follow,
occasional drug test, and regular payments. He discussed a service
where I could work so that the hours I had would count towards my
probation since they were so long. I figured what the hell the less
drama the better. I would have never guessed he would have signed
me over to a church…a church of all places.
Pastor Wallace and I walked
into the sanctuary. Just looking at all those crosses and Jesus
pictures already had me sweating in fear. “Thank you…Pastor…I’m
happy to be here.” I said nervously eying all the nearby crosses
jumping out at me. Pastor Wallace must have picked up on my
discomfort and laughed. “Brother Derrick I’m here to help you, not
throw you into the hell fire.” I nodded and smiled but still kept a
safe distance. I had heard of Pastor Wallace around the way, my
grandmother attended his church when she could and brought me along
with her in my younger years. He was of medium brown skin, height,
weight and had salty colored balding hair. Pastor Wallace was a
funny old man who wore the most elaborate suits every Sunday…and I
mean elaborate, neon green, hot pink, lemon yellow, I could go on
and on. “Well Pastor…” I said still eying all of the crosses. “I’m
not sure what I’m supposed to be doing here?”
I said confusingly. My
probation officer didn’t really go into great detail explaining my
position nor did he care to either. I was told to just show up and
they would explain the rest when I got there. So I put on a white
tank shirt, some jeans, my work boots and came on down. The pastor
cleared his throat and nodded. “Well brother Derrick I have
gathered up some much needed workers here today… to help fix up the
sanctuary and expand it on … build it up...create more space to
teach God’s word.” I looked at him puzzled, not knowing whether he
was talking to me or practicing his preaching for Sunday. He
continued to talk.
“ Now your Grandmother tells
me that you pretty good with your hands “Yeah I can fix a few
things.”
“ That’s good to know, I
figured you wouldn’t mind helping out with the church…during your
time of probation.”
He said looking away from
me throwing a little shade my way. I just shook it off ready to go
ahead and get to work. “So where is the crew?” I asked looking
around. “Oh they are all out back… come on and let me introduce
you.” I followed him past the kitchen into the back yard. I saw an
assembly of young guys armed with work gloves and boards. They all
looked so young; I didn’t know whether this was a work crew or a
nursery.
“ What’s going on Pastor?”
one of them asked glancing at me. Pastor Wallace put a hand on my
shoulder and smiled. “Everybody this is Brother Derrick and he’s
going to be joining the team on rebuilding the church…so come on
over and welcome him.” They all rose to their feet and came to
greet me. “What’s up man I’m Clay.” He said shaking my hand. He
stood about 6’2, strongly built with dark skin…I noticed a gang
sign tattooed on his right forearm but decided against asking about
it. He pointed out the other guys to me…some more young cats who
looked fresh out the joint and were trying to avoid going back.
“Brother Derrick, Brother Clay here will give you the low down
about what you’ll be doing from now on… I’m going to be getting on
out ya’ll way cause Pastor can’t fix a piece of paper with tape or
super glue…don’t work too hard ya hear?” They all laughed as he
exited the back but I glanced around the building seeing everything
that needed to be done. I saw some old wood on the roof that looked
like it could fall in at any moment, the paint around the outside
of the building was thinning, and a much needed floor plan would be
necessary to expand the church ground along with some costly
material.
It wasn’t as bad as the
Pastor was making it sound but it did need some work. Clay noticed
me scoping out the area and chuckled. “Yeah man
occasional drug test, and regular payments. He discussed a service
where I could work so that the hours I had would count towards my
probation since they were so long. I figured what the hell the less
drama the better. I would have never guessed he would have signed
me over to a church…a church of all places.
Pastor Wallace and I walked
into the sanctuary. Just looking at all those crosses and Jesus
pictures already had me sweating in fear. “Thank you…Pastor…I’m
happy to be here.” I said nervously eying all the nearby crosses
jumping out at me. Pastor Wallace must have picked up on my
discomfort and laughed. “Brother Derrick I’m here to help you, not
throw you into the hell fire.” I nodded and smiled but still kept a
safe distance. I had heard of Pastor Wallace around the way, my
grandmother attended his church when she could and brought me along
with her in my younger years. He was of medium brown skin, height,
weight and had salty colored balding hair. Pastor Wallace was a
funny old man who wore the most elaborate suits every Sunday…and I
mean elaborate, neon green, hot pink, lemon yellow, I could go on
and on. “Well Pastor…” I said still eying all of the crosses. “I’m
not sure what I’m supposed to be doing here?”
I said confusingly. My
probation officer didn’t really go into great detail explaining my
position nor did he care to either. I was told to just show up and
they would explain the rest when I got there. So I put on a white
tank shirt, some jeans, my work boots and came on down. The pastor
cleared his throat and nodded. “Well brother Derrick I have
gathered up some much needed workers here today… to help fix up the
sanctuary and expand it on … build it up...create more space to
teach God’s word.” I looked at him puzzled, not knowing whether he
was talking to me or practicing his preaching for Sunday. He
continued to talk.
“ Now your Grandmother tells
me that you pretty good with your hands “Yeah I can fix a few
things.”
“ That’s good to know, I
figured you wouldn’t mind helping out with the church…during your
time of probation.”
He said looking away from
me throwing a little shade my way. I just shook it off ready to go
ahead and get to work. “So where is the crew?” I asked looking
around. “Oh they are all out back… come on and let me introduce
you.” I followed him past the kitchen into the back yard. I saw an
assembly of young guys armed with work gloves and boards. They all
looked so young; I didn’t know whether this was a work crew or a
nursery.
“ What’s going on Pastor?”
one of them asked glancing at me. Pastor Wallace put a hand on my
shoulder and smiled. “Everybody this is Brother Derrick and he’s
going to be joining the team on rebuilding the church…so come on
over and welcome him.” They all rose to their feet and came to
greet me. “What’s up man I’m Clay.” He said shaking my hand. He
stood about 6’2, strongly built with dark skin…I noticed a gang
sign tattooed on his right forearm but decided against asking about
it. He pointed out the other guys to me…some more young cats who
looked fresh out the joint and were trying to avoid going back.
“Brother Derrick, Brother Clay here will give you the low down
about what you’ll be doing from now on… I’m going to be getting on
out ya’ll way cause Pastor can’t fix a piece of paper with tape or
super glue…don’t work too hard ya hear?” They all laughed as he
exited the back but I glanced around the building seeing everything
that needed to be done. I saw some old wood on the roof that looked
like it could fall in at any moment, the paint around the outside
of the building was thinning, and a much needed floor plan would be
necessary to expand the church ground along with some costly
material.
It wasn’t as bad as the
Pastor was making it sound but it did need some work. Clay noticed
me scoping out the area and chuckled. “Yeah man
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