One Man's Calling : One Man's Calling, Ch 22 by Wayne Fowler |
In the last part Ben hires Tony and rents the room across the street from Tony’s house. Ben and Tony tour part of Chicago. Ben confronts La Lama with divine knowledge, causing him to change his life. Ben and Tony had toured the neighboring miles of city. Ben had a fairly established pattern of preaching-corners within the first two weeks in Chicago. Ben, though happy with his acceptance in the community didn’t feel he was solidly within his calling. Nothing amiss, he was sure that God was pleased and was blessing his ministry, still, he felt as if he’d cracked open a watermelon and was merely licking at the edges, the sweet heart beyond his reach. The preachers in the neighborhoods, once met, accepted his presence, each grateful for the names and service times to be printed on Ben’s flyers. Ben was convinced that saving a person without concern for their religious growth was more than likely dooming that person to a return to their previous vices. Hooking a fish didn’t get it landed. Tossing a person a life buoy ring didn’t get them in the life boat. They needed Christian guidance and fellowship. It was on such a day as Ben was searching for God’s direction that he arrived to the boarding house in time for the evening meal. Greeting him at the door was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. Her jolt toward him, he could tell, was a slight nudge by Mrs. Koska from behind. “Hello, Mr. Ben, I’m Hanna.” Hanna held her hand out for shaking. Her nervousness and unease were dripping from her words and expression. Her smile, though genuine, nearly trembled with unease. Wrenching her hand free, she scampered away. “Supper is ready as soon as you clean your hands, Mr. Ben,” Mrs. Koska said. “My granddaughter is helping me today and she will join us.” Ben immediately saw the setup in play. “Mr. Ben, Hanna cooked the ham, and the cobbler we will enjoy for the dessert. She has celebrated her eighteenth birthday and is going to go to secretary school in the fall. Hanna, tell Mr. Ben about your church choir performance. Go on, child.” It was extremely awkward for both Ben and Hanna. For one thing, Hanna was far from a child. As far as Ben could tell, she was King’s ball debutant-worthy, a ravishing beauty that a man might sell his soul for. But Ben’s soul was not for sale. It was, though, like all men, accessible to be stolen. None of the saloon or bordello women that he’d rescued from unsavory circumstances bothered Ben in the night as did Hanna. Not even Livvy, who Ben loved and would have happily spent his life with touched his physical being as did Hanna. Praying helped mentally, but… Finally, Ben dressed and quietly left the house a couple hours after midnight for a long, uncomfortable walk. Finding himself at the lakeshore, Ben removed his shoes and walked into the lake until he could no longer touch bottom. Floundering about for a few seconds his choice became clear. He could fall in love and marry Hanna and spend his entire life trying to keep and satisfy her, or he could follow his calling. He could not do both. Suddenly the scripture came to him: For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Ben was certain that he would not miss heaven for leaving the ministry to marry Hanna, but he was equally certain that he could never be satisfied with the exchange. Hanna was not evil. Neither was marriage. Marrying Hanna would be a choice. He would have two conversations: one with Hanna, and another with Mrs. Koska. He had made his choice. Chuckling to himself on his walk home, Matthew 16:23 came to him. Though he knew Hanna was not Satan, and would only want the best for him, nevertheless, the temptation to abandon the calling was clear. That evening, again Hanna was helping her grandmother. “Hanna,” Ben said, as she placed a generous helping of apple cobbler in front of him. “With Mrs. Koska’s permission, would you take a little walk with me after the dishes are washed?” “I’ll clean the kitchen, child. You walk with Ben,” Mrs. Koska said from the doorway into the kitchen. A few minutes later they were walking out the front door together. Without a second thought, Ben took Hanna’s hand to assist her descent down the few front steps, releasing her at the bottom. Hanna’s glance to her empty hand gave Ben pause, figuring that she might have intended to continue holding hands. “Hanna,” Ben began once they’d made the first street corner turn that would take them out of sight of the house. “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever met, ever seen even.” Hanna blushed and stopped her hand from fanning herself. Her eyes darted from Ben to a mud puddle in their path. Falling was not an option in this moment. Her attraction to Ben had been obvious. “Ben … I, um. Mama Oliwia … She … She’s my grandmother, but I call her Mama. You are a most interesting man, and certainly …” “Hanna.” Ben held up his hand. “Let me save you. I’m not … I have a calling from God, and I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. I can’t …” Hanna forcefully let out the breath she was holding in. “Oh? A calling? Like God called you? How interesting.” Ben nodded. Hanna blew out another breath of relief. “Mama Oliwia wasn’t entirely accurate, but only because she doesn’t know. I was waitressing in The Loop when Marshal Fields … you heard of Marshal Fields? Well, I’m not fooled. I know why he wanted to take me to dinner. But he has an assistant …” “What’s his name?” Ben asked, a tease in his voice. “Thomas.” Hanna’s blush returned. This time she did fan herself. “Oh, he’s not as cute as you. But he’s so funny. We laughed all evening. He’s hoping to take me out again. “Ben, I don’t know what I’d have done if you wanted to … well, I just don’t know.” “I would like to meet your Thomas one day, Hanna.” At that Ben reached for her to pull her tight and give her a reassuring hug. After they’d turned another corner to walk home, hand-in-hand, Ben said, “Now I can truthfully say that I have hugged the most beautiful woman in the world. Thank you, Hanna.” “Thank you, Ben.” “Shall I tell your Mama Oliwia, or you?” “I think I’d better. She needs to know about Thomas because it won’t be very long. I’m not going to let him get away from me.” Ben burst out laughing. Hanna was at the doorway as Ben prepared to give her and her grandmother their privacy by continuing his walk alone. She asked if he would be around the next Sunday afternoon to meet Thomas. “I certainly will be. And I’m sure that he isn’t as ugly as you made him out to be.” Hanna entered the house laughing herself to tears. +++ At the Harrison Street Bridge street corner the next morning, just where Ben normally positioned his soap box, Angelo stood waiting for Ben. Ben couldn’t discern his expression – something between fight, and cry. Breaking the tension, Ben greeted him. “Good morning, Angelo. I’m happy to see you.” After a hesitation Angelo looked Ben square in the eyes. “I’m lost, Ben. Lost.” Ben prayed a moment in silence. “No one will hire you. You know this so you don’t even ask. You have changed your life so you can no longer steal, or force others to give you what is theirs. You are at an intersection and you cannot see which way to turn.” “How do you know these things, Ben. How do you …” Angelo stopped before choking up. “I see you with a badge, Angelo. Your past is as far as the east from the west. You keep talking to Father Bianco. The next time I see you, you will be in a beautiful uniform with a shiny badge.” Ben reached out to shake Angelo’s hand. Angelo left, a lump in his throat preventing from a heartfelt thank you. +++ “We need to go into the deep water, Tony,” Ben declared. “Waters to swim in. Where more fish live than even we can catch.” “So tomorrow we go to Lake Michigan?” Tony asked excitedly. “I don’t know, Tony. I just know that we will listen very hard for the call, and then follow it.” Tony shook his head in confusion, but confident enough in Ben by this time to follow him anywhere. +++ After stopping to witness to several people along the way, Ben and Tony reached Throop Street where Lakefront Park ballfield began. It was Saturday and it looked as if the whole world was coming to watch the Chicago White Stockings play baseball. Tony’s eyes sprang open as large as saucers, his mouth completing the sight. “Don’t see why we don’t,” Ben said in answer to the unasked question. It was early, hours ahead of the game, but the gates were open to ticket holders for Saturday festivities. “Waters to swim in,” Ben breathed to himself. “You ever see a baseball game?” Ben asked Tony. Wide-eyed, Tony could only shake his head no. “Well, neither have I. Let’s go see what all the fuss is about.”
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Wayne Fowler
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