Sophie's Tears

Chapter Twenty-Two

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

The church parking lot was filled to its capacity, with rows of pickup trucks and family sedans.  The green lawns boasted white tents and wooden tables, displaying homemade crafts and baked goods the congregation had prepared for the church bazaar.  Children raced between a row of booths, with candy apples and cotton candy in their hands while the adults bought homemade fudge and peanut brittle.  Quilts were hung displaying their craftsmanship along with lace doilies and fancy crocheted dishtowels while other table tops boasted of shoofly and apple crumb pies along with canned jars of jam and relish.  The annual church bazaar was a day filled with fun and excitement for all ages in spite of the late August heat.   There was a dunking booth as well as wooden milk bottle toss, sack races, a prize wheel and a test your strength striker. 

Harry Carter moved along the long row of tables inspecting all the goods.  He paused by the table hosting his families homemade wares.  He leaned over and snatched a piece of fudge, popping it into his mouth.

“Those are for the customers,” his wife frowned and slapped his hand as he went to help himself to a second piece.

“There’s plenty to go around, Norma,” he grinned.

“That’ll be a nickel please,” she smiled as she held out her hand. 

“You’re going to make me pay for my own fudge?” he said.

“It’s for a good cause, dear,” she didn’t relent.  “This money is going for new hymnals for the church.

“Fine, here’s your nickel,” he said as he reached in his pocket and pulled out the silver coin.  He leaned over the table and placed the coin in her dainty hand and grimaced.   “Have you seen Sophie yet?”

“No, but I expect her any time now.”

“She better show or me and that girl are going to have words.” His scowl deepened.

“Harry, don’t be so hard on her,” said Norma.  “In her own way she’s trying.”

“She’s trying my patience is what she is doing.  She hasn’t been to church in months and it’s because of that Jew.  He’s twisting her mind.”

Norma hated it when her husband got all worked up like that and started spouting his opinions but it wasn’t her place to correct him.  He was a good man in spite that she turned a blind eye to his weaknesses.  Just then she saw Zebadiah’s truck pull into the church’s parking lot.

“See your worries were for nothing,” said Norma relieved.  “Here they come now.”

Harry’s ears perked up and so did the smile on his face but when he turned and saw the truck the smile faded as a scowl returned in its place.  He watched the truck pull into the grass as Sophie, Zebadiah and that Jew climbed from the truck and so did all the coloreds crowded in the back of the pick-up along with his grandson.

“Holy Christ,” he said as he watched the whole lot of them huddle together and merge forward on the lawn, making their way toward them.  “What the hell is she thinking?”