Pew(26)

A little laughter came from across the room.
What’d you do to piss him off like that, huh? Jack asked. I could see a smile of white teeth faintly through the unlit room.
Fuck you, the bird said. Fuck you. Fuck you. The kingdom of God. The kingdom of God.
Jack kept laughing, stood and came over to the cage, opened it and took the parrot out, put it on his shoulder and stared down at me. Just as he began to say something, the front door opened and Steven shouted in—
Jack, go back to bed. How many times do I have to—
You forgot to feed Little Chuck, so I was just feeding him. Dad, he’s hungry—
Steven stomped down the hall toward us, grabbed the parrot from Jack’s shoulder and threw it back into the cage. The parrot flapped around the cage saying, Fine, how are you? Fine, how are you?
If you are not asleep in five minutes, Steven said, you are in huge trouble.
Jack retreated, no longer laughing, disappeared down a hall, and slammed a door.
Hilda and I would like to talk to you on the porch for a minute. Steven threw a handful of birdseed into the cage.
From the porch I watched moths hover around a tall lamp across the street. Others flew helplessly against the screens that kept Steven and Hilda and me away from them.
When we said you could stay with us as long as you needed, we really did mean that and we still mean it, Steven began. Hilda nodded.
We do.
And we’re still not sure about how to include you in the festival. Do you remember us telling you about it?
I nodded, but I was still thinking about Nelson’s dream, and wondering why it was that anyone believed the human body needed to be any particular way, or what was so important about a human body. Was it possible for a human’s mind and history and memory and ideas to live inside the body of a horse, and if it was, did that make that being a human or a horse? What difference did it make, one life or another?
Well, Steven and I consulted quite a few people about whether or not we should have you attend … or even participate in the festival. You know—it’s really something we do only for ourselves, and we’re concerned it wouldn’t make sense or would even be … well—
It’s just that we introduce the festival to children over the course of a few years, Steven said, we ease them into it.
Yes, Hilda said faintly, almost to herself. And we’re just not sure what could happen if you … well, if you don’t get eased into it.
I believe it will make sense once you’re there, Steven said, or at least once it’s all over. It hasn’t really been decided how much we need to explain beforehand. It may sound … well … it may sound stranger than it actually is.
It’s really very normal, Hilda said. And useful.
Yes.
But that’s not until Saturday and there is, like we said, no need to worry about it right now.
We just wanted to prepare you, Steven said.
Tomorrow there’s going to be a reception at Kitty and Butch’s house—you know, Nelson’s family—it’s during the school day, so the kids won’t be there, but many people are very much looking forward to meeting you …
Yes. Our community is very eager to find every possible way we can to help you move forward in your life, whether that means you’ll be integrated here or whether there might be some other place that might be more appropriate and comfortable for you.
And we’re just going to have a little reception, some of us from the church, to discuss our ideas, Hilda said. Really, the whole thing will be so casual, it’s not really a big deal at all. We just thought it was the right thing to do, get everyone on the same page, put our heads together, that sort of thing.
And we do remember how we promised you could stay with us as long as you need, and of course we are serious about that promise, however, it’s possible you might not need to stay with us anymore, and should that be the case, we will wish you well, wherever you go.
Yes …Yes. Hilda nodded in a tiny, silent agreement with Steven.
And if you do move on to live elsewhere, we want you to understand it’s not because we don’t want you to live here. It would simply be a matter of what is best for you. What is decided to be best for you.
Hilda was looking at the floor with a strange trouble on her face.
Well, Steven said. Time for everyone to get some rest.
We all went inside, and as I reached the top of the attic stairs, I heard Steven begin to speak so I turned to him. We just wish you would say something, that’s all. We really do wish that. We really do.
I heard the door lock low behind me.



THURSDAY




I WAS SITTING by the little round window watching the tree branches when I heard the attic door unlock and footsteps on the stairs. Hilda appeared, eased into the room.
Now, I’m not sure that, uh—well … there’s this neighbor of ours who has been asking to see you ever since Sunday and I just thought you might have had enough visiting with people, so I told him I just didn’t think there was time but … well, he just insists. Normally I would put my foot down, but Mr. Kercher is a very quiet man and he usually doesn’t take to insisting on anything. His daughter married the Hindmans’ boy, so he retired here—can’t remember where from—and he’s a real nice neighbor—set up this nature trail over there in the woods last year and he wants to take you on a walk through it? You don’t have to go, but if you’d like, he’s here and we don’t have to be anywhere until after lunch.
Mr. Kercher stood on the front porch holding his hat.
The morning is cool, he said. Unusually cool, but not for long. Therefore, I will go for a walk in the little woods we have here. Would you join me?