Marven’s First Novel, chapter #11

“An Invitation to Church”

Looking disarrayed and drenched in sweat, Aldo was heading towards the concrete part of the main road. As he advanced, he saw at his left emerging from the cluster of trees along the last concrete inside street a trio of young individuals consisting of no other than his former classmate Beatriz at its head, an unknown mild-mannered-looking male fellow at her back, and, alongside her, Mauricia, whom, in recognizing, Aldo took about ten seconds because her head was turned towards Beatriz who talked for the most part. It is only when she looked in front of her long enough that Aldo confirmed that it was her. But then he saw what he thought was an anomaly. She of all three was carrying a trash bin, and they all seemed to be heading towards the landfill. Aldo stopped, stepped aside to the left, and concealed himself until they crossed the street and stood at its edge. Mauricia descended and disappeared into the grass apparently towards the mounds of refuse below to empty the receptacle. It was at this time that Aldo went back to the road and walked as gently as possible. He was already past the group and was about to step on the concrete when he heard Beatriz's voice calling out his name.
"Aldo!"
Aldo turned right around and saw her and the mild-mannered-looking fellow with her looking at him, she interestingly and the other blankly. "Yes, Beatriz," Aldo answered.
"Don't tell me..."
"Yes."
At that moment, Mauricia has ascended and come out clipping an empty and light receptacle dangling between her thumb and the rest of her fingers. She looked up and was surprised at seeing Aldo standing by.
"Now here's the moment we've been waiting for," Beatriz said.
"What have you done to Mauricia? Why are you letting her take out the trash?" Aldo jested.
"She volunteered. I didn't make her," Beatriz replied.
"What's going on," Mauricia interposed.
"See? She loves doing it."
"Hi, Mauricia. I'm happy to see you."
"You too, Aldo."
Noticing an absence of heightened energy usually present in reunions, Beatriz commented, "Well, it seems that you two have met. Have you?"
"Yes, we have, actually, in the business district."
"Okay," Beatriz said.
"What's up with that? Why are you there in the landfill?" Aldo asked.
"Oh, we're cleaning our church for the service tomorrow," Beatriz replied.
"What? So there's a church there?" Aldo pointed in the last concrete street in the neighborhood.
"Yes, in a rented house. It's just a simple house."
"Good for you."
"Hey. Are you busy? Would you like to come with us? Do you have an important thing to do after this?"
"No, not particularly."
"Come with us, Aldo," Mauricia said. "We haven't really caught up last time. Maybe we can talk while we clean."
"Yes, we're not yet finished," Beatriz said. "We can really use your help."
"Okay. Mauricia has asked. No problem with me."
"Plus, you're dingy already. We, not yet much," Beatriz said.
"Why are you all sweaty, Aldo? Mauricia asked.
Beatriz answered for him, "He's going back to childhood."
The trio started recrossing the street, after which, Aldo joined them as they reentered the last concrete street. He walked beside Mauricia.
"I'm just trying to go back to what I was back then," he said to her.
"What's that?"
"You know..."
Mauricia racked her brain for about three seconds and then said, "Ah," and smiled.
"Yeah. I know. That is not really me. Isn't it."
"No," she quipped apologetically. "Unfortunately, that part of you didn't leave much impression on me. I almost don't remember."
"Maybe I was trying to explore other things I can do to impress you."
Mauricia frowned. "Why would you?"
"I don't know. Adolescence? I think I was a better athlete back then than now although I'm really terrible at sports and not really the athletic type."
"I agree. You're much more into books. I just remember you as you are."
"That's sweet."
"Your face is what I take away mostly from those memories."
"And you're as beautiful as ever. In fact, much more beautiful. Surprisingly."
"Thank you."
"I'm just wondering if you're still that Mauricia that I knew."
"I think I still am. For the most part."
"Okay."
They arrived at a modest concrete bungalow that has a grassy front yard. The door was open, and inside were some people moving. Three, in fact, as what Aldo found when he peered through it: a man, a woman, and a little boy. They entered the house, and it was the man who met them. Beatriz said:
"Pastor, this is one of my former classmates. His name is Aldo. We saw him on the road, and he decided to help us clean. Didn't you, Aldo?"
Aldo was confounded and tongue-tied for about three seconds. Then seeing Beatriz was not totally wrong, he smilingly said, "Ah, yes."
"Aldo, this is our pastor."
The pastor firmly and warmly pressed and shook Aldo's hand and greeted him smilingly, repeating his name.
"And those at the table are his wife and son," Beatriz continued, pointing her finger. Then facing the pastor again, she said, Let me continue doing that, Pastor, motioning to take the broom from the pastor's grip.
After protesting politely a little bit, the pastor handed the broom to Beatriz and then rejoined his wife and son at the table to help them rearrange some paper materials.
After this, Beatriz left the three and disappeared momentarily. She went back holding two semi-damp rags and then approached Aldo and Mauricia, saying, "You two, wipe away the dirt from the chairs with these, you on this side and you on this side." Then she handed the rags to their hands one by one. After that, she went away and up the wooden platform, stage, or altar at the end of the room by the wall. There, she restarted sweeping the surface she has swept earlier before she, Mauricia, and the mild-mannered young man went out, while the latter individual wiped the dirt away from the lectern, musical instruments, and other objects on the stage.
Since repeating this young man's description is a little bit tiring, we will just call him by the name Oliver. Okay? The musical instruments consisted of an acoustic guitar, a beatbox, a tambourine, about two to three amplifiers-speakers, two to three microphones, their stands, and cords. After Oliver finished wiping these objects, he proceeded to the low water tap, took a mop, washed it, and squeezed it dry. Then he went back to the platform and applied an adequate amount of dampness on the surfaces Beatriz has covered, thus totally cleaning them.
Meanwhile, the lady at the table stood up, went to the closet near the stage, rummaged it for a few seconds, and then stopped and took out a floral-designed curtains which she then took to the windows and hung the former by the latter. The little boy went with her; and as he passed Beatriz and Oliver, he would talk to them jollily. The two would reply to the boy and baby-talk him back. The boy followed his mother all the way to the windows. The pastor continued sorting the paper materials.
Aldo and Mauricia started working from the back rows going to the front seats. After finishing about three chairs, Aldo looked to his left at the busy Mauricia and started the conversation.
"Are you okay now, Mauricia?"
Mauricia was astonished at hearing such words from Aldo and at even starting the conversation. "Oh. What was that?"
"I said, have you recovered from your sickness?"
"Ah... Yes, I have, long ago. Thanks for asking. And thanks for what you did."
"Did it take long?"
Mauricia stopped, looked up, and counted the days. "About a day after or another day after that."
"That explains it."
"What?"
"That you recuperated fast because of the of the power of love I wrapped you in. It's scientific."
Mauricia chuckled. "If that is true, then I don't know how that worked because I'm not a scientist."
"Neither do I know, and neither am I a scientist."
"Would you please wipe that bench thoroughly to make sure there is zero dust."
"Oh, I'm very thorough when it comes to this. I don't know if I told you about this, but I LOVE washing dishes, just an example. In fact, I may be the best dish washer in the whole wide world. Most people don't attend to the every detail of washing the dishes. I do. I make sure no utensil is left greasy and no leftover clogs the sink. If a restaurant hires me as a dishwasher, I would be very dedicated in my work that I may even hire musicians to play and make good music while I wash the dishes, to the end that I retain the status of being the world's best dish washer, even if ninety percent of my salary goes to the band members. I had been dreaming of that scenario and letting it play constantly in my mind. I wonder when that would happen."
Mauricia who had been laughing quietly during Aldo's entire litany said, "What was that?"
"I was just assuring you that I know how to clean. That's my point."
"Okay."
"What are you there, anyway?"
"Where?"
"In the financial center where I tried vainly to work at."
"Oh... Just an ordinary employee."
"Ordinary meaning supervisor or manager?"
"Yeah. Something like that."
"I knew it. You have that look."
"I have that look? Is that automatic?"
"No, of course not. In some cases, no. In some cases, yes."
"Why are you surprised? It's not a big deal. If you work hard and go along well with the people you are around on a daily basis, naturally you'll get promoted."
"Beatriz said you moved out into the city when you started to work."
"Yes. That's right. I had nothing in my mind at that time but to make sure I land on a great job. And as soon as I found one, I immediately set myself to adopt the city life."
"I just wonder if, during those days, you had time to think about me."
"Uh... no. I don't think so."
"I just thought it would be extraordinary if you did. Not that I think your attitude was wrong. All of us were like that."
"That's right. Because we weren't born rich. Like what you and everybody else might have done, I set out every day too. I walked long distances too. I fell in kilometric lines too. I would run and let myself get soaked by the rain. I went through all that before I landed on the job that I wanted. If you happened to be around at the same time, I would have wrestled against you. You get my point?"
"Yeah. Romance died that day. For a time, it became irrelevant and obsolete. Instead, it was a period of every man for himself. Well, you weren't that poor when we were classmates. Were you? Not like most of us."
"I realize now that my parents also had constant financial troubles when I was a student. If what you mean by not being poor is that I always had a complete set of school gear and was dressed in nice, shiny uniforms, then maybe we're not that poor according to your standards. But my family was also struggling during that time."
"True, true... Hmm... Yeah, you looked very nice back then and I didn't, maybe until now. I think I was just so lucky. What could you have seen in me?"
"What about you? Could you still have found time to think about me during the period we are talking about?"
"Uh... occasionally. But mostly during years earlier than that. Whenever I felt down and alone, I would dream about the days we were together when we were classmates as if I kept holding on that memory and didn't want to let it go. I would see you in my dreams. Then I would wonder what you could have been doing on that spot on Earth where fate has sent you. I was so lonely that I missed the days we were together as if I already didn't want to live my life past that. Back then, I wished I could go back to that time when everything was happy."
"Hmm... You seemed to have managed to stay the same over the years. You've always been poetic like that ever since."
"Sorry. From time to time, it comes out. I'm aware of the fact that until now, I still think like a teenager."
"That seems to be the real you. Not that I have anything against it. But if you want to go farther in life, I suggest you tweak that a little bit, improve on your personality."
"What if I didn't want to change? Will you shun me totally?"
"I don't know. But hey. What's important is that you're here and I am here and we can see each other more often now. You already know where my house is."
Aldo chuckled. "Right. The house you never even thought of inviting me when we were students."
"I was wondering about that myself. What was I thinking? Hmm... I'm sure it was nothing. But hey. You can now visit me anytime you want. Just make sure I'm there."
"I think I will. I will ask the people there if I could go up and court the beautiful young woman who lives there."
Mauricia chuckled. "You are really like that. Aren't you?"
After they all finished cleaning and preparing the place for tomorrow's service, the quartet which now includes Aldo bade farewell said goodbye to the pastor and his family and left the place. As they started walking towards the main door, Beatriz said to Aldo:
"Are you okay?"
Aldo, surprised at the question, answered, "Yes. Why?"
"Are you angry I made you work?"
"Absolutely not."
"I'm just checking whether you're murmuring against me already right now."
"Don't worry. I'm not. Though it may be a different matter if you overworked me."
"I wouldn't do that."
"Good thinking."
"I just want us to be together, you know."
"I see."
"Us who have been left behind here."
"How many times do I have to say that being still here doesn't mean being left behind. It's a matter of living within our means. Let's ask Mauricia's opinion about that."
"What do you think, Mauricia?" asked Beatriz.
"Well... It's nice to live in the city. It's near everything. But there's something in me that always want to go home in this place."
"See?" Aldo said.
"No. I think she disagrees with you," Beatriz said.
"What? Aldo thought for about three seconds. Hmm... Okay? Nevertheless..."
"So what do you think, Aldo?"
"I'll cling to my beliefs."
"No, I mean about our church."
"Oh."
This time, they have turned left to the main road.
"I think it's okay. Different from what I've seen before. Although I have heard about your religion long ago."
"Do you think we're okay?"
"I think you're a modest bunch of people."
"Okay... Thank you. As we all should be."
"Of course."
"Well. It's nice of you to reassure me that you're not angry at me for making you work. However, I wonder if you would stay that way if I press on to now invite you to attend our service tomorrow."
Aldo recoiled in utter surprise. If he had a drink, he would have instinctively spitted it out in the atmosphere, if not on everybody. If he had been sitting on a chair, he would have lost balance and fallen from it. Thus, Aldo stood aghast and was unable to respond at once. He reacted obviously enough, even exaggeratedly, for the other three to know his answer. But then he added a remark. "Wait. What's this? First, I clean; and now I attend?"
Even before hearing this last sentence, Beatriz already realized that her means of convincing Aldo may not have been that effective; and so she was perceivably shocked and afterwards looked disappointed and sad.
Now, Aldo is not the type who expresses such rash judgements in a way that brings peoples to their senses or puts them in place. He'd rather receive those than do it. But now he seems to have found himself the opposite of who he naturally is which was forceful and profound enough for it to be felt.
Looking down on the sidewalk, Beatriz said, "Forget I ever said that, and forgive me for making you come with us."
Mauricia, feeling Beatriz's thoughts, patted Aldo's upper arm and said, "We're really sorry, Aldo, for disturbing you."
"No," Aldo protested, partly melting at Mauricia's touch but mostly recovering his better nature. "That's not what I meant. I've made it clear that I have no problem with that at all."
"But you'd rather not attend a religious service."
"Well..."
"You'd rather stay home, rest, or do a scheduled activity for tomorrow and we might just get in the way."
"Actually, yes. I have an unfinished woodworking project. I am set to continue it tomorrow."
"All right. At least I tried. But my invitation always stands. You are always welcome in our church."
"Wait. Will Mauricia be there tomorrow?"
"Of course. Unless she's going to be busy too. Are you, Mauricia?"
"No. Of course, not. I'm definitely attending tomorrow," Mauricia answered.
"Is that so? Aldo muttered. Is Mauricia your member already?" he continued, addressing Beatriz.
"Uh... Sort of. If she considers herself to be, then maybe she is," Beatriz replied.
"Hmm... All right. Why not? Okay. Tomorrow, I'll show up in my Sunday clothes in your church."
"Really? Thank you. Good for you."
"Well, for Mauricia, my love, I will," Aldo jested.
Beatriz slapped Aldo's upper arm and said, giggling, "What are you talking about?" Then she turned to Mauricia who was just looking straight before her. "Mauricia, look. Aldo's teasing you."
Mauricia looked totally indifferent and didn't respond and just smiled faintly, which surprisingly confused both Beatriz and Aldo.
Beatriz turned her head towards Aldo and gravely and quietly said to him, "She doesn't agree with what you said."
"No. I think she agrees," Aldo likewise replied. At this, he marched closer beside Mauricia and said, "Hi, Mauricia. Can I sit here and talk to you?"
"Sure. Do whatever you please."
Thus, Aldo and Mauricia walked side by side and continued their catching up; if not, then just talking about anything that comes to mind or what they see in the surrounding.
Finally, the group reached Mauricia's house; and there, they took her home.
"See you tomorrow, Mauricia," Beatriz said as Mauricia entered their gate and the three stood outside.
Mauricia turned around and replied, "See you tomorrow, guys. See you tomorrow, Aldo." Then she made her way to the main door, entered, and disappeared from view.
Beatriz was perceivably a little surprised at Mauricia's last words.
"I told you," Aldo said, smiling.
"All right. You win," Beatriz replied.
The remaining three went out of that street. While standing at the corner, Oliver said he has to go back at the church; and so he did and left Aldo and Beatriz. The two continued walking, covering two to three more blocks, until they reached the street where Beatriz house is. At the corner, she thanked Aldo for helping them and reminded him of his commitment tomorrow. After that, she parted, entered the street, and walked towards her house. Aldo continued walking as his entire form was illuminated by the setting sun. Upon reaching his street, he turned and went home. He proceeded to his room, reclined on his wooden bed, and thought about the things that happened to him that day. After he has rested enough, he stood up and took a shower. Then he changed clothes. As he did so, he took some cash from his closet and put them in his pocket. He went out to the kitchen and asked if there is already a meal for supper. The answer was that there wasn't any yet. So he said he will take care of it. Therefore, he went out of the house again.

tentatively titled, “An Invitation to Church”
from The Simple Adventures of a Simple Simpleton
by: Marven T. Baldo