Romans Road Detour

by Todie West

  This brought tears to everyone in the church, including Michael. Then the pastor asked if anyone else would like to say a few words.

  Michael was surprised to see Jason approach the podium. “I wasn’t planning on saying anything, I don’t have anything written down, but I just wanted to say how much I appreciated Mrs. Webster. When we were kids, Michael, Brad, and I spent hours in the Webster’s backyard, climbing trees and playing ball. Michael’s mom always had a treat for us at the end of our play time. When my dad died, my mom told me what a comfort Mrs. Webster was to her, how she sat with her and listened and held her hand and let her cry. I was grateful because I was unable to be there for her. I had just joined the service and they only let me come home for the funeral, but I couldn’t stay. The time after the funeral was the roughest for my mom, after everyone left. My brother is still in town, but he has a business to run, so my mom having Mrs. Webster as a friend meant as much to me as it did to her. And her apple pie was the best. Thank you.” Jason took his seat.

  “Wow, thanks, Man. I had no idea,” Michael whispered.

  Jason put his hand on Michael’s shoulder and smiled.

  Michael felt compelled to stand up and speak. The only words that came were “Thank you, everyone.”

  The benediction was read and the final hymn was sung. The group proceeded to the parking lot and formed a large procession to the cemetery behind the hearse carrying Bessie’s remains. Michael was overwhelmed by all that was happening, so he tried to focus on happy memories of his mom.

  With Michael, Jason, and Brad in front of the casket, and all of Bessie’s friends surrounding them, Pastor Dan said a few words and many in the congregation recited the 23rd Psalm together. Michael reached over and touched the casket and then backed up, his two friends on either side.

  The reception hall was decorated with bouquets of bright flowers, appropriate for the beautiful woman they were commemorating. The food spread across two long tables, every kind of casserole and dessert imaginable. Michael and his sidekicks were first in line and piled their plates as if they hadn’t had a bite to eat in days. Michael’s eyes were bigger than his belly, as Mom would say as he was not able to finish half of his food. He did leave room for dessert and chose a piece of apple pie, which was always his favorite. There seemed to be something missing from the recipe, it just didn’t taste as good as Mom’s. She really did make the best pies in the world, he thought.

  Michael endured being patted on the head and hugged by nearly everyone, most of whom he did not know, but he was grateful for their kind words about his mother. Michael did go out of his way to thank Pastor Dan for all his help. Even after Araceli’s story, Michael was still not ready to make amends with God for taking his mother from him.

  Chapter 9

  … if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out. (Luke 19:40)

  “You want us to come over tonight, Michael?” asked Jason. “Maybe you shouldn’t be alone.”

  “I don’t really want to go home. I was thinking maybe the three of us could go out, you know, like old times?”

  “Yeah, that would be great. I just have to check in with Marnie,” Brad answered. “I told her I might be late. I thought maybe you’d need some company after the service.”

  “Well, I do have to work tomorrow, but let’s go for a little while,” Michael stated. “I’m definitely not hungry after all that food, but I could go for a beer.”

  “First I have to stop by the shop and make sure they’re doing okay without me.”

  Michael, Jason, and Brad proceeded to Ray’s Club for a couple of beers. They discussed the day and Michael, again, thanked Jason for his kind words.

  “My mom was really sorry she couldn’t come to the funeral today but she hasn’t been feeling well.”

  “I hope it’s nothing serious,” Michael stated.

  “Nah, just a bad cold. She’ll be fine.”

  “My mom didn’t talk her into joining her church, did she? asked Michael. “I know she could be very persuasive.”

  “Oh, no. I think she knew my mom was a staunch Catholic. Mass every Sunday.”

  “Do you still go?” Michael asked.

  “Absolutely. After what I saw in Iraq… Well, let’s not go there. Say, not to change the subject, but that Araceli is kind of cute. Is she dating anyone?”

  “I have no idea. I only saw her one time at the going away party for the missionaries, and then in the video.”

  “Did you talk to her?”

  “Nah, not interested.”

  “She sure is cute.”

  “Yeah, but she’s too religious for my blood.”

  After a couple of beers, Michael opened up to his friends. “Do you guys believe in ghosts?”

  “What?”

  “Do you believe in ghosts?”

  “Gee, I don’t know; never thought about it much. Could be, I guess,” answered Brad.

  “I thought I saw my father once, but it might have just been a dream.” Jason replied. “Why? Did you see your mom or something?”

  “No, but I’ve been having this weird thing happen at school ever since she died. Not sure if it’s a coincidence, but I still don’t know how it’s happening.”

  “What is it?”

  “Well, every morning I come into the classroom and there’s this quote written out in beautiful cursive handwriting in the top corner of the blackboard. I know it’s not one of my students, because none of them can write that clearly, and they couldn’t reach that high.”

  “Could it be that cute teacher next door to your room, the one you’re going to date?” asked Jason.

  “Date? You’ve got a date?” asked Brad.

  “No, I just told her I’d go for a cup of something sometime. We’re just friends. And I already asked her if she knew anything about it and she said no.”

  “Who could it be?” asked Jason.

  “That’s what I’d like to know.”

  “Do you think any of the other teachers have it in for you, trying to get you into trouble or something?” asked Brad.

  “Well it sounds like a pretty bizarre way to try and get me into trouble. Most of them are so close to retirement, why would they bother?”

  “What about the principal? You said she doesn’t like you,” asked Brad.

  “She doesn’t like anybody. She’s just an unhappy person. I really doubt it was her.”

  “What do the quotes say? Maybe there’s some clues there,” Jason suggested.

  “That’s why I thought it might be my mother. They’re all religious, pretty much. Stuff like In God We Trust, and The Truth Will Set You Free. And the last one was from one of Lincoln’s speeches, which I had just read the night before in a book about Lincoln that I found on Mom’s bookshelf.”

  “That is weird,” Jason noted.

  “I even thought it might be more than one ghost.”

  “What do you mean?” asked Brad.

  “Like the guys who signed them. They’re all dead.”

  After a brief pause, Brad announced, “Hey, I have a great idea.”

  “I can hardly wait to hear this,” Michael replied sarcastically.

  “Let’s go down and stake it out.”

  “Are you crazy? And how would we do that?” asked Michael.

  “We’ll go down tonight.”

  “And do what?” asked Michael.

  “We hide and wait and see who comes in and does it,” Brad explained.

  “Sounds like a great idea,” Jason added.

  “I think you two have had way too much to drink. I shouldn’t have even brought it up.”

  “Oh, come on, Michael,” Brad begged. “Look at it as an adventure. Remember that time we snuck into the high school after hours to try and retrieve that note you wrote about Mr. Farris?”

  “Yeah, but we’re not in high school. This is my job we’re talking about.”

  “If you want to know who’s doing it, you’re goi
ng to have to catch them red-handed. Right?” asked Brad.

  “I guess.”

  “Let’s do it, Michael. We haven’t done anything daring in a long time. It’s stuff like this that makes you feel alive,” Jason said.

  “Easy for you to say, since you were in the Army and did this kind of stuff all the time. I really don’t care to lose my job, or get arrested.”

  “You’re not going to get arrested. It’s your own classroom and you have a legitimate reason for wanting to know who’s been sneaking in there and writing stuff on YOUR blackboard.”

  “Well, Brad, if you put it like that…. Okay, let’s go.”

  * * *

  It was not quite dusk as the three pulled into the school parking lot.

  “Ruby’s car’s still here.”

  “Do you want to come back?” asked Jason.

  “Nah. I can just tell her I need to check some stuff, since I was out all afternoon. We’ll just play it cool. She’ll be leaving soon, I’m sure.”

  “Okay, we’ll follow you,” Brad whispered.

  As the three nonchalantly walked past Ruby’s office, she called out to Michael. “Can you come in here for a second, Michael?”

  “Sure. Wait here, I’ll be right back.”

  “What’s up?”

  “Did the funeral go okay?”

  “Yes, thanks for asking, it went very well.”

  “Good. Say, I need to ask you something and I want to know everything that’s going on.”

  “Okay.” Michael was confused.

  “Your sub showed me something in your classroom that was quite disturbing.”

  “What?”

  “It was a religious quote written on the blackboard.”

  “Oh, that.”

  “Michael, you know you’re not supposed to teach religion in the classroom. I’m going to have to put you on notice. I’m giving you fair warning that there will be consequences if it happens again. Understood?”

  “Yes, Ma’am.” Michael really didn’t know how to explain it, since he didn’t understand it himself… yet. If he mentioned anything to her about ghosts she would think he was crazy and suspend him or, worse, fire him.

  “I mean it, Michael.”

  “Got it.”

  “And again, sorry about your mom.”

  “Thanks.”

  Michael joined his cohorts in the hall.

  “What did she want?” asked Brad.

  “She saw the quote on the board and wants to know what’s going on. Says I’m not allowed to teach religion in the classroom.”

  “But you didn’t put it there,” Jason noted.

  “If I told her I didn’t do it, she’d accuse me of lying. And what do you think would have happened if I tried to explain that my mother did it, since my mother is …. dead?”

  “Yeah, I see your point.”

  “Let’s just go down there and I’ll erase the board and we can just hang out for a while and see if anyone or anything shows up.”

  “Sounds good,” his buddies agreed.

  The three young men sat quietly in the dark. Ruby walked by and peeked into the room but could not see them sitting in there. When she left, she had no idea Michael was still there because they had arrived in Brad’s car, which she did not recognize in the parking lot.

  After two hours, the three decided they had waited long enough. “We should come back another time. I may have to spend the night sometime. Maybe tomorrow night, since Ruby won’t be here on Saturday to question me. Are you game?”

  “I know I can’t. What about you, Jason?”

  “Sure. I’ll plan on it.”

  The three left with the plan in place for Jason and Michael to return the next day. Michael knew that Ruby had a meeting at the District office, so he would stay after school and Jason would join him when he could.

  “Bring a pizza and some beer.”

  “We can have beer on campus?”

  “Yeah, I guess not. Better bring root beer instead.”

  “I’m helping my brother at the shop until 5, then I’ll pick up the pizza and meet you here.”

  “Here’s some money.”

  “No, keep it. I got this one.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yeah, no problem. Are you sure you can’t make it, Brad?”

  “Not this time, unless you want me to bring the 2 year old. I’m babysitting so Marnie can go to a baby shower.”

  “Hopefully we’ll get to the bottom of this mystery soon. Thanks, Guys. Thanks for coming to the funeral today, and thanks for the ride home.”

  “No problem. What about your car?”

  “I’ll get it tomorrow. I can drive the Caddy to work.”

  Chapter 10

  Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged. (Northwest Ordinance, Article 3)

  God who gave us life gave us liberty was the latest quote. Remembering Ruby’s warning, Michael picked up the eraser. Then he noticed this quote was signed by Thomas Jefferson. He thought to himself, Thomas Jefferson wrote it, so how could that upset her. It’s a very teachable moment. Michael opted not to erase the quote.

  The day went as planned, everyone in the classroom settling into their new jobs. An infraction was committed by Marco, who was the appointed public defender. This forced Michael to appoint Brittany as assistant public defender in the class’ first jury trial.

  Marco had been caught throwing his gum out the window, when he had been warned numerous times about chewing gum in class.

  It was a true civics lesson and Peter did an outstanding job as district attorney. In the end the jury deliberated and came to the same conclusion as Michael, the judge: “Guilty as charged.”

  “Will the defendant please stand…. Marco, that’s you.”

  Marco stood up.

  “You are hereby sentenced to a $100 fine.”

  “What? That’s not fair!”

  “Didn’t I explain to you contempt of court?”

  “Yes, Sir.” Marco looked down.

  “And remember, your next offense could carry a steeper sentence including jail time.”

  “Yes, SIR!”

  “Watch the attitude, Marco.”

  “Yes, Sir.” Marco answered in a more calm manner.

  The rest of the day was consumed by lessons in spelling and math and the last few minutes were spent going over the answers to the Wednesday quote. Michael read Marco’s answer, If you tell the truth, you will get out of jail sooner, which seemed a bit ironic under the circumstances.

  After the bell rang and the students had exited, Michael went home to feed Tabby and then ran a couple of errands before returning to school for his overnighter. He contemplated what he would say if he and Jason did get caught. I could tell them I was working on redecorating my classroom. Besides, it’s not against the rules to stay overnight. Michael didn’t even tell Trish about his plan, just in case she WAS the perpetrator. He didn’t really know who to trust.

  Jason called Michael on his cell to let him know he had arrived. Michael let Jason in and took a gaze outside to make sure no one was around to see them.

  “Mmm, the pizza smells good,” Michael exclaimed.

  “Hope it doesn’t scare our ghost away.”

  “If it is a ghost.”

  The two sat quietly in the dark eating pizza and drinking root beer. They kept an ear out for any unusual noises. Michael had piled large boxes in a corner so they could stay hidden, but they could still see out.

  Two hours passed and Michael decided he needed another strategy. “I think this is an exercise in futility, the way we’re going about this. I think I need to spend the entire night down here during the week. On the weekend, whoever it is can come anytime in the next two days. If I am here from the time school gets out until the time school starts, I think that’s the only way I’ll be
able to solve the mystery.”

  “You can’t stay awake all night.”

  “I used to do it in college. Lots of coffee. I’ll bring a thermos, some snacks, my laptop. I know it’ll be long night, but I have got to find out who is doing this. It’s driving me crazy.”

  “I hear you. I can come and we can take turns keeping watch.”

  “That would be great, except I think it would be better if I stay by myself. My principal is not real happy with me right now, and I’ll have a hard enough time explaining why I was spending the night. If I throw you into the mix, she could get nasty.”

  “Are you sure? I’m not doing anything, just hanging out.”

  “I’m sure. I’ll just try and get lots of sleep this weekend so I can stay up.”

  “Okay. But if you change your mind, let me know.”

  “I will. Thanks.”

  The two packed up their pizza box and empty root beer bottles and headed for the parking lot.

  “Thanks for the pizza.”

  “No problem. Good luck on Monday.”

  * * *

  Michael’s plan to sleep in on Saturday was interrupted by the door bell.

  “Just a minute, I’ll be right there.” Michael pulled on a pair of sweats and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He was embarrassed he was still in bed at 11 a.m., until he saw Mrs. Davis and two of her lady friends from church standing at the door. Michael mumbled to himself. They sure didn’t waste any time. What do they want? I’m not going to church tomorrow.

  “Oh, hello, Dear. We came by last night but no one was home. We saved all this food from the service on Thursday. We know you’ve been through a lot. The casseroles can go in the freezer.”

  “Oh, you shouldn’t have.” Michael was glad they did, because he hated to cook, but he did love to eat. However, he would have preferred they were delivered by someone besides Mrs. Davis. He tried to stand as tall as he could so she couldn’t reach his cheeks.

  “We’ll just set them in here and be on our way. Don’t want to bother you. And if there’s anything else we can do for you, be sure and call us. And always remember you’re welcome in church any Sunday. The service is at 10. We’d love to see you there.”