Susan had left a debit card for any supplies James felt like he needed. He put it in Todd's wallet, called a taxi and headed out. The cab driver took him to the nearest big book store, which turned out to be a half price books. James paid the driver and headed in, not knowing where to start. He walked into the store, took a moment to find the performing arts section and stood staring at the shelves.
“Can I help you?” This question came from a tiny blonde clerk wearing a store apron and a name tag that read Apricot.
“Um, sure. I'm not really sure what I need, I guess.” James answered, running a finger along the books on the shelf in front of him.
Apricot smiled brightly, “Well, what is it you're trying to do?”
“Trying is a good way to describe it. I'm directing a Christmas musical with kids. We perform in three weeks, and this is kind of my first time. Any suggestions?” James asked.
Apricot turned, walked to the front of the store and grabbed a shopping cart. She wheeled back into the aisle and began selecting books from the shelf. James had come to the right place, Apricot was a third year student, on her way to a degree in drama education. Five minutes later, she looked up. “These should get you started.”
James was in awe. The basket had over a dozen books in it, ranging from Directing Kids Musicals for Dummies, to How to Survive Your First Audition.
With one stop at a thrift store, to pick up a duffel bag to hide the books, James headed back to the church to prepare for tonight. He had one afternoon to learn what took most directors years to learn. He was about to have a huge “new kid” experience in a major way.
“Hi, Susan,” James stood, duffel bag in hand in front of her desk, “I was hoping you might have a cd, or something, with this on it?” he held out the score for her to examine.
Susan smiled, “Of course, you filled out the order form yourself, three months ago, remember?”
“Right, I just don't know where we keep things around here, so...”
Susan barely looked up from her typing, “By your cd player.” James didn't move, “On your desk” she explained, still no recognition from James, “In your office.” she finished.
James almost whispered, “Which would be?”
Susan laughed, “You are such a kidder” and turned back to her typing. James remained where he was, finally she noticed, “You're not kidding, are you?”
“Sorry, it's just, I went so many places before coming here.” James apologized.
Susan looked confused, as she stood and took a key from her top desk drawer, “But I thought the prison thing was your first and only job after seminary?”
James felt stupid, “Yeah, but internships and residency, and all... you know?”
Susan laughed with a snort, “You are so funny!
Internships and residency to become a pastor? Ha! Although, with some of the stuff I have seen, it wouldn't be a bad idea, you know? Here, your office is down this way.”
Susan led him down a hall, paneled in wood that must have been “groovy” once upon a time, but now looked hopelessly dated, even under the coat of khaki paint that had been applied a few years back to update it. She opened the door into a medium sized office, she turned on the overhead light and walked to the desk, indicating the cd and player.
“There's the score, and the CD player should have a power cord in one of these drawers, “She found it in the second drawer she opened. “Is there anything else you can think of? I really do want to make sure you have whatever you need.”
James sat in the desk chair, “I think that will do it, unless you know somebody who has a really cheap, but hopefully reliable used car they want to sell.”
Susan walked to the door, “I'll have Glenn bring Pastor Jacob's old loaner over this afternoon. It's not much to look it, but it runs great.”
“Thanks!” James followed her to the door and as soon as he was sure she was out of earshot, he locked the knob. He could not risk anyone finding out his shameful secret, he had no clue about how to run an audition, and it was going to take every second he had to not make an utter mess of it. He popped the cd into the player and turned it on. He unzipped the duffel bag and poured the books out onto the desk, selecting the score and “Directing for Dummies”, he sat down in the chair, found a pen and paper and started making notes.
Being a last minute studier myself, I have a system that helps me fake my way through large amounts of material and come out smelling like an expert, but it had been a long time since James had studied anything.
The early morning wakeup won out over his desperation and within thirty minutes, he was nose first between the pages of Directing for Dummies, snoring like a smoothie blender.
About an hour in, Susan stopped outside his office door to listen in and offer coffee, but James didn't answer, and from the sounds of the music from the CD player, he was clearly wrapped up in his preparations, so she left him alone.
At seven ten, her usual evening TV was interrupted by a call from a concerned parent. It seemed Pastor Todd had not shown, and it was time for the auditions. She rushed over to the church to find a line of kids and parents, semi-patiently waiting outside the door to be let in. She unlocked the building, ushering the kids into the sanctuary and went to find Todd.
The music was still blaring from the CD player when she reached his office door. Susan knocked, with no response. What could be keeping him? She found her extra key to the office and unlocked the door, pushing it open. There, face first in a stack of books and papers was Pastor Todd, sound asleep. Susan turned off the CD player and tapped James on the shoulder.
“The kids are here, it's time for the audition. I don't suppose you've eaten anything either, have you?” she smiled, knowingly. “Well, I can take care of that at Sonic, burger, or hotdog?”
James stood up, “What? Lock down already? He stared blankly at Susan, replaying her last sentence in his head, “I mean, I would like a hotdog and onion rings with a soda, please?” He tucked in his shirt and stuffed the books into the duffel, then headed out of the office.
“Won't you be needing these?” Susan held up the cd and score.
James took the cd and score and turned down the hall, following the chorus of children's voices in the direction of the sanctuary.
My dad always says that kids in church are a dead giveaway that Jesus never intended us to have fancy buildings, with breakable stuff everywhere, because kids basically make themselves at home and do whatever comes into their minds. When James Casey walked into that sanctuary, I am pretty sure he would have rather faced going back to prison than even attempt to rationalize what he found.
At one corner of the chancel stage, two girls who appeared to be about second grade had found the communion table and were setting up a tea party with a pair of dolls they had apparently brought along for the occasion. One of them had found the communion wine and the pair were about to down their first shot.
In the baptistery tank, which lined the back of the stage, a small red headed youth, with his two front teeth missing, was attempting to baptize a tiny blonde girl, and another red head and his blonde accomplice were shaking down a kid in glasses, literally. They had him upside down, hanging over the altar rail, shaking the coins out of his pockets. Only one small girl seemed to be somewhat accustomed to proper sanctuary protocol and she sat quietly on the chancel stage steps, studying a script.
It took about five seconds for James to size up the situation and make up his mind that this was not his scene. “It isn't worth it,” he muttered under his breath and turned to exit the room, bumping into Susan, who had followed, with a pretty good idea that Pastor Todd was going to need backup to get this thing started.
She waded into the room as only a mom can, she placed two fingers to her mouth and blasted a shrill whistle. The kids, amazingly, froze in place, except for the two boys involved in the shakedown, who dropped their victim over the rail and onto his head at the foot of the stage. “All right kids, line up!”