The Book of Joby by Mark J. Ferrari Page A

get comfortable and weren’t expecting it. Joby suspected this was all meant to spy out people like himself who didn’t belong there, though Benjamin insisted they only did it so that people wouldn’t fall asleep. Joby couldn’t imagine anyone going to sleep in the middle of something so interesting. His admiration for Benjamin had grown in leaps and bounds as he’d watched his friend stand and kneel, and mouth the long, intricate prayers with the casual ease of an expert.
    Not everything about the Mass had been pleasant, though.
    Joby still hadn’t gotten over the idea that God had a kid. He figured Geezez must have been more like a superhero than a normal kid, since no normal kid could go forty days without eating. But the more Joby had thought about it,the more Geezez seemed like a dumb name for a superhero—or for anyone at all. It sounded like “Cheez-Its,” or “Geezez Krised!”—which he’d heard people say when they were surprised or upset. It was like being named Dang It or Holy Moley. But not until halfway through the Mass, as he’d sat listening carefully to the prayers being read and chanted around him, had Joby slowly come to realize that God’s superhero son, Geezez, and the frightening man nailed to the boards above the table for failing to beat the devil were the same guy!
    If Geezez, who wouldn’t even take a piece of bread when He was starving, had lost to the devil anyway, and ended up like
that,
what was going to happen to Joby? Joby didn’t know how long he could go without eating, but it wasn’t anything like forty days! He’d spent the rest of the service reminding himself that Arthur wouldn’t have asked him to try if there was
no
way he could win. He just wouldn’t have!
    Before church, Benjamin had asked his folks if he and Joby could go talk with Father Crombie afterward. So now the boys were waiting for the crowd of old ladies around the old priest to dissipate. When the last chatty old woman finally let him be, Benjamin walked boldly up with Joby in tow.
    “Hello, Benjamin.” Father Crombie smiled mischievously. “I saw you over there. Why didn’t you come over sooner and rescue me from Mrs. O’Hearn?” He turned his kindly smile on Joby who suddenly felt shy. “Who is your quiet friend?”
    Benjamin laughed. “He’s not quiet! That’s Joby, Father Crombie. He’s not Catholic, but he’s my best friend.”
    “Benjamin said I could come,” Joby said. “Is it all right?”
    “Of course!” Father Crombie gasped, looking scandalized. “Our Lord welcomed every child he ever met! I don’t think He even asked if they were Catholic!”
    “We’ve got some questions,” Benjamin said. “Have you got time to talk to us?”
    “There’s nothing I’d rather do.” He smiled. “Ask away!”
    “They’re . . . kind of private,” Joby said. “Could we go . . . somewhere?”
    “Oh. Certainly,” Father Crombie replied. “Would the sacristy do, while I put away these vestments?”
    When Benjamin nodded, Joby did too.
    The sacristy turned out to be a small room to one side of the altar. As they entered, Joby saw closets filled with royal-looking robes, and shelves cluttered with mysterious boxes, bottles, books, and candlesticks of gold and silver. It was like a treasure trove! On one shelf there were two large goldencups, one with rubies set in its stem. As Father Crombie turned to hang the long embroidered scarf he’d worn over his robe in a closet filled with other such scarves, Joby caught Benjamin’s eye and pointed urgently up at the golden cups, mouthing the word “Grail.” Benjamin shook his head no, just as the old priest turned around and sat down in a chair by the scarf closet.
    “Well, boys,” he said pleasantly, “what shall we talk about?”
    Benjamin looked to Joby, who turned to Father Crombie, shy once more, and unsure of how to begin.
    “If it’s a secret,” the priest assured them, “I promise you that nothing said here will ever