We figured it was time to sleep, so Jacob lent me a pair of shorts and I laid on the orange fluffy carpet in his room. I got back to thinking about Eli and the awful things he said, but I couldn’t have another freaking meltdown in Jacob’s room. He’d never let me in his house again. So I started thinking about the guest pastor and how there’s a city in heaven.
I figured Jacob was probably still awake. The fan in his room makes a horrible noise that makes it hard to sleep. “Hey, you still go to that new church, right?”
“Yeah, we went this morning. Why?”
“You ever heard of the city in heaven?”
“I don’t think there’s cities in heaven. I think it’s just heaven.”
We talked until we started falling asleep about how there’s supposed to be a city in heaven with pearly gates, and how Jesus is supposed to help us get in, and how God’s just gonna welcome us in and make us citizens of this fancy city. It sure was a nice place to think about. I just hope when I knock on the pearly gates that God doesn’t make that sad face at me like Jacob’s mom did. Man, I hate that face.
The sun woke us both up before Jacob’s Mickey Mouse alarm clock went off. Jacob ended up lending me a whole change of clothes since mine from the last night were sweaty and wrinkled. I promised to bring them back after I washed them. Eli usually drives to town to get supplies on Mondays, so I figured if he came back and saw me working early he’d probably get over me leaving the night before. After we had a couple bowls of cereal, I started walking back to the farm. Mornings are always so hot when it doesn’t cool down at night.
Mrs. Glass must’ve seen me walking in the heat cause she pulled her old white station wagon next to me. “Old man of yours never gonna get you a better mode of transportation than those two feet? Get in.”
I told her I didn’t want to be a bother, but she insisted. Said she was dropping off the new farm hand anyway. The man in the back seat seemed like he was avoiding eye contact. Interesting way to present yourself for a job interview, I thought. When I got in, I turned around to introduce myself. “I’m Ben, looks like we’ll be coworkers or something now.”
I reached back for a handshake, and the man shook my hand and responded in a thick accent, “No English”.
“Nice to meet you anyway.” I wondered how on earth he planned on working for Eli without speaking English. Eli certainly wasn’t going to learn another language. I should have told him to run away fast. But I didn’t. Remember, I never stand up for anyone. I really shouldn’t have been such a chicken shit though.
Mrs. Glass must have realized I was confused. “What an innocent damn kid, Ben. Your father wanted a farm hand, I got him one. This one knows how to work with sheep too. And he’s cheap. I called ahead and Eli’s waiting for us. Asked if I’d seen you, and I said I hadn’t. Seems like he’s not happy his boy snuck out last night.”
I don’t like to lie. My mom told me if you lie you go to hell. But I sure thought I’d be in trouble if I didn’t. Or worse, Eli would know my mom knew and didn’t tell him. So I told Mrs. Glass, “I went for a walk to get some air last night and I felt sick, so I spent the night with a friend. His phone wasn’t working so I couldn’t call home.”
“We both know that’s none of my business. I told your dad I didn’t see you and that’s all there is to it.” Mrs. Glass was the only old lady I knew who minded her own business. Every other old lady thinks she needs to tattle on me. It helped that I think Eli was scared of her. I guess she used to teach at the high school back when Eli was my age.
When we pulled up to the house, I excused myself as fast as I could to go start feeding the sheep. Maybe Eli would think he just didn’t see me in the morning. I started hearing shouting at the front door, so I peeked around the house to listen. I’m not a gossip or anything, I just like to know what kind of state Eli’s gonna be in.
Mrs. Glass had her hands on her hips on the porch. “Elijah Reuben, I will not tolerate your disrespect. I have brought you exactly what you wanted, and I’m here four days early. You agreed to my price on the phone.”
Eli’s face was a horrible shade of red. I only saw his face like that a few times, and my mom made me learn how to use concealer the last time I saw it. My hands started to hurt. I guess I made tight enough fists that my nails dug into my skin.
“It’s five thousand to cover my expenses, then he works for two-fifty an hour plus room and board. That’s the deal.” It was good to see Mrs. Glass could stand up for herself. I was really scared Eli was gonna hurt her.
“This one doesn’t even speak English, how the hell am I supposed to tell him what I need?”
Mrs. Glass looked back at the station wagon. “He’s trying to send some money to his family. I guess some kind of gang ran them out of town.”
“Tell him to figure something else out. I need help that can speak English.”
If you’ve never seen an old lady angry, it’s really something. At first I was scared for Mrs. Glass. I even felt bad when my mom’s wreath fell off the front door after Eli slammed it in her face. But I guess this only made Mrs. Glass stronger. She replaced the wreath, swung the door right back open, and marched right on in. The shouting went on for another few minutes until Mrs. Glass walked out wiping her hands on her bright red skirt. Just loud enough for me to hear, she mumbled. “I knew you’d come around. Goddamn entitled men and their complete lack of manners. Embarrassing is what it is. Just embarrassing.”
She waved for the man in the station wagon to come to the door. He was holding a small green backpack in one hand and a Spanish-English dictionary in the other while he walked to the door. Mrs. Glass ripped the dictionary out of his hand and thumbed through it. “Listo.” I didn’t know what that meant, but I should have guessed it knowing Eli. Welcome to Hell is the English translation.