The Coffee House
'Java, the Hut', was tucked away at the end of a small strip mall. Eric thought he must have been by it hundreds of times but he had never noticed it. It was dark inside but not unfriendly. Out of habit, Eric scanned the room to see if anyone he knew was there. There were only a handful of people. None looked familiar, and they didn't seem to notice Eric and Jaye.
Jaye insisted on buying his coffee. They sat at a small round table in a corner. Eric went into minister mode.
"So, Jaye, how did you wind up in Glenoak?"
"I move a lot. I find a nursing home that needs administrative help. That's not hard, by the way. Then I come in and make changes. When the home is running to my satisfaction, I get bored and look for the next challenge. It's kind of like management consulting, but if I were to come in as a consultant, the staff would know that I was only temporary. It's easier to make lasting changes as director."
"Isn't that hard on you – moving so often, I mean?" he asked.
"Nah. I like the change. I can't really imagine being in one place for very many years."
"Do you have family?" Eric asked cautiously.
Jaye smiled. "Well, I have parents, in Oklahoma City. And a couple of brothers in Denver and Dallas."
Eric sipped his coffee. Jaye continued to smile, almost seeming to be amused at his questions. He wasn't sure why.
"Okay. My turn," Jaye said. How long have you been at the Glenoak Community Church?"
Eric took a deep breath. "Twenty-one years." Now he smiled, "I can't imagine moving."
"Family?" Jaye asked.
"Wife and seven children." Eric laughed. That always got some kind of a reaction.
"What ages?"
"Twenty-two down to three. The three-year-olds are twins."
Jaye shook her head in amazement, "So, what do you do for fun?" she asked him.
The question took him completely off guard.
"Uh. Well," he thought for a moment. "I play a little pool, and I play the guitar. But between the church and my family, there's not much time."
Jaye asked him, "Are you stressed?"
Eric shifted uncomfortably in his seat. She was very direct. "What do you mean?" he asked her.
"It just sounds very stressful to me – taking care of an entire congregation and a large family. Who takes care of Eric?"
His breath left him. A tightness rose into his throat. For a moment he thought he might have been having another heart attack. He felt his face flush as he realized that her question almost made him cry. He frowned into his coffee cup, struggling to regain control of his emotions and of the conversation.
Jaye watched him intently. She waited for his answer.
Eric was okay if he didn't meet her eyes. He tried to laugh but it was weak. "It is hard sometimes, but I've got a great family and good friends."
He continued before Jaye could say anything. "I'm really glad you came to our church yesterday. We've got a lot going on in terms of fellowship and volunteer opportunities. Just let me know how I can help you find what interests you. Oh, and we've got a great singles group."
"Oh. Am I looking for a husband?" Jaye asked him.
Eric couldn't tell if he had offended her or if she was just tormenting him for fun. She wasn't laughing, but her eyes sparkled playfully.
"I'm sorry," he managed. "I just thought, since you were new in town, that a church singles group might be a good place to make friends."
Now she laughed. "Eric, you've got to lighten up a little. I don't know yet if I'll be a member of your church or even if I'll attend very often. It's not personal. Church just isn't something I do. But if you're worried about my social life, don't be. I've got friends – good friends – all around the country, and even in a few foreign countries. And I expect to make friends here in Glenoak. In fact, I thought since you and I are both in helping professions, we might be friends."
Eric had no idea how to respond. She wasn't coming on to him, was she? There was nothing really suggestive in her comments. But she didn't seem to be responding to him the way most people did. He was used to being a minister, even to people outside of his church. There was something about Jaye that cut through that role. She wasn't interested in his church or in his helping her. She just wanted to be friends. Equals.
"Of course we can. I'd like that very much," he said. In truth he was scared of this beautiful, intoxicating woman.
'Java, the Hut', was tucked away at the end of a small strip mall. Eric thought he must have been by it hundreds of times but he had never noticed it. It was dark inside but not unfriendly. Out of habit, Eric scanned the room to see if anyone he knew was there. There were only a handful of people. None looked familiar, and they didn't seem to notice Eric and Jaye.
Jaye insisted on buying his coffee. They sat at a small round table in a corner. Eric went into minister mode.
"So, Jaye, how did you wind up in Glenoak?"
"I move a lot. I find a nursing home that needs administrative help. That's not hard, by the way. Then I come in and make changes. When the home is running to my satisfaction, I get bored and look for the next challenge. It's kind of like management consulting, but if I were to come in as a consultant, the staff would know that I was only temporary. It's easier to make lasting changes as director."
"Isn't that hard on you – moving so often, I mean?" he asked.
"Nah. I like the change. I can't really imagine being in one place for very many years."
"Do you have family?" Eric asked cautiously.
Jaye smiled. "Well, I have parents, in Oklahoma City. And a couple of brothers in Denver and Dallas."
Eric sipped his coffee. Jaye continued to smile, almost seeming to be amused at his questions. He wasn't sure why.
"Okay. My turn," Jaye said. How long have you been at the Glenoak Community Church?"
Eric took a deep breath. "Twenty-one years." Now he smiled, "I can't imagine moving."
"Family?" Jaye asked.
"Wife and seven children." Eric laughed. That always got some kind of a reaction.
"What ages?"
"Twenty-two down to three. The three-year-olds are twins."
Jaye shook her head in amazement, "So, what do you do for fun?" she asked him.
The question took him completely off guard.
"Uh. Well," he thought for a moment. "I play a little pool, and I play the guitar. But between the church and my family, there's not much time."
Jaye asked him, "Are you stressed?"
Eric shifted uncomfortably in his seat. She was very direct. "What do you mean?" he asked her.
"It just sounds very stressful to me – taking care of an entire congregation and a large family. Who takes care of Eric?"
His breath left him. A tightness rose into his throat. For a moment he thought he might have been having another heart attack. He felt his face flush as he realized that her question almost made him cry. He frowned into his coffee cup, struggling to regain control of his emotions and of the conversation.
Jaye watched him intently. She waited for his answer.
Eric was okay if he didn't meet her eyes. He tried to laugh but it was weak. "It is hard sometimes, but I've got a great family and good friends."
He continued before Jaye could say anything. "I'm really glad you came to our church yesterday. We've got a lot going on in terms of fellowship and volunteer opportunities. Just let me know how I can help you find what interests you. Oh, and we've got a great singles group."
"Oh. Am I looking for a husband?" Jaye asked him.
Eric couldn't tell if he had offended her or if she was just tormenting him for fun. She wasn't laughing, but her eyes sparkled playfully.
"I'm sorry," he managed. "I just thought, since you were new in town, that a church singles group might be a good place to make friends."
Now she laughed. "Eric, you've got to lighten up a little. I don't know yet if I'll be a member of your church or even if I'll attend very often. It's not personal. Church just isn't something I do. But if you're worried about my social life, don't be. I've got friends – good friends – all around the country, and even in a few foreign countries. And I expect to make friends here in Glenoak. In fact, I thought since you and I are both in helping professions, we might be friends."
Eric had no idea how to respond. She wasn't coming on to him, was she? There was nothing really suggestive in her comments. But she didn't seem to be responding to him the way most people did. He was used to being a minister, even to people outside of his church. There was something about Jaye that cut through that role. She wasn't interested in his church or in his helping her. She just wanted to be friends. Equals.
"Of course we can. I'd like that very much," he said. In truth he was scared of this beautiful, intoxicating woman.