Chapter 9 - Religious Rebuttal

Jack yanked Perez's shoulder, making him step away from the table. They were of equal height. "Do you really think you can just come into my house like you own it?"

"Yeah. I do. Because you don't know what the fuck you're doing with yourself." He had a heavy Mexican accent.

Jack didn't reply out of being dumbstruck, as most people usually would be by such a statement, he was just curious about where Perez was coming from. "And you do?" Jack asked.

Perez smiled, but it wasn't a friendly one. Jack could tell he didn't like him. Which seemed strange because Perez didn't look like the kind of guy to jump to conclusions. He looked calculated and strategic, taking in everything in one sweeping glance. He was extremely controlled, being able to hold very still as he studied Jack in return, his lips barely moving when he said, "You shouldn't have talked to Bernice like that."

Jack burst out laughing. He expected to stop right away, but he realized it was too funny. This was the reason this idiot was so angry. Jack doubled up slightly, hooting with laughter. He was amazed that Perez stayed his hand because he did look ready to hit him. Jack was tearing up, and he draped his arm over the kitchen counter and suppressed his laughter. He could feel his face getting hot from the effort. He finally took a deep breath and looked at Perez. He looked highly insulted, his hands balled into fists. "Is she your...your girlfriend?" Jack burst out laughing again.

Perez couldn't take it anymore. This much was apparent when he shoved Jack against the wall next to the front door. "Ow," Jack said between laughs. But he got it under control. He wiped his eyes and focused on Perez's furious face. "What's so special about Bernice?"

"She saved my life," Perez said after a long time.

Jack raised his eyebrows as Perez let him go. "How did she do that? She couldn't even stand it when I just talked to her."

"I don't know. At the time she was like my mom."

"She took you into her house?"

Perez shook his head. "No, I mean, she reminded me of my mom."

"Oh."

Perez returned to clearing the table. He walked around to the kitchen looking for a garbage bin. He scraped the food off into it and slid the dishes into the sink. He said nothing for several minutes as he slowly cleaned off the table. But Jack knew he wanted to speak. He waited for the life story part.

"My mom was killed when I was ten."

There it is... Jack thought smugly to himself.

"I did something wrong. And they killed her to punish me."

Jack didn't reply. He knew he didn't have any sympathy whatsoever. Shouldn't have done something wrong, he thought.

"When I was your age, I was arrested. They sent me to juvee. I was there for three months, and then I met Bernice."

Jack sighed and pulled out his father's chair, seating himself. He slouched into the back of the chair, basically waiting for Perez to finish his ranting. Perez comfortably continued to clean up the table, and even got on his knees to scrub the dried food off the floor. He picked up the pieces of the broken plate and dumped them in the garbage. "You know, if God didn't send Bernice I don't know where I would be today."

"God? Who's He?" Jack asked sarcastically.

Perez missed the tone of voice, and answered his question like it had been a real one. "He's everything, man. You live and die by His word."

"Not me," Jack denied.

Perez laughed. "Everyone."

"Well, I make my own decisions."

"It doesn't matter. He made the rules."

"So what? I don't have to follow those rules."

"Yeah, that's how the devil thinks, and wants us to think."

Jack waved his hand dismissively. "You know, I really couldn't care less about all this stuff."

"That's unfortunate." Perez had finished cleaning the floor, and he stood up. "You know, one day you'll die, and you'll have to answer to Him."

"I'll worry about that day when it happens."

"Well, it's too late then."

"Listen, God doesn't care about me, He doesn't care about anyone. He makes this fucking world, and wants us to jump through some hoops for His own reasons and if we don't, we die."

Perez shook his head, amazingly patient. "You got it all wrong, Ese."

"Well, whatever. I told you, I don't care. Think of me as an atheist."

"Doesn't matter if you don't believe."

"Fine. Think of me as a hedonist."

"Still doesn't matter." Perez went into the kitchen and grabbed some papertowels. He wet them in the sink and wiped down the table. He tossed the dirty towels in the garbage and sat down on Jack's chair. He leaned forward. "Listen. Anything corrupt in this world is not from God. He doesn't corrupt. He's life. He's love. He's everything good." He took the small crucifix and showed it to Jack, then kissed it once affectionately.

"Then what are you saying?"

"I'm saying, the devil corrupted things from the beginning. That's why there's anything bad happening. My mother getting killed, that's the devil. Your father hitting you, that's the devil."

"If the devil can get away with causing problems, then what difference does it make?"

"Who ever said he gets away with it?"

"He's getting away with it right now."

Perez shrugged. "God wins in the end."

"And until then we're just supposed to rot?"

"There is something eternal after this world that's much longer than a lifetime."

"Yeah, sure."

"Listen, God isn't controlled by time. He made time. He made everything. He even made the devil. And whatever the devil does, He has to allow it first for the devil to do it in the first place."

"So why does He allow all kinds of shit to happen?"

"To test us. If we just get everything handed to us all the time, like a good life, then we'd never learn to appreciate God for His blessings."

"We have to play His sick game," Jack muttered.

"No. We're playing the devil's game. And if we don't follow God we lose."

Jack just stared at Perez, and Perez stared back. His eyes were shining with eagerness to continue the discussion. Jack just shook his head. "Someone always loses."

Perez tapped the table with his knuckles. "Listen, it doesn't have to be you."

Perez ended the conversation abruptly, and changed topics. They talked about Jack's father's bail hearing on Tuesday. Jack tried to avoid getting into the responsibility of going, but Perez didn't quit insisting. Jack finally said yes to get him to shut-up. Man, he was annoying.

Perez excused himself and went out to his car. He returned with a business card and a notepad. He wrote a note for Jack to take to school with him the day after the bail hearing to avoid getting an un-excused absence. After he handed it to Jack, he said, "Don't fuckin' throw it away either. I'll know about it if you do."

Jack grudgingly put it in his pocket.

"I'll come pick you up at ten. The hearing is at ten-thirty."

"Fine," Jack said.

"Will you be all right by yourself?"

He was getting so sick of hearing that. "If anyone asks me that one more time I'll fucking slit their throat."

Perez laughed heartily. "Well you won't hear it from me then."

"I wasn't joking."

Perez laughed again. "You're funny." Perez waved goodbye and left.

Jack shook his head. "I really wasn't joking," he said to himself.