"You’re being silly," Tommy said, with a laugh. "None of that matters. Color doesn’ t matter in Jesus."
"I suspect we’ll have a talk about this later on," Balliol told him before Mason could say anything, and Tommy parked his truck on the far side of the parking lot. Mason came out on Tommy’s side and rounded to join Balliol who said, looking ahead to a group of waving teenagers.
"You’re gonna owe me, Darrow."
Mason looked at him and said, "I know."
They walked on toward the large church. Past the open doors they could hear.

Lord, I lift your name on high
Lord, I love to sing Your praises
I'm so glad You're in my life
I'm so glad You came to save us

You came from heaven to earth
To show the way
From the earth to the cross
My debt to pay
From the cross to the grave
From the grave to the sky
Lord, I lift Your name on high!

"This is great," Tommy exulted as they entered Thrace Christian Church. It was large and filled with booths and teenagers and music. Some band Mason didn’t know was singing praise and worship music. People were waving. People were nice. There were a few posters up like "Choose Life." "Children are a Gift From God." "Pray for America!" and "Let’s win a Nation for the Lord!"

Tommy was lost in the wonder of this world. Behind him came Mason and Balliol and Balliol murmured, "These are good people... I suppose. About as harmless as Tommy. But I feel...."
"Yeah," Mason said. "It’s almost like I’m not Christian enough."
"Actually," Balliol said, looking around, "I feel about just as Christian as I need to be. But I am afraid that someone’s put something in the water."

Lord, I lift your name on high
Lord, of wonder and salvation
With one voice we magnify
God of every generation…

"What’s all that?" Mason shook Balliol’s arm, and pointed to a group of kids walking together.
"What’s what?" Tommy turned around.
"They got rosaries and shit," Mason said.
"Mason!"
Mason shrugged, "Rosaries and shoot. Anyway, what’s that doing at a Born Again rally?"
"Why don’t you go up and ask?" Balliol challenged.
"Maybe I will."
But he didn’t have to. Apparently the group of teens had seen them already and was coming forward.
"They’re smiling," Balliol murmured trying to hide behind Mason. "I’m afraid."
"Hi!" cried a girl with fly away hair who was a little round for the short sleeveless she was wearing. A purple beaded rosary was in her fist.
"Hello," Mason said stepping forward.
"I’m Sara, and this is my boyfriend, Derrick. And this is Meghan and this is Laura, and this is Catherine. And this is Valerie. And we go to Saint Mary’s on the Ridge up in Michael, Ohio."

All three of the boys cocked their heads.
Her boyfriend, behind her, the one called Derrick, announced, "We’re born again Catholics."
Balliol threw back his head and cackled for about thirty seconds until everyone was looking at him as Mason was trying to hold his chuckles in. And then, all at once, Balliol blinked and said, "Oh, you all were serious."



"Okay," Derrick told them, leaning over the table at lunch, "Basically we are Bible believing Christians who love Jesus and consider this the most vital part of our Catholic faith."
Derrick was tall and scholarly looking, attractive in a pushy way and Mason had the feeling that he had given this talk many times before. "We attempt to live a Christian-Catholic life of love and charity."
Mason had the unnerving feeling that the boy was daring him, or trying to sell him something. So he couldn’t really like him. He was sure that Derrick was waiting for an answer. And then he realized something. Derrick probably usually got one.
"I’m not Catholic," Mason told him.
And then he heard Tommy say, "Yes you are. You got your First Communion in the Catholic Church. You’re half and half. Your whole family is. I didn’t even know they had Born Again Catholics. I’ve felt so left out. I didn’t know I could be one."

"Praise the Lord!" the girl called Catherine murmured and then, apropos to nothing, lifted her head, closed her eyes and began to sing,

I love you Lord!
Yes I do!
I love you Lord!

"I’m not Catholic enough for it to count," Mason insisted. He wanted to slap Tommy.
"We’re going to have a rally at the Basilica in Carey in a few weeks," the boy called Dan was saying. "The bishop’s going to be there to bless all our rosaries."
"And put shrooms and acid in the Communion wine no doubt," Balliol said.
They all looked at him. But only Mason knew what shrooms and acid were. And Mason marveled that Balliol had known.
"Do you love the Lord, Balliol?" Derrick challenged.
"You have no idea."
"Have you been born again?" Derrick asked him.
With a straight face, Balliol told him. "I’m being born again even as we speak."
Before Derrick could say anything, Catherine sang out louder

"We praise you Lord!
We love you Lord!
Holy Jesus!"

"Holy Jesus," Dan murmured, half singing beside her.
"I think I feel the Spirit," Sara told them.
Derrick thought earnestly about it for a moment and then said, "I think I feel Him too."
"I think we should pray." Sara said. They all caught hands. Catherine was still swaying back and forth and Mason found his hands in Balliol’s and Tommy’s. Balliol’s thumb reached into the middle of Mason’s right hand and tickled it, making Mason yelp.
"Lord," Derrick said. "We can feel you speaking through your servant our brother Mason. And our brothers in Christ, Tommy and Balliol."

Balliol leaned into Mason’s ear and whispered.
"Jesus, if you love us, you’ll get your faithful servants THE FUCK OUT OF HERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE."
Mason opened his eyes, everyone else’s eyes were closed, their heads bowed and Balliol was wagging his tongue and popping his eyes at Mason.
"HELP!" he kept mouthing. "HELP ME!"
"Jesus!" Catherine sang out.
Sara said, emphatically, "Hallelujah."



"Good afternoon, Mr. McKenna," Addison said as Joel answered the door.
"Is Seth here?"
"Addison!" Seth shouted from the back of the apartment. "Is that you?’
"Hi, Addison. Come on in," Joel nodded and let the boy in. He closed the door behind him. "You want something to drink? Have you eaten?"
"I’m fine, sir," Addison said. He wondered how someone like Mr. McKenna had managed to turn out Seth. Well, then, there had been Mrs. McKenna too, and from what Seth said his mom had been a real whore.
"You’re looking kind of snazzy," Addison told Joel McKenna, because he liked the man. Ordinarily he wouldn’t talk to any of his friends’ parents, except for Sidney.
"Oh," Joel looked goofy and pleased and Addison thought, "He’s got a date or something."
"Well, thank you. Hair cut. Some new clothes. I’m going to meet a lady friend."
"Watch out, lady friend," Addison said as Seth came out.
"What’s that?" said Seth. "Oh, yeah. Dad’s got a date tonight. It’s about time. We’re going to the drug store. Should I bring back protection?"
Joel looked at his son, mystified, and then blinked and said, "Seth!"
Seth chuckled and, ushering Addison out as he closed the door and shook his head he murmured, "See you later, Dad."
"He’s cute," Seth said as they ran down the steps of the old apartment building and out the door, "You gotta admit that."
In Seth’s old truck they drove three blocks down to Jenkins, the drug store, and Seth said, "I don’t know why you couldn’t do this in your neighborhood."
"Because people might see me in my neighborhood," Addison said. "And besides, I didn’t want to go alone."

"It’s not so bad going in there if you don’t care."
"Only I do care."
"See, and that’s your trouble," Seth told him as he parked the car and slid out and around to join Addison.
Jenkins was a shabby store with flickering fluorescent lights and that annoying round security mirror. Whoever the Jenkins had been, now the store was owned by an Arab family. Or maybe they were Afghanis. They were something.
For one of the few times in his life Addison, wide eyed, lanky, his dark hair hanging to his shoulders, looked confused.
"Over here, man," Seth steered him toward aisle five. "You really are a virgin."
Addison looked at him, blinking as if he were waking up and realizing he’d just been insulted.
"I don’t know what to get," he said looking at them. He reached for one pack and Seth said, "Unless you’re a horse or an elephant or you want a baby to come out with a black latex shower cap on its head nine months from now, put that shit away. Here. Get these—no," Seth coughed. "That’s a little steep. Get these. These’ll be good."
Addison nodded, picked them up and went to the counter to pay.
As they were walking out the store, Seth said, "I hate fucking Arabs. The way they look at you, like they’re gonna put a bomb in your receipt."
"Honkey!" they heard.
Seth jumped up and Addison moved his head slowly.
"Honkey!"
Addison looked at the Black kid shouting at him. He was the blackest person Addison had ever seen. He was in a baggy coat with a pick in his head and there were some others beside him… Addison was trying to remember something.

"WHITE MUTHAFUCKAS!" the boy shouted, and then Addison grabbed Seth’s arm and pulled his sleeve as the crew of boys chased them down Barnard Street.
"What the fuck!" Seth shouted.
"Did you lock the car?"
"No."
"Good!"
They made it to the car, jumped in, and Seth gunned the ignition as the other boys reached the truck and began banging on the sides.
Seth rolled it down, shouted, "Get the fuck away!" and then rolled out onto the street driving through the red light.
"What the fuck was that?" Seth shouted.
Addison’s head was to his chest, breathing in and out.
"I… met those kids before. I met them a few weeks ago. They pulled a gun on me at the gas station."
"Are you fucking serious?"
"Yes. And then I pulled a gun on them."
"What? Are you fucking nuts?" And then Seth pounded on the steering wheel and laughed out loud.

"FUCK!" he shouted. "What the fuck is wrong with people? Why can’t people just get their shit together?"
Addison opened the paper bag and pulled out the condoms.
"It cost a lot for just three."
"You’ll probably only do it once tonight anyway so it doesn’t matter."
"What’s that?" Addison looked at Seth’s lap. There was a blue plastic bag. "Did you steal a porno?"
"Yeah," Seth shrugged. "Pornography’s a sin. They shouldn’t be selling it anyway."

"So are you a good student, Seth?" Shelley asked as he offered her more mashed potatoes. "No, I’m full," she waved her hand and laughed. "You all don’t stint. I’m about to burst."
"You can’t burst," Joel told her. "There’s still dessert."
"I’m an okay, student," Seth said. He had bothered to wear a shirt and tie tonight, though his hair was still as wild as ever. "I could be better."
"Seth is actually very smart," Joel told Shelley, and was telling Seth too. "It’s just high school isn’t his thing. I think he’ll do a lot better in college. He’s got a good mind for it. I was just the opposite."

"Actually, I might not go to college," Seth said. "I’m trying to look at all my options.
Joel opened his mouth, at the "I might not go to college," and then closed it and decided to pursue that topic later.
"Well, if you’re like your dad," Shelley told him, "I’m sure you’ll do just fine. Joel, I’m going to need to hold off a bit on dessert."
"Seth actually made it," Joel said, proud of his son. "You’d be surprised how much effort he has put into this."
"I feel chaperoned," Shelley said, touching Seth on the arm.
"I’m just glad Dad finally met someone," Seth said. "And I would do anything to make sure he got someone good." Seth struck a considering pose and said, "Shelley, I’m thinking you’re someone good."
Joel laughed, shaking his head. but Shelley leaned forward and kissed Seth.
"Oh," the boy raised an eyebrow. "Well, with that I’d love to be the chaperone the whole night, but... I have to be leaving."
"For what?" Joel said, suddenly alarmed.
"I have to go out. With Addison Cromptley."

Before Joel could say anything, Seth was up and out of the little dining room, going down the hallway.
"Excuse us," Joel said politely, raising a finger and heading down the hall to Seth’s room.
"You didn’t say you were going out," Joel told him. "And we’re right in the middle of dinner."
"But we’re not trying to date Shelley. You are, Dad," said Joel. "She’s already in love with me. She’s supposed to be in love with you. You’re just..."
Seth shook his head and took his hands through his hair as he pulled on a sweat jacket.
"You’re a great guy, Dad," he said, putting his hand on his father’s shoulder. "I mean, any girl would be glad to have someone like you. And apparently you don’t have a hard time talking most of the time but... You suck at dating, and this girl likes you. I mean she likes you. So, I’m going to go right now."

Joel folded his hands over his chest. He was wearing a silk tie over a dark green shirt Seth had bought for him. He chewed his bottom lip.
"I still don’t think it’s appropriate for you to walk out in the middle of a family dinner."
"And I don’t think it’s appropriate for you to make me the third wheel on a first date. Which is what this is. So stop being chicken. You’re chicken aren’t you?"
Joel’s mouth opened and shut.

---