A Good Father | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: A Good Father | Previous Challenge Entry
By Ellen Janson
03/02/23
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A Good Father

Peter watched his father braiding reeds in the backyard. He had warned Peter last night that he was getting too big for “just a belt”. Peter had hoped that with the light of day, Pa would’ve forgotten his “promise”, but it seemed he had not. His Pa was making a whip.

“Why does Pa hate me so much?” He asked his mother.
“He don’t hate you. He’s just got lots of demons inside him, and when he drinks too much they all come out.”
“How did he get them demons inside him?” seven year old Peter asked.
“Don’t know,” his Ma said, “his Pa before him had ‘em too, so maybe he passed them on.”
“Well I don’t want ‘em!” Peter said.
“Then you best lay off the bottle,” Ma advised.
“You said he had them inside him and when he drank, just made ‘em come out” Peter countered. “I don’t even want them inside of me!”

Peter went outside to do his chores as soon as his Pa went inside. He was always avoiding him - like a scared cat. Maybe if I just stay out of his way, he’ll forget about me, thought Peter. Mrs. Smith walked by on her way to church. He guessed that’s where she was going, cuz she was always going to church. “Peter,” she called, “you want to come to church with me today?” Peter usually told her “no”, but he could already hear arguing going on inside; he would need to stay clear. Besides, he figured, no one would notice he was missing anyway. “OK,” he told his neighbor as he put down his shovel, “yeah, I’ll go.”

When they got to St. James, Mrs. Smith sent Peter off with the other children. “I’ll meet you right here when you’re finished,” she promised. The classroom at the end of the hall was filled with lots of other kids - some Peter recognized and some he didn't. He did recognize Mrs. Thomas. She sometimes taught at his school on days he was allowed to go, and he thought she was about the prettiest lady he had ever seen. Her eyes reminded him of his best friend Bessy’s eyes; they were so soft. Of course, he couldn’t tell Miss Thomas that - Bessy was a cow, and that might hurt her feelings. Even her voice was soft. Even as she was quieting all the kids, “Class, today we’re going to learn about what Jesus says about worrying.” Peter was all ears - he worried a lot. Miss Thomas opened her Bible and started to read:

Therefore I say to you, take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat and the body more than rainment? Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much better than they?”

Miss Thomas continued to read, but Peter had stopped listening. He had a “Heavenly Father”? Who loved him?!

As soon as Miss Thomas dismissed the class, Peter ran to meet Mrs. Smith at the entrance of the church. “Did you know I got two Pa’s?” he held up two fingers. Mrs. Smith looked puzzled. “Yes, I got the Pa who lives with me. He don’t like me too much, but I got another Pa - in heaven, and Miss Thomas said he loves me!” That’s right, Mrs. Smith smiled, “that’s right Peter. You do have a Heavenly Father and he loves you very much.” Peter skipped home. He wasn’t gonna worry about those demons gettin’ inside of him like his Pa and his Pa’s pa. He was just going to talk to his Heavenly Father. And maybe Mrs. Smith and Miss Thomas too!

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