Happy Easter everyone. Just a little scene I thought of.
Stan Marsh fiddled with his tie in the back seat of his parent's car. Normally, Stan would drive himself, telling his parents he'd 'Meet them there,' wherever that there was.
This destination, however, is different.
Next to him sat his sister, Shelley. She was playing with the hem of her skirt, clearly not enjoying the car ride either.
This is a rare situation for the Marsh family, indeed. The last time the whole family sat in a car together was Grandpa Marsh's funeral. The environment in the car ride today oddly felt similar to the one that day.
Stan felt a cold chill run down his spine. He was not used to riding in a car with his parents. He was not used to wearing a tie. And he was definitely not used to going to church.
But this Sunday, this church day, was special.
It is Easter Sunday.
On a normal Easter Sunday, the Marsh's would sleep in until 11, then wake up and eat Easter pancakes. The two Marsh children would receive a bag of candy and Stan would finish his by the end of the night. He often wondered if Shelley finished hers in the same night, but knew if he were to ask there would be mayhem in the Marsh residence. It wasn't until Grandpa Marsh's death that Randy Marsh decided he wanted his family to partake in what he called "normal family things". This meant for Randy going to Church on Easter Sunday.
Stan couldn't remember the last time he went to church. He knew was that he was pretty young. All he remembered that there was crackers and juice passed out and old men and women up on stage singing songs, while his parents tried to sing along with them. He was bored to tears that time and a little confused by the small portions they were handing out. The whole time Stan just drew pictures on the offering envelope they were given when they walked in.
"Here we are kids!" Randy stopped the car, taking one of the few parking spots left in the church parking lot.
"South Park Church of God. Hoppy Easter." Stan read the church's reader board out loud.
"Hoppy Easter?" Shelley repeated, grimacing at the cheesy joke.
"This church is supposed to be really contemporary," Sharon Marsh told both her children, "Their preacher is pretty young and their worship team is supposed to be really good."
"You mean like last time at church, where people that were practically dying were on stage?" Stan muttered loud enough for only his mother, who was walking next to him, could hear.
"Can I just wait in the car?" Shelley asked.
"No, Shelley. I know church isn't exactly our thing, but just sit through this service for your father and we can all go home and eat pancakes and candy. Okay?" Sharon turned to Shelley, who nodded in agreement. Sharon is always the more understanding parent.
Sharon turned to her second child, "Stan, I've heard a lot of kids your age go to this church so just give it a chance. Maybe one of your friends will be here."
"Yeah, right." He could hardly imagine any of his friends walk into a church.
"Welcome! Happy Easter!" A man holding open the first set of double doors welcomed the Marsh's. He said this to each member as he shook their hands and handed them a church bulletin.
Stan quickly thanked him and made his way to the back of the church where coffee and donuts were offered. Stan picked up a donut and took a quick bite out of it, trying to swallow his nerves down with his donut. While in the back, Stan saw a familiar looking dark skinned boy walking up to him.
"Hey Stan, Happy Easter, Dude." Token Black shook Stan's free hand.
"Thanks Token, you too." Stan knew he couldn't quite call Token one of his friends, since they haven't really had an actual conversation with each other in years, but its better than being alone. "I didn't know you went to church." Stan took another bite out of his donut.
Token carefully picked up a napkin to pick up his donut choice. He used the napking to shield any loose crumbs from falling onto his nice dress shirt. Stan looked down to see his wrinkly dress shirt littered with crumbs.
"Yea, it's alright. It's Easter ya know? Always have to go to church on Easter." Token smiled.
"Yeah." Stan wondered if the Blacks always attended church, or if this was just a special occasion like his family. Token's family seemed like the type to attend regularly. Stan had seen Token at Kenny's party last night, but he was still probably one of the most well-behaved kids he knows. Besides Butters, maybe.
He thought about other boys in his class. Some of them would probably burst into flames if they took one step into a church.
"Come on Stan, your mother has our seats saved!" Randy took Stan by the arm and lead him into the front of the church where the chairs were set up.
"Catch ya after service, dude!" Token yelled to Stan who simply waved back. Is Token really willing to hang out with Stan?
Stan sat in a seat between his sister and a random adult. He could hear conversations all around him. The Marsh's sat in the middle of the row in the middle row of the right hand section of seats. The Marsh's really knew how to blend in. Stan looked around the room to find any more familiar faces. Before he could find any a kid that Stan slightly recognized walk to the center of the stage.
Before he knew it Stan saw three more kids walk up to the stage looking like the first kid. All kids had nice dress jeans, the ones you buys for triple digits and look like they were thrifted, and nice button up shirts. A girl walked up and although she wore a dress, they all wore silly smiles on their faces.
"Welcome! Let's praise our Lord!" The first kid talked into the mic as he picked up his guitar. The other kids followed suit, readying their own instruments. Stan scanned the stage and saw a drum set, sectioned off from the rest of the stage by a plastic half decagon. Stan wondered how the drum played could even get into the little area and if the drum player would wear a silly smile like the rest of the group.
Stan watched the two projection screens turn on and flash some song name that Stan hadn't heard of.
Once he heard the crash of the cymbals Stan's eyes darted back to get a good look at the drum player.
What he saw was a very familiar face. Well, it was a little difficult to see the actual face, due to the drum set and plastic quarantine. All that could really be seen was the boy's very distinct hat.
A Blue Chullo Hat.
Stan couldn't believe what he was seeing. Craig Tucker was a part of the worship team. Meaning Craig Tucker can play the drums. More importantly, Craig Tucker goes to church.
Craig Tucker was by no means a friend either to Stan. More like friendly acquaintances, which has come a long way from being angry rivals. Stan pegged Craig as one of the boys that would burn before he even pulled in the church parking lot. Didn't he just see him making a gravity bong at Kenny's last night?
Stan followed the herd. Clapped to the songs, stood for some, sat for others. Stan's eyes never left Craig. Stan silently thanked that he was one of hundreds to be staring at the stage so Craig would have no idea he was staring at him so intently.
Being Craig Tucker, his expression never changed. Stan thought he saw a middle finger or two rise with his drum sticks, but that was probably just because Stan was so used to seeing Craig's middle finger only, and not any of the rest of his fingers. Craig's head just bobbed to the beat. Stan was mesmerized, he couldn't take his eyes off Craig.
Stan couldn't help but wonder why Craig was there. He highly doubted it was to be surrounded by his Christian family and friends. He hated being around everyone, at least to Stan's knowledge.
Once the worship was over all the silly smiling kids left the stage, leaving their instruments on stage. Stan watched Craig disappear into the curtains again. It wasn't until the preacher, Preacher Mike, began his prayer for communion that Stan saw Craig slip out of the curtain and walk back towards the donuts and coffee. Stan knew he was being an interruption, but he had to follow his fellow raven haired boy to get some answers. He kept his eyes focused on the yellow ball on top of that blue hat.
Stan walked up to Craig looking through the left over donuts.
"Hey Marsh, here to stare at me some more?" Craig said, not bothering to look up from his donut search.
Stan looked around to make sure they were the only two in the back.
"Dude, I had no idea." Stan began, choosing to ignore the other boy's previous jab.
"That I play drums?" Craig guessed, looking up from the donut box, holding two donuts with one hand. Stan noted he held no napkin. He began thumbing through the types of tea they offered, filling a coffee cup with hot water.
"That you went to church." Stan couldn't help but grimace at how bad that sounded out loud.
Craig kept looking for the right kind of tea for his cup of hot water. It looked as if he didn't hear what Stan had said, either that or he chose to ignore it. Before Stan could say something the two boys heard laughter erupt from the front of the church.
"It's not because of Preacher Mike's sense of humor, that's for sure."
The two boys watched as the tv broadcasting the sermon taking place inside displayed the captions for the joke they just heard feedback from.
"So why are you here then?" Stan's curiosity was killing him, or maybe just killing any chances of a friendship he and Craig could have.
"To play drums." Craig deadpanned. Stan somehow couldn't take that answer as an honest answer. Craig always took a lot of time to think about answers, but this one came way too quick.
The two stopped their conversation as two women carrying large buckets filled with plastic Easter eggs passed them from the back hallway, making their way to the front double doors. Craig quickly beat them to the first set of doors and held open the door for them. Stan followed suit and opened the second set.
"Craig! Thank you so much! And who is this?" One of the women asked while passing Stan.
"That's Stan, Stan Marsh." Craig introduced.
"Well it's so nice to meet you, Stan. I hope to see you much more often!" Before Stan could say anything in return, the two women walked outside, setting down the buckets and picking up eggs, hiding them in obvious places.
The two walked back to their standing spot and saw that the service was about over. Preacher Mike was just about to close with prayer.
"Is that really why you come here?" Stan knew his time was running out and Craig would either punch him or just walk away. Either way his question would still go unanswered.
Stan took Craig's silence as a yes. "So why are you still here?" Stan pushed. "Why would you stay the whole service and not leave after you play?"
"That would be pretty shitty of me, Marsh, and sometimes I play after the service to close it."
"Do you need to play today?"
"No."
"Then why are you still here."
Stan again waited for an answer. Craig was doing his ignoring, not hearing act again and watched as the people were being released from service.
Stan pushed again, he wasn't getting the middle finger as dismissal, so he thought he'd push his luck, "Craig."
Craig still watched the TV, waiting for the first of the families to walk out of the front.
"Craig!" Stan wanted to yell, but another voice beat him to it. Another higher pitched voice.
A little girl with two red braided pig tails hugged the sluggish boy. Seeing someone get so close to Craig made Stan hold his breath. He was afraid for the little girl. He was sure Craig would not hurt a little girl, right?
"Hey Ruby, how was your lesson?" Craig smiled down at the little girl.
Stan couldn't believe it. Craig Tucker was actually smiling. A genuine smile. Although Craig's smile still looked like a smirk, Stan could tell he was actually happy, which was a first for Stan to see. Her sparkling gray eyes were a dead give-a-way that she was Craig's little sister.
"Who are you." The little girl asked while poking Stan in the belly. Her voice sounded a lot like Craig's. Somewhat nasally, but Ruby's was much more soft.
"I'm Stan," he smiled down at Ruby, "What's your name?" Although he already heard her name, Stan knows little kids like to introduce themselves.
The little girl smiled, which turned out more like a smirk, a Craig Tucker smirk.
"I'm Ruby!" She smirked directly at Stan and hugged his legs.
"Nice to meet you, Ruby." Stan said as he slightly hugged her back. He was careful not to hug to tight, he still had a Tucker in his arms. Not to mention a bigger, scarier Tucker watching him hold another Tucker.
"Are you friends with Craig?" She asked as she grabbed Craig's fingers, hanging onto the middle fingers.
"Um, Y-yea, we're friends," Stan knew Ruby heard his voice jump. She looked up at her brother, confused.
Before things became awkward for the two boys Craig clarified, "School friends, Rube, like Molly." Ruby smilesmirked at Craig who smilesmirked at her back. Ruby changed her gaze to Stan, keeping her expression happy. Craig looked at Stan and immediately lost his smile. It was like he only saves his smilesmirks for his sister.
"Come on Ruby! We don't wanna miss the Easter Egg Hunt!" A small girl ran passed the three, towards the back hallway.
"Come on Craig!" Ruby yelled as she pulled Craig towards the back hallway for Easter Egg Hunt sign-ups, "We don't want to miss out on all the good eggs!"
Stan couldn't help but smile at the scene before him. Even though Stan had never seen a full on Craig smilesmirk, it was still contagious.
"Stan, are you gonna help me, too?" Ruby stopped, holding out her free hand to the other black haired boy.
Stan looked up at Craig for some kind of answer. Craig simply shrugged, giving Stan the blank stare he's always given him. Stan had finally gotten his answer. Ruby was Craig's reason for going to church. He could now go home and eat his Easter pancakes and finish off his bag of candy. There was no reason to stay any longer at this awkward place called church.
Stan and Craig's eyes met one more time as Stan was about to decline. Although the smilesmirk had vanished from his face, Stan could still see a smile dancing in Craig's eyes. He looked down at Ruby and saw the same smile.
"Yea, come on, let's go." Stan grabbed the tiny outstretched hand.
"Yay! Let's go Let's go!"
Stan smiled down at Ruby who was dragging himself and Craig towards the back hallway. Stan caught Craig's attention one more time and this time Craig smiled. No smirk, no smilesmirk, just a full on smile.
Stan suddenly found a big reason to stay at church.
I know that Ruby should be younger since she was young when they were in third grade and what not, but it wouldn't really fit right with this story.