Thunder Struck

Chapter 31

Thunder then calm

JB was saved the moment he met Ruth - 1977

Lord help me Jesus

I’ve wasted it so

Why me Lord –

Kris Kristofferson Why Me Lord The Essential Kris Kristofferson

Thunder Struck

The morning Ruth and JB came into the Franklin United Methodist Church a few jaws dropped. The minister knew JB and welcomed him and many of the good-hearted people made him feel at home. They had known his family. They shared history with Mr. and Mrs. Eldon Parker. Some church goers have a Christian Spirit and it radiates from their being. JB was surprised to find himself there. He was finding Ruth could have you in a new place before you remembered ever leaving. He enjoyed it. The minister made sense; Memorial Day was approaching, and at that point in his life the remembrance theme was what JB needed to hear. Soon every Sunday JB and Ruth came driving up in the Roadrunner. The church had an annual fellowship ice cream social not a fund raiser, just the church family. Ruth said there would be plenty of strawberries she would bring in a flat that morning. The women said they would come back in time to stem them and setup for the six o’clock gathering. Thank Carol and tell her she’d be welcome.

JB and Ruth came back to what is one of the largest dessert eruptions ever conceived. Each woman brought two desserts, even though they were single or just a couple. The kids were having a great time playing in the church yard and spilling over into the little park across the street. After everyone had consumed six weeks’ worth of sugar, they sang hymns. Singing and ice cream are never the best companions. When congregations all sing it always sounds better than one would expect. A man came up to JB before the hymn sing and spoke to JB, they then walked off into the church. Ruth was busy helping clean up and saw him walk away. She thought maybe the church had a mechanical problem. They came back as everyone was leaving. Ruth was taking home enough dessert for a family of six at least Carol would have a wide selection to choose from.

On the way home Ruth asked, “did you and that man fix something at the church.”

“No, we talked is all. When we get to Carol’s we can sit on the porch and I will tell you about it.”

Even though they had each had more dessert than one could fathom JB took a cookie. Carol gave them glasses of iced tea and took a piece of cake.

“I remember those brownie cookies they were the best thing about bible school. I’ve never seen them anywhere else. I liked baseball too. We all played at the end before going home.”

JB and Ruth sat in the porch swing and Carol sat across from them.

“JB what did you talk about?”

“Mr. Albertson was in the Korean War, he asked if he could tell me about it. Do you know the Albertson’s, Carol?”

“I’m not sure, I might recognize them if I saw them.”

“Mr. Albertson is a thin man he works over at the elevator weighing trucks and doing moisture tests. He got out of high school after the world war was over. He decided to enlist in the Marines. He was sent to Korea. He was part of MacArthur’s Landing at Inchon and then push to the North. MacArthur didn’t think China would intervene, but they flooded over the Yalu River. He said it was a nightmare. Each man could kill ten Chinese and twenty more would still attack. He said it was a miserable retreat, he was lucky not to be captured. He thought he might be better off killed, but then someone would lose their life dragging him out. He won’t talk about it with anyone, never says a word to his wife or kids. He doesn’t belong to the legion or the VFW never attends a Memorial Day event. He doesn’t want to hear the guns fired in salute. He said coming to church with the wife and kids is how he found peace. He said if I wanted to talk about Vietnam with him he would be willing to listen.”

Ruth noticed everyone’s glass was empty, “JB you want more tea? Maybe another cookie?” JB nodded.

Ruth asked, “Carol more tea?”

“Thank you, Ruth. What did you say JB?”

“I told him how much I appreciated his talking to me. I said I didn’t like to be a part of the parade stuff, either. We both sat there kinda sad eyed for a moment till we pulled it together. I said it had been hard to leave it. As we stood ready to open the door back to the yard he said, 'Yes, I know, but I try not to ruin what is so good here. He pointed out the little toddler trying to sing that’s my granddaughter.' I thanked him. Well then, we came back here. We both know church helps. I think we should be there every Sunday, Ruth.”

“I am so glad; it lifts me, and I hope it helps you.”

“It is one of those things a man fights, but it helps. Working here, pointing out how ignorant that Carol Parker can be and not letting Ruth Cullens change my carpentry or get me to go to church. That’s what I say, but it feels so much better as I look back. It is good not to be drunk and fighting mad all the time.”

Ruth hugged JB in an embrace that would melt a lifetime of hurt.

“Sometimes I was ignorant. I want to thank you JB. Your working here it allowed us to let each other know how we felt about our past it was the best for both of us. Without you here building and fixing things, neither Ruth or I would have done as well this year.” They just sat awhile, “I think I’ll turn in and not eat a piece of pie, maybe for breakfast. “

"Good Night"

-

JB had taken Ruth to a bluff. It was good spot where they could watch a big fireworks show over the river. The small city made a big deal of fireworks. They had multiple barges to launch from. Near the riverfront it looked like a flotilla of small craft resembling the evacuation at Dunkirk. Up on the bluff they could avoid all that and still see the display. Ruth had brought lemonade, cookies, and popcorn. As they sat there JB said, “I know we haven’t known each other very long, but you seem to have loved me so hard and I am hard to love. I feel like you were meant to be my wife. Would you want that?”

“I feel the same way. You have treated me real tender. We can get through the rough patches; we were meant for each other.”

-

“Carol, JB and I are getting married."

"You know I warned you about JB, but he seems to be everything for you.”

“We are going to get married in the church, but could we have a reception here?”

“Ruth I am amazed at what you have done here, yes when is this wedding?”

“Sunday of Labor Day Weekend it should be before we are head over heels in apple season. “

“Yes, how many people are coming?”

“Not many mostly just family, I want the reception to start at 4 on Sunday afternoon.”

“OK I will try to make this special for you. I have come to love you so much. I also can see how good you are for JB, everyone knows that. You aren’t planning on moving on and leaving me, are you?”

"Oh no, I am just moving down to JB’s house. I know how much you need me to be your partner in building a business.”

“You are right Ruth. I had no idea how I would come to need you just a few months ago. I am really glad for you. It seems like last night, but from the time you came in and told me JB was taking you to church, I knew there was some unexplainable special connection.”

“I have to ask what about alcohol? Have you and JB talked about it?”

“Yes, we have. JB said he was giving it up. He has talked with Mr. Albertson. He said he tried drinking when he was first back, but it made his nerves worst. Mr. Albertson calls the bad memories nerves. JB says he has been relying on alcohol a long time, but he sees what Mr. Albertson means by nerves. He won’t have a drink unless I’m with him. I told him I think that will work. Some of my family are old line Baptists and are dry as Ezekiel’s bones, and other are not moonshiners but have a cousin who can get you some. The minister and the Albertsons are helping organize a punch and cake reception with my mother. JB’s brother in law and sister will help organize a reception here where the not dry as Ezekiel’s bones portion of my family will show up.”

“What about a dress Ruth”

“Oh, you mean a wedding dress. I can’t spend a bunch of money of something only worn once.”

“I will look around; I might be able to find a nice dress.”

“Oh, Miss Carol don’t go spending money; we have so many things to buy here on the farm. “

“I may not have to spend money to come up with a dress to make you the perfect bride, the envy of everyone in the Franklin Methodist Church.”

-

Carol called her friend Shelly - “Carol god do they have phones in Bumpkinville?”

“We even have private lines, no rubbernecking neighbors.”

“Good you can tell me all your scandals, have you found Harrison Ford driving that dragster or spaceship, whichever I’d ride with him on anything.”

“No not the right man yet, or even the wrong man. I may have met the wrong man but I’m marrying him off.”

“What about Mr. Wrong?”

“He’s my renter on the farmhouse down the road. It turns out when he is sober, he’s not such a bad looking guy. He fixes things and builds stuff for me. He is a real gearhead hick. He has fallen for this little bit of constant motion called Ruth who works with me.”

“No cowboys for you?”

“We have more farm boys than cowboys. I am starting to make money my attention is on my business.”

“You were more fun when you were the wild rebel of a hippie.”

“But that didn’t work out, I am now trying businesswoman.”

“My marriage didn’t work out either. Now I am considering trying mistress.”

“Talk about scandalous.”

“I do get many married men showing me attention, but I have plenty of single guys to date.”

“I wondered if you still had your wedding dress?”

“I keep it in a nice zipped bag and occasionally I tell it how stupid it made me, why?”

“Ruth is about your size and doesn’t have the money for a nice wedding dress. I’m still putting most of my money into expanding the business. I didn’t know how you’d feel about loaning it to her.”

“If she wouldn’t think it was bad luck, no I would give it to her. When I get married again, I will be more careful selecting a groom and new grooms need new dresses.”

“Thank you, I know she would appreciate it. I might leave out your current marital status. I am sorry about John. He was a handsome guy.”

“Unfortunately, he found handsome guys more attractive than me. He was appeasing the parents. I won’t get fooled again as The Who would say.”

"I really identified with their  Summertime Blues song; I was facing a very blue summer that year."

"I need to fly out to Hooterville; we have a commercial real estate client looking for a location in the city. How far are you from Des Moines?”

“I could drive there; it is a few hours away.”

“How about next Wednesday? I could turn this into a two-day thing, a presentation and then follow up on the deal the next day. We could have dinner and a night catching up. I am tired of talking to the dress, it has yet to give me any good advice.”

“Our sales are mostly on weekends, I will be leaving Ruth with extra work, but I think she will think it is worth it after seeing the dress.”

“I will call you tomorrow night and give you an address for us to meet. We should talk more often, but I do like your Christmas letter it is a hilarious highlight of the season, good night.”





Thunder Rock Campground  Tennessee