Crashing into the Third Heaven: A Thorn in the Flesh

Copyright © 2014 Janis Baker.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-0909-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-0911-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-0910-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013916960

WestBow Press rev. date: 1/21/2014

CONTENTS

BOOK ONE

CHAPTER ONE 1955 ~ Starting Out

CHAPTER TWO 1952-1955 ~ Three Steps Back to Gain Ground

CHAPTER THREE 1956 ~ Growing Pains

CHAPTER FOUR 1957 ~ The Wake-up Call

CHAPTER FIVE 1957 ~ A Hoodoo Mess

CHAPTER SIX 1958-1961 ~ Reaching for Freedom

CHAPTER SEVEN 1961 ~ Pushed by Desire

CHAPTER EIGHT 1962 ~ Stepping out in Faith

CHAPTER NINE 1963 ~ A Song of Hope

CHAPTER TEN 1963 ~ Hallelujah!

CHAPTER ELEVEN 1963 ~ Last Dance of Naïveté

About the Author

This book is dedicated to my mother and best friend, Dolly, who raised me to always know myself and believe in my abilities; and to my son, Justin, who has filled my soul with everlasting joy, so that I would always remember that facing and overcoming the struggles in this life is forever worthwhile.

Crashing into the Third Heaven

I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such a one caught up to the third heaven. And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing. Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

[2 Corinthians 12: 2-10]

BOOK ONE

A Thorn in the Flesh

CHAPTER ONE

1955 ~ Starting Out

M y mother, Joy O’Hara, was outside punching holes in the air with her first finger while pointing to the front of the bus and mouthing Now! My best friend, Lily McCarey, and I were crowding the sideways space of the long, continuous seat at the back of the bus, and we almost had our noses pressed against the window; we could see the moisture of our breaths on the inside glass. My mother’s message was not lost on either one of us as we obediently moved to the front seat.

It was the summer of 1955. My best friend and I had turned ten, and we were traveling alone by bus to Lamar, Colorado, for a seven-day visit with my aunt and uncle. Little did we know that what we learned on this trip would change and define our lives forever.

The minute we rolled into the Lamar bus station, I spotted Uncle Ed, which was not hard to do. He was a fairly tall man, thin but wiry. He was almost bald, but it looked good on him, because he had a nicely shaped head. He had a slow, easy way about him, but at the same time there was something about his manner that said, Don’t push me if you don’t need to, because I’ll push back! My uncle had served in the US navy during World War II, and perhaps that experience shaped his firm resilience.

I loved my uncle’s smile. It was genuine because it always connected with his eyes, and I was forever glad to see it.

Harry, the bus driver, stepped down off the bus and said to us, This is it; this is Lamar. Come on now, you two, let’s go. I haven’t got all day.

Pointing at the man walking toward us, I said, That’s my Uncle Ed. Harry took each of us firmly and protectively by the hand and walked us directly to my uncle.

Sir, can you identify these girls?

My uncle smiled. Surely I can, since I’m here to pick them up.

That’s really swell, Harry said, rushing his words without any emotion attached to them. But I need to see your driver’s license, and you’ll have to sign two baggage claim tickets. Harry glanced at Lily and me as someone might give a fleeting look at a long and painful splinter that had just been removed from a tender spot.

Once my uncle met his demands, Harry released our hands and walked away from us without another word.

Erin, what in the Sam Hill was that all about? my uncle asked immediately as he picked up our two small suitcases.

You know, Uncle Ed, I think it was because my mother gave Mr. Harry Sommers some ‘pay attention’ instructions about our traveling rules. I’m sure that’s it because as she talked with him, I could see that she was using her steely eyes.

Well, I’m glad that’s cleared up. I expected the FBI to show up at any moment to take me away to the hoosegow. He turned toward Lily and me and winked. As we walked toward his truck, I looked up and saw him grinning like a monkey,

We are driving straight to Jennie’s Place, which is the best diner in these United States, as far as your Aunt Hester and I are concerned, my uncle said as we traveled down the highway. Your aunt had to attend a school meeting tonight, so we thought you two might enjoy this treat. Lily and I elbowed each other to convey our delight.

The large dirt parking lot at Jennie’s Place was packed with cars, and I wondered if there would be anything left to eat. As we walked through the screen door and into the restaurant, a voice rang out and demanded our attention, like a church pipe organ joyfully announcing its presence.

Ed Scott, I were beginnin’ to think the vultures had picked yas all up and carried yas far and away from sheer lack of good cookin’!

A velvety smooth voice with deep, sweet intonation resounded with terrific gusto from somewhere in the back of the building. A wonderfully exotic-looking woman approached us, expertly weaving her way through busy aisles. She was wearing a purple head wrap that showed beautiful mahogany-colored hair between the twists of the cloth every other turn or so, and a midlength yellow dress with sunflowers all over it. Her face was framed by big, thick gold hoop earrings that sparkled and glinted in the patches of sun filtering through the windows. She was gorgeous, with light brown skin that glowed like my mother’s maple syrup when the sun shot through it. Her large eyes were dark brown, rich and warm, turned upward ever so slightly at the outside corners, almost at a slant. Her lips were plump and full with a tenuous smile that made you want to keep looking at her because you knew that at any moment she would burst into laughter.

Ya see, Mr. Ed, her melodious voice boomed throughout the busy diner, yas all been away so long from Jennie’s that yas produced two young chilluns none of us had an inklin’ about.

My uncle’s eyebrows raised in alarm, and he said in a hushed voice, Now, Jennie, don’t go starting tittle-tattle rumors all over these parts. Remarks like that fly like dandelion fluff in the breeze, clear past the border and halfway into Kansas!

Jennie threw back her head and laughed. Ed Scott, I delight in makin’ ya blush like a young’un, I certainly do!

Jennie Baldwin, I’d like you to meet my niece, Erin O’Hara, and her best friend, Lily McCarey. They live in Gateway and are visiting with Hester and me for a short while, my uncle said with a chuckle.

If yas all are related to Ed and Hester, then yas are friends of mine, and I dearly mean that, Jennie said as she folded both Lily and me into her warm arms.

Jennie smelled wonderful—like cinnamon, brown sugar, and vanilla all wrapped together. I inhaled deeply because I never wanted to forget her fragrance and the sense of ease I felt within her arms. I glanced at Lily and saw that her eyes were squeezed shut, and her mouth was curled into a soft smile.

We’ve got a heap of good food just sittin’ in the kitchen waitin’ for yas, Jennie told us. When I awoke this mornin’, sompin’ told me to bake sweet potato pecan pies, and now I know why! I knew sompin’ wonderful were comin’ my way today. I hope to the good Lord above that yas are as hungry as a mess of aphids poppin’ out on peony buds on the first warm day of spring.

She started to expertly part the sea of grown-ups and led us to a table. Yes, ma’am, I replied, I’m about right starved to death.

Erin is always beating on death’s door due to starvation, my uncle told Jennie.

Yes, sir, Jennie affirmed as she turned her head to glance at me, I can see she’s in mighty poor condition, all right.

Lily nudged me in my back with her finger as we walked toward a small booth. The smells coming from the kitchen were jam-packed with delicious promises, and my mouth began to water.

Within a few moments, a girl about my older sister Kylie’s age came to our table and said, Hey, Mr. Ed, it’s nice to see you. My mother said that you brought us some company. My uncle introduced us to Salvie, Jennie’s youngest daughter.

Salvie was a lovely girl. She had inherited her mother’s stunning eyes and lovely high cheekbones. She had coal-black hair that had been cut very short, which fell into little playful twirls like a delightful, devil-may-care cap. She was about my height, but her arms showed strong muscles rippling beneath the skin as she moved.

Right nice to know you, Erin and Lily, Salvie said. Here’s what we’re offering today. After taking a deep breath, she launched into the choices: We’ve barbecued pulled pork or beef on Mom’s homemade buns, extra sauce on the side, with or without slaw on the top or on the side. There’s fried chicken, cold or hot with slab fries or not, along with your choice of potato salad, pickled watermelon slices, butter beans, or black-eyed peas and, as always, our buttermilk biscuits. To drink, fresh lemonade, sweet tea, or crock water.

Erin, why don’t you go first, since you are so malnourished. My uncle grinned at me.

First of all, I said, looking at Salvie, I really need to know what you have for dessert.

Well, for the love of Pete! Uncle Ed blurted out. Erin, if you don’t beat all.

I’m sorry if that’s rude, but I see a lot of people eating and more coming in the door, and I don’t want to find out they sold the last piece one minute before I ordered it.

Salvie had already started laughing as I began explaining to my uncle why I wanted to know about dessert. Looks to me, Mr. Ed, we finally have a blue-ribbon eater here. She cut her eyes back to me. Let’s see, we’ve warm banana pudding with vanilla wafers, sweet and sour cherry cobbler, and toasted coconut cream pie.

What happened to the sweet potato pecan pies? I said after several agonizing moments.

Oh, you know about that, too, do you? I’m sorry, but since you did notice all these hungry folks flying in the door, I’m sure you’ll understand when I say it’s all gone.

I was greatly disappointed about the loss of that particular piece of pie. I will have a barbequed pork sandwich with the slaw on the top, black-eyed peas, pickled watermelon slices, sweet and sour cherry cobbler, and a glass of crock water, if you please, ma’am.

Lily, give it a go, Uncle Ed told my friend. If you have any questions, Salvie can sure answer them, because she’s been working here since she was younger than you and Erin.

Lily’s complexion pinked up, as it always did when people were focusing on her. She cleared her throat and asked, Miss Salvie, what is sweet tea and crock water?

Salvie looked at Lily like she was some oddity that a rancher brought in to view, floating in formaldehyde within a Ball jar, and, after what seemed like a full minute, said, Sweet tea is tea that has already been sweetened with sugar; my mother uses cane sugar. Crock water is well water held in stoneware crocks in the spring house, which keeps it sweet and icy cold.

Lily’s cheeks now held a crimson dot in each center. Thank you. I’ll have hot fried chicken, slab fries, and pickled watermelon, if you please, and banana pudding for dessert. May I also have lemonade?

Salvie nodded and said, And Mr. Ed, what’ll you be having today?

The usual, Salvie, if you’d be so kind.

What’s your usual, Uncle Ed? I asked.

Normally, during the warm months, I have cold fried chicken, potato salad, pickled watermelon slices, and coconut cream pie, with a glass of crock water. The only place I waver is with Jennie’s desserts. They tempt me so that I told Hester that one of these days, I’ll order two or more. That information should cement your resolve to always ask about desserts first, Erin.

The food arrived quickly, along with our desserts, and we ate like there was no tomorrow.

Miss Jennie handed my uncle a large brown paper bag with the top rolled over a few times. Give this to Hester, with my love, and tell her to get herself down here, won’t ya? I’ve surely missed bein’ able to dish with her.

I started to reach for the bag, and Jennie grabbed my wrist, ever so lightly, and said, Oh no, young’un, I’ve been hearin’ about your appetite. Ed, you guard these with yas life; it’s some lemon-blueberry and black walnut muffins that Hester loves and a little sompin’ for yas all, but especially for the girls.

We all thank you kindly, Jennie.

I knows yas do or I wouldn’t be doin’ it. It’s been a wonderful surprise to meet both of yas, Lily and Erin. Have a safe trip home, and thanks, Ed, for takin’ care of Salvie.

It was my pleasure, Jennie.

Lily and I responded, It was nice to meet you too, Miss Jennie. Uncle Ed beamed at us.

Lily and I were dozing off as we traveled to their home. Uncle Ed roused us out of the front seat and remarked that we would be lucky not to fall asleep while we were walking.

The two of you need to pop into bed. Hester may be getting home hours from now, as these dang contract meetings tend to run long, he said, as he set our suitcases down on the guest room’s floor. The bathroom is just to your right. I’ll see you tomorrow morning," he stated, as he pulled our door shut.

As I opened my eyes the next morning, I wasn’t certain where I was. I slowly walked my eyes around the unfamiliar room, and finally I saw Lily’s magnificent red hair splayed across the pillow in the twin bed next to me. I listened for sounds coming from the rest of the house, but everything seemed quiet. The brightness of the sun streaming through the notches in the window shutters let me know that it was time to get up. As I pulled my jeans and a shirt from my suitcase, Lily quietly rolled out of bed and walked into the bathroom. Soon we found Uncle Ed reading a newspaper at the kitchen table.

Morning, girls, he said cheerfully. I hope you slept well. You will be coming with me today, while I check some of the stations. Hester had to go back to the school, as they were unable to come to an agreement last evening. He got up and placed several boxes of cereal on the kitchen table, along with the bottle of milk. There are fresh mixed berries in the yellow bowl, and the sugar is in the little shaker jar. Please screw the lid on tightly and wipe up any spills; we have to be careful out here, as the ants are fierce hunters. Do you girls think you will be ready to leave in thirty minutes? I’m asking because it heats up fast on the prairies this time of year, he said, looking at us over the top of his reading glasses.

We left quickly. Aunt Hester had fixed a lunch bag for each of us, and we had garden buckets with tools in the back of the pickup. That morning we headed toward Las Animas, rumbling down back-country dirt roads big enough for only one vehicle, while the haze of dust that plumed upward and outward from the truck’s wheels turned the edges of the immediate countryside a soft lavender-blue color. After walking into the station, which was barely big enough for the three of us, Uncle Ed gave us a little compass and showed us how to tell our direction, then walked us outside to a parched sand gully not far from the building.

You know, my uncle said, if you were to dig into the dried-up creek bed at the bottom of the arroyo, you might find some fossils or arrowheads, as many years ago this land was inhabited by the Arapaho, the Cheyenne, and the Sioux Indians. Before I leave you out here, I want you both to look at my compass and tell me which way the station house is located.

I took it out of his hand, and Lily and I looked at it. Then Lily moved a few short steps to the left and said, It’s right over there, pointing with her finger, southwest.

Erin, do you agree with Lily’s answer?

Yep, I said, nodding my head in agreement.

Uncle Ed smiled at both of us, and said, Right you are! Erin, button that compass into your shirt pocket. As you start moving down this gully, putting considerable distance between you and the station, stack some rocks on top of each other on the right side of the gully only. That way you won’t become turned around geographically speaking, and also, by following your stacks, I’ll always be able to locate you quickly if needed. Please stay together at all times. Finally, listen for this sound. He folded his bottom lip under and stretched out his mouth, from which flew two short, piercing zings of a whistle. "When you hear that sound it means I want you to come back to the station. Remember now, coming back to the station, your rock stacks will be on the left."

As Lily and I initially took in the landscape spread out before us, I was amazed to view nothing but flat land stretched out as far as my eyes could see. After a few moments of adjusting to the vastness of the sun-parched ground, I began noticing other interesting inhabitants. Occasionally, sword-leafed yucca plants stood silently by as spine-backed horny toads and lizards ran nimbly over saw-tooth leaf edges to belligerently tongue-strike ants and other insects. At times, my eyes would catch a fast-moving jack rabbit, obviously living lean and spare in harmony with this land. The sky was breathtaking, as are most of Colorado’s skies. It spread out in a pale, robin’s egg blue at the horizon, and as my eyes traveled heavenward, it developed into a brilliant azure. This early in the morning, the lazy clouds had not yet graced us with their presence as we stopped to build a rock signal for Uncle Ed.

We climbed down into a long but shallow arroyo that showed signs of the blessing of some water, here and there, where we built another rock stack. From the sides of the fragile-looking walls earth-hugging plants and sagebrush grew tentatively. Lily and I walked down the gully until we reached an area that looked like it might have been a riverbed at some time in history. Pebbles and rocks dotted the crusted sand, all in monotones of bleached-out putty and brown twine-colored earth. We picked a spot and pulled the garden trowels out of our buckets and started digging; we talked about the possibilities of finding treasures. I hoped to find something that would make my father love me as much as my older sister Kylie. Nothing was out of the possible in our infinite imaginations. Lily was the first one to find a great fossil of a small fish. Its skeleton was perfectly intact, showing lovely fins and a tail. I was envious; it truly was a fine-looking specimen. I watched her tuck it into her jeans pocket.

Be sure that you push that deep into your pocket, because if you lose it, both of us are going to cry!

She flashed her sunny grin at me as she shoved the rock shard deeper into her jeans. Lily was just plain beautiful; that was all there was to it. Her father was Irish American, as was mine, but her mother’s bloodline came entirely from the French. It was an exotic and sweet brew, as Lily had dark, rich, red hair, fair skin that freckled but would not tan in the summertime (much to her dismay), beautiful large, warm brown eyes, and naturally Irish turned-up corners at her mouth. Lily was shy by nature, and I was one of the privileged few to see her cut loose with her emotions. My mother said she came straight from the angels in heaven. I had never once heard my mother say anything close to that about me; however, I was sure that there was good reason.

Hot and tired, we finally strayed over to the side of the riverbank, determined to find some cool shade and, of course, treasures to take back home. Sitting within the shade, the first thing we did was to drink some of the water in our thermoses, and then we ate our lunches. I had less to eat than Lily, as I had demolished my apple and orange and half of my water after we started walking down the sand gully.

I never knew water could taste so good, I declared while we stowed away our thermoses. Lily nodded her agreement to me while she grabbed one more gulp.

We turned to the left of where we had been sitting and started digging. I found a small pocket of seashells embedded in a dark, fossilized rock, which appeared somehow magical. We were in the plains area of southeast Colorado, completely landlocked. Yet here was proof that at one time the world was vastly different. After a while, we moved up against the side of the ravine to escape the sun. We discovered a small hole and, using our trowels, we started digging deeper into the hole, causing a widening gap around it.

We discovered snakes! A large snake darted its head at the garden spade as it popped out. I yelled, Run!

We ran smack into Uncle Ed, who made us both stop talking, so he could understand what had happened. Immediately he asked us to lead him to where we had been digging. We quietly led Uncle Ed back to the hole, with great trepidation. He bent down slowly and turned and faced the hole, at the same time directing his flashlight straight into the opening. Right now, look way in the back where the light ends, and tell me what you see.

I see a lot of broken bones, or something, and a mess of small snakes, I said, trying hard not to look too closely at the jumble of snakes all tangled up and wrapped around one another.

Those are fragments of egg shells you’re looking at, not broken bones; that’s a clutch of snake eggs that hatched a few days ago. Now we must try to shore this area back up, as best we can, without being bitten by the adult snake, which I can assure you both, is close by and not in a good mood right now.

Why can’t we just leave it alone? I asked, knowing full well that I did not want to stay there. I want to run to the truck and get the heck out of Dodge, I said anxiously.

Uncle Ed looked solemnly at both of us and said, This is their home and the mother has no way to fix the damage you did to her nest. It is our responsibility to do the best we can to repair it. Erin and Lily, you need to understand right now that all of us must learn to respect everyone and everything that lives with us and around us. He pulled out a pair of heavy work gloves tucked into his belt and, with one of the trowels, dug way down into the gully floor and then began solidly packing the slightly damp earth around the exposed opening. While he quietly worked on rebuilding the area, leaving a quarter-sized hole, he asked us to find rocks, weeds, and twigs. Once he was finished, he moved the tumbleweeds and sticks over the hole, securing them with several piles of small rocks and gravel. There, he said, I think that will take adequate care of all until they have time to grow a bit larger. The adult will be able to enter and leave easily. It doesn’t take long for snakes to reach an independent state of being. As soon as we leave, the mother will return.

We walked quietly back to the truck. I noticed that Uncle Ed dismantled our directional rock piles. Once we were inside the truck, he seemed to turn back into the Uncle Ed I knew and loved.

As he started the truck, he said, "Your Aunt Hester is going to skin me alive when we get home.

I’ll be gosh-darned, but the both of you are sunburned," he said, shaking his head in dismay.

No sir, Lily said soberly. As you will see tomorrow, I’ll be sporting a thousand more freckles, and Erin’s sunburn will have turned into a glorious golden tan.

As we edged out onto the highway, Uncle Ed asked if we had consumed the food and water that Hester had given us.

Yep! I sure did, because Aunt Hester didn’t give us some real food to eat. Why was that?

Erin, just what do you consider to be real food?

Well, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and some cookies would have been nice, along with the orange and an apple, I replied.

Child, you need to understand that your Aunt Hester struggled through extremely severe times when the true hardships of the Depression hit in 1929. Certainly both of you have heard about the Great Depression?

Yes, sir! we said in unison. You didn’t attend Catholic school and not know history, along with English, math, and geography.

Well, then, Uncle Ed continued, understand that she felt she was being generous to give each one of you an apple, an orange, and a piece of buttered bread, along with a thermos of cold water. After all, you had breakfast at the house this morning.

Lily piped up immediately, Erin ate both the apple and the orange in the first hour!

Uncle Ed laughed and said, I’ll just bet that’s right.

At this point Lily pushed her elbow into my side, as I delivered a quick pop to her left shoe. By the time we had driven to their home, my Aunt Hester was standing in the kitchen, arms crossed against her chest, waiting for us to come in the back door. I introduced Lily to my aunt. She put her arms around both of us and said, Lily, I am pleased to meet you, and I am happy that the two of you are going to be staying with us this week; just call me Aunt Hester.

It is nice to meet you, and thank you for inviting me, Lily replied, her peaches-and-cream complexion amplified by a blush that complemented her spectacular auburn hair.

Good-night, nurse! Erin, you’ve gained several inches in height since the last time I saw you, Aunt Hester said, eyeing me up one side and down the other like a farm animal is judged at a county fair. As always, she reviewed me