“Keep on the straight and narrow,” repeated Bert. “Keep on the yella brick road… heh, heh…”
“Come on then,” said Amy Merton when all the elderly people had departed and Mrs Higgins had retreated inside to ‘straighten things up’, “get your things. All aboard.”
Dah collected her skateboard and shouldered her guitar case. Kakko and Tam just stood and looked sheepish.
“Is that it then?”
“Yep,” said Kakko, “we forgot to bring anything!”
“Stranger and stranger! I expect you’ll want a toothbrush and some soap.”
“That would be great.”
“Oh. We’ll give you something to make sure you smell nice… for all our sakes. Come on!”
22
Amy drove up to the hostel. They bundled in through the main doors and their new friends showed Tam, Kakko and Dah to the dormitories and found them some soap and tooth paste.
“You will need a change of clothes – well something while you get those things you are wearing clean. It looks as if you have been dragged through a hedge backwards!”
“I suppose we have,” sighed Dah, “chasing that thief.”
“OK, we’ll find you something to wear while you take those things to the laundry.”
Amy Merton produced a variety of stuff to choose from. It was mostly jeans and T-shirts.
“You’ll be decent at least. Take a shower. We eat at six-thirty.”
***
Kakko and Dah emerged into the dining room rather self-conscious in things which were too big for them, but no-one seemed to notice. In fact most of what the young people were wearing seemed rather shapeless. Tam was already there helping to set the table.
“Apparently there is an all-comers concert in town tonight,” he said. “Some of these people have come specially for it.”
“Good job they ain’t expecting me,” remarked Dah.
“Oh, they are. John has been telling everyone you’re special. They want you on the programme. Kakko too.”
“Me!” blurted Kakko
“Yes you. You’re to teach them all ‘Be not afraid’. Mrs Merton – Amy – says that it is important to keep reminding themselves of the ‘C’ in their name, the ‘C’ in ‘YWCA’.”
“That’s Young Women’s Christian Association, isn’t it?” said Kakko. “‘Christian’. That’s for Jesus Christ.”
“Yes. Pastor Ruk told us the story. Mostly, these people still follow Jesus Christ who promised never to leave them whatever happens – spiritually that is. Hence ‘Be Not Afraid’. It’s a Christian song.”
“Oh. I see,” said Kakko. “But I really couldn’t sing…”
“I can play the tune,” interrupted Dah. “Sing it to me again so I can get hold of it properly and we’ll do it together. You have a nice voice. It ain’t bad.”
“It’s not like yours!”
“It’s different, but I reckon we can make a good duet. I’ll teach you one of my songs and you can help me with it. You said God sent you to help me.”
“Well, I hadn’t thought about singing!”
“But that doesn’t mean God hasn’t,” laughed Tam.
“So I don’t have a choice?”
“Oh. You have a choice,” said Tam. “You can say, no. Nobody, especially God, wants to force you to do anything. But it’s pretty obvious what we all want you to do. Besides you did it for the old people, what’s the difference?”
“Most of them were deaf. And besides that, Mr Williams was brilliant. He saved me… Tam you’ve got to sing it too!”
“Me!”
“Yes, you. And don’t tell me you don’t know it. If Dah can learn it, so can you!”
“OK. Why is it you always win? I mean you always seem to have the last word!”
“I don’t know. I didn’t mean… sorry.”
“No, don’t say that. Don’t apologise for being you. You needn’t worry, I can stick up for myself. Trouble is, you’re right. There really is no reason why I shouldn’t join in with the singing…” But Kakko was upset. “Kakko, it’s OK, it really is.”
“But I don’t want to always have the last word!”
Dah took over the table laying, instinctively knowing that her new friends needed space.
“You’re making too big a deal of it. The thing is, I love you as you are. I promise, if I thought you were going to do something dangerous I would stop you now, because I know you wouldn’t despise me for it.”
“You mean, you knew I was making a mistake on the cliff ?”
“Well, yes. I wouldn’t have been so quick myself. But, honestly, if I had told you to slow down, think, what would you have done?”
“Probably told you not to waste time. Told you that you were only saying it because you were a wimp.”
“Right. So it never occurred to me to say anything. It wouldn’t have made any difference – except that I would have been right off your list of friends; and I didn’t want that, did I?”
“But I wouldn’t do that now, not after you saved my life – saved me despite my stupidity.”
“So we have both learnt things. You have learnt to think twice and I have learnt to be bold and to say ‘slow down’ if you forget.”
“And I have learnt something else. I have learnt that you really love me, and that you’re not a wimp – never was and never will be.”
“Now, don’t overstate your case. There is definitely the wimp about me in lots of things! But I do really, really love you… and I will learn your song. It says that whatever happens God never leaves us. I believe that. One day we will move on from this universe – we don’t know how or when. But the God who made me has got me and won’t let me fall.”
“Scary, all the same… dying! Guess that makes me a wimp.”
“No, it doesn’t. You’re not ready to die. When it comes to it, you won’t be a wimp. You’ll be saying, ‘OK God. Bring it on!’”
“Like Grandma.”
“Yeah. Anyway, doing something when you’re really scared means you’re certainly not a wimp. The opposite – you have to be really brave!”
“Like Tam rescuing his Kakko.”
“Yep! I still wobble at the knees at the thought of it,” he laughed.
The YWCA volunteers rolled into the dining room in ones and twos.
“Hi, I’m Sue.”
“I’m Peter.”
“Tam and Kakko.”
“Love those names. West Coast?”
“Joh.”
“Oh, right,” said Peter doubtfully. He didn’t want to admit he hadn’t heard of Joh.
Dah was already engulfed in a group on the far side of the table. She didn’t seem too perturbed at meeting so many strangers but John from the old people’s party was in the group and was behaving as if he had known her for years rather than just an afternoon. He was proudly relating the dramatic events of the day.
The assembled people took a place at tables of six. Amy called them to order and began the meal with a grace:
“Lord, bless this food to our use and keep us mindful of the three ‘p’s. We remember those who will not eat today. Amen.”
“Amen,” repeated everyone and then fell back into conversation, while the person at the end of the table got up to fetch the first course from the hatch.
Everyone on Kakko and Tam’s table introduced themselves. There was Zoe in a white, loose-fitting T-shirt like Kakko’s, Lucy in a very close-fitting top that just met her low-rise tight jeans, and Beth with long brown hair wearing a green and white cheerleader’s uniform – sleeveless top with a short, flared skirt. It was adorned with large red stars, one above her left breast and a second at the top of her right thigh. The other was Jane who was just reappearing with a tray of food. Jane was smartly dressed in a blue trouser suit and white blouse.
“What are the three ‘p’s?” Kakko asked Beth.
“Oh. It’s from Grace Dodge. Eighteen hundreds or something… Grace became the first combined president of the YWCA
in the US. I know it, but I keep forgetting it exactly…”
“Profanity, promiscuity and porn,” said Zoe.
“Zoe!” exclaimed Jane. “We are in mixed company! Please excuse our Zoe,” she said, “The three ‘p’s are ‘purity, perseverance and pleasantness’.”
“Right,” said Kakko. “That represents a challenge.”
“Impossible I would say,” said Zoe. “Jane. You have to choose just one for me. Which one shall I be today?”
“Right this moment, Zoe, I reckon you should at least be pleasant,” said Jane, “but there’s no reason any of us can’t manage all three with God’s help.”
“OK. I’ll try and be pleasant,” replied Zoe, “but I’ll leave the purity to Beth. Had a good day with your hunk, Beth?”
“What hunk? I was with the girls.”
“Sure you were, being thrown up in the air showing off your panties to all the guys – especially Joseph McArthur from the engineering department. We know you fancy him,” said Zoe.
“I was not showing off anything to anyone. It’s part of the cheerleaders’ routine that’s all! And anyway, they’re not panties, they’re briefs.”
Tam found himself wondering whether Beth’s ‘briefs’ actually matched the rest of the outfit, and then contemplating if he was going to get a chance to find out!
“Same difference,” said Zoe. “And you want me to believe cheerleaders aren’t showing off! Tell that to Grace Dodge. No sweat Beth, I mean I don’t mind. You show what you’ve got and catch your man. Joseph McArthur’s quite fit. Good luck with him.”
“But it’s not like that! I…”
“Methinks the lady protesteth too much!” teased Zoe.
“Zoe, you said you were going to try and be pleasant,” reminded Jane.
“Sure thing. But I’d do the same if I had Beth’s figure. I don’t blame her for showing it off!” Beth’s face had gone the colour of her stars, and even Zoe thought it was time to change the subject. “Kakko,” she said. “That’s a good name. Where does it come from?”
“Kakko? Oh, I was named after one of my parents’ friends. Someone they met right at the beginning of their relationship.”
“She an American?”
“No. This is our first time in America. Are you all Americans?”
“Sure are. I’m from Texas, Jane here is from Massachusetts (you can tell can’t you?).”
“And I’m from Michigan,” said Beth looking a little less red.
“California,” smiled Lucy.
“Yes. And who is this? Your brother?” asked Zoe.
“No,” Kakko declared, “he’s my boyfriend.”
“Oh, shucks. That’s a shame. He is rather cute. What do you call yourself, honey?”
“Tam,” answer Tam timidly.
“Oh. You don’t need to be scared of Zoe,” said Jane. “She’s committed to ‘purity’ in this hostel.”
“And perseverance! Yeah. You’re safe with me, Tam. I don’t mess with people already taken. Still, it’s a pity you ain’t her brother all the same…”
“Erm, compliment accepted,” smiled Tam.
“So, tell us about what happened this afternoon,” said Lucy. “I mean with the old people. You chased down this dude who stole a woman’s purse.”
“It was Dah. He would have got away if she hadn’t used her skateboard,” explained Kakko.
“Tell us about it. She sounds cool.”
So Tam and Kakko recited the story once again. The imagination of the others embellished the story for them. Zoe would have preferred to have had Dah chasing the man up a tree begging her not to hurt him.
“Some of us watch too many movies,” said Jane.
“Movies?” asked Kakko.
“Films, I think you folk from England say,” explained Jane.
Kakko was still not sure what she was referring to.
“You are from England aren’t you?”
“No. Not exactly. Nan and Dad are English, but Mum is from Raika.”
“Scotland?” asked Lucy
“No.”
“Wales? Ireland?” added Zoe.
“No. It’s complicated. Nowhere on Earth.”
“You mean to tell us you’re aliens?” asked Beth, astonished.
“If you mean, do we come from a different planet then the answer is ‘yes’.”
“Shut-up!” exclaimed Lucy. “I don’t believe it!”
“It’s true. I’m afraid. But we’re human like you.”
“You ain’t, like, shape-shifters?” asked Zoe.
“You mean we make ourselves look like this? No. This is how we are. We have one hundred percent human DNA like you.”
“Go on!” said Lucy. “How’s it all work then? Are you here to take over the planet?”
“Hardly,” said Tam, “there’s only two of us. And I doubt if I am a match for, what’s his name, Joseph Mackathy.”
“McArthur, Joseph McArthur,” corrected Beth.
“So, you are keen on him then. I knew it!” said Zoe.
“Quiet!” ordered Lucy. “Don’t interrupt them. How come you came here?”
“It’s a long story,” began Kakko. And she explained how the white gate had led them to the garden outside the hall. She described Planet Joh and how it had been settled many years ago by people like her parents who had arrived through portals. Planet Earth One was probably the mother planet, although the original memories had been lost in legend. Her family were the only ones currently connected through portals as far as they knew – and now Tam of course. She finished by saying they were really privileged and really wanted to listen and learn – and help where they could. The Creator always seemed to have a task for them, something where they could make a difference for the people they met.
“So you believe in God, then?” Zoe concluded.
“Yes,” replied Kakko, “because of all the things that have opened up for us. My mum and dad reckon She introduced them to each other. And Grandma died a few months ago certain that she was in Her hands.”
“God is a She?”
“Well, I generally call Her ‘She’. Sometimes we say ‘She’ and sometimes ‘He’. God is neither really because God is God – which incorporates all there is of both masculine and feminine.”
“That,” said Jane, “is an idea that would have intrigued Grace Dodge. I like it.”
“But,” said Zoe, “it’s OK believing in God when He… She… gives you free trips to another planet or matches you with some cute man… sorry honey,” she added to Tam, “but it’s not like that for most. For some of us, life sucks.”
“Agreed,” said Kakko. “We are privileged. But it has not been all plain sailing for our family. Some pretty awful things happened to my parents on the way.”
“Like what? My aunt’s town was hit by a tornado. She used to be a leading member of the local church until it was flattened. The pastor was a broken man. My aunt gave up going anywhere to worship after that. Mom always believed God looked after his own, but now she doesn’t give Him house-room. The minister said something about punishment for sin and my mom said, ‘What sin?’ My aunt was so faithful, always kept the ten commandments. She would give her last penny to support that church and what happened? God flattened it in just one minute! What had my aunt done to deserve that?”
“I’m sorry for what happened to your aunt. That must be hard for her.”
“So do you think if that happened to you, you would still believe in God?”
“I don’t know… except it’s hard to say someone doesn’t exist, or doesn’t care, if… if you kind of know She’s there. My mum says it’s like you’re cross with God but She doesn’t stop loving you. Maybe… well, I don’t think God actually does the bad thing Herself.”
“But He doesn’t stop them! Isn’t that the same thing?”
“Maybe God can’t stop them.”
“But God can do anything! He’s ‘almighty, King of kings, Lord of lords, God only wise etc., etc.,’” chanted Zoe.
“I don’t think my mum and dad believe God can do just anything She wants. She wants to make things and does, but I don’t think She can always stop things, or stop people breaking what She has made. They have always taught me that God is there to love us when we hurt. And that is what I have found.”
“But what if your parents went through something. Something really horrible. It’s OK being on beautiful Planet Joh!”
“But they have had bad things happen. Life wasn’t really easy for them.”
“Like what?”
“My mum is an orphan, all her family except Grandma were killed in a flood when she was three… and she was raped when she was seventeen. Dad was blinded at the same time… it was pretty nasty for them. But they came back to believing that God loves them. In fact, Nan and Dad never did believe in Her much until then. It is the hard bits that got them to know God, not the easy bits.”
There was a stunned silence around the table.
It was Jane who broke the silence. “So you don’t just believe in God because you were brought up to?”
“I did when I was little. But not now. It’s not about believing what other people tell me. It helps of course to hear about other people’s stuff, but you’ve got to try and meet Her yourself. I’m not very good at it, but then it’s really just doing the best you can and She kind of says, like, ‘I know what you mean, I just need you to come with your heart open, don’t worry about the words…’” The table was silent again. “Sorry am I boring you?”
“Far from it,” said Lucy. “It’s like, having angels from outer-space, like in the Bible. You really do come from another planet don’t you?”
“Yes,” said Kakko.
“I’d love to travel the universe!” said Lucy.
“She loves sci-fi,” said Beth. “You should see some of the books she reads. What’ve you got now, Carl Sagan or someone?”
And so the subject lightened as Beth and Lucy started to talk about the various merits of authors past and present.
Zoe reached across the table and took Kakko’s hand. “Thanks,” she mouthed.
Amy Merton called over, “Beth. There’s someone looking for you. Out in the corridor.”
“Oh. Who?”
“Don’t know. Didn’t give his name.”
Ultimate Justice Page 22