MY Vast Right Wing Conspiracy

“Momma!”
“Hi sweetie. Eat up. Service is in an hour.”
“Can we have just one present first? Pleeaassseeee”
Jolene’s eyes lit up. It was the same question, every year and every year he had a different angle. She loved this part of Christmas as much as anything else. It was a tradition. The annual begging for an early gift. Let’s see what he has this year! She stifled her smile and turned to him.
“Now, you know better than to ask that. First we give thanks and love to Jesus. Then we give to each other.”
“Yes momma I know. Pass the milk please. But ya know. Jesus won’t mind if I listen to a new CD on the way to give Him love and thanks, right? We’d still be going to the service before opening the others. And He died to save us from sin and to allow us to live our lives without worry. That means He wants us to be happy. Having a new CD for the ride to church would make me happy. So He must want me to have one. Please! ”
That sounded so good. She had to give in this year. Jolene swallowed her laugh again. That was a good one she thought. But still, have to put the stern momma face on.
“Boy! That kind of talk is going to get everything of yours under that tree sent to goodwill. Now eat!”
Sigh. “Yes momma”
Travis loved Jesus. He was sure of it. He just didn’t understand why love meant he had to wait for his presents or why he couldn’t show his love by smiling while tearing open a new CD. Jolene bit her tongue. His tries got better and better every year. She already couldn’t wait for next year’s try. Tracy finished her food and put her dishes in the sink and bolted out to get dressed. She never said much in the mornings. She wasn’t usually a morning person. It took her forever to get started, but once she did, it would take tranquilizer darts to stop her. Travis finished his cereal and rinsed his dishes in the sink. Jolene finished the turkey and had it ready for the oven.

Travis put his suit on and went to the front door. He gave the tree one last longing glance before heading to the car. Jolene put the turkey in the oven and turned it on and they left. Lunch would take three hours to cook. Unfortunately for Travis, that was just enough time for church.

Christmas services were always the hardest to sit through. Being Christmas, they had so many more songs and so many more readings and the pastor spoke for so much longer. Travis bounced and squirmed in his seat. Jolene leaned over.
“Sit still. You’re in church. Show the Lord some respect”
“Momma, the disciples couldn’t sit in the garden praying for 15 minutes and they were WITH Him. What makes Pastor Leroy think I can sit for 2 hours?”
“Jesus didn’t have a beatin’ stick in his purse. I do. Sit still”
“Yes momma.”
Travis closed his eyes dreaming of his presents. The service ended and they went back home. Travis beat Tracy to the door. He opened it and held it for her and Jolene.
“Thank you Travis”
“Thank you son”

Travis walked in and went to his room and changed his clothes. Sweats and tank tops were his preferred style. He walked out for the gifts.

Usually the gifts took about an hour, but this time, there were fewer but bigger gifts. The sign of a family growing older. Travis looked at his bounty and was happy. His list had several things on it, but the ones that really mattered were all there. He rummaged through the boxes to get his CD’s opened and grabbed his gift cards to put into his wallet.

Tracy was overjoyed. This year, not only did momma give her something, but Travis actually bought her something with his own money. And to make it even better, he had enough money left to give to her so she could buy momma a present.

Jolene was surprised. 2 gifts that she didn’t buy herself. Both from her kids. Now this was a Christmas to remember. She wondered where the money came from. Her mother’s intuition was bugging her.

“Tracy, thank you for this beautiful shirt. I had been wanting one of these but never got around to getting it. And Travis, that perfume was just what I wanted. You must have worked hard somewhere to get these! What did you do?”
“Travis gave me the money and he and I went to the mall. They had a huge sale at Belk”
“Uh, I did some work for… the neighbors to earn some cash. I guess I’m getting old enough to understand the giving part too.”
“A job? Wow! What kind of work sweetie? What did you do for them?”
“I did some running around and some buying. People don’t like going out during the Christmas rush. It wasn’t much. Just some tips for the favors. Hey, Derek is here. Can I go out for a bit?”
“Yes, but the food is almost ready, make it quick.”

Travis went out to meet Derek.
“How was your morning Derek?”
“Very good. Yours?”
“So far so good. She liked her presents”
Did she ask how?
“She asked. I lied. No big deal. Do you have today’s delivery?”
Derek handed Travis a bag of packages of powder. Travis put it in his pant leg and went back inside and straight to his room to hide the goods.

Party revelers walking down the other side of the street shook Travis out of his sleep. His toes ached from the impending frostbite. He sat as still as he could. The last group of partiers that noticed him threw things at him until he crawled away. His drunk was starting to wear off. He looked at his empty bottle and rolled it away. What a Christmas. The shelters were full, no food kitchens were open. This was his last day. He was going to freeze to death on Christmas Eve or worse, Christmas day. A truck rolled down the street its lights forcing his eyes closed again.

Jolene walked into the visitor area and sat in a chair. Tracy walked with her. She pulled a chair from an empty section and sat next to her mother. They waited.
Travis emerged from a side door. He walked out in his prison clothes and sat down on the other side of Jolene and Tracy. He made eye contact with Jolene but couldn’t hold it. He averted his eyes from her. Every time he looked at her, he knew he was disappointing her. He knew she was torn to pieces about his arrests. The jail time was something else. That was destroying her. His first jail sentence, she was there nearly every time she could be. Days, weekends, anytime she could see him. He promised her that when he got out, he would straighten up. He would not come back. She promised him that she would be there to help him. She was there so much, she lost her job. That didn’t stop her though. She found another one. It didn’t pay as much and didn’t have the benefits, but she found a cheap health policy and cut back on the household goods. She was there for him the minute he was released.

He looked up again. This time he met Tracy’s eyes. They seethed with anger and hatred. When he went to jail the first time, Jolene had spent so much time with Travis that she couldn’t help Tracy with anything. Tracy had to quit the cheerleading team and the track team. She had to quit the church choir. When Jolene lost her job, Tracy had to quit her piano lessons. Everything she had going for her was lost because he was a loser. He knew what she was thinking and he was ashamed for it.

On the second and third times he went to jail, she visited less, but still often. She refused to concede her son to the life of an inmate. But Tracy was at work from the second he was arrested again for drugs. “Dump him momma” she would say. “Get him out of here. He’s chosen his life, don’t let it ruin ours. He’s gonna get us killed.”
“He’s my child, child. I don’t cast away my children. I wouldn’t cast you away either”
“I’m not stealing from you for drugs. I’m not sitting at home refusing to get a job. I’m not getting arrested. I had to quit everything I loved. I’ve lost everything except you. If this doesn’t stop. I’m going to lose you too.”
“He’ll straighten up. It will happen”
“Only a miracle will change that momma. That’s something you can’t deliver”
On his third arrest, Tracy hired someone to beat him to a pulp. Hoping it would knock some sense into him. When he was arrested again, she went to work on her mother even harder. When he was given his fourth jail sentence, everything fell apart. He knew what was about to happen.

Minutes of silence were finally broken when Jolene picked up the phone. Tears welled up in her eyes. Travis reached for his phone too.
“Momma?”
“I can’t do this anymore son. I just can’t.”
“I’m sorry momma. I’ll change. I promise.”
“You’ve made and broken that promise a dozen times at least.”
Tracy snatched the phone from Jolene.
“We are through with you. Do you hear me? Through! Momma lost her job again because of you. You are killing her. Do not come near us ever again. You won’t see us again.”
Jolene got up and rushed out crying.
“Tracy. Don’t do this to me. Please” Tears rolled out of his eyes.
Tracy stood up and leaned forward to look straight into his eyes. She spoke in a very deliberate serious voice.
“Travis, if you come around after you get out. I.. will.. kill.. you. Dead. Or I’ll have you killed. If I have to sell my body to get the money, I will. You took everything from me and momma. I won’t let you wreck us again. Don’t come to our home. It’s not your home anymore and you’re not allowed there.”
She slammed the phone down and walked out.

Another car pulled down the road. It rattled and Travis woke again. It slowed as it approached the alley. Travis hoped for the end. “God, please just let them finish me. I’m so tired”
He watched as the red sedan pulled up to the curb next to him. The driver door opened and a man in jeans and a heavy coat stepped out of the car. He walked up to Travis and kneeled. Travis started to slide back to get away if he needed to but the man made no sudden moves. Instead, he slowly pulled one of Travis’ newspapers off his trash blanket. The man met Travis’ gaze and held it. A warm smile emerged and beamed from his face and he addressed Travis in a calm soft voice.
“Well now. This is no way to spend Christmas eve. Why don’t you come with me?”
“Why would I come with you?”
“Well, because I offer a warm home, a meal and a bed for a while. Something that I don’t see here. Now, my late wife always said I never noticed anything. Maybe she was right. You seem comfortable. What would you want with a warm bath a meal and a bed?”
“Why would you offer that to me? A complete stranger. You don’t know my name.”
“Does that matter?
“No one helps a complete stranger on the street.”
“OK then, what’s your name?”
“Why?”
“Well, you said no one helps complete strangers. So, if I know your name, you can’t be a complete stranger, now can you? So, what’s your name?”
“Travis”
“Well, Travis, I am Harry. Now I know your name. I’m not a complete stranger anymore. Completely strange, yes. Stranger? No. So why don’t you come with me?”
“Why would you do that?”
“Because. My Lord commands it. Besides, no one should be alone on Christmas.”
Harry stuck out his gloved hand to Travis and helped him up. He staggered him to the back of the car and strapped him in. As he walked to the driver seat, he slipped on the ice and fell to a seated position. He laughed out loud.
“HA! I haven’t slipped in years. That’s going to hurt tomorrow.”
Travis opened the door and staggered out.
“Need help?”
“No, but thank you. It’s going to hurt tomorrow. Fortunately that’s a ways off!”
Travis slid back into the stranger’s car. There was just something a little off about this person. He couldn’t tell. He was… He didn’t know. All he knew was that he felt he could trust him. He didn’t know why or how. He just did. Something different emanated from Harry. Something he didn’t see in the people who walked by him every day. Not even from the ones who gave him some money at times. No, something about him was different. Harry slid softly into his seat.
“Oh, maybe it’ll hurt tonight. Ow.”
“Sorry.”
Harry laughed. “Why are you sorry? You didn’t do it!”
“If you hadn’t stopped for me, you wouldn’t have slipped.”
“No, but then I wouldn’t have a friend named Travis either. Now would I? I think it’s a fair trade!”
Harry stepped on the gas and drove off.

As the street lamps and building fronts passed behind them, Travis felt his fingers start to sting. They were warming up. His toes and feet were on fire as well. He started to squirm a bit. Harry noticed his discomfort.
“Warming up, eh?”
“Yeah. It hurts like a mother.”
“HA! Nothing can quite hurt you like a mother. Especially when she’s mad.”
Harry didn’t know it but he woke a painful memory for Travis. Travis nodded and closed his eyes trying not to replay the last time he saw his mother and sister. What were they doing tonight? Did they think of him? It had been almost 5 years since that last visit in the jail. Tears started to well up. He forced them back as best he could. A couple turns later and Harry pulled the car into the front yard of an old beat up single wide mobile home.
“It isn’t much, but it’s here! And it’s home. Come on in. I’ll show you your bed.”
Travis wiped his eyes and stepped out of the car. His thawing feet felt numb beneath him and he staggered and stumbled. He grabbed the car to balance himself.
Harry went back to help him in, ignoring his smell and breath which nearly knocked him over. He helped Travis into the living room and sat him on a chair.
“Ok, first bath or first food? Which one do you want?” Harry offered, hoping it was bath.
“Food. I haven’t had a decent meal in a couple days. I’m starving.”
Ugh. Harry’s smile wavered a bit but remained. “Ok, food it is.”
He went to the kitchen and pulled open the refrigerator door. On the first shelf was a small spiral cut ham. He removed several slices and put them on a plate. He added some chips on the counter and a can of soda and Travis was eating.
“Thank you.”
“I’ll get your towel and some sweats for after your bath and get your bed ready.”
“Thank you”
Harry left the room and set up the bathroom. He returned to Travis and they talked a while. Afterward Travis took his bath. His first in, well he didn’t remember how long. He cleaned up and let the brown/grey water out of the tub. Just to make sure he was clean and because he didn’t know when the next would come, he showered off as well. When he was done, he put the sweats back on and went to bed. The bed was soft and comfortable but most of all it was warm. Sleep was immediate and deep.

Travis opened his eyes and shot up. Where was he? What happened. He looked at the sweats he was wearing and remembered that person who helped him.
“What was his name? Henry? Great. My first real break and I can’t remember his name”
Harry walked by and noticed Travis had sat up.
“Well good morning and merry Christmas”
“Uhm”
“Harry. Don’t sweat it. Most don’t remember my name the first morning. Now if you were a woman, I’d be offended. Or is it embarrassed. Whatever. Ready for breakfast?”

Harry bounded to the kitchen. Travis followed. In the morning light, he could see how destitute Harry was. The trailer was no more than a metal box. The walls were dingy and full of holes. The floor was warped everywhere. What carpet there was had little left to it. Some of the rooms at the homeless shelters he had stayed in were better. Yet here, he felt a comfort. A peace. He sat at the table as Harry brought some toast and juice. He looked at Harry.

“Why… Why are you doing this for me?”
“Because. My Lord commands it.”
“You said that. But that… I mean… “
“Look, Travis. It’s Christmas. Do you know what Christmas is? What it really means?”
“Yes. It’s the birth of Jesus. Believe it or not, I actually used to go to church”
“You’re close. But that’s not entirely it. You see Christmas represents the birth of Christ, yes, but it represents something else as well. It represents the essence of Jesus. He came here to save us from ourselves. To be our sin forgiver. Yes. True. You can’t look at the manger and not think of the cross. No doubt. But he also came here for another reason of vital importance. He came here to show us how to live. To teach us how to care for each other all the time, not just once a year. He commands me to help where I can. I’m not rich. But I have a spare room and some food. So that’s what I give in His service. Now, some people can give lots of money. And that’s important too because they can help lots of people all at once by helping the mission centers or by paying the light bill or things like that. They are no more or less important. Others like me. We just do it one person at a time. Today that person is you. When I was driving on West street, I saw you and that little voice in my head said ‘Get him. He is the one this time’”.
“A voice your head said to get me?”
“Yeah. I listen to that one.”
“That one?”
“Yeah, the others that tell me to go on a killing spree, well, I try to ignore those.”
He twitched his head a couple times before realizing that Travis didn’t get the joke.
“Ok, sorry. Bad joke. It wasn’t really a voice as much as it was a feeling. Anyway, just relax. A couple games are on today and I’ll have a turkey in the oven after I get back. We’ll eat in a few hours. I’ll be heading to church for a bit in a few minutes but you can just hang here on the couch.”
“Wait! You’re leaving me in your house? Alone? You don’t know me. I could rob you blind.”
“Do you see anything worth stealing?”
Travis looked around and sheepishly replied “No” hoping not to offend.
“Do you want to rob me blind?”
“No”
“Ok then. You’re not the first I’ve brought home. My wife died 14 years ago and I haven’t had a lonely Christmas yet. Besides if you steal and run, you won’t have a place to stay tonight.”
“Tonight?”
“You didn’t think I would just dump you after Christmas did you? What good is God’s love if it ends on December 26? What did I tell you earlier? Jesus wouldn’t just dump you. Neither will I. You’re here until you’re on your feet and can support yourself.”
Travis slumped in his chair. He felt moved to tears and beyond. There was a calming peace. A feeling of genuine… Something. He couldn’t think of the word, but he knew one thing. It broadcast itself from Harry. He didn’t want to be away from it.
“Can I go to church too? I used to with my mom a long while back. It would be nice to go again and not get chased out because I smell”
“People chased you out of church because you smell? Who did that?”
“That huge church on Maple street”
“That’s sad. Let me tell you. Some people think they are part of the army. The team. They show up on Sunday and mouth the words and act the act for an hour or two. They do nothing that doesn’t show their face for glory. They think they are part of the team, but those people? They are just part of a show. A play that runs from 10-12 on Sunday mornings. They are no more on our team than the enemy is. I can promise you, no one at this church will ever turn you away. No matter what. In your closet are several shirts of different sizes. Pick one that fits and toss it on. I’m going in sweats, you can too.”
They went out to Harry’s car and drove off.

It had been 8 months since that Christmas. In those 8 months, he had cleaned up, dried out and picked up a steady job. He was even going to start night classes at the local college to get his degree. Every step of the way was Harry. His new brother. At his job, he was promoted and transferred. He knew his time with Harry was at an end. He had bought a car a month earlier and now he was packing it up. Harry was at his door watching Travis pack his things into his car. When Travis had finished, he walked back to Harry.
“You never asked me for a thing. Not a dime. Not even help with the dishes.”
“You still did them sometimes though. You even tried laundry. I’d still get yours done professionally! Not your cup of tea.”
“Are you kidding, I’m bringing it back here for you to do!”
“You are welcome anytime. You know that.”
“Yeah, and I’ll be back to visit. Kickoff is in a couple weeks and I’ll be to the church every so often. Besides, my bed won’t be empty long, will it?”
“Probably not. Find your mother and sister. They are waiting for you. Your mother is going to be proud of you again. Take good care of her.”
“I know I can’t repay you for this. How do you repay a life given?”
Harry smiled. “With a life well lived for Him that lived His life for you.”
He hugged Travis.
“God be with you my brother. Remember, you are loved.”
Tears welled in Travis’ eyes. He turned and got in his car and drove off to his new home.

A powder blue sedan slowed to a crawl on an old city block. Tracy leaned forward and asked Travis one more time. “Are you sure you want to do this again? The last one stole from you.”
“Trace, 3 of the last 5 have stolen from me. It doesn’t mean I don’t keep trying. Satan won’t win them all. He lost 2 of them. Some of them can be turned around just like me. I just have to find them. Sometimes that means some pain for me. Jesus promised everlasting life after death. He didn’t promise ease of life until death.”
Jolene beamed from the front passenger seat. Her son was back. He had grown so much since they spoke in that jail cell. It had been just over 4 years since he made contact with them. He showed up one day on the doorstep and immediately she knew he was different. A life transformed. A life made better.
Travis pulled into his mother’s drive and let them out and helped them get their gifts to the door. He kissed them and got back into the car. Tracy warned him again. “Be careful. Please.”
Travis smiled and pulled away. He turned down the main road and went into the city. He spotted an older man sitting under a ragged blanket in an alley. He stopped the car and got out.
Slowly he walked up to the man who looked nearly gone.
“Well now. This is no way to spend Christmas Eve. Why don’t you come with me?”
The man looked up confused.
“Who the hell are you?”
“I’m Travis. And if you come with me, I’ll give you a warm home, some food and a bed for a while.”
“No you won’t. Why would you do that for me?”
“Because, my Lord commands it and no one should be alone on Christmas.”

For most Christmas is the season of giving. It represents the birth of Jesus. But it really is so much more. The manger always leads to the cross. Christmas represents the beginning of a life lived as an example of how God wants us to live. Love one another always. Not just a couple of declared days a year. Help your fellow man whenever you can. Don’t get discouraged and give up if a couple take advantage and exploit your kindness. Jesus never said his followers would have an easy life. He just promised to be there for them. That person who sits on the street corner may bring out the best in you while you try to bring the best out in them. Use every bump as an opportunity to share. Use every blessing as an opportunity to share. Keep believing. Keep the love. Go forth in faith. Never quit. Life is your gift from God. Share it with the world. Jesus birth was your present from God. His death was his gift to your soul. Let people see the good news through you. Don’t know who needs help? Just ask. Just be ready to be surprised at how much one person can accomplish while acting in faith.

From those of us at MVRWC to you and yours: Merry Christmas and God Bless!