The Salvationist - Chapter Thirteen

Slamming down her lap top April Hawkins states loudly to the silent apartment “I’m going to Six Flags Over-the-Ocean, ready or not Elton!” She has read on Elton’s Facebook status this morning that he is going to Six Flags today with the young adults from Crestwood. Obvious to their friends, she has been chasing Elton since they first met as session mates at the training college two and a half years ago. Lieutenant Hawkins is driven and complicated. She has an agenda with Elton listed at the top.

Looking through several outfits in her closet April finds the “right” one for today which flatteringly emphasizes her figure in forest green fitted shirt which she has noted several times is Elton’s favorite color. She sprays more than enough essence of her best perfume all over and makes sure that every hair is in place. After placing her contacts in, April readjusts her makeup to exude a bright and fresh look in spite of only sleeping for five hours that night wondering what Elton is up to without her knowledge.

Elton occasionally keeps in touch with her through email, a random text or a once a month phone call usually when provoked by some social emergency that she has experienced. She cunningly makes Elton feel needed which he responds well to. But the truth is April is quite capable of handling life on her own and makes great efforts to manipulate various situations in her life creating sympathy for her conjured benefit.

April finishes dressing and gives herself one last overall look in the mirror. She has a three hour drive to the amusement park and wants to arrive an hour early before it opens so that she can “accidently” meet the Crestwood group there still unknown to them.

A few hours later after grabbing some breakfast at McDonalds the group meets in the parking lot at Crestwood. Harriet looks a little spaced out having not slept well the night before. Emma is sipping on a large cup of Starbucks coffee along with Knightly at her side looking like he needed a few more hours of sleep before recognizing anyone that morning.

Robert is his cheerful self as usual, “Hey! What a great morning! Isn’t it beautiful! It’s going to be a great day!”

Elton sleepily sneers “Yeah, whatever” trying to stretch to wake himself up a little more.

As they stand around gazing into the unfriendly sunlight, Grant and Jane drive in with Grant honking on his car horn in a rhythmic welcoming pattern. The sound explodes as it boomerangs between the buildings and among the group of friends to a response of snickers, squints, and sighs except from Robert “Hey there!” enthusiastically waving with his radiant smile to the obnoxious sports car.

They tightly pack into the mini-van. “I’m sorry but the van broke down and is in the repair shop. The other vans were needed today for the sports programs so this was the only vehicle available.” No one seems to mind though because it is more interesting and fun to travel as a group. Elton drives with Grant in the passenger seat. In the bench seat in the back Harriet, Jane and Emma are packed in like sardines. Robert and Knightly take the bucket seats in the middle.

The amusement park is two hours away so this is going to be a bit of a squeeze for a few hours. The van at first is pretty quiet since most are not even yet aware that it is fully morning on a Saturday.

Elton turns the radio on which Grant readjusts to a different station. Elton switches it back to his favorite Christian station which is programmed on his radio. “I listen to “Wonderful Words of Life” every Saturday. They have a good message and I don’t want to miss it this week. I enjoy hearing Jude Gotrich speak and sing. I like the newsletter too.”

The message is clear and simple but provides an in-depth practical devotional that reaches beyond the air waves. The passengers contentedly listen to the words as they come alive in their thoughts and applied in the images of memory of their individual personal experiences.

After the program concludes the music begins on the radio. Michael Gungor’s “I am a Friend of God” bursts through the chamber of the van. Quietly just above a whisper Jane begins to sing to herself “Who am I that You are mindful of me that You hear me when I call . . .” Grant then joins her “Is it true that You are truly thinking of me how - You love me. It’s amazing . . .” They sing together on the chorus “I am a Friend of God. He calls me friend . . .”

Humming along Harriet and Emma sing a duet from the back “Who am I that You are mindful of me that you hear me when I call. Is it true You are thinking of me? How you love me. It’s amazing . . .”

Elton and Robert then add their voices with the entire van on the chorus “I am a friend of God. He calls me friend …”

Grant decides to take the bridge by himself holding an imaginary microphone turning to face the others in the backseats as everyone else sways to the music while the women act like backup singers with their own madeup hand routine. Everyone joins him on the chorus in their own versions of singing in an imaginary concert and being center stage as the star.

As the song ends “I think that I need to make a stop!” announces Harriet from the middle of the back seat.

Knightly turns around “We’ve only been driving an hour. Are you sure you need to stop?”

“Yes, I think that I know when I need to stop” explains Harriet with her eyes as wide as saucers.

Elton sighs “I’ll pull over at the next exit. I need to fill up anyway. The van is almost on empty. I didn’t check the gas gage before we left.”

As they pull up to the pump, everyone squirms and stretches to get out of their cramped places and aim for the convenience store. In the bathroom Jane brushes her hair while Emma reapplies her lipstick with a fresh coat. Harriet washes her hands at the sink. “I’ve never been on a roller coast before. Have either of you?”

“Roller coasters are my favorite ride. When I was younger, I spent all my time either in lines or on one” shares Jane laughing at the memory.

“I didn’t ride one until I was a teen but I like them too” adds Emma.

“Did you and Knightly dress alike on purpose?” asks Harriet “It’s really cute. Do you any Knightly like to dress alike for fun?”

“No - that was an accident. We both worked on conservatory a couple of years ago and randomly picked the same shirt to wear today as well as choosing the same color khaki shorts” explains Emma glancing down at the logo of the cross covered by a treble cleft sign which is similar to the cross and “S” on the Crest in the chapel at the corps. She thought it was kind-of of funny herself but was hoping no one else would notice.

As they walk back to the van, Robert has a large soda and about ten candy bars. Emma looks at him and in a sarcastic tone “Did you buy all of those for yourself?”

“Yes. I felt the to be hyper just because I wanted to annoy you all day” Robert says straight faced and then smiles “No, actually I bought a variety of candy so that everyone can pick which one they want for a snack.”

“That’s really thoughtful of you” grateful smiles Jane taking a Reece peanut butter cups from the assortment.

Humbled Emma says “Thanks” as she chooses a Hershey bar with almonds.

Harriet grabs a pack of Skittles which she immediately opens and tries to catch each one by throwing it up in the air as she aims with her wide open mouth waiting for everyone to crawl back into their places in the van.

Picking from Robert’s gift bag, Elton also chooses M & M's which is does the same with as Harriet although a little less dramatically. Emma notices this and shoves Harriet with her elbow to make Harriet aware of his behavior as well. Believing that Elton is affectionately mimicking her, Harriet is flattered. In reality Elton has habitually eaten his M & M's that way since childhood.

Robert offers to climb in the back with Harriet. Knightly asks if he can sit in the front because he has developed a cramp in his leg sitting behind Elton in the driver’s seat in front of him. Jane has already crawled to the back so it leaves Emma and Grant in the middle section.

As they head down the highway, Robert sits in the middle of the back seat and moves both of his arms to rest on the top of the bench seat behind the heads of Harriet and Jane to conveniently make a little more room. But the truth is, Robert likes having at least one arm near Harriet as she falls asleep to the motion of the van and leans to rest on his arm dozing in a hushed snore. Jane pulls out a book from her purse and decides to read for awhile in an effort to ignore Grant talking away to Emma.

“So, are you going to ride on the roller coaster with me?” asks Grant to Emma looking out the window as the autumn fields pass by.

“Sure, why not? I think my favorite ride is the old wooden roller coasters that clank and rattle. I think the fear of it falling apart as you ride adds to the drama” remembers Emma from a previous visit.

“I can’t handle the tea cups very well. Too much circle motion. I feel dizzy for quite awhile afterwards” Grant reminisces from another uncomfortable experience.

They chat for the entire last hour of the trip. Elton and Knightly carry on a conversation about business and are oblivious to the communication in the back of the vehicle.

As flags of different nations appear in the multi-lane entrance everyone perks up to attention and gets ready for a fun day at the park. Elton pays the entrance fee and finds a decent parking place in the Kangaroo section on the sign close to the tram of the main park entrance.

Everyone files into line. When the tram arrives they pile into the available empty spaces. As the breeze catches Harriet’s baseball cap it flies into the open air and lands about 50 feet from the tram. Robert immediately jumps off and grabs the hat. The conductor tells him that he will have to wait for the next tram before he allows him back on according to park safety regulations. Robert is disappointed but waves to Harriet and yells to her that he will bring it to her at the entrance.

Grabbing the first available empty space, Elton finds himself sitting next to Harriet. She drops her purse which Elton helps to pick up all of the contents that have flung everywhere around their chosen seat. At the next stop other passengers with four kids join them on the bench and squeeze to make room for their last child. Elton is pushed up against Harriet. He moves his arm around Harriet to make more room and grabs the pole on the other side of Harriet. As the tram jerks back and forth, Elton accidently lets go of the pole with his hand landing on Harriet’s shoulder. She smiles feeling that Elton is making his move while he has a chance without Robert around.

Sitting behind them is Emma watching the whole scenario. Although participating in the same bumpy ride, Emma assumes that Elton’s arm moved on purpose and winks back with a nod to Harriet who glances for a second over her shoulder back to Emma.

They exit the tram at the gate of the Main Entrance. While standing around waiting for Robert to arrive on the next tram, they hear “You-hooo! Over here! I didn’t know you were going to be here today!” as they see an over-excited woman running up to them in bright reddish orange make-up and an obnoxiously squeaky voice.

“Elton! I’m so shocked to see you here! Imagine running into you like this! Who would have guessed?” shrieks April moving quickly to give Elton an unexpected hug and then jumping with excitement raising her shoulders up and down.

“Who are these people? Are they here with you?” snidely but in a mockingly sweet voice glancing over to Jane whom she perceives to be the prettiest one of the group and most likely her competition. Looking her up and down in a critical view, “I don’t think I’ve met your teen group before.”

Emma turns confidentially to Knightly and rolls her eyes. Knightly chuckles at her comment because it has been a very long time since anyone considered him a teen. He is enjoying the ‘show’.

Stunned by her unexpected appearance Elton stumbles over his words “This is . . . uh . . . Lt. April Hawkins. She is . . . . a . . . uh . . . We were in training together. She is . . . um . . . a . . . uh . . . a session mate.”

“Some think that we are more than that, but you know how people like to talk. We are ‘good friends’ if anyone asks. We’ve always been very close, supportive and caring friends to each other. We’ve got each other’s back if you know what I mean” staring directly at Jane who is confused by April’s obvious attention to her.

“I think that I saw you at commissioning this past summer. Where are you stationed now? I’m sorry that I don’t remember there were so many cadets” asks Robert as he walks up to the group.

“I’m stationed about three hours from here at Bristol Citadel. I was the only female single to go in charge in my session. I’m a seventh generation Salvationist and directly related to the founder just in case you were wondering” brags April in an impressed tone with herself. However, no one really cares.

“It’s nice meeting you. Are you with other friends? Would you like to join our group?” kindly asks Robert also noting how much she seems in awe of Elton.

“I would LOVE too!” sings April grabbing Elton’s arm in delight “I’m so surprised you would ask me! I was going to spend the day by my lonely self but now you’ve already made me feel like one of your friends! Just watch out, I may never want to leave!” smirking in a note of triumph as April  raises her nose over to Jane in assurance of her accomplishment.

Emma glances at Jane with a look of “what’s-up-with-that?” Jane shrugs her shoulders as Elton inconveniently walks to the kiosk to pay for the tickets with April at his side as she throws one of her arms around his shoulder.