When Man Judges For God

Rae North

It had been a four months since the fire. Rae North had the damage fixed, but hadn't quite managed to get the smoke smell out of the building. Some of the damage was from the smoke, although one wall of the old brick and wood warehouse had been damaged. Of course, Luke Mason had been generous enough to contribute to rebuilding the fire damaged warehouse. Strangely enough the water used to put out the fire had done more damage than the fire itself.

Rae North had not been the target of the fire, despite the fact that she was considered a immoral actress, play writer, and producer. That was why Rae North had converted the old warehouse into a theater in the first place. Ironically it was two of her patrons that the fire was meant to kill. Luke Mason and Ellen Cross. It was Ellen who insisted that Luke pay for the damages, since his ex-partner had set it on fire in an attempt to kill him. Nearly killing poor Ellen in the process.

Ellen was no saint, she saw good talent when she saw it, while Rae was in the process of rebuilding, Ellen had scooped up her Jazz band for one of her party boats. Not that Rae really objected, they were unemployed at the time. Ellen had hired them for more than their talent, she knew they would need the job. Now, they were so happy working for Ellen and Luke Mason that they didn't want to quit.

Rae still hadn't found a band to replace them. She preferred a Colored Jazz band rather than a white band in black face. Rae felt that black face was insulting and stupid. If you want a Colored band, get a Colored band, don't have white people put on black paint and pretend to be Colored. Rae had little tolerance for such nonsense.

Not having a band yet was a minor inconvenience. Most of Rae's actors had come back, that was a major relief. Finding good actors was always a problem. Rae preferred liberal actors who weren't prima donas. Not only that they had to work for little pay. This caused her to employ a number of misfits, banished, or actors who had some more undesirable place. Of course, Rae North was known to give second chances, third chances, and final chances. She had helped many actors get on their feet, get a second chance, and if you couldn't cut it with Rae it was usually your final chance.

Galvin Mennes was one of those actors who couldn't get a job anywhere else. Affectionately called 'Gal' by most of the others. Galvin was openly homosexual. This caused him to be banned by many theaters. He was also a notorious gossip, which was less acceptable in some circles than being homosexual. Gal couldn't help being a gossip though, any more than he could help being homosexual.

"All fixed?" Gal was standing up on the stage looking it up and down.

Rae was standing in the middle aisle between the church pews she used as seats for her makeshift theater. "Yes, Darling. All fixed. Thanks to Ellen convincing her Sugar Daddy to help pay for the repairs."

"How is Ellen?" Gal asked. "She seemed all balled up the last time I saw her."

"Just the jitters. It was her first time with a man." Rae was honest to a point. "Luke Mason is quite a man, I think it was a bit overwhelming for her."

"I remember my first time. After I was balled up tight too. Realizing who I was and what I was after that moment." Gal laughed a little. "Not the same though, I mean it's natural for her to be with a man, while with me it's different."

"Maybe not so different." Rae said. "She had never expected a man to desire her, might as well to actually have sex with one."

Gal seemed lost in thought for a moment. "Because of her health. I remember hearing that she has a bad heart or something."

"Part of it." Rae was keeping secret from Gal a very important fact. That Ellen had once been Allen Cross until puberty had caused her hormones to get crossed in some way and she developed as a female. "But, bad heart or not, Luke Mason has been good for her health and good to her."

"I hear Luke Mason is a bootlegger and associated with gangsters." Gal said. "Ellen could find herself in all sorts of trouble being with that kind of sugar daddy."

"Galvin. Listen carefully. Be careful what you say about Luke, because he is just that." Rae spoke slowly and quietly to make sure he had Gal's attention. "It might not just get you in trouble, but Ellen, me, and the rest of us will be angry if you repeat things like that."

Gal nodded his head. "I know people don't think I've got no sense, but I wouldn't say this to anyone else. I'm just thinking that there could be trouble, you know."

"Won't be none of your beeswax if it is, Darling." Rae said.

"Well, trouble is like a plague it passes from one person to another." Gal told her.

"Well, you know your onions after all, Darling." Rae laughed. "Don't worry, Luke and Ellen know how to handle trouble before it spreads."

"I'd trust you on that accept for the fire." Gal walked off stage.

Gal had a point. The fire was a result of Ellen being in the theater at the time. They had thought Luke Mason would be here too, but Ellen had arrived alone. All the same, afterwards Ellen had made sure that Luke had helped Rae rebuild and helped the band and actors find jobs. Not to mention the other staff of the theater who worked behind the scenes. Now, they were all filtering back to Rae's theater, except for the band. Rae still needed to find a good band.