The Brandywine Prophet

4.1 Setting the Stage

CHAPTER FOUR

SETTING THE STAGE

Only three weeks after the piano-bar incident, careful observers of the Brandywine dynamic noticed a subtle paradigm shift. 

Most of the people who believed The Incident was a real-as-the-dead-sea-scrolls miracle weren’t in attendance for the piano-bar rant but heard the news second hand. In the month and a half between the final architectural drawings and the groundbreaking, this group became more prominent. Jen and Will Rogers invited the Carmel’s over for their weekly house-church service. William shared his testimony (more subtly than his infamous rant) and spoke about Ray-Ray the ballerina, his failed career as a film director, his battle with drugs, his redemption through Sarah and God, the birth of his daughter, and finally, his calling in the stables. The group listened intently, their appetizers staling in their hands as Will’s story transported them away from mundane acoustic songs and quiet prayers.

Before Will’s experience, he saw the residents of Brandywine as a singular mass; “Those People,” or “The Others.” He saw the community as a poison ivy rash spreading from one end of the fields to the other. Now, like cellular mitosis, the neighbors began splitting off into their own unique life forms. Marvin Gibson, once “the architect from NYU with the dying dogwood trees” was now fleshed out like a character in a Dickens novel. Morgan Demfield transformed from “a chiropractor’s wife with grey roots” to that woman who stared at William with deep fanaticism. She too invited the Carmels for dinner, but William declined and never told Sarah about the invitation. Meg and Becca became “Meganbecca” and, as word spread that Will’s plans were becoming a reality, their parents became interested in who their daughters were spending time with. A couple phone calls, a couple more dinners, and the rash of faceless neighbors became distinct. New offers for beers on porches and backyard barbecues and lunches on Boulevard were different from the Easter-egg hunt. The picnic was his. He did it for the kids. They were on his turf. But to Will’s surprise, the more people that worked their way into his life, the more he enjoyed the interactions. He liked sharing his story. He liked mingling with new folks and influencing their beliefs. Marvin, for example, was an atheist. But through the interactions with Will and his stage, there were several opportunities for careful witnessing. Though Sarah initially discouraged him, Will finally accepted Pastor VanDuyn’s offer and spoke to the congregation of the The Church of the Dunes.

It was that Sunday in late June that William officially announced the Fourth of July as the groundbreaking for his stage.

Meetings with Leonard Sims became more frequent as quotes from the subcontractors arrived. Will’s initial estimation of 2.4 million was quite short as Marvin predicted, but in the end, Leonard proposed a budget of 2.73 including ten percent for himself and five percent for overrun. Will accepted the quote.

As the groundbreaking neared, Jaxon Silverman became more desperate and defied Will’s command by approaching Sarah with his offer. He began the conversation with the assumption that Will didn’t tell her about their meeting, but was sorely discouraged when Sarah said that Will not only told her about the offer, but she would stand by his decision. “My husband doesn’t lie to me, Mr. Silverman,” she said. But they had a pleasant lunch together anyway, comparing the ups and downs of raising daughters. Jaxon’s little girl was only a year older than Janie and already drowning in boy drama. “Janie’s not quite there yet,” Sarah said. “Thank God!”

*  *  *

As Carter Shelby held his fist in the air ready to knock, he asked himself again if it was really worth a hundred dollars. More than a hundred dollars, he told himself. There was Tracy Cavenaugh.