Love and Relationships

When Ben realized it was not good for a man to live to idle, he decided to become a truck driver. His wife helped him to secure a good financial advisor who assisted them with a federal loan.

                                   Chapter II: A Man is not made to be Idling

It had been a while since I talked to Padre. As my problem had been solved successfully, it seemed like I have disappeared. Padre had given me time to heal myself. And this morning, the occasion was well fit for him to catch up with me.

I appreciated his method to minister to the sheep of the Lord. Padre is one of those ministers of God who had really understood the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He knows that humans are encased in the physical body which makes life harsher for them. Spiritual things are difficult to understand for us living in the flesh. And we, as humans we always have an excuse card to play when we are at fault. We, most of the time, accuse God. We never blame ourselves for not listening to the ministers and pastors appointed to lead us and make existence much more comfortable. In fact, many people have abandoned the Gospel because the church has become something formal than practical.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a practical thing. This is the reason why Jesus boldly stated,

“I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

Christianity is life, not a religion. It is a story of a king, his kingdom and its colony.  And the practice of love is the core message. Failure to understand that has created havoc inside the church. The history of the church and the wrongdoing of the Roman Catholic church during the period of imperialism make people unwilling to follow the Gospel.

Meanwhile, the Scriptures are a practical manual for a happy and prosperous life on earth. For some of us who have received the Gospel late, like African people, we are aware of the errancy of the church than the true principle its must preach. We wallow in superstition spread by the Roman Catholic Church than the wisdom the scriptures are teaching. The Bible is teaching the principles and keys humans need to open the gates of the kingdom. Unfortunately, they run after tales and superstitions making of the words of God to no effect in their lives.

Actually, those superstitions are part of the cult held by the religion of the gentile in Rome before the arrival of the Gospel. And those superstitions are also parts of African people’s belief which is “Voodoo.” There is no wisdom in Voodoo. And there is no wisdom in those cults held by the Europeans before the church either. Apart from the Greeks who have had an advanced culture and knowledge especially philosophy, the rest of Europe was in darkness.

Thus, I was saying Padre had a different approach to minister to the sheep. After he let time healed the situation I had created in the past with my adultery, he grabbed the opportunity this morning to open the chapter concerning my life. Padre did not criticize me before, and this morning, he didn’t blame me either. He came with a solution to solve my problem definitively.

When I noticed that Padre was observing me since then, I felt ashamed by my attitude. I went straight to greet him. He directed me for a walk, and we moved out of the scene. And Padre said,

-It is not good for a man to be idling. Men are not women. They are built with high energy and designed for action. Your idling state is the cause of all your trouble, he said. And if you continued that way, much more problems would fall upon you. You committed adultery and impregnated someone’s wife because you were living to idle. A man needs a real job where he could spend much of his energy and come back home tired to sleep in the hands of his wife. You are living like a woman, but you are a man. A healthy man cannot be idling. He has to find something to do all day. His body is designed to be busy. A lot of energy is packed inside the muscle of a man so that he may use it. And when idling, that energy will cause him to err.

I listened carefully to what Padre was saying, and I made a firm resolution to change my situation once for all.

When my wife came back that night, I had a serious discussion with her about what Padre had said. She agreed that I might find something more consistent to do with a steady income. My speaking business was still in its infancy, and we did not get any money yet. We have set the next edition for the late Summer and early Fall of this year. Although Jeff and I were still working actively on that project, I have noticed that I am not busy enough. I could make a profit out of my time table.

And we started thinking about what I could do. Sika wanted me to join the fire brigade since I was certified Firefighter and an emergency technician, but I refused. I did not give her any reason, but I just ignored it. And I proposed her to create a bank and prosper in the financial field. She was shocked to hear me said I want to become a banker.

-How are you going to succeed in the banking business? She asked perplexed and astonished.

-I ‘m thinking to partner with Conrad, the husband of Carolina. I will convince him to open a school to train young students to become truckers. To enroll in that school, I will finance the students and will charge them an 18% interest on their loan.

- There is a federal loan which helps people to study and that loan has only 3.5% interest, she replied. Why do you want to charge people so much if the government can do it at a low cost for the students? Are you going to make money on people ignorance?

-Many bankers are doing the same things!

-Ben! She exclaimed. You are not other people. Why do you want to partake with the devil? Could you be happy making money out of people’s ignorance? You are scaring me! I don’t recognize my husband anymore.

-Honey! It is common things people are doing in America. And the government agree with that!

-Ben, you are not other people. Period. You can’t build your happiness out of people’s misfortune. Do the right things. And this is what I expect you to teach our kids. There are unscrupulous people out there who take advantage of American people’s ignorance and naivete. I want you to stand in the principle of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all. I can’t imagine myself married to a monster. Those bankers who are doing such things against American people are creatures of the devil who have a stone heart instead of flesh. And we are not those people. In a normal society, those bankers should be ostracized, and their business closed. We accept them nowadays among us because humans have succeeded to make of existence a tragedy. We praise evil and are offended by what we can tolerate.  Some of us are still living among humans because there is nowhere to go. We have nothing to do except to sit down and cry upon our miserable existence.

The Fathers have fought to secure the land where such things should be banned, but unfortunately, those conducts have become our usual way of living. And everybody accepts and condones evil. The next time you put yourself in such a business will be the last time you see the kids and me. And I will fight to keep you away from the kids.

Sika had made it crystal clear. And I realized there were no more arguments I could advance to justify my point. I kept silent. We were in the kitchen when the discussions broke up. I raised the red card, but Sika refused to follow me into the bedroom.

-I’m not going to make love with the devil, she said. I’m asking what kind of man hold my heart captive?

I stood at the sill between the living room and the kitchen. And I was staring at her.

-Don’t stare at me, please! 18% interest on school loan! Seriously! I’m not going to sleep in the same bed with you this night.

When I realized the seriousness of her arguments, I decided to walk away to calm the situation. I walked toward the gas station in the periphery of our neighborhood. The one I went when I met Carolina for the first time. I was meditating on the situation. I did not imagine Sika could go far with my business proposal. Those bankers who are doing it have the approval of their wives. Why my wife is so different! Sika has a different way to see existence. She has always believed and imagined a society where all humans could live in harmony with respect and dignity.

It is true 18% interest on a loan is inhumane since God has always despised usury, but that’s the way we are living in America. Everybody thinks it is normal so, why Sika has a different view. Does she know the Bible more than those pastors and ministers of God we have in America? Nobody has said anything concerning it. And nobody had ever thought it was wrong that’s why I wanted to do it.

I stayed thoughtful for the rest of the evening. I started thinking about how I could conquer her back. My lovely wife was seeing me like a devil. The first thing I did was to buy chocolate I saw in the store of the gas station. The chocolate had nothing special, but I know how my wife loves it. I was thinking to come back and hugged her and said, I’m sorry while presenting her the chocolate. Maybe that could work.

When I came back home, everybody was sleeping. Sika went to bed very early. I did not dare to go to the bedroom. I didn’t want to worsen the situation. And I slept on the couch. Early in the following morning, I got up and went to her while she was still sleeping. I was waiting that she woke up. And when she came out of her slumber, before she could open her eyes, I murmured into her ears,

-I want to become a truck driver.

She grinned a beautiful smile. I kissed her, and we made love. She departed to work, and I meditated all the day on my decision. I like to travel and becoming a truck driver will be very great for me. That job will be at the same time a hobby. I thought that Conrad would help me through that business since he had a lot of experience already.

When Sika came back in the evening, she was shining, full of vitality.

-I have a brilliant idea, she said. What do you think to partner with Conrad if both families buy one truck which two drivers will share? As trucks are made to run, it is a great idea that you alternate with him. When one was on the road, the other one stayed at home with his family for two weeks.

-That’s a fantastic idea, honey!

And I approached her and grabbed her by her waist, and we sketched a few steps of dancing.

-You are a genius! I said.

And I kissed her passionately. Sika is very smart. She has some qualities which make her an outstanding wife. Her ability to solve problems sometimes leaves me speechless. Her idea will give both of us more time at home while we still making enough money to pay off the truck. Two weeks at home and two weeks on the road seemed to be a perfect schedule any truck driver with a family could imagine. Both of us Conrad and I will still have enough time to work and at the same time be a dad present at home on multiple occasion. We decided then to bring the news to our neighbor.

Conrad received the news as a bonanza. He said he was planning to quit because he had not enough time to spend with his kid. Our idea was about to solve his problem. He was so thrilled to see how this partnership could help many truckers who have family and love their job and yet still don’t have enough time to spend with their kids.

-Your idea seems wonderful, said Conrad.

Carolina also welcomed the initiative and was very glad that his husband could be at least more present at home with his kid. Conrad said I need basic training for four weeks in a trucking academy and he would be able to do the rest. He said by another four to six weeks on the road together; I will be ready to go solo.

We were delighted that our idea meets the favorable attention of our neighbor. First, I was going to get a stable job and made a career out of it. Second, the partnership opportunity would allow me to spend enough time with my family. Third, I would have plenty of time to handle my speaking business.

The following morning, Sika accompanied me to Gasoline Driving Academy.  She wanted to make sure the school advisor signed me through a federal loan instead of a private bank. Most of the time those schools have some connection with private banks belonging to a cousin or a friend. And they used to take advantage of the ignorance and the naivete of the students to sign them with high interest.

That morning, we met the head of the school himself, and he reassured us that his school has no such relationship with bankers. The headmaster appeared to be a son of liberty,  a real American and a freedom fighter.

-We always help students through federal loans, he said. The problem of unscrupulous bankers is a severe plague which is destroying America; he continued. I think the government needs seriously to address that issue. Right now, our youth have all abandoned schooling because of the problem of high interest on a school loan.

-The country is now in agony, replied Sika. And I think the phenomenon has become an imperative and all parents have an important job to raise and send their kids to Congress to make a change.

-You are right Ma’am. You are absolutely right.

And the Director got up from his seat and opened a drawer on his left. He Mumbled some words we first thought were directed to us. My wife intervened.

-Do you say, Santander?

-No! Rectified the man. I said, “Sans attendre.” I was speaking French to my financial advisor through the window. He is a Frenchman.

-Okay. Sorry about that. I heard Santander.

-Far from it, replied the Director. Santander is a private bank.

And he laughed. His advisor showed up and invited us to follow him to another office. He helped us secure financial aid through the federal portal. After, he led us to a conference room where I was supposed to meet the program director of the school. Sika knew her job was over. She kissed me and departed to work.

I appreciated the help of this French guy greatly. He helped me like the same advisor I had had when I enrolled at the Fire Academy in Ohio. I was fortunate that Conrad had recommended us a good school. Some schools in America nowadays are led by headmasters who have drunk in the same cup with the devil. They would not hesitate one second to put a yoke forged with 18% interest upon your neck. 

Reviews

[Pearlene]

Well it's a story that moves along well enough. Intermediate kind of, my thought. Some words are in the wrong tense. At the beginning (3) '. . . to live IN idle . . .' (5) '. . . made to IN IDLE . . .' '. . . well fit (suited) . . .' '. . . to minister (administer? maybe, maybe not) . . .'

Reflects how a moral ethical woman can influence a man. Story of a man unconscious to his soul, his wife conscious & ethical.

It requires some work. Polish. Paragraphs formed, etc. Please note I am new here. I admire your ability & skill. It certainly has potential. I liked that the man was swayed positively by his good wife. And the celebration when the man revealed his positive revelation, now enthusiastic with a purpose, life requires this. And ethical consideration essential.