Ought To & Can (A San Francisco Fable)

Part II: Can--Chapter 11

Leo Cannon was the one who suggested that, instead of working and going to college at the same time, Neil should work, save money, then go. There was only one problem for Neil: what was he supposed to do when he wasn't at work? He'd been gone from town for so long that he didn't feel like he even knew anyone. Most of his high school friends had moved away, most of his church friends were married, and he was never much of a socializer anyway. His old pastimes of listening to the radio and listening to music weren't really much fun anymore.

What he ended up doing was reading. Mainly history and church books. But he already knew a lot about history, and the church books were starting to feel like they were just rehashing the same old points over and over, which isn't a way to get inspired at all.

It was getting to the point that he was dreading going home from work. A few times he let his parents know that he'd be late getting home from work. After getting off his job, he'd go wander around San Francisco, walking or driving no place in particular. Almost no place in particular. When he'd go driving, he always seemed to end up at the Painted Ladies

"Bishop Wardlow's here to see you," Annie said, interrupting another reading session.

"The bishop is here to see me?" Neil didn't believe it.

"He asked for you." Annie looked around his bedroom a little bit. "Oh, hey, where did you get that?" She was pointing at the Painted Ladies snowglobe, which was now sitting atop his dresser.

"Old friend gave it to me a while back."

While Neil had been gone, one development in the Sonoma Ward was that Bishop Tipton was released from his calling. His replacement was David Wardlow, a newcomer who'd only come to town two years ago, after he left Utah to work at a biotech firm in Novato. He was the kind of man highly prized in Mormon leadership circles: handsome in a fatherly way (and physically fit. He'd been a college swimmer), spic-and-span, looking like he was born in a business suit, with a demeanor that could turn from friendly to serious and firm quickly. He knew Stephen R. Covey's books better than Covey probably did, both the 7 Habits life-management ones and the Divine Center religious works.

"How are you, Neil?" asked Bishop Wardlow, sitting on the couch, but on the very edge of the seat.

"Fine, got home from work about an hour ago."

"Where do you work?"

"A mall in San Francisco."

"Quite a drive."

"I like it though."

Wardlow signaled his switch to casual mode by putting his arm on the armrest. "I'd really like to get to know you better, Neil. You haven't been back home very long. I feel like you're someone who could do great things in this church. Like a sleeping giant."

"Well, there's been a fair amount of turnover in the ward. I don't know as many people as I used to. If I seem anti-social, that's why."

"There are lots of activities I think you could help us out with. Next Saturday we're having a youth dance, and you could be a chaperone, or help out with the decorations, or help out with the music. I understand you used to work in radio. You're not working that night, are you?"

"No, no."

Neil didn't really a have good reason to say "no." He continued, "Maybe not as a chaperone," both since he was maybe too young, but also because of his past record of violating curfew to meet with girls (well, a girl) would make him a hypocrite. "But I can help out with the other things. What time?"