Matters of Gravity

Episode #17: Sunday Morning Coming Down

Sunday mornings were not something that had ever had any particular meaning for Roger. 'Sunday Morning Coming Down' sung by Chris Kristofferson was one of his favorite old songs portraying that emptiness. Waking now to the smell of frying bacon brought it on. He knew the lyrics specified 'chicken' but it had always seemed to Roger that it should have been 'bacon', so it was the smell of frying bacon that heralded the song for him. Lisa must have gotten up especially early to get things going for the dinner he had gotten her into. So he dressed hurriedly to get down to help.

"What can I do? Are there potatoes to peel?"

"Good morning." Lisa was cheerful. "Yes, please. I have put a few in the sink there. The peeler is in that second drawer."

"Did we get everything we needed at the grocery store last night or do you need me to pick up anything?" He was already peeling.

"I think we got everything. I'm really glad Julie agreed to come. We have needed to renew our friendship for a long time. I know she is a very nice person."

"Yeah. I think she is." He hesitated, but probably not as long as he should have. "I almost invited another guest for you."

"Oh, you should have. I want you to feel like this is your home to have guests as you like. Who was it?"

"Maria."

The noises Lisa was making with whatever it was she had been doing stopped. Roger peeled on, now regretting his propensity to say whatever was on his mind and having disobeyed Maria's explicit orders.

"Maria?"

"Yeah. Sorry. I shouldn't have said that. It wasn't even true. I would not have invited her. I just happened to meet her as I was leaving the farm."

"Did you invite her?"

"No! Definitely not. The thought never crossed my mind until my perverse sense of humor took over with your expression of happiness for Julie coming over. I don't know why I do that sort of thing. It's just awful." He turned to face Lisa's look of confusion. He walked over and placed his wrists on her shoulders since his hands were wet and held a potato in one hand and the peeler in the other.

"Oh Roger, it's fine. Your straight-forwardness is exactly what I need right now."

"Well, I'm sorry anyway; it was crude."

Lisa laughed. "Yes, it was, but it's fine Roger; you're helping me get well. So we better have breakfast. That bacon is getting crisp in the oven. I'll put the roast and potatoes in then and let them slow roast while I'm at church. How do you like your eggs?"

"Over hard. I hate runny eggs just like pops."  Then after a moment's reflection, "So you're going to church.  Do you usually go on Sundays?"

"Yes." She cracked a couple eggs in her hands dropping them into the pan now sizzling with bacon grease. "I usually do go. It's peaceful and I really like the people there. I don't think most of them believe in God like I do, but we all have the same morality I guess you would say. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." She smiled after her little homily. "Unitarians aren't pushy."

"Apparently not," Roger joshed back as he sat down to await his bacon and eggs.

Lisa finished buttering the toast and sat across from him. He noticed that she didn't say 'grace' or whatever people called it. He was just grateful that he had resisted commenting on that fact.

"I guess you'll have to jog by yourself today. I'm sure you'll have a better time without me holding you back."

"You're not even going to invite me to church?" He laughed.