Unawares

George sat tapping his foot impatiently. Millie was still putting on her makeup, even though church started in 10 minutes.

Hard drops of rain pounded the old roof of their two bedroom house as Millie yelled out, “I’ll just be another minute!”

“Better hurry,” said George, spitting tobacco into an empty coke bottle.

Just then Millie came out of the bathroom. Even with her tired eyes, her bouncy brown curls and plump cheeks made many people guess she was younger than 40.

George quickly hid his coke bottle spitter. Millie believed tobacco to be a sin. She caught him more times than he could count, but still, he’d rather not fight.

As they walked onto the drive the crunching of the wet gravel made Millie walk like a baby giraffe in her church shoes. Cool droplets of Kentucky’s October rain dotted George’s salt and pepper beard while he held the umbrella over his wife.

When he turned the ignition Willie Nelson came on the radio, commanding the whisky river to take his mind.

“George McHenry!” lectured Millie, “What have I told you about this heathen music?”

George kept his comments to himself and flipped over to K LOVE where Shane and Shane were singing a beautiful rendition of the 43rd Psalm. He was a Christian too, saved by grace through faith, washed in the Blood of the Lamb. But he just didn’t see no reason a man can’t be saved and also like Willie.

By the time they pulled into the church, their seats had been taken. Pastor Dave was preaching on “many have entertained angels unawares” from Hebrews 13. George sat quietly reading along on his phone app. Millie on the other hand, listened like a contest judge, evaluating Pastor Dave’s theology and making mental notes of where she would have to correct him after service. She had spent two semesters at bible college so she knew her stuff.

By the time service let out the rain had just begun to let up and a little bit of light began to shine. The sunshine seemed to brighten folks’ spirits and even caused Millie to treat Pastor Dave to an abbreviated lecture on his sermon.

That evening Millie was working on her speciality, chicken and potatoes, while George snuck a sip of whisky from the little flask he kept hidden between two couch cushions. He quickly popped a mint afterward so his wife wouldn’t smell it on his breath.

Millie was in a fit about the women’s ministry event set for that evening. “George, they’re making a mockery of the Women's Ministry tonight,” said Millie. “Having a spa night… puhlease. There’s nothing wrong with going to a spa, but it ain’t ministry, and the fact that they are eating up church dollars that should be going to really Godly work is disgusting.”

“Hmm, seems like they just want to get all the women to spend some time together and build fellowship and what not,” said George.

“Church isn’t a social club though,” said Millie, “We women should be spending time together and building fellowship. But we should be doing it with Jesus as the focus. Otherwise it’s just a club for ladies. There ain’t no sense in calling it a ministry.”

As Millie grabbed butter from the fridge she saw the handwritten calendar where George had penciled in “work early” for the next day.

“What are you going in early for tomorrow?” she asked.

“New guy is starting. Gotta show him the ropes,” said George.

“What do you know about him?” asked Millie.

“Not too much,” said George, “Name is Gabe. He was a truck driver in Pennsylvania before. Gonna start him off real easy.

“Hmm,” said Millie.

“He got a wife?” she asked.

“Don’t know,” said George.

The next morning George pulled into the mine an hour early. He took a big swig out of his large Speedway Coffee jug that he brought with him everyday when he noticed a big grizzly man sitting on a stack of 4x4s.

“You must be George,” said the man.

The man must have been at least six inches taller than George, who himself was about 6 feet tall. He sported a big beer belly that lopped over his Wrangler jeans. But he had broad shoulders and massive arms that made it clear that he would have no physical issues with the job. His beard was scraggly and unkempt, but it had a deep brown color to it that suggested he was ten or more years younger than George.

“Yes sir-y” George piped up.

“Gabe,” the man said, extending his hand.

The men began discussing the basics of the job. But Gabe was starting off just doing some basic assistant work, loading coal from the extractors and what not, so there was plenty of time to chat as they did it. George could make conversation with just about anyone. But with Gabe it was even easier than most. There was just something about him. He didn’t seem overly smart, but there was a kindness that just couldn’t be ignored.

“So what brings you down this way?” asked George.

“Layoffs,” said Gabe. “Trucking company I was workin for is goin under. A cousin of mine lives in Paducah, and he said this area was affordable enough and y’all were lookin for honest laborers.”

“That’s true,” said George, “I been in this area my whole life and I don’t know nothin’ else. Happy as I can be as a matter of fact.”

The casual conversation paused for a little bit while George explained some job functions. He pointed out the safety supervisor, and the ventilation specialists setting auxiliary ducts. Gabe nodded along and the topic quickly became casual again.

The two men got on like peas and carrots so at a certain point George suggested that Gabe come over for dinner. Seeing as how he was new in town he didn’t have any other plans, he quickly agreed.

When George finally got ten minutes to himself he unwrapped his turkey and swiss sandwich and called Millie. She gave him a tongue lashing for throwing off the plan, as she had just gotten back from Kroger and would have to go back out to get more ingredients. George well enough shut her up by pointing out it was the Christian thing to do.

That evening at dinner Gabe gorged himself on the pork roast Millie had spent the day on. George gabbed for sometime about UK football, and Millie took notes in her “prayer notebook.” George could see from the corner of his eye the word “glutton” written.

“So Gabe, tell us, do you have a church yet?” Millie began, “because we have a great church that you can certainly join.”

“Well, if it’s good nuff for George here I spose I could check it out,” Gabe said, “but I don’t really go to church much, I guess you’d call me one of them… what is it called, ignostiks.”

Millie was scandalized but tried to keep her composure. She whipped out some of the apologetic arguments she had remembered from bible college. She explained how in order for there to be a universal moral law, there had to be a universal moral law giver, and all that.

Gabe smiled a big hefty smile and slapped his knees, “Well, I can’t argue too much with that. I just still don’t know what I believe. Seems to me the church has done a whole lot of bad in the world and I just don’t know.”

Millie prepped her flurry of rebuttals but George stepped in just in time, “Millie, Dear, keep in mind, he did say he would come visit. Maybe he will experience The Lord.” This calmed Millie just enough that the men were able to switch topics to football.

When Gabe had left, Millie’s only comment to George was, “an agnostic, to think of that. By the way, you ought to tell your friend it's pronounced ‘agnostic,’ not ‘ignostik’.”

The next day at work George felt just a little bit embarrassed about his wife’s overzealousness, but Gabe was as bubbly and kind as a man could be. As a matter of fact he told George that it was the best time he had had in ages.

As the men got to work George was shocked that Gabe actually started asking him about religion.

“So you all believe homosexuals go to hell then?” he asked.

“Well, I suppose Millie probably does. Pastor Dave might. I don’t though,” George replied, “See the Book of John says that God is Love. Not just like loving, but is Love like He Himself is Love Itself, and the way I see it, there may not even be a hell, and if there is, I don’t think it’s permanent.”

“Well shit,” Gabe said, “sounds like you and me is on the same page. When I said I was an ignostik I ain’t exactly mean I don’t believe in God. Just like I don’t know what I believe about some of the stuff.”

“Well,” George says, “that’s normal. Nobody really knows it all.”

“That Millie of yours seems pretty convinced that she might,” Gabe replied.

“She don’t know everything she thinks she knows,” said George, “but with her it’s better just to nod and grin.”

By the end of the shift they had discussed football, mining, their favorite whiskies, and had returned to the subject of religion a few more times. Gabe had even agreed to join the McHenrys at church that coming Sunday.

The week flew by as early fall days do. On Sunday morning the McHenrys were on time to church for once. Gabe walked in a few minutes late wearing a pair of faded blue jeans and a flannel shirt. Millie made a comment to George about how Gabe could have at least tried to look presentable.

Pastor Dave, on the other hand, was elated when he saw Gabe after service. It was hard to miss a 6’6’ barrel chested bearded man in jeans at such a small church. Gabe was even invited to the pastor’s study for coffee, and he quickly agreed. Gabe was unapologetic about his doubts, and Pastor Dave listened with compassion and understanding.

“You see Gabe, there is room in this church for folks with the faith of a mustard seed,” said Pastor Dave.

“I don’t reckon I know exactly what you mean by that, but if it means I can be here and be with y’alls community then I spose it’s a good thing,” Gabe replied.

After they had finished their chat Pastor Dave thanked George and Millie for bringing Gabe to church. “He is probably the nicest person I have ever met,” said Pastor Dave.

After a few minutes of chatting in the lobby Gabe mentioned to George that he had walked to church. But it was now raining so he was hoping for a ride.

“I’m staying with a cousin just a few blocks away,” said Gabe.

As the McHenrys and Gabe drove the 3 blocks to Gabe’s cousin’s house they passed Sarah Lane, who was walking her toy poodle while holding a blue umbrella.

“That right there is a pretty lady,” Gabe said.

“That right there is a woman of ill repute and no lady at all,” said Millie, “First off you shouldn’t be lusting over anybody, secondly that woman has slept with half the town as far as I know.”

The rest of the ride was awkwardly silent.

As George approached the house where Gabe was staying he got almost giddy. “Well, shoot, Jim Darvy is your cousin? I have known Jim since we were little boys,” he said.

The two men traded stories about Jim Darvy for just long enough for Millie to start to get frustrated and tap her foot before Gabe got the message.

Over the course of the next couple of weeks Gabe became a regular at Rainford Christian Church. Aside from working his job, Gabe volunteered for the feeding ministry, attended Bible Study, and even started serving as an usher on Sundays.

Millie began to warm up to Gabe and even began to take something of a liking to him. She knew he was a big old sinner, but there was something about his kindness that even Millie couldn’t resist.

One other person who seemed unable to resist Gabe’s kindness was Sarah Lane. The two of them started spending a decent amount of time together. Sarah confided in Gabe that she wanted more than anything to start going to church again, but couldn’t for obvious reasons.

Thanksgiving had come and went and Gabe had continued to attend as many events as he could. At Bible Study he started asking some of the tough questions. Pastor Dave seemed almost excited for the challenge. “You know Gabe,” he said one day at the end of bible study, “The thing is, almost everybody has these kinds of questions. You are just the one who is brave enough to ask them.”

Millie, however, was not fully in agreement. She often quoted the scriptures from her bible college days saying, “lean not on your own understanding.” However, Millie had come to like Gabe almost as well as anyone. She still didn’t approve of his spending time with Sarah, even though he insisted it wasn’t anything romantic or sexual. She didn’t like all of his impious question asking. But on the whole, Gabe’s kindness and honesty had an effect on even her.

Christmas Eve was always one of the most well attended services at Rainford Christian Church. Even some of the “christers” who only came on Christmas and Easter showed up. Pastor Dave gave a sermon about the angel telling Mary that she would conceive. It landed so well that even Millie had very few notes.

“Beloved,” he continued, “on this most holy of nights, we have a special announcement. Our dear friend Gabe has decided to get baptized.”

A cheer let out from the crowd and nobody cheered louder than Millie.

As Gabe approached the altar, Millie stood up and ran up to him, hugging the big burly giant. “Oh Gabe,” she said, “I am so glad that you have come to know The Lord and that all of those doubts are behind you.”

“Well,” said Gabe, “I come to believe God is who He is. But I wouldn’t say I don’t have no doubts.”

Pastor Dave eyed the pair suspiciously.

“What do you mean by that?” Millie asked.

“Well, I still don’t know about the whole sinners going to hell thing, or the sexuality stuff, and a bunch of other things too. But I reckon I believe in God enough.”

“Enough?” Millie yelled, “Enough? You either are a born again, washed in the blood Christian or you are not! There is no ‘enough’.”

By this point the rest of the congregation was staring and the conversation was far from private.

“Pastor Dave,” said Millie, “I know you feel like you gotta be nice, but you cannot baptize a man who doesn’t believe. It’s blasphemy.”

The congregation went as silent as night. Gabe didn’t seem embarrassed or even angry, but calm as he walked out the back door of the church, his lips curling into what looked like a smile.

As strange as everyone felt, the service needed to continue, so Millie returned to her seat and Pastor Dave went on with communion. George refused to even look at Millie.

After service had ended and the McHenrys were back in their car George did something he had never done before. He spoke up.

“Millie, you are downright unChristian. I don’t care how self righteous you think you are. Being a Christian means accepting that you are a sinner and imperfect and in need of a Savior. Gabe has done all of that. He ain’t sure about some things, but shit, neither am I,” he said, “neither is Pastor Dave. Hell, if we are using certainty as the measuring stick, ain’t nobody in that church saved.”

Not another word was spoken before bed. Millie had the worst night of sleep she had ever experienced. George’s words ran through her head and it was as if the Holy Ghost Herself was putting every scripture about acceptance, love, and charity on her mind. By morning her eyes were bloodshot and her hands were trembling but she knew what she had to do.

George wasn’t awake yet. Millie took the keys to the Ford Ranger and drove straight to Jim Darvy’s house.

Millie pounded on the door with all her might, waking not only Jim but probably all the neighbors in the process.

Groggy and frustrated Jim opened the door.

“I need to talk to Gabe,” she panted.

“Who the hell is Gabe?” Jim responded.

“Your cousin, Gabe,” Millie yelled.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about woman,” Jim yawned, and slammed the door.

Perplexed, Millie walked away.

She ran into one of the last people she wanted to see at the moment. Sarah, walking her dog. No doubt Gabe had shared with her everything that had taken place the night before.

“Hi Sarah,” Millie said sheepishly.

“Why, Millie McHenry,” replied Sarah, “You just made my Christmas. I didn’t think you’d ever acknowledge me.”

“Well Merry Christmas then,” said Millie, confused.

The dawn was still pretty new when Millie pulled back up to the little ranch house she shared with George. He was waiting on the front porch drinking his coffee.

“George, you were right,” Millie started in, “all those things you said. I was very unChristian to Gabe, and he’s one of the best people we have ever met. I tried to fix it, I really did. Oh God, we need to talk to Pastor Dave right away.

“Now slow down Millie,” said George, “who is this Gabe you’re talking about?”