watching a bar fight conducted in ballet shoes.
Still, I found myself wanting to apologize for Jase. Jason was offended not by Simon’s philosophy but by his presence. This week in the Berkshires was supposed to be a reunion, Jason and Diane and me, back in the comfort zone, childhood revisited. Instead we were being treated to confinement at close quarters with Simon, whom Jason obviously regarded as an interloper, a sort of southern-fried Yoko Ono.
I asked Diane how long they’d been traveling.
“About a week,” she said, “but we’ll be on the road most of the summer. I’m sure Jason’s told you about New Kingdom. But it’s really pretty wonderful, Ty. We have Internet friends all across the country. People we can crash with a day or two. So we’re doing conclaves and concerts from Maine to Oregon, July through October.”
Jason said, “I guess that saves on accommodation
and
clothing expenses.”
“Not every conclave is an Ekstasis,” Diane shot back.
“We won’t be doing much traveling at all,” Simon said, “if that old car of ours falls apart. The engine misfires and we’re getting lousy mileage. I’m not much of a mechanic, unfortunately. Tyler, do you know anything about automobile engines?”
“A thing or two,” I said. I understood this was an invitation to step outside with Simon while Diane tried to negotiate a cease-fire with her brother. “Let’s have a look.”
The day was still clear, waves of warm air rippling up from the emerald lawn beyond the driveway. I listened with, I admit, partial attention, as Simon opened the hood of his old Ford and recited his problems. If he was as wealthy as Jase had implied, couldn’t he buy himself a better car? But I guessed it was a dissipated fortune he had inherited, or maybe it was tied up in trust funds.
“I guess I seem pretty stupid,” Simon said. “Especially in the company I’m keeping. I never much grasped scientific or mechanical things.”
“I’m no expert either. Even if we get the motor running a little smoother you ought to have a real mechanic look at it before you start driving cross-country.”
“Thank you, Tyler.” He watched with a sort of goggle-eyed fascination as I inspected the engine. “I appreciate that advice.”
The most likely culprit was the spark plugs. I asked Simon whether they had ever been replaced. “Not to my knowledge,” he said. The car had 60,000-plus miles on it. I used the ratchet set from my own car to pull one of the plugs and showed it to him: “Here’s most of your trouble.”
“That thing?”
“And its friends. The good news is it’s not an expensive part to replace. The bad news is, you’re better off not driving until we replace it.”
“Hmm,” Simon said.
“We can go into town in my car and pick up replacements if you’re willing to wait till morning.”
“Well, surely. That’s very kind. We weren’t planning to leave right away. Ah, unless Jason insists.”
“Jason will calm down. He’s just—”
“You don’t have to explain. Jason would rather I wasn’t here. I understand that. It doesn’t shock or surprise me. Diane just felt she couldn’t accept an invitation that made a point of disincluding me.”
“Well… good for her.” I guess.
“But I could just as easily rent a room somewhere in town.”
“No need for that,” I said, wondering exactly how it had come to pass that I was pressing Simon Townsend to stay. I don’t know what I had expected from a reunion with Diane, but Simon’s presence had aborted any nascent hopes. For the best, probably.
“I suppose,” Simon said, “Jason’s talked to you about New Kingdom. It’s been a point of contention.”
“He told me you guys were involved in it.”
“I’m not about to make a recruiting speech. But if you have any anxiety about the movement maybe I can put it to rest.”
“All I know about NK is what I see on television, Simon.”
“Some people call it Christian Hedonism. I
Still, I found myself wanting to apologize for Jase. Jason was offended not by Simon’s philosophy but by his presence. This week in the Berkshires was supposed to be a reunion, Jason and Diane and me, back in the comfort zone, childhood revisited. Instead we were being treated to confinement at close quarters with Simon, whom Jason obviously regarded as an interloper, a sort of southern-fried Yoko Ono.
I asked Diane how long they’d been traveling.
“About a week,” she said, “but we’ll be on the road most of the summer. I’m sure Jason’s told you about New Kingdom. But it’s really pretty wonderful, Ty. We have Internet friends all across the country. People we can crash with a day or two. So we’re doing conclaves and concerts from Maine to Oregon, July through October.”
Jason said, “I guess that saves on accommodation
and
clothing expenses.”
“Not every conclave is an Ekstasis,” Diane shot back.
“We won’t be doing much traveling at all,” Simon said, “if that old car of ours falls apart. The engine misfires and we’re getting lousy mileage. I’m not much of a mechanic, unfortunately. Tyler, do you know anything about automobile engines?”
“A thing or two,” I said. I understood this was an invitation to step outside with Simon while Diane tried to negotiate a cease-fire with her brother. “Let’s have a look.”
The day was still clear, waves of warm air rippling up from the emerald lawn beyond the driveway. I listened with, I admit, partial attention, as Simon opened the hood of his old Ford and recited his problems. If he was as wealthy as Jase had implied, couldn’t he buy himself a better car? But I guessed it was a dissipated fortune he had inherited, or maybe it was tied up in trust funds.
“I guess I seem pretty stupid,” Simon said. “Especially in the company I’m keeping. I never much grasped scientific or mechanical things.”
“I’m no expert either. Even if we get the motor running a little smoother you ought to have a real mechanic look at it before you start driving cross-country.”
“Thank you, Tyler.” He watched with a sort of goggle-eyed fascination as I inspected the engine. “I appreciate that advice.”
The most likely culprit was the spark plugs. I asked Simon whether they had ever been replaced. “Not to my knowledge,” he said. The car had 60,000-plus miles on it. I used the ratchet set from my own car to pull one of the plugs and showed it to him: “Here’s most of your trouble.”
“That thing?”
“And its friends. The good news is it’s not an expensive part to replace. The bad news is, you’re better off not driving until we replace it.”
“Hmm,” Simon said.
“We can go into town in my car and pick up replacements if you’re willing to wait till morning.”
“Well, surely. That’s very kind. We weren’t planning to leave right away. Ah, unless Jason insists.”
“Jason will calm down. He’s just—”
“You don’t have to explain. Jason would rather I wasn’t here. I understand that. It doesn’t shock or surprise me. Diane just felt she couldn’t accept an invitation that made a point of disincluding me.”
“Well… good for her.” I guess.
“But I could just as easily rent a room somewhere in town.”
“No need for that,” I said, wondering exactly how it had come to pass that I was pressing Simon Townsend to stay. I don’t know what I had expected from a reunion with Diane, but Simon’s presence had aborted any nascent hopes. For the best, probably.
“I suppose,” Simon said, “Jason’s talked to you about New Kingdom. It’s been a point of contention.”
“He told me you guys were involved in it.”
“I’m not about to make a recruiting speech. But if you have any anxiety about the movement maybe I can put it to rest.”
“All I know about NK is what I see on television, Simon.”
“Some people call it Christian Hedonism. I
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