Chapter 7

Chapter 7


The thud of the ball pounding the core of my mitt again roused me from a private oasis of thought. Quickly looking up, my face must have reeked with startled Surprise. Tanners last hurl had buried itself dead center in my glove. His bursting smile and shocked façade let me know I was not the only one taken by Surprise. Tanners large blue eyes abruptly dilated and a massive grin took residency on his face. His obvious delight melted me and I Struggle mightily to retain my leaking tears. This type of excited beaming rarely appeared and recently seemed to have dwindled in its brightness.
Those who sadistically tormented and dehumanized him stole it away. Their repeated spastic replications and teasing prosecutions dashed the delightful beam.
Recently several sons of our local religious leaders hypocritically joined the jeering infestation.
It was one of those perfect spring days. The type that begins to forgive winter for its icy harshness and gives hope that summer will actually return in all its radiant glory.
With the promise of balmy days ahead I began pulling a few weeds which had made their unwelcome appearance. Tanner had re-inflated a warn and weathered basketball and began to lazily dribble around the driveway. From the side yard where I labored I could hear the steady thump, thump, thump of the ball. Abruptly the echoing thud of the rubber ball hitting the pavement ceased. It was replaced by a forced grunt. I knew the sound well, it was Tanners distress signal. Its Like hearing the eerie scream of an emergency apparatus. Your not sure where its headed but you know trouble lies ahead.
Tanners verbal agitations had me gawking around the corner looking for source of his stress. My searching eyes found him Standing at the driveways end. He was absolutely still except for his arm which twitched and repeatedly ticked downward. He tried to speak but his tongue was hopelessly knotted. It mixed and mashed the flaccid tones of coherent speech. Sinfully turning his forced words into garbled grunts.
The mounting intensity of his spastic thrusts and garbled groans had my own alarm bells going off. Abandoning my chore I moved closer scanning his surroundings as I approached. Following his fixed stare past the drive and across the street I located his snickering agitators. The troublesome trio of troublemakers had me reeling with astonishment. Perplexed and caught unaware I could not decide whether to cry or screech. I was totally unprepared for the nauseating sight my eyes beheld.
On sidewalk opposite tanner three familiar figures stood. I knew them instantly, they were former friends of tanners. Soon After the dastardly beast captured my son they abruptly abandoned him. Now fifteen feet from their former playmate they maliciously mocked and spurned him. Each jubilantly plunging his arm downward as he mimicked tanners hijacked speech.
The wretched and appalling scene quickly ended as the boys became aware of my presence. Rising consternation must have shown upon my reddening face. For as I walked toward the cowardly crew they scattered like frightened rabbits. Watching them scurry away I thought of their families. Sadly I knew each of their parents, some intimately. I could not fathom how behavior such as this could exist. without first having its foundation formed within the protective walls of their homes. My mind burned with confusion, I knew of the religious inclinations of their fathers and mothers. Regrettably two of the fathers served as leaders in our local congregation. Despite growing resentment , I desperately tried to maintain my teetering Faith.
Hearing Tanner speak my name the gusting angst began to resign and was replaced by insufferable anguish. I struggled to turn around and face my wounded son. My heart had been brutally abused. I did not want him to know of the personal hell that now consumed me. For I also knew that to him this type of sarcastic savagery was normal, mundane and altogether typical.
Within the silence of my hemorrhaging thoughts I cried out. Pleading for an answer I ask, why are we like this ? why do we persecute the weak ? why do we lack empathy for the downtrodden? Why do we not suffer with the suffering ? Within the intolerable darkness of my agonized thoughts my faith further dimmed.
Being Personally acquainted and knowing each boy by name had intensified the insult. As before I had not expected their pious upbringing to make them perfect. Nevertheless I had expected better things of them and found my self bitterly disappointed. Enclosing tanner within my arms, I determined to inform their parents. I hoped it would change their injurious course. Moreover, I also believed it an appropriate response to such mindless spiteful actions.
Retiring from the front yard spectacle I was still fuming. Opening the glass screen that shields the heavy wood door of our home I sought to curve my fuming wrath. Swinging the big door inward I breathed deeply while crossing the threshold and entering the house. Clopping across the wood floor of the entry I moved into the kitchen and sought and found the phone. Feeling perfectly justified in my ire I then contacted their Fathers with the intent of setting up a private meeting. Like the sons, I knew them well and soon had personally called each of them. Rapidly responding to my pleadings, I received a promise for a future hearing on the matter.
Arriving at the previously agreed upon date and time I was escorted to a small office tucked neatly into a corner of the spacious church building. The cozy quarters held a few chairs a desk and a small file cabinet. After cordial greetings parlayed by a firm hand shake the aforementioned men motioned for me to be seated. After Crossing my left leg over the right I loosely folded my arms. As their stare weighed heavily upon me I was given full opportunity to bring forth my grievances. Fighting back my surfacing emotions I regurgitated the chilling detail. Parlaying unto them the spastic replications and verbal taunting committed by their boys.
Initially I was greatly encouraged by their agreeable lip service. Eagerly they spoke, convincing me that the issue would receive their do diligence. Solemnly they Promised after thoroughly exploring the tawdry accusations a follow-up meeting would be forthcoming.
Regrettably my encouragement was premature and bitterly short lived. soon it was replaced by tremendous Discouragement. After several days I Received a phone call concerning their deliberations. During that short conversation a second meeting was scheduled.
Arriving a few minutes early I waited in the long hall just outside the office. Looking out Thru the glass doors from which I had entered I noticed large black clouds forming in the distance. Their ominous presence told of a gathering storm. Little did I know the same hostile environment awaited behind the offices mahogany door. After a few minutes the wooden door slowly creaked open. the same welcoming hands as before firmly shook mine. The group seemed somewhat unorganized and an uneasy feeling swept over me. During what appeared to be a rather hastily put together conference they began expressing tremendous sympathy for Tanner and our family. In the same breath, they expounded enthusiastic support for my aforementioned concerns. Feeling somewhat comforted by their verbal massaging I began to relax. Then In what appeared to be a complete and staggering reversal they suggested tanner needed serious mental heath counseling. The suggestion immediately galled me. Even if it were true it failed to resolve the weightier matter at hand. There was no mention in their stinging words of their own children’s obtrusive behavior. Nor the feeblest attempt to mend the fences of shame they held in my mind. The resulting despair has been such that now only by motions do I attend their church meetings.