, Tub would occasionally illustrate his ideas with a sketch on the whiteboard or a celebrity impersonation of the dialog he was pushing. Jason and Susan were in stitches most of the afternoon.

  In the end, the three came up with three different sets of dialog, representing three slightly different approaches for the first commercial. From Jason’s perspective, they were all good. They all represented Garrett for what it was: A third generation San Diego landmark that had built its business on Christian principles, one satisfied customer at a time.

  *****

  By Thursday afternoon the contract proposal was complete, including the production abstract, schedule, and the three script alternatives for the first thirty second commercial. The package was sent by courier to Mr. Garrett later that day.

  As Jason left WADP, he felt a huge sense of accomplishment and breathed a sigh of relief that the week was drawing to a close. He left a voicemail for Kyle to let him know that the advertising campaign was on track. He also mentioned how much he was looking forward to a weekend in the mountains.

  On the drive back to USD in the afternoon rush hour traffic, Jason drifted back once again to that single thought which Kyle had planted into his subconscious: ‘God has a plan for my life’.

  Kyle had done a good job. The thought seemed to be there all the time.

  During the drive, it also occurred to Jason that if he had been writing a script for a thirty second commercial of his own life, he likely could not have come up with anything nearly as good as the drama currently being played out. His acceptance to USD. His chance meeting of Kyle and the growth of a friendship that Jason valued more than just about anything in his life. The offer of a job at Garrett that brought with it new friendships and opportunities. And his internship at WADP, with the chance to make more friends, develop new contacts, and gain practical experience.

  To Jason, the journey so far had been pretty darn good. He had no cause to consider that anything was missing. His life was busy, fun, and successful. He had good friends. And he had a best friend who kept him grounded with sound advice and spiritual guidance, whether or not either were required or requested.

  Jason’s life seemed in order. The journey continued, the road was clear, and Jason was driving. Or so he thought.

  Chapter 17

  While walking to the library the next morning, Jason had the sudden urge to visit the Immaculata chapel, the ce
nterpiece of life and architecture at USD. Although he remembered standing at the front door with a small group of prospective students during his pre-admission campus tour, in the over three years he had been on campus, he had never once been inside.

  He knew from campus literature he had read that the Immaculata was almost fifty years old. It had originally been built to serve as the University chapel but had since been established as a separate Catholic parish for the surrounding community.

  From the outside, the Immaculata was an extraordinarily beautiful building. It had the classic Spanish red tile roof and ornately carved façade. A soaring blue bell tower was topped by a huge cross, while a statue of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception stood atop a smaller dome of the same deep blue color. The domes of the Immaculata were favorite San Diego landmarks, visible for miles on a clear day.

  What happened next surprised Jason. As he pushed open the solid bronze door, he was suddenly overcome with emotion. If he had been required to write an advertisement to describe the chapel, he would have been unable to do so. If he had been required to speak his thoughts, he would have been speechless.

  Inside, the chapel was huge, more like a cathedral than a chapel. The polished marble floor stretched brilliantly before him to an interior blue-domed cupola, which was supported by four Corinthian columns. Beyond the cupola was the altar, a solid slab of polished white marble. And at the front of the chapel, on the north wall, was a huge hand-carved crucifix.

  On either side of the center aisle stood row after row of finely carved wooden pews. To each side of the pew rows were ten arched side chapels, each depicting a Station of the Cross. Upwards, above each of the side chapels, and recessed into the ornate blue and gold barrel ceiling, were intricately carved arches, each sheltering a brilliantly detailed stained glass window. The entire chapel was awash in late morning sunlight streaming through the stained glass. The effect was, in a word, heavenly.

  Jason wasn’t sure why he had had the urge to visit. He just knew he had to be there. His thoughts were bombarded with the partial recollections of scripture passages recently recited, mostly by Kyle. He was also considering questions he had yet to ask, and pondering answers he had yet to understand.

  The more he thought, the less he understood. For the first time in his life Jason was beginning to sense that something was not right, that something was missing. He suspected much of this feeling had to do with Kyle. Kyle clearly understood something that Jason didn’t. It was becoming increasingly important that Jason understand it, too.

  Jason was feeling unsettled. But at the same time, he was feeling a sense of relief. As he looked again beyond the cupola to the crucifix hanging above the altar, he felt a sense of serenity unlike anything he had ever felt in his life. It was a feeling he never wanted to lose.

  As he turned to leave, something from his remote past flashed into his head: ‘And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.’

  Somehow Jason just knew that his life was about to change.

  Chapter 18

  Late on Saturday morning, Jason drove to Kyle’s condo. The two spent little time raiding Kyle’s pantry and the icemaker in the freezer. They put the ice from the freezer in an ice chest and then filled it with beer and some meat and milk. Then they filled a couple of cardboard boxes with the dry goods all bachelors need for a two day trip to the mountains: Potatoes, cereal, chips, salsa, nuts, cookies, and toilet paper. Then just to be safe, they added more beer.

  Truth be told, neither Jason nor Kyle were known to be serious drinkers around campus. They politely participated in the impromptu parties following intramural sporting events, and they enjoyed the Friday night socials common to campus-area bars and the taverns along the main drags in Pacific Beach and Ocean Beach. But mostly they just enjoyed time with each other and with their shared friends. The beer just came with the company.

  It was an unspoken understanding that most of the beer they took to the mountains would likely be along for the return ride to San Diego.

  Jason and Kyle threw their essentials into the back of Kyle’s pickup truck, made a quick stop for gas, and by noon were northbound on Interstate 15, headed toward the San Bernardino Mountains about three hours away.

  The San Bernardino Mountains in southern California are known for several large, snow-fed lakes at an elevation of about seven thousand feet. It is a heavily forested area, popular with campers, boaters and hikers. In the winter, the mountains’ resorts offer the nearest winter recreation for ski and snowboard enthusiasts from San Diego and Los Angeles, and from all points surrounding and in between. The forecast called for clear skies and moderate temperatures. It was going to be a great weekend.

  The drive up the freeway and into the mountains was pleasant, filled with good tunes and lighthearted conversation. Jason and Kyle talked about school, work, the World Series, and the upcoming football season. They laughed about the various quirks and peeves of professors they shared. They recalled exciting moments from recent intramural sporting events. Kyle even told a few jokes, something he seldom did, for reasons which soon became apparent.

  Just two best friends on a weekend adventure where nothing of consequence was intended or desired.

  *****

  Two hours later, as Kyle powered his Ridgeline up Highway 138 into the mountains, he noticed that Jason had become increasingly quiet. They had long since turned the radio off, and the conversation had slowed. Kyle made a comment about the slowing traffic, but Jason’s eyes were closed, and he offered no response. Kyle assumed his friend was asleep.

  It was mid-afternoon when Kyle pulled his truck to a stop in front of a small A-frame cabin on the east shore of the lake. Jason opened his eyes as the truck rolled to a stop.

  “Thought I had lost you there,” said Kyle.

  “Just thinking,” replied Jason.

  “Want to share?”

  “Not now. Maybe later.”

  “No problem.”

  And that was that. Jason and Kyle knew each other well enough to know when it was OK to press and when silence truly was golden. Kyle sensed that Jason needed time to work out whatever it was that was bothering him. If it involved Kyle, he’d hear about it when Jason was ready. If it involved anything else, he’d also hear about it when Jason was ready.

  *****

  Kyle jumped down from the cab and descended the half dozen steps to the front door. He put the key in the lock and disappeared inside. Jason followed with the cooler, which he set down on the floor in the kitchen. As Kyle retreated to the truck to retrieve more provisions, Jason took a look around.

  The cabin was built to look old-fashioned, with rough-hewn timber walls, plank ceilings, and distressed wood flooring. But it was clearly no more than a couple of years old. It had all the modern amenities, including granite, stainless steel, marble, and recessed lighting. It was furnished modestly, typical of homes occupied rarely during the year.

  The great room featured a leather sofa, two matching chairs, and a fifty inch plasma TV above the stacked stone fireplace. A thick, woven area rug of alternating brown, gold, and green covered the floor in front of the sofa. Two master bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, occupied the main floor beyond the great room. Upstairs was an open-air loft.

  Beyond the great room, a huge picture window filled the entire west wall of the cabin, rising to a peak at the apex of the A-frame. A large deck extended the length of the cabin beyond the window. The view of the lake through the window was breathtaking.

  “Nice place,” Jason offered as Kyle reappeared carrying a cardboard box.

  “Yea, thanks. All my dad’s doing. He had it built about four years ago after my mom died. Gave him something to focus on and someplace to go. He still comes up a couple times a year.”

  Jason knew Kyle seldom spoke about his mom. He had told Jason early in their friendship that she had died of a r
are blood disorder. Something incurable. But as he had done so often since Jason had met him, Kyle simply assured him that ‘God had a plan.’

  Jason went back outside and returned with the remaining box from the back of the truck. He added the box to the one Kyle had already placed on the kitchen counter.

  Kyle quickly unpacked the boxes and transferred the perishables from the cooler to the refrigerator. He left the beer in the cooler and carried it outside to the deck, where he promptly collapsed into a thick-cushioned patio chair. He grabbed a beer from the cooler, lifted the cap, then realized he was about to drink alone.

  “Hey, Jason. Come on out,” he yelled.

  Jason was already coming onto the deck. “No need to shout,” he yelled back at his friend, as he reached into the cooler.

  Kyle smiled as Jason sat down and opened his beer. “Let the good times roll,” he said as he tilted his bottle in the direction of Jason.

  “Roger that,” came the reply.

  *****

  For the rest of the afternoon and early evening, Jason and Kyle relaxed on the deck, drank beer, and talked easily. They snacked on chips and salsa until the sun was just beginning to set. Then Jason got up to start the grill.

  While Kyle prepared the steaks, Jason fiddled with the knobs on the grill, adjusting the height of the propane-fed flames. As he watched the sun disappear behind the pine trees at the top of the hill on the opposite side of the lake, Jason once again felt the overwhelming sense of peace and contentment he had experienced the day before.

  Perhaps it was the beauty of the mountain lake or the comfort of his best friend’s company. Or maybe it was the joy of a life so full and fulfilling. Whatever the cause or source, the feeling was beyond Jason's ability to fully comprehend.

  Chapter 19

  Early the next morning, Jason and Kyle showered and dressed, then drove into the village, to a small café favored by the locals. After pancakes, sausage, and eggs, the two chatted casually over coffee. Kyle sensed Jason still had something troubling him.