Unconquered. Johnny Neil Smith
Suzanne had become. She wore a heavy dark red ankle-length coat with a black hand-woven scarf wrapped around her neck. Her jet black hair, glistening in the morning light, was pulled back on each side and fell loosely down her back. With her brown eyes and dark complexion, she looked every bit the Creole of her mother’s people.
“We’ll see folks here that we don’t see for the rest of the year. I guess one service a year takes care of their religious needs. Frankie’ll be there, won’t he?”
Easing away from him, Suzanne answered, “That’s an ugly thing to say about your friend and my brother. Since when have you been in charge of the judgment seat. You know some of those men will be casting votes come election time and you might need their support.”
John worked the horse down the road and when the animal balked at a deep washout, he took out his whip and with a sharp crack, sent the horse bolting forward, almost tipping the buggy over. Once through the eroded area, he replied, “I’m telling you the truth as I see it, and, that is, that some of those folks only come once a year and that’s a fact.”
Realizing that what John said was true, Suzanne said, “I guess you’re right, but I don’t think it’s fair for you to place Frankie with them.”
John glanced over at her. “I don’t see why not. All you have to do is ask the preacher. He knows who’s there at every meeting.”
“John, you know Frankie’s a busy man and with his investment in the railroad, he’s hardly ever home any more. And what about you? I don’t think you darken the doors too much either, do you?”
John didn’t answer. Thinking back, there was a time when he didn’t miss a service and even if he had wanted to, his parents gave him no choice. When he had been in the field all week from daylight to dark and the monthly service finally came around, it was a pleasure to clean up and spend the day worshiping and being with friends.
Thinking back, John could still see her as she awaited his arrival, always standing on the top step next to where the preacher was welcoming his congregation. As soon as he cleared the bend in the road, her hand would be up waving with that little white handkerchief she always carried. He could still feel the warmth of her body and the smell of her perfume as they sat together in his parents’ family pew.
When Becca looked at me, I felt like I was standing there defenseless. She looked straight into my heart. She knew me better than I knew myself, John thought.
Suzanne suddenly eased closer to him and once again placed her hand on his leg. Trying to change the subject, she exclaimed, “You sure are handsome when you dress in your Sunday best.”
John reached over and placed his hand on hers causing her to gasp. Even though she felt that he cared for her, he did not often show her the emotional love that she yearned for. They had kissed on several occasions and had become intimate once while swimming in the creek, but she wanted more.
John looked down at the suit he was wearing. What Suzanne didn’t know was that John had never owned a suit of clothes at all and the one that he was wearing belonged to his brother.
Suzanne slid her hand from John’s leg as they approached the church and straightened her coat as the buggy pulled into the churchyard. Throngs of people were making their way up the steps and into the hallway of the white frame building. Once inside, meeting friends on the way, they finally reached the aisle where John’s parents were sitting. To John’s surprise, Tim had settled himself on the family pew next to Sister and James. Tim glanced up at John. “Surprised to see an ole sinner like me here today?”
John shook his head in fun and winking at Suzanne whispered, “Not at all, Tim Johnson. Easter Sunday comes once a year. I just hope the preacher has a sermon that’ll get yore attention.”
Tim replied, “I’ll be just fine long as he lays off the subject of adultery.”
Pinching him as hard as she could, Sister mumbled, “Tim Johnson, you’d better watch your mouth or I might just pinch you so that you don’t have to worry ‘bout no adultery.”
After a service of familiar hymns and a sermon on the resurrection of Jesus, the preacher closed his talk a little earlier than usual and to the surprise of the congregation, instead of giving an invitation, stepped down from the pulpit. As if contemplating the right words to speak, he took his hand and stroked his long mustache and finally said, “I know it is Easter Sunday and the Lord knows I have told His story to the best of my ability, but I have something more I want to talk to you about.”
Surprised, people began to look around at each other wondering why he had ended his service in such an unusual way.
He continued, “I can see in your faces that you think I’ve probably lost my wits, but I’ve got something on my mind that I think the Lord won’t mind me sharing with you. You all know what a perilous time we’ve all been through and every once in a while we get a glimpse of sunlight, better still, a magnificent rainbow after a storm.”
He paused a moment and looked over to where John was sitting. “The other day when I was in Decatur, I heard that one of our own might be interested in throwing his hat into the political ring, might be running for the legislature. How ‘bout it John? Anything to it?”
The congregation instantly applauded and one of the men in the back shouted out, “Let’s hear from him, preacher.”
The preacher motioned for John to come to the pulpit and after a nudge from his mother, John eased from his seat and made his way down the aisle to the platform.
Standing with his hands resting on each side of the pulpit, John thought for a moment and then began, “I’m not sure that this is the place to talk about politics, and I hope the Lord forgives me for using His time, but to get to the point, I have decided to run for office. As the preacher said, we are living in hard times and we all feel the oppression of a heavy yoke cast on our neck by a government bent on punishing us beyond what the constitution dictates. The war has ended, the issue of slavery has been settled, and it’s time for this great country of ours to heal its wounds and return to the democracy that our forefathers had in mind when they sat there in Philadelphia. I believe there will be a time when the troops will be pulled out of the South and we once again will return to self-government. I see a time in Mississippi when we will once more prosper and will regain the status we held prior to the terrible conflict.”
John paused for a moment and looked out into the congregation and the faces of friends and neighbors that he had known all of his life. He then humbly lowered his head and said, “I’m willing to do all I can to help you and all the people in Mississippi regain the freedom that has been ripped from our hands. I think you all know me and what I stand for, and as the Lord is my witness, I’ll do my best.”
For a moment the church was completely quiet and then, one by one, people began to stand in approval. Without hesitating, they came forward to clasp his hand and pressing around him, declared their support.
As John’s parents saw the people crowd around him, a feeling of pride filled them and they felt that perhaps this was a sign from God as to what He intended to do with their son’s life.
As the people finally dispersed to prepare for a lunch that would be spread outside, Suzanne eased down to where John was standing talking with Tim and held out her arms to him. Holding him tightly, she gave him a soft kiss on the cheek and said, “I’m so proud of you, John. You’ll be in Jackson come this time next year.”
Overcome by the reaction of the people and feeling a sense of warmth toward Suzanne that was unexplainable, he pulled her closer to him and whispered, “You know young lady, I might even carry you with me.”
7
HAUNTING DREAMS
The ground beneath him shook violently and john reached out to steady himself against the man next to him. The roar of cannon fire and the hiss of deadly missiles made speaking impossible. John struggled to get the attention of a nearby soldier but no words would form