The Road to Forgiveness
Written and cover illustration by
Connie Townsend
Smashwords Edition
Copyright 2011
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
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As an artist, I am used to expressing inspiration through the things I paint on canvas. The writing of this story came as a complete surprise to me. My brush became a pen, my canvas, the paper where I painted with words, the things which could not be expressed in paint. I didn’t just decide to sit down and write, but felt compelled to put these things into words as they came to me.
All the characters in this book are bits and pieces of myself as well as those who have touched my life. Those people, whom I call friends, have shared with me, the best parts of themselves. They have enriched my life, helped me to grow, and given me a greater understanding of what is truly important.
This book is dedicated to my father
He always knew
I could.
He never knew
if I would.
The Road to Forgiveness
Chapter 1
He didn’t know why he’d decided to take this drive today. He couldn’t really afford the time. There was so much work to be done, things he had to finish before returning to the office on Monday. He had just gone out to get the morning paper. It was a beautiful day, the kind that comes only once in awhile and he didn’t know why he’d given in to the impulse to jump in his car. It was completely out of character for him, but here he was, driving through the countryside, following a road he’d never known existed. His computer and never ending pile of work now forgotten, he drove slowly along the winding road.
The scenery was breathtaking. The road wound through lush green hills covered with blankets of wild flowers in full bloom. The stream beside the road was the clearest, purest water imaginable. It seemed to Calvin that it actually sang as it flowed over and around the rocks. All the tension and anxiety left him as he absorbed his surroundings. He couldn’t remember when he’d felt so peaceful, so utterly content. Calvin stopped his car when the road ended in a fork and took his time deciding which way to go.
The road to the left was rutted and wider than the one to the right and the breeze stirred up little dust clouds. The sign pointing in that direction said, Village of Sorrows. The road to the right wasn’t so much of a road as it was a lane, just wide enough for a car to pass. It didn’t look as if it was traveled nearly so often as the one on the left. Large old oaks stood along the sides, their branches forming a canopy overhead. He couldn’t help smiling to himself as he read the sign pointing that way,
Town of Forgiveness
Population: Growing
All are Welcome
Calvin turned his car to the right.
The trees seemed to lift their branches in welcome as he passed beneath their canopy. As he drove into the town, he experienced a calmness he had long since forgotten. It wasn’t a very big town. In fact he really didn’t think it could actually be called a town, but more of a settlement. There were no stores, no small little cafes, no banks, or even a post office as far as he could tell. Just a street lined with a variety of blossoming fruit trees and quaint old cottages, all painted a pristine white. The walks leading up to each one were barely visible for the abundance of flowers in the yards. As he watched the blooms sway gently in the breeze, he could almost swear he heard them whisper “welcome”. Looking closer he saw, to his surprise, the cottages all had open doorways. As he pulled the car over, he noticed a Vacant sign in front of a small cottage just down the street.
Calvin liked the feel of the town and couldn’t help wondering what it might be like to live here. Without further thought, he approached the doorway of the nearest home and knocked.
“Come on in and welcome”, called a deep melodious voice. “I’m Papa Loving”, he greeted, offering his hand. “Welcome to Forgiveness. Have a seat and make yourself comfortable.”
“I’m happy to meet you”, Calvin responded as he found himself shaking hands with one of the largest men he had ever met and looking into the bluest, kindest eyes he’d ever seen. He felt immediately at ease. “I was wondering about that little house down the street, the one with the vacant sign,” he said as a generous slice of apple pie and a tall glass of ice cold lemonade were placed it front of him by an equally large woman with sparkling eyes. Papa introduced her as his wife, Mama Loving. “I’m also curious as to why there are no stores or eating places in this town.”
When Papa Loving laughed, it seemed to start from somewhere deep inside him, gather momentum and finally erupt in the most wonderful sound Calvin had ever heard. “I’ll tell you about the stores first,” he said. “It’s a much shorter story. Then, if you’re still interested, I’ll fill you in on the cottage. We have no need of stores or money here. Our gardens and fruit trees yield more than enough and we all share equally. Everyone contributes whatever they have and no one ever goes without.”
“What about things other than food?” Calvin asked.
“Each of us is more interested in giving than receiving and we gladly share our talents and services. No one is left wanting.” Saying this, Papa smiled warmly, excused himself for a moment and left the room.
Calvin directed his attention to eating the most delicious pie he’d ever tasted and tried to digest what he had just heard. The things Papa Loving had told him were completely foreign to the life he lived. He could only imagine what it would be like not having to worry about money. He remembered how miserable he’d felt that very morning and how content he felt now. He realized if he ever did decide to live in Forgiveness, his life would change completely. He would have more than a few adjustments to make. He’d just finished the last bite of pie and drunk the last drop of lemonade when Papa returned to the kitchen.
“Why don’t you take a little walk and get a feel for the place?” He suggested. “Then, if you’re still interested, we can talk about the cottage.”
“Can you tell me a little more of the town?” Calvin asked.
“Sure thing,” Papa smiled. “The town was founded by the Forgiveness family. They were the first to settle here and as their family has grown, so has the town. We have some wonderful people who have made their homes here. To name a few, there are us Lovings, the Mercies, the Graces and just recently, the Joyfuls. We also have a number of single people. You might run into Constant Striver on your walk. He’s an interesting fellow and always good for a tale or two.”
“Thank you,” Calvin said, shaking Papa’s hand. “And please thank your wife for me. The pie and lemonade were absolutely delicious!”
One of the things Calvin saw, but hadn’t noticed before, was that every cottage had a decorative sign in the front painted with the name of the ones who lived there. The Lovings’ sign boasted some very intricate scroll work. There was no sign, other than Vacancy, in front of the little cottage and he couldn’t help but wonder what name it had before it became empty.
He had never enjoyed a walk as much as he enjoyed this one and Calvin took his time. The air was filled with the heady sweet scent of the fruit tree blossoms mixed with the tantalizing aroma of home cooking. A gentle breeze caressed his face and ruffled his hair. There were only a few white fluffy clouds in the sky and the sun shone like they weren’t even there. As he passed the house where an older man sat on a bench under an old oak tree, Calvin waved. Glancing at the sign, he read the name “Striver”.
“You must be new in town,” the man called. “Come on over and sit a while.”
Calvin smiled as he remembered what Papa Loving had told him about Mr. Striver. As they shook hands and introduced themselves, he noticed the two canes leaning against the end of the bench. A small table held a large pitcher of lemonade and two tall glasses.
“I’m always ready for company,” Striver chuckled as he filled and handed Calvin a glass.
Calvin grinned, “Lemonade seems to be the favorite thing to drink around here.”
“Yep,” the old man responded. “Once in a while we have limeade, or apple cider in the fall, but this is the season for lemons so lemonade it is.”
“How long have you lived in Forgiveness, Mr. Striver?”
“Just call me Con. It’s short for Constant. I’m not really sure how long it’s been. Sometimes I feel like I just came yesterday and other times it feels like I’ve always lived here. It’s been a bit of a struggle, but I hang in there and keep trying.” He motioned toward his canes, “When I first came here, I could hardly walk at all. If I keep working at it, I’ll soon be down to using one. Say, are you planning to stay in Forgiveness?”
“I’ve been tossing the idea around. What can you tell me about the empty cottage?”
Con topped off their glasses and settled back. “I’ll tell the story if you really want to know, but it’s a long one. You got time to listen?”
Calvin was hit with the realization there was nowhere else he’d rather be than right here on this bench with Constant Striver and he settled himself to listen. “I have all the time in the world.”
“Maybe I should tell you about some of the people here, first,” he began, “especially Truth. Truth lives by himself at the other end of town. His house looks out on the hills and he’s the first to know if there’s any trouble brewing. We depend on Truth to give out the warning. No one ever doubts Truth.”
“Warning? Why would you need a warning?”
“You might not think so,” Con went on, “but even the people here in Forgiveness have enemies. There’s a group who live out beyond that hill over there. You can’t see it, but there’s a barren rocky hill where the sun never shines. It’s called the Village of Sorrows but it’s no village, just a bunch of caves.”
“Yes, I saw the sign at the fork.”
“Good thing you didn’t go that way, young fella! There’s a couple of different clans who live over there, but the main one is the Hurtfuls. There’s also the Spiters.” He laughed. “They don’t get along so well. The Hurtfuls are always doing something to the Spiters and the Spiters are always trying to get even. Kinda keeps them both busy. Once in a while, though, they join forces. Then there’s these sneaky little people. Almost invisible, they are. They’re called the Insecurities, Insecs for short, and they like to infect people with a virus they carry. They often try to get past Truth and come into Forgiveness.”
“Why would they want to come here?”
“Like I said, they like to infect people, so they search for someone who might be susceptible. I had a bout with them myself not too long ago but I’ll tell you about that in a bit. Well, when the Insecs succeed with the infection, the Hurtfuls seem to know and when they attack, they inflict so much pain, it’s almost unbearable.”
“Did the Hurtfuls get to you too?”
“No, thanks to Truth and the rest of the town. Truth always knows when someone’s been infected and everyone works together to try and save them. Whether they’re cured or not depends on how open they are to the remedy and how hard they try to fight the poison. Sometimes it doesn’t work out and the Hurtfuls take them to the Village of Sorrows. Truth is immune but anyone else could be infected at any time.”
“Tell me about it.“
“Those little buggers got to me all right! I started to question everything, every kindness, every good deed. I was made to feel people only did things for me because they felt sorry. I didn’t like myself and couldn’t believe anyone else could either. I just felt worthless. I stopped trying and was about to give up completely when Truth realized what was happening.”
“How did you beat it?” Calvin asked, thinking he often felt the same way.
“Well, Truth called a town meeting and explained the situation. Evidently I wasn’t so far gone they couldn’t do anything for me.”
“What did they do?”
“Well, without going into too much detail, I’ll just say that everyone in town helped me in some way. It was only in my accepting all they had to give that I am able to stay in Forgiveness.”
Calvin noticed the tears in the old man’s eyes, reached over and patted Con’s hand.
“I’m Okay now. My neighbor, Patience and her daughter, Hope, have been helping me along.” He winked. “I got my eye on Patience. She’s a widow and available.”
Calvin had been so caught up in Con Striver’s story that he’d had no conception of time and just now noticed the sun starting to disappear behind the hills. Con noticed it too.
“Say, young fella, no sense in your driving that road this late. You’d get lost for sure. How’d you like to bunk in with me tonight? I’ve a few more stories I could tell you and I haven’t had this good an audience in a long, long time. I got plenty of room and you can figure out what you want to do in the morning.”
At that moment, Calvin could swear there was an angel coming up the walk toward them with golden hair surrounded by a bright light. She was carrying something but he couldn’t quite make out what it was.
Con saw his expression and laughed. “Calvin, this here is Charity. Charity, Calvin. He’s visiting today.”
“Oh, now I know why I made so much,” she smiled. “There’s more than enough here for two.”
Calvin jumped up, “Here, let me help you,” he offered, as he took the heavy kettle and covered tray from her.
“Thank you. Just bring them into the house and I’ll get your dinner all set out for you.”
Con looked at the two of them and hummed a little tune to himself.
While the men washed their hands, Charity set the table for two. “Your dinner’s all ready,” she called. “I’ll run along and leave you to it.”
After she’d gone, Calvin felt an emptiness he couldn’t quite understand. It was like the lights had suddenly gone out and he was left standing alone in the dark. Shrugging his shoulders and giving himself a quick shake, he tried to hear what the old man was saying.
“Charity’s a great cook! Wait til you taste it!”
As Calvin made a motion to fill his plate, Con reached over and rested his hand on his arm. “It’s necessary that we thank God for all His blessings first,” he told him. “We all realize here that it would be impossible to live in Forgiveness without God, that without Him we are nothing. Everything we have, we have because He gives it to us.”
Calvin thought of all he had learned about Forgiveness and saw clearly, the truth of Con’s statement. He bowed his head and joined him in giving thanks, silently adding extra thanks for meeting Charity.
He didn’t know how hungry he was until he tasted that stew and the warm sweet potato bread. He realized that everything he’d eaten in Forgiveness tasted better than anything he’d ever eaten before, even better than the best restaurants he’d known. Once he’d taken the edge off his hunger and settled in to pure enjoyment, Calvin turned to his host. “Tell me more about the Insecurities and the Hurtfuls.”
“Well, I will tell you that those Insecs are sly little creatures. They usually send out a couple of scouts to find out who’s new in Forgiveness. They seem to know the newcomers are more susceptible and they usually attack at night.” He glanced at Calvin. “You don’t have to worry none. They won’t bother you unless you decide to stay here and move in. They wait until a person starts to feel content and comfortable.”
“How do they know?”
“Instinct, I guess. Usually newcomers haven’t had a chance to build up any kind of immunity yet. You have to live in Forgiveness for awhile before you can realize its full power.”
“What about the Hurtfuls?”
Con sighed. “They’re a warring tribe. They usually attack with poisoned arrows, wait to see if the poison takes effect and then swoop in. They don’t try to actually kill, but they can make the pain so bad you might wish you were dead. I got hit with a few of them poisoned arrows. Some of the poison got into my system but Charity and the Lovings knew what to do. They pulled out the arrows and got rid of as much of the poison out as they could. Let me tell you, I have never felt pain like that before in my life and I’m no spring chicken! Without Patience and Hope nursing me through, I shudder to think what might have happened! I heard that when the Hurtfuls do capture someone, they lock them in one of those caves in the Village of Sorrows. They continue to hurt them, over and over, until they are so full of hurt all they want to do is hurt someone back. When they reach that point, they become a Hurtful themselves. Both the Insecs and the Hurtfuls are a real threat to all who live here. We don’t dwell on them, though. We know we can defeat them by standing together.” Con laughed. “And every time they come, we forgive them. That keeps them away for a while!”
“How about a big slice of that rhubarb pie Charity brought and a nice cup of hot tea?” he suggested. “Then I’ll tell you about the Angries.”
“The Angries?” Calvin asked, savoring a mouthful of pie.
“They’re an odd lot,” Con said, shaking his head. “I can’t quite figure them out. They tried settling in Forgiveness but had a hard time getting along. They always remind me of a pressure cooker, the way it builds up a lot of steam until the top flies off. Like just opening the little valve isn’t enough. They’re not a bad bunch. Just hard to get along with. They‘re always angry about something!”
Con set a steaming cup of herbal tea in front of Calvin, “Just the thing to wash that pie down. Anyway,” he continued, “they live in the valley just over that rise there. They couldn’t live here and they sure as shootin’ don’t want to live with the Hurtfuls, so they settled in between. They love it when the Insecs and the Hurtfuls come around. Gives them a chance to vent their anger. They’re good allies and fight with us when we’re attacked, but they’re darned hard to live with.”
“Well, young fella,” Con yawned. “I guess it’s time to hit the sack. You’ll find everything you need in the spare bedroom, down the hall to your left. Make yourself at home. G’night.”
“Good night, Con, and thank you for everything.”
As tired as he was, he didn‘t think he could sleep. He had too much to think about. He wanted to ask Papa Loving about the vacant cottage. He settled himself against the headboard in what he considered to be his ‘thinking mode’ and allowed Charity’s image to come into his mind. In no time at all, he was sound asleep
Chapter 2
The aroma of fresh brewed coffee was what woke him in the morning. Thinking how great it felt not to have to make the coffee himself, Calvin hurriedly washed, dressed and made his bed before rushing to the kitchen. A pretty teenage girl was at the stove. Con was sitting at the table, already enjoying what looked like a large omelet. He motioned for Calvin to sit down while the girl handed him a mug of that wonderful coffee.
“There’s milk there if you want it.” Con gestured. “This here is Understanding. She’s in charge of breakfast this morning. She has a twin sister, Acceptance, and they take turns. Most times I can’t tell them apart,” he grinned.
Calvin took a sip of coffee and looked at the plate Understanding set in front of him. The omelet took up the entire plate along with two thick slices of homemade bread, toasted and slathered with butter. He didn’t need any encouragement, but thanked God and dug right in. He could identify the eggs, cheese and tomatoes but the other things he wasn’t quite sure about. It didn’t matter. He just enjoyed.
One thing he’d noticed was he hadn’t eaten any meat at either meal. “Con, do you ever eat meat?”
“Nope. We don’t believe in killing so we don’t eat meat. I used to, before I came here, but now I don’t miss it. There’s plenty of nutritious and tasty food without it. Besides,” he grinned. “If we killed a chicken, how far do you think one little hen would go among all of us?”
Calvin laughed. “Not very far, I guess, but who’s in charge of what? How do you divide everything equally?”
“Well, for one thing, people only take what they need. I have a nice big herb garden out back and people just help themselves. It always comes back to you in some way. For instance, here I am enjoying this delicious omelet and I know Understanding put some of those herbs in it.”
“I think I’m starting to understand. What about the eggs? You don’t have a chicken coop, do you?”
“The chickens are what you’d call ‘free range’ I guess. They go where they like. Everyone in town has a nest somewhere in their yard where the hens can roost, so everyone has eggs. Simple.”
Calvin realized how utterly simple it was. “What about the milk? Where does that come from?”
“Goats. The goats are free to wander as well, though we do try to keep them out of the gardens,” Con chuckled. “They stay mainly around the Mercies’ place. They’re the ones who do most of the milking, make the cheese and butter. Though we all help out. To answer your next question before you ask,” Con continued, “Most of the baking is done by the Lovings and the Joyfuls. They enjoy it and have a real knack for it. That rhubarb pie Charity brought over last night was made by Mama Loving. She has a special talent for pies.”
Calvin remembered the apple pie he’d had at the Lovings the day before and couldn’t agree more.
“Well, young fella,” Con grinned, “You’d better get going and do what you have to do before I start to talking again and the day is gone before it gets started.”
Calvin laughed. “Thank you, Con, for everything!”
“You’re always welcome, son. Come back anytime.”
Calvin waved goodbye and directed his steps toward Papa Loving’s house. He wasn’t sure why, but he really wanted to know about that vacant cottage.
He’d no sooner started up the walk when he heard Papa call out to him, “Good morning, Calvin. Come on in. Heard you spent the night with Striver. Quite a character, isn’t he?”
Calvin laughed, “He sure is, but I enjoyed his company.”
“Have a cup of coffee. What can I do for you this morning?”
“I’d like to know more about that vacant cottage. Why is it vacant?”
“We always have at least one vacant cottage,” Papa told him. “When all are full, we just build another one. There’s always room if someone wants to live in Forgiveness.”
“That particular cottage,” he continued, “did have a previous occupant, name of Grudgeman. He had a hard time here and I think he went over to live with the Angries. They seemed to get along all right.”
Calvin mentally took stock of his finances and held his breath as he asked the next question, “Would you consider renting it?”
Papa shook his head, “No, Calvin, we can’t rent the cottage. Remember my telling you we have no use for money here?” Then, because he cared for Calvin, there was a great deal of kindness in his voice as he continued. “The cottage will remain vacant until someone comes along who wants to live there permanently. If, for instance, you decided you wanted to make Forgiveness your home, there would be a cottage waiting for you.”
“What if I just wanted to visit?”
Papa laughed. “You’re always welcome to visit. I’m sure Constant Striver would be glad for your company. The cottages are reserved for those who live their lives here. We are many, but we are one in Forgiveness. Should you decide to live here, you are more than welcome. That’s about all I can tell you.”
“Thank you,” Calvin responded. “I have a lot to think about but I’d better head home. I left quite a few things undone.”
“You now know the road to Forgiveness, Calvin. Don’t hesitate to follow it if that’s what you want.”
“I won’t and that’s a promise,” he said as he shook Papa’s hand.
As he walked to his car, Calvin couldn’t remember feeling as sad about leaving any place as he felt about leaving Forgiveness and the wonderful people he’d met. As he turned around and headed out of town, he saw Charity wave at him. As he waved back, he felt he was leaving a big part of his heart in Forgiveness as well.
When he passed the road to the Village of Sorrows, he could have sworn he saw two men with bows and arrows hiding behind the trees. Shrugging his shoulders, he thought, “Well, they won’t bother me. I’m leaving.”
Chapter 3
He took his time driving back along the winding road. Was it his imagination or was the scenery really not as beautiful going in this direction? The sky was grayer and he thought he saw storm clouds in the distance. Calvin stepped on the gas. “No sense in going slow,” he thought, “may as well get home and finish that paperwork. Home!” he scoffed. “Why did he call it that when there was nothing homey about it? It was just a house he rented so he’d have a place to eat, sleep and work.” His thoughts took him in circles, “Work! Why did he do what he did? To make enough money, of course. Why did he need money? To pay for a house where he could eat, sleep and work. Was he happy? No, he wasn’t. He was too busy working, eating and sleeping to have time to be happy.” Calvin sighed. “Hadn’t he heard some place that ‘home is where the heart is?” Well, he’d left a big chunk of it in Forgiveness. He’d felt welcomed in Forgiveness. Pulling into his driveway, he was overcome with a feeling of terrible loneliness. Fighting it off the best he could, he resolved to make himself finish the waiting paperwork.
After working through the night, he finally finished. He scooped all the papers into his briefcase and hurried to shower and dress before leaving for the office.
Once there, he stopped at a vending cart for a cup of coffee. Smiling to himself, he thought it was nothing like the coffee he’d had in Forgiveness, but it would do. This morning it would do. He was happy. It had taken him most of the night to come to a decision, but once made, he felt a great load had been lifted from his chest. He knew he was taking a risk. But, he reassured himself, people who don’t take chances never get anywhere. It was either ‘dive for the pearl’ or do without. He wanted the ‘pearl’.
Calvin actually whistled as he made his way to the manager’s office.
Setting his briefcase on the desk, he announced, “Effective as of this moment, I resign.” The manager was dumbfounded. His jaw dropped and he could do nothing but sit and watch as Calvin walked out the door.
On leaving the building, Calvin turned the corner and walked the two blocks to the Realty office. Once there, he wrote a check for the full amount due to the end of his lease. He assured the agent he was free to rent the house furnished even though the lease was paid. He would leave the keys under the mat the following morning.
He glanced at the list he’d made of things he had to do and his next stop was the bank. Not that he had very much in the bank, especially after writing that check for the lease, it couldn’t be much more than a few hundred. Emptying both his checking and savings accounts netted him exactly $472.14. Not bad, he thought, putting a twenty in his pocket and leaving the rest in the bank envelope. His next stop was to see Rob, his friend and insurance agent.
“Hi, Rob,” he greeted the man seated at a desk in the center of a small office.
“Hey there, Calvin! Long time, no see. How’ve you been?” With a warm, welcoming smile, Rob stretched out his hand.
“Fine,” Calvin grinned, “Just been terribly busy at work.”
“I know how that is,” Rob sighed, gesturing to the piles of papers on his desk. “Did you just drop in to say ‘hi’, or is there something I can do for you? Hey, why aren’t you at work?”
“I’ll answer the last question first. I quit.”
“Quit? You get a better job?”
Calvin laughed, “No, I’ve found a better life. Speaking of life, how much cash value does my life policy have?”
“Give me a minute,” Rob answered, turning to the large cabinet behind him. “Let me get your file. What do you mean ‘a better life’?”
“You won’t believe this, Rob, but my whole life has changed in the last forty eight hours.”
Calvin proceeded to tell his friend of his impulse to take a drive on Saturday morning, the unfamiliar road, the beautiful scenery, the Town of Forgiveness, Papa Loving, old man Striver, even Charity. He didn’t go into much detail concerning Charity, but Rob knew his friend well enough to be able to read that expression on his face. Calvin was in love.
“So, you’re moving to Forgiveness? Why do you want to know about your life insurance?”
“I want to cash it in. I won’t need it in Forgiveness.”
“What about health insurance, car insurance?”
“Nope. Don’t need those either. I figured I’d just let them lapse. Not much time left before renewal anyway.”
Rob gazed at him intently, “You’re serious, aren’t you? Don’t you think you should take a little more time to think this thing through?”
“I’ve never been more serious! I know it seems like a rash decision, but I’ve never felt so right about anything in my life. I have no doubts, Rob. It is the right…the only thing for me to do.
When he saw his friend couldn’t be swayed, Rob opened the file and began punching the numbers on his calculator. “Well, Cal, it looks like your net cash value is $3,709.54. Not very much, I’m afraid. Want me to write you a check right now?”
“Thanks, Rob, I appreciate it. I hope there won’t be a problem. I just now closed my account.”
“No problem. Just take it to the bank where I have mine. They’ll cash it.”
Calvin put the folded check in his pocket. “Thanks, you’re a good friend.”
Rob shook his head in bewilderment as he watched Calvin walk out the door. What in the world had gotten into the man?
Calvin was a happy man. He now had in his possession the cash total of $4,181.68 minus the $20 he’d kept out for gas. He laughed when he realized that was all he was worth. So many years of working his tail off and this was all he had to show for it. Ironic. He knew exactly what he was going to do with the money. All he had to do now was pack, drop off the money, and he’d be on his way. He couldn’t remember when he’d felt such a sense of freedom.
Chapter 4
The next morning Calvin filled two large suitcases with his clothes and personal items. He put the money in a plain white envelope. There was a weak moment when he thought about tucking it in with his clothes, but he resisted. He was going to live in Forgiveness. He had committed himself. For him, there was only one direction…forward.
As he threw his suitcases in the car he remembered the food in his freezer and refrigerator. While cleaning out all the perishables, he thought of his pantry and cleared it out as well. It wasn’t that he had a lot, but it was better to give it away than to leave it behind. He gave one last look around the house. There was nothing here he’d miss. He locked the door and put the key under the mat.
There was only one stop he had to make on his way out of town. While grocery shopping one day, he had noticed a young woman with two small children and a baby. Though the children asked for more, she put only the barest essentials in her cart. Standing behind her in the checkout line, he couldn’t help but notice her embarrassment and frustration when she had to put back a box of cereal. Once she’d left the store, Calvin asked the cashier if she knew her.
The cashier sighed, “Yes, I do and my heart goes out to her. I wish there was something I could do to help, but she’s a very proud woman. I guess when there’s little else, there’s always pride to help us through.”
Noticing no one else waiting in line, Calvin asked, “What’s her story?”
“Her husband was killed in Afghanistan, leaving her with the three children to raise on her own. She has no other family and puts on a good show when she takes the kids to see his mother. Figures his mom has worries and sorrow enough of her own.” Shaking her head, she sighed again, “She’s a friend of mine but she won’t let me help. I take the two older ones for ice cream once in a while, but that’s about all she’ll let me do.”
“Where does she live?”
“Over on Bleakness Street. The house at the end. It’s rundown but she tries her best to keep it up. I don’t know how much she gets from the government, but I do know it’s not nearly enough.”
Remembering the conversation, Calvin knew exactly what he wanted to do with his money and the food, but he didn’t know yet how to do it without hurting the woman’s pride. He hoped he’d have it figured out by the time he got there, but in the meantime, he’d better stop, use that twenty he’d kept, and put gas in the car.
He had never been on Bleakness, but knew it was a dead end street so figured he’d have no trouble finding the house. As it happened, the two little boys were playing in the yard as he pulled up so he knew he had the right place. Parking the car and grabbing the boxes of groceries, Calvin let himself through the gate and went up the walk. He greeted the boys as he walked by, “Hi, there. Is your mom home?” The boys shyly nodded and pointed to the door.
“Twins,” Calvin chuckled as he knocked and called through the patched screen door.
The young woman came to the door, carrying the baby. “Yes? Can I help you?”
“Hi, my name is Calvin. I was wondering if you could do me a favor?”
“What kind of favor?” she asked suspiciously.
“Well, I just closed up my house and had to clear all the food out. I didn’t want it to go to waste and was hoping you’d take it off my hands?”
The woman looked at him kind of funny, seemed to think about it, and said, “All right. If it helps you out.”
Opening the door, she gestured to the kitchen table. “Just put it there, if you don’t mind. Thank you.”
Calvin set the boxes on the table and without her noticing, carefully laid the envelope on top of the groceries. “I don’t mind at all. In fact, I should be thanking you. It‘s a relief to be rid of it.”
“Have a good day,” he called as he walked quickly to his car. He couldn’t remember when he had ever felt this good!
For some reason, he had a hard time finding the road again. He drove past it two or three times before he finally spied the turn-off. Bushes had grown up overnight, blocking the road from view. Driving through them, he recognized the beautiful rolling hills and he couldn’t resist stopping for a moment. He took his time absorbing the sights, sounds and smells of his surroundings.
The road itself wasn’t as he remembered. It seemed to change right before his eyes. Rocks appeared where there had been none. There were deep ruts and holes to be avoided. He often had to stop the car, get out, and remove some tree or branch blocking his way. There was no more opportunity to enjoy the scenery. Maneuvering the car demanded his full attention.
Just before reaching the fork where he was to turn off to Forgiveness, Calvin stopped. There, in front of him, blocking the entire road, was a huge fallen tree. As he sat there looking at it for a few minutes, knowing it was beyond his capability to move it, he tried to decide what to do.
“I can always turn back,” he thought. “There’s room enough here to turn the car around, but back to what? I suppose I still have a house (if it hasn’t been rented yet). I have no food, no money and no job.” He shook himself as if trying to wake up. What was he thinking? He wanted to get to Forgiveness and he was determined to get there one way or the other.
He got out of the car and examined the situation a little more closely. There was a narrow foot path leading around the base of the tree. “I guess I can walk,” he thought. “I would have no use for the car in Forgiveness anyway.”
As he was taking the two suitcases out of his car, he noticed a young man approaching from over the hill to the right. As he came closer, Calvin thought he resembled a Greek god, or at least what he thought one should look like. The man’s stride was strong and purposeful and he reached Calvin in no time at all.
“Hi there,” the young man greeted. “Where’re you headed?”
“Forgiveness, but I seem to have run into a bit of a snag. I decided to walk the rest of the way. Or maybe it was decided for me?” Calvin pointed to the tree.
“Then it’s a good thing I came along. My name is Faith,” he said , shaking Calvin’s hand. “I know a short cut that‘ll get us there in no time.” He easily lifted both suitcases and turned toward the hills.
Calvin didn’t know why he trusted him, but he did. As he made a move to take one of the cases, Faith laughed, “You’ll have your hands full just negotiating the path. I’ll carry the cases. I know this path like the back of my hand.”
Faith was right, Calvin discovered, as he struggled up a steep rocky incline. He often needed his hands to steady himself.
As they cleared the top of the last hill, Calvin saw Forgiveness laid out before him, a patchwork of cottages, streets and gardens, nestled comfortably in a valley filled with color. He stopped for a moment to take it all in as Faith smiled knowingly and waited. It was just as he’d remembered. The town gracefully flowed into and merged with the adjoining fields and hills. He sensed a total ‘oneness’ of all who lived there; as if each one, though separate, was necessary to the whole. Faith understood, smiled and rested his hand on Calvin’s arm.
As they descended into the valley, Faith told him a little more of the town. “The townspeople consider Papa Loving to be the unofficial mayor. We don’t have elections or anything like that. It’s simply a general agreement.”
At that point they had arrived at the Loving’s cottage and Papa had seen them coming. “Welcome, Calvin! I see you’ve been escorted by Faith. There’s no one better! He’s been guiding people into Forgiveness forever.”
“I’m certainly grateful,” Calvin told him. “He came along just when I needed him.”
“Yes,” laughed Papa, “Faith always seems to know when someone needs him.” He noticed the suitcases. “You made up your mind to stay?”
“Yes, if you’ll have me. I don’t know what I’d do if you won’t.”
“Come on in,” Papa chuckled. “Leave your suitcases on the porch. I guess you’re here about the empty cottage?”
Calvin hadn’t seen Mama come into the kitchen, but he couldn’t help noticing her smile as she put a sandwich, a huge slice of chocolate cake and a large glass of cold milk on the table. “Now you just sit down and get busy on this. You’ve had a bit of a hike and I’m sure you worked up an appetite.”
“Thank you,” Calvin told her gratefully, suddenly realizing how hungry he was.
“Is the cottage still available?” he asked Papa.
“Yes, it’s available and it’s yours,” Papa’s eyes twinkled. “It’s not like people are lined up for the chance to live in Forgiveness. It’s not easy to get here. You didn’t find the road to be so easy yourself, did you?”
“No, not this time.”
“That’s because you decided to live here. You gave up everything. The devil had to try his best. He kept setting traps to make you want to give up and go back to nothing. If you did, he knew he’d have a chance to get you. Faith knows this. That’s why he’s always on the lookout for people on the road.”
“Funny,” Calvin mused, “the thought did cross my mind.”
“Well, you’re here and we’re happy to have you! When you finish your lunch we’ll take a little walk over to the Center where everyone’s waiting to meet you.”
“The Center?”
“It’s an area in the center of town where everyone gathers for important occasions,” Papa smiled. “I guess we consider you important.”
Wiping the last cake crumb from his mouth, Calvin said, “Please tell Mama this was the best lunch I’ve ever had! I’ve never tasted chocolate cake that good. I’m ready when you are.”
On the way to the Center with his arm across Calvin’s shoulders, Papa told him a little more about the people of Forgiveness. “You probably won’t remember everyone right away, but it won’t take you long. You’ve already met some of us so you have a head start. We’re a small, tightly knit group and as you already know, we share and share alike. Everyone is expected to give all he can.”
“What can I give?” asked Calvin.
Papa gave him a loving look. “That will be determined. We have plenty of time to figure things out. Right now, just concentrate on settling in and getting comfortable.”
As they neared the Center, Calvin spotted Constant Striver walking with one cane instead of two, accompanied by a rather distinguished older woman. He couldn’t help but notice she had the most serene expression on her face!
“Hi ya, Calvin!” Con greeted, slapping him on the back. “Are you visiting or planning to stay?”
“Planning to stay. How are you, Con?”
“Improving. Always improving,” He chortled, waving his cane. “This here is Patience. You remember my mentioning her.” He winked. “Patience, this is Calvin, the fella I was telling you about.”
“I certainly do remember,” Calvin responded. “I’m so happy to meet you.”
“And I, you. Welcome, Calvin!” Patience replied.
The Center was not a building, but a grassy clearing in the very middle of Forgiveness. As they approached, Calvin noticed a bright glow surrounding the area. “How beautiful!” he thought and marveled at the brilliance of the light. “I wonder where the light is coming from?” As his eyes became accustomed to the brightness, he began to distinguish the people within. He turned to Papa Loving and saw that he, too, emanated light and his expression was one of pure love.
Constant Striver took his arm. “Come, Calvin. Come into the light. This is the heart of Forgiveness.”
Calvin could do nothing but stand awestruck. Papa turned to him with the kindest of smiles. “I couldn’t tell you about this beforehand. You had to experience it yourself. We are separate, yet we are one. Each of us brings to Forgiveness, his own particular gift. These gifts, joined together, form the heart of Forgiveness.”
“I am overcome,” responded Calvin. “How could I possibly become one with all of you?”
“Your gift will become clear at the proper time, both to us and to yourself, if you are meant to stay in Forgiveness. In the meantime, we will each share ours with you,” Papa told him.
Taking Calvin’s arm, Papa introduced him to everyone. As he shook each hand, Calvin thought he felt a current go through his arm, directly to his own center. He absorbed the gift each one gave him. He felt pure joy, was humbled by mercy, he knew hope, experienced patience. He knew understanding and experienced acceptance. He recognized undeniable truth. He was blessed with grace and filled with pure love. When he thought he couldn’t hold any more, he saw Charity. Taking her hand and gazing into her eyes, he knew he had lost his heart completely. Unable to speak and with tears in his eyes, he turned to Papa Loving. Papa simply held him in his arms and Calvin felt a love and peace he had never before experienced. “Welcome to Forgiveness,” Papa whispered.
Chapter 5
Opening his eyes, Calvin sat up with a start. He was in a strange bed, in a strange room. He didn’t recognize anything. As he looked slowly around the room, he realized he must be in his new bedroom in his new cottage and he had absolutely no idea how he’d gotten there. Resting his head back on the pillow, Calvin let the memories of the night before come to the front of his mind. He remembered being at the Center, in the Center. The feeling of all those gifts he’d received came flooding back to him. The tears that came to his eyes seemed a necessary overflow of all that filled him. But no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn’t remember coming here.
He tossed back the covers, sat on the edge of the bed and looked around the cozy bedroom. His suitcases sat in a corner and on lifting them, realized they were empty. His clothes had been unpacked and were neatly arranged in the dresser drawers and closet.
Finding the bathroom wasn’t hard. It was down the hall just where he supposed it would be. Here too, he saw his toiletries had all been put where they belonged. Just then, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted up the stairs and tickled his nose. Wasting no time, Calvin jumped in the shower.
When he got to the kitchen, he couldn’t believe his eyes. There was Charity, standing at the stove, softly singing to herself. He couldn’t understand why he always saw a light around her, but was beginning to accept that it was just as much a part of her as was her smile.
“Good morning, Calvin. Did you sleep well?” Charity asked, handing him his coffee.
“Good morning, Charity. Yes, thank you, I did.” Silently he hoped she wasn’t one who wanted to have a full scale conversation before he’d had his coffee. He just wanted to sit and look at her. She glowed like an angel, he thought, his angel.
Charity just smiled, humming softly, and turned back to the stove.
Along with a second cup of coffee, she gave him his breakfast and sat opposite to eat her own. “Why are you smiling, Calvin?”
“I don’t know. You just make me happy. I love the way your eyes shine when you smile.”
She said nothing, but gave him a secretive little smile and went back to eating her breakfast.
He couldn’t take his eyes off her. There was something about her that drew his spirit.
“You’re on dishes.” Charity interrupted his thoughts. “I have to run. Why don’t you spend your morning getting acquainted with your new home? Con is expecting you for lunch.”
Calvin felt he’d much rather spend his morning getting better acquainted with her, but he cheerfully agreed and pouring himself another cup of coffee, looked around.
It was a cozy kitchen with open windows looking both to the front and the rear of the house. The back yard was almost completely a vegetable garden with a small patio to the side. Flowering trees were spaced along the sides of the cottage, giving shade to the small back porch. The front doorway opened into the kitchen which was adjoined by an inviting sitting room furnished with a sofa and two overstuffed chairs. There was a stone fireplace at one end.
Noticing another doorway leading from the kitchen to a basement, he couldn’t keep from glancing at it while finishing the dishes. “I wonder what’s in the basement,” he thought and as soon as the last dish had been dried and put away, he headed in that direction.
He couldn’t believe what he saw when he reached the bottom of the stairs! It wasn’t just a basement. It was a woodworker’s dream. The shelves held an assortment of paints in a variety of colors and buckets of paint brushes of all sizes and type. He saw every kind of hand and power tool imaginable. Two he didn’t recognize were the lathe and flexible sander. The workbench itself was generously long and wide and a large work table stood in the center of the room.
He was like a kid in a candy store but he couldn’t help but wonder what it all was for. He thought it probable that the previous occupant had left it behind.
At that point, he noticed the old sign from the front yard leaning against the wall. Without thinking twice, he picked it up and laid it on the workbench. He then selected a can of paint and proceeded to paint out the word, vacant.
Finished, he looked at the paint brush he held in his hand. He couldn’t get over how comfortable and natural it felt, almost like an extension of his hand. Memories of his childhood came flooding back of when he was a small boy and watched his father build and create things from wood. He remembered being given his own set of miniature tools and trying to imitate his father, how he had loved the smells of newly cut wood and wet paint. He’d forgotten how much he enjoyed helping his father and couldn’t help but wonder why he’d chosen to work in the business world at a job he didn’t like.
Calvin couldn’t keep from inspecting the lathe. It was more complicated than the one he remembered his father using and he had never seen anything like it. This one could either be used alone, as his father’s had, or using the other attachment, could automatically make an exact duplicate of something already made. “Like the key machine in the hardware store,” Calvin mused.
He was surprised when he realized he knew just how it worked! He itched to try it out and headed to the wood pile. Looking at the clock on the wall, he noticed the time and remembered he was supposed to be at Con’s for lunch.
“Hi, Con,” Calvin greeted breathlessly. “I lost track of the time.”
“No problem, son, what kept you so busy?”
“I discovered a workshop in my basement and realized I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a piece of wood.”
“I didn’t know you worked with wood.”
“I didn’t either,” Calvin responded, “but memories of my father came back to me and I realized how much I enjoyed working with him as a child.” Just then he noticed the young girl at the stove. “Is this Understanding?”
“Nope. This here’s Acceptance, the other twin.” Con chuckled. “I think the only way I can tell them apart is by what they cook. Understanding’s great with omelets, but Acceptance makes the best fried cheese sandwiches you’ve ever tasted!”
“I don’t think I’ve ever had a fried cheese sandwich,” Calvin smiled at the girl, “but I’m sure this is the best!”
Acceptance returned his smile as she dipped two thick slices of goat cheese in egg and laid them in the fry pan. When they were nice and golden on both sides, she put each between two slices of warm buttered homemade bread. After their thanking God, Acceptance served the two men the sandwiches along with a large garden fresh salad and tall glass of iced herbal tea.
“Be careful,” Con advised as he started in on his salad. “That cheese can burn your mouth. Better to wait a bit.”
As Calvin leaned into his lunch, he felt an unsteadiness in the table. Looking down, he realized a two by four was being used in place of a leg. He looked at Con questioningly.
“I thought I did pretty good,” Con laughed. “If the table hadn’t wiggled you probably wouldn’t have noticed. Couldn‘t get it perfectly even, but It serves the purpose.”
Without thinking, the words just came out of Calvin’s mouth. “I can make you a new leg, but I’ll need one of the others to do it. Do you have something to use in its place or do you want me to bring something over?”
“I think I can manage, son. Help yourself to a leg.” Con grinned, “Better wait til we finish lunch, though.”
Calvin laughed, “I think I can restrain myself. Tell me about Patience. Last night you two looked like you might have something going.”
“I certainly hope we do! I’ve asked her to marry me.”
“Really? She said yes, right?”
“Yep. Now it’s just in the planning. You see, her daughter, Hope, and her beau Waite are planning to be married in the near future. The four of us thought it would be nice to have a double wedding.”
“Wow! That sounds great, Con. When?”
“That depends on the women, I guess. I’m just biding my time until Patience is ready. Say, Calvin, how’d you like to be my best man?”
“I’d be honored, Con, but why me?”
“Well, for one thing, I kinda like you,” Con grinned. “For another, I think there’s more to you than even you realize and I‘d be honored if you‘d stand at my side.”
“I’d be proud to, Con. Thank you.”
Lunch finished, Con handed him a screwdriver. “Help yourself to a leg, Calvin, I promised Acceptance I’d do the dishes. There’s another two by four on the back porch that might work.”
Calvin unscrewed the leg and used the two by four in its place. It was a little short but the table leveled out a little more when he put a book under it. “I’ll do my best to have your leg for you tomorrow, Con.”
“Your best is good enough for me, son. You must be chomping at the bit to get started using those tools of yours!”
“Guess I am,” Calvin waved the leg in the air as he went down the walk. “See you tomorrow, Con. Thanks for lunch!”
He wasted no time returning to his workshop. After carefully putting the leg in the lathe, he took the proper measurements and went to the wood pile. There were a few posts and he took his time selecting just the right one. He ran his hands over a solid oak four-by-four, caressing the wood. He actually felt an affinity with its strength and solidity. He cut the post to its proper length, and fitted it into the lathe.
He started the machine on low so he could enjoy watching the wood being cut away and once he was satisfied of its success, increased the speed as the table leg took shape. Calvin was loving the smell of freshly cut wood and the wood chips piling up around his feet.
He had no sooner finished sanding and staining it when he heard Charity call down the stairs, “Calvin, can you stop long enough to have something to eat?”
It was then he became conscious of his growling stomach. Glancing at the clock, he realized he had worked well past dinner time. “On my way, Charity.”
“Go ahead and wash your hands, I’ll set your supper out for you.”
Calvin glanced at her, “Will you be joining me?”
“I’ve already eaten, but I’ll be happy to keep you company.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it was so late.”
“No problem. I knew you were caught up in your work.” She smiled. “Would you like to tell me about it?”
Shaking his head as if he couldn’t believe it himself, Calvin told her how he’d discovered the workshop that morning, how excited he was to make the new table leg for Con, and how he had no conception of time when he was working.
“I still can’t believe it, Charity. I thought everything had been left behind by a previous occupant, but now I feel it’s all there just for me.”
“Maybe it is,” she responded.
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