Pink Flamingoed (18 page)

Both Pastor Johnson and Pastor Scott were members of
the group of local pastors who got together each week, and they had become
close friends because of this association. Pastor Scott looked forward to
hearing Pastor Johnson’s message. Pastor Scott also looked forward to the fact
that most of the people of The Church On Aylesford Place planned to be there to
hear Pastor Johnson’s message.

+++

Good Friday arrived and the church was packed. Many
people from all three congregations took time to attend. After the service
ended, Pastor Scott stood talking to his friend Pastor Johnson.

“Lionel, did I ever thank you for going into the
ministry?”

“I’m not sure, Scott,” Pastor Johnson said, laughing.

“Well, let me thank you now. God definitely used you
to bless me today.”

“And me, too,” Frank said, as he and Cora exited the
church.

“Lionel, this is Frank and Cora Henderson,” Scott
said.

“So nice to meet you. And thank you for coming.”

“No. Thank you for coming, Pastor Johnson. We must do
this more often.”

“Yes, we must,” Brad said, as he and Amy left the
church and stopped to shake the pastor’s hand.

“Yes, we must,” Pastor Johnson agreed. “It’s so good
when more of God’s people get together and celebrate Jesus together. Scott,
maybe we can do another combined service sometime, and, if you like, we can do
a pulpit exchange some Sunday.”

“I’d like that, Lionel. I really would like that.”

People took advantage of the beautiful weather and
warm hearts as they stood outside the church. Members from all three churches
continued to linger and visit with one another under the trees, as the sun
peeked through when given a chance.

I’m glad each church group is making an effort to get
to know the people from the other two churches. This is definitely a Good
Friday
, Pastor Scott thought as he
watched the congregations intermingle.

+++

Other than the time and money the residents of Aylesford Place gave to their church, they gave more to the local orphanage than to any
other organization. Because of that, the day before Easter meant so much to the
people who lived on Aylesford Place. Each year, The Church On Aylesford Place
hosted an Easter egg hunt for the children who lived at the orphanage.

Each of the residents on Aylesford Place played an
important part in the children’s activities that day. Brad, Scott, Frank, and
Jim went to the orphanage to pick up the children. Cora, Ethel, Kathy, and
Bertha stayed behind and prepared snacks for everyone to enjoy after all the
eggs were found. Amy and Melanie hid the eggs.

+++

“Okay, kids. Who’s ready to find some Easter eggs?”
Allison asked.

“Me!” shouted all the children.

“Okay, let’s go!” Allison said, as she, Chuck, Harry,
Brad, and Amy got ready to make sure each child found some eggs.

In her eagerness to help the children, Allison failed
to watch where she was going.

“Is anyone interested in a flat egg with tire tracks
on it?” Chuck asked.

“I autographed that one for you, Hon,” Allison said.

“You know I prefer my eggs over easy,” Chuck replied.

Each child giggled with delight each time he or she
found another egg.

Harry stepped back to get out of one child’s way.

“Hey, Harry! It looks like the yolk’s on you,” Brad
hollered, as Harry’s misstep found an egg. “Hey, kids, you’d better hurry and
find the eggs before Allison and Harry scramble all of them.”

+++

The children from the orphanage and the big children
of Aylesford Place had a wonderful time that day.

As Pastor Scott remained at the orphanage until he was
sure every child had returned safely, he heard one youngster exclaim, “I finded
six eggs today and one of them was the special egg.”

“And did you get anything for finding the special
egg?”

“I shore did. See. I got this great big coloring book
and crayons. It’s so big I’m going to share with all the other kids.”

+++

Nancy
knew her job.
Scott always liked to be the first one at the park for the sunrise service. It
allowed him to reflect on the day to come and spend time alone with his Lord.
Also, he wanted to greet each person as they came. As Nancy constantly reminded
her troops to hurry, she wondered how in the world she would be able to handle
all of this next year with her three rapscallions and a baby in tow. Then, God
got her attention and reminded her to take one day at a time.

Pastor Scott meandered through the park, with no
company except the birds and the squirrels. After carefully looking over his
shoulder from time to time, he practiced his two sermons, the brief sunrise
sermon and the longer one he prepared for the regular service. He continued to
walk and sermonize the animals until the first of his congregation arrived,
excited about what they would be celebrating.

Except for Mrs. Peabody and Norman, all of Aylesford Place gathered for the early service in the park. The service began with a hymn
about the resurrection, which got Pastor Scott’s blood pumping. Then, he
delivered a short message. When he finished, everyone rushed to hug everyone
else and talk about their special day together.

“Don’t forget, everybody! Breakfast at the church!”
someone hollered.

No one had forgotten. No member of any church had ever
forgotten a meal, so why should it be any different at The Church on Aylesford Place? Many years earlier the church gathered to see whether they would prefer a
breakfast after the sunrise service or a dinner after the regular service.
Someone made a suggestion and the vote was unanimous. There would be both.

“There’s nothing like an Easter sunrise service and a
breakfast of ham, sausage, bacon, biscuits, eggs, pancakes and maple syrup to
bring out the boisterousness in a crowd,” Brad said to Amy, as he counted off
the things on the serving table.

“Well, this is definitely a rowdy group.”

The group ate, talked, and hugged, and then dispersed
for an hour or so until it was time to come back for the regular service. Some
went home to rest, others to change clothes. Some merely went home because most
people did, but a few went for a walk in the park, or waited at the church.

+++

Pastor Scott read the scripture, a scripture many of
them had heard many times before, a scripture some of them knew by heart. He
finished reading the scripture and looked up at his congregation.

“Today, we’re going to talk about one of the saddest
things we could talk about. We’re going to talk about the empty tomb. Now, you
might ask, ‘What could be sad about an empty tomb?’ What would be sad is if the
tomb were not empty, because if the tomb were not empty there would be no
reason to hope and no reason to gather together each week. There are three
reasons I am saddened when I think of the empty tomb. One, of course, is that
there are people in this world who have not been told of the empty tomb,
because they have never been told about Jesus Christ. Another reason I’m so sad
is because some people have been told about the empty tomb, but for some reason
or another they refuse to believe it, and so these people live lives of quiet
desperation. Because these people don’t believe in the empty tomb, they lead
empty lives, lives that can be filled only with the love of Jesus Christ. But
possibly sadder still are those people who hear about the empty tomb, say they
believe in the empty tomb, but don’t embrace it. Many of these people fill
churches every Easter Sunday. Many of these people confess on that Easter
Sunday that they believe in Jesus Christ. Some will even confess that every
Sunday, but they forget all about the tomb every other day of the week. The
time has come for each of us who believes in the empty tomb to embrace that
tomb. The time has come for each of us who believes in the empty tomb to share
the story of the empty tomb with others. Many of us love to tell stories, but
do we love to tell
the
story? We need to tell the world that Jesus is
Lord of our lives, but more than that, we need to show the world, and let them
know that Jesus can do the same thing for them. In a few minutes, each of us
will walk out the door of this building, and, when we do, we’ll find ourselves
a part of the world once again. We’ll find ourselves in a world that embraces a
much different lifestyle than the one to which each of us has been called. When
we walk out those doors, will each of us take the empty tomb with us, and, if
we do, will we carry with us all that that tomb stands for every day for the
rest of our lives? Or will we merely set it by the door as we leave, only to
pick it up next Sunday or next Easter?”

Pastor Scott concluded and took a seat, while the
congregation kept their seats and sat silently reflecting on his message.

+++

It rained a lot the two weeks following Easter, but no
one on Aylesford Place seemed to mind too much. Everyone was excited that
winter was over and that spring had arrived.

As   the   sun  began  to  shine more often, the
people who had hidden  in  their houses most of the winter ventured out and sat
on their front porches. Everyone except Norman. Lady Catherine did not talk
about him much, so everyone assumed that he spent his days sleeping in the
basement and spent his nights working at the motel.

No one knew about the woman most people referred to as
Wicked Witch Peabody, either. The high wall which surrounded her house
prohibited anyone from seeing if she was out and about, and seldom did anyone
venture past her gate and look inside. Most had heard the rumors about the gun,
and if they walked past her house at all, they hurried past it.

Life was a pleasant life of leisure to many of the
residents of Aylesford Place. Many spent their mornings planting flowers in
front of their houses or in their backyards, and their evenings after dinner
talking to their neighbors from their porch swings. Life was good on Aylesford Place.

+++

Easter had come and gone. With it went Scott’s excuse
to his son. A few weeks before, Kenny had run home to tell his dad all about
Harry’s boyhood tree house, a tree house Kenny suddenly coveted. Scott begged
off, citing his busy schedule, and promised to consider a tree house when time
permitted. When Easter passed, Kenny reminded his dad. As soon as the sun began
to shine with regularity, Kenny accompanied his dad to buy wood, nails, and other
items necessary for a state-of-the-art tree house.

  +++

Harry had gotten back into the habit of checking his
e-mail each day, but because it was warmer, he did not sit in front of his
computer all day long. However, after Pastor Scott’s sermon on Easter  Sunday, 
Harry  felt  guilty  for  the  trick he had played on Melanie.  He  had not yet
decided if he was feeling guilty enough to stop e-mailing her or guilty enough
to confess and ask for her forgiveness, but he felt guilty.

+++

Allison seemed like a new woman. Almost every day she
saw Chuck or talked to him on the phone, either during his lunch hour or after
school. Allison thought Chuck had a lot of things going for him. Chuck did not
treat her differently because she was unable to walk. Chuck was intelligent
enough to realize that Allison was capable of doing what almost everyone else
was capable of doing, except walk.

Every few days Allison would call Amy, and they talked
about their love life. Allison was proud of Chuck for the work that he did.
From the way Chuck talked about the children in his classes, Allison could tell
that he liked them very much. It also meant a lot to Allison that Chuck did not
hesitate when she invited him to church. He seemed at ease around the people he
met, and he paid attention during the sermon.

Enduring a long winter and being teased by the first
few days of another spring sometimes makes the brain malfunction. It flickers
off and on much like a light bulb not properly screwed into its socket or someone
who thinks of their next true love too soon after losing their latest one. Not
all decisions made during the early spring resemble the brightest ornament on
the Christmas tree.

Brad picked up the phone and smiled as he dialed.

“Hello,” said the voice on the other end of the phone.

“Amy, dear. Did I ever tell you how beautiful you
are?”

Amy could not help but smile.

“Yes, Brad. You even told me that I was wonderful, and
once you wrote that I was incredible. So, what is it you want?”

“You mean I can’t tell you that you’re beautiful
without you thinking that I want something?”

“I know you pretty well by now Brad, so just cut to
the chase.”

“Okay, Dr. Watson. You win. Do you remember how the
Bible tells us that we are to love our neighbors as we love ourselves?”

Amy saw that this was going to take a while, so she
backed up until she felt something behind her, fell back over the arm of the
couch, and scooted back to where her calves were resting on the couch arm and
her bare feet were sticking up in the air.

“Are you there, Dr. Watson?”

“Yes, Mr. Holmes. I just had to get comfortable. So,
who’s the neighbor one of us is supposed to love, me or you?” Amy asked, as she
mentally shook her head at her true love.

“I’m so disappointed in you, Dr. Watson. It’s neither
of us. I was thinking about dear Lady Catherine.”

“Sure, you were, Brad. More than likely you’re
thinking of dear Lady Catherine’s basement.”

“I guess I was a little hasty judging you, Dr. Watson.
You seem to have recovered your deductive powers.”

“Oh, no you don’t, Brad. You’re not going to include
me in one of your schemes.”

“You’re right, my lady. I should’ve checked with Kenny
first.”

Amy knew that Brad had backed her into the proverbial
corner.

“Okay, what is it you want me to do?”

“That’s more like it, my dear. I knew you wouldn’t let
me down.”

“Don’t press your luck, your holiness. I can always
call Scott and tell him to screen any calls from you to his son.”

“Okay, here’s the scoop. I thought you might fix Lady
Catherine one of your famous lemon poppy seed cakes with caramel icing.”

Amy already knew that she would need to stay one step
ahead of Brad, so she was not hasty in her reply.

“Dr.
Watson, are you there?”

“Couldn’t
you hear me thinking?”

“Oh, I thought there was static in the phone line.”

“Very funny. Let me see if I have this right, Mr.
Holmes. You and I are to go visit Lady Catherine with a cake in hand. Lady
Catherine will ask us to stay, and when she goes to the kitchen to cut the cake
and fix us something to drink, you’ll sneak down the basement steps to see if
anyone is alive.”

“Close, but not exactly.”

“Brad, don’t tell me you expect me to sneak down into
the basement,” Amy said, as a panicked look crossed her face.

“Oh, no, my love. It is I who will be scarred in
battle, not you. I merely want you to ask Lady Catherine to show you the house,
and while the two of you are on the top floor I will sneak a peek at the
basement.”

“And what if we get caught?”

“If you do your job correctly, we won’t get caught.
Just show a lot of interest in the rooms on the third floor.”

“Brad, are you sure we should do this. What if Norman comes after you with a sickle?”

“Well, if you’re able to run fast enough, I would say
you might pray that your next neighbor is both charming and handsome.”

“Sometimes I wonder why I put up with you.”

+++

Amy called Brad to let him know the cake was finished.
A couple of minutes later, Brad knocked on Amy’s front door.

“Here. You’d better carry this. I’m too nervous,” Amy
said, as she handed Brad the cake.

“There’s nothing to be nervous about, my dear Dr.
Watson. Just calm down and play your part well.”

Amy closed the door, stopped, and took a deep breath.
In the meantime Brad scampered down the front steps.

“Hey, be careful with that! I’m not making another
cake,” Amy said.

“Just calm down, my dear. Now, take a few deep breaths
and away we go.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of. Do you think anyone will
come and see us on visiting day?”

“Absolutely, my dear. Cora will be sure to come and
see how you like your new accommodations.”

Amy laughed as she pictured Cora visiting her at the
jail. Her laughter seemed to calm her, if only a little.

Brad looked up and down the street. The trees on Aylesford Place were relegated to back yards and Aylesford Park, which allowed him to detect
any movement on the street. If there was any movement, all of it was indoors.
Nothing stirred outside. Not even the Armbruster children. Brad walked to the
street and turned around to see if Cora was peeking through her window blinds,
but apparently even Cora had not discovered Brad’s plan. Brad and Amy walked
across the street, climbed Lady Catherine’s steps, and rang the doorbell. Brad
smiled as he contemplated how their neighbor would greet them. He did not have
long to wait. In a few moments, the door opened and there stood Lady Catherine
wearing more than an ample supply of make-up.

“Oh, joy, joy! Romeo and Juliet hath come calling on
this lowly servant.”

A lump formed in Amy’s throat as she remembered what
happened to Romeo and Juliet.

Lady Catherine opened the door and noticed the cake.

“Oh, what have we here? Is this succulent morsel
intended for this humble actress?”

“Oh, but yes, Lady Catherine. Dear Amy was merely
thinking that she had lived across the street from you for oh so long and she
had never even seen your home.”

Amy forced herself to keep from laughing at Brad’s
explanation of their visit. Her effort to keep her composure helped take away
her nervousness for a bit.

“What a pity! What a pity! Am I to be forgiven for my
negligence in showing you my grand stage?”

“It was merely an oversight on your part, Lady
Catherine. I’m sure that Amy will gladly forgive you. She is such a forgiving
person,” Brad replied.

“I’m not sure I’ll forgive
everyone
,” Amy
whispered out of the side of her mouth.

“I must pull the curtain back as soon as we have
sampled this scrumptious creation.”

“Oh, but it would be best to take the tour first, Lady
Catherine. We might be too full afterwards,” Brad suggested.

Brad’s suggestion worked. Lady Catherine led her
guests to the stairs, reached for the banister, and began to climb.

“Lady Catherine, would it be an imposition to ask to
use your facilities?” Brad asked.

“No, my lad. We will wait, if you do not tarry.”

“Oh, please go ahead. I’ll catch up with you at the
top, for dear Amy has far more questions than I. Don’t you, dear Amy.”

Amy, a couple of steps lower than Lady Catherine,
turned and gave Brad a look. Brad covered his mouth to keep from laughing.

“Very well,” Lady Catherine answered. “Ladies are much
more appreciative than scoundrels. Let us go, child. The necessary room is the
door behind you on the left, young man.”

+++

Brad entered the bathroom, closed the door, and waited
until the voices of the women faded in the distance. Then, he opened the door
slowly and peered out. Satisfied that no one was around, he stepped out into
the hallway. He surveyed the situation, hoping to be careful, but quick. Brad
noticed a door to the right of the bathroom door and figured it was either a
closet or the door to the basement. Slowly, he opened the door. While He was
sure anyone could hear the creaking door all the way to the next county, in
reality it could not be heard on the third floor. Brad reached into the
darkness, feeling for a light switch on either side of the door. He found
nothing.

Oh, well. No one ever said this was going to be easy
, Brad thought, as he tentatively lowered his foot to
the first step, hoping his movement did not depress a stone that would send a
poisonous dart in his direction. While no sharp objects flew from the walls,
Brad was not prepared for what happened. As Brad’s foot touched the first step,
a border of red lights flashed on each step. This so unnerved an already
nervous young man that he lost his balance and started to fall. Brad reached for
the banister, but being off balance, his arm merely struck it. His feet and
back scrapped against the edge of each step, as he descended. In a couple of
seconds, Brad’s feet collided with a wall and his body shot forward. Luckily,
he was able to raise his hands before his face collided with the wall.

Matters got worse when Brad continued down the rest of
the steps sideways, his body banging against the wall as he descended. Brad
landed on the floor below with a thud. The fall stunned him. He lay there for a
moment, then began to look around. This was where he wanted to be. It just was
not how he wanted to get there.

The only window that was not painted with black paint
emitted a little light. Brad shook the cobwebs from his head and followed the
light around the room. As Brad looked around to the right a feeling of horror
overcame him. Brad scrambled to his feet the best he could. The pain in his
head, his back, and his limbs slowed his movements, but what Brad had seen shot
adrenaline through his body, which caused him to reach for the banister and
pull himself upward before it was too late. As Brad struggled to get out of the
basement, he was sure that before long someone or something would be clutching
at his ankles and pulling him to his demise. Or could it be that Brad was safer
at the moment than Amy was?

+++

Amy feigned interest in what Lady Catherine showed her
and asked   questions   as   she   thought  of  them.   Amy  avoided  the
questions she wanted to ask, like,
Why did you choose this hideous color 
scheme?
  or  
Where   in  the  world  did  you  discover  this grotesque
looking  piece of furniture?
Instead, she “marveled”
over a house
that in no way resembled her own, except for its hardwood floors. All went well
for a couple of minutes.

“Hark! Have the sounds of silence been removed, my
child?”

“Huh?” was all that Amy could reply.

“Did I recognize a clatter from the bowels of the
earth?” Lady Catherine asked.

“I didn’t hear anything,” Amy lied, as she tried to
remain calm as she feared for her true love’s safety.

Oh why, did I let him talk me into this?
Amy asked herself.

“Let us hasten,” suggested Lady Catherine.

Amy grabbed Lady Catherine’s arm hoping to give Brad
time to escape his troubles.

“It was probably only the cat,” Amy suggested, hoping
that Lady Catherine had a cat.

“My Hortense has not been sighted since she descended
into the dungeon one stormy night.”

“Well,” Amy said nervously, “it looks like Hortense
has returned. You must introduce me to her after you have finished showing me your
house.”

Amy’s grabbed Lady Catherine’s arm and tried in vain
to keep the elderly woman upstairs, but the older woman pulled her toward the
stairs. Then, she broke loose and started down the steps. A couple of minutes
later Amy rounded the last turn in the stairs, somewhat afraid of what she
might find. Her feet stopped, and her mouth flew open as she looked down. Amy
regained her composure and scurried down the stairs. She hurried over to Brad,
lying on the floor, and bent down to him.

“Brad, are you okay?”

Before Brad could answer, Lady Catherine was at Amy’s
side.

“I came out of the bathroom and slipped and fell,”
Brad said, merely leaving out a few major facts.

“Pour soul, poor soul,” Lady Catherine exclaimed.
“Perchance some liquid nourishment would enhance your revitalization?”

“Uh, no, Lady Catherine. I must hurry home and take
some pain medicine.”

“I can provide that, too, my lad.”

“Uh, no, Lady Catherine. I am allergic to so many
things. I must take only my special medication. Come on, Amy. Help me up so we
can go.”

Wanting to find out the whole story, Amy struggled to
help Brad to his feet. As Brad leaned on Amy for support, the two of them
stumbled out the door.

“Goodbye, Lady Catherine. Enjoy the cake,” Amy
hollered over her shoulder.