Driving Down the Price of Honey

Bet - I was thirteen. Just old enough to know, but not old enough to understand. There was a lake at the edge of town. The Baptists churches sometimes used it for baptisms. You know, AME’s we just sprinkle a little water on the head, but the good Reverend Daddy took me and Mama down to that lake. Mama was crying long before we got there. For the first time in my life, I saw my father’s shoulders drooping. My Daddy, the good Reverend, brings Mama into the water holding her hand. He turns and looks back at me standing alone on the bank. He’s weeping. The good Reverend looked at me with those drooping shoulders and tears running down his face. He says, “We have to re-dedicate this sinner to Christ. Bathe the sinner in the waters of forgiveness and wash clean the shame of adultery. Jesus said, [Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.]” He turns to me and tells me to sing. “I baptize you in the name of the Father.” The good Reverend Daddy dunks Mama into water on her back. (singing, as if reliving it) “Take me to the water. Take me to the water. Take me to the water to be baptized.” He holds her head under the water until she bucks and her head flies up and water sprays the air. I’m splashed with water as she gasps for air. “The Son!” He yells out and slams her face back into the water. (singing) “Nothing but the righteous. Nothing but the righteous. Nothing but the righteous shall see God.” She pushes her face back to the surface of the water. She’s wheezing now and tries to holler. She’s shaking her head from side to side. Daddy looks up the sky. His voice now weak with tears, “The Holy Spirit.” He dunks her into the water again. (singing) “I love Jesus. I love Jesus. I love Jesus, yes I do.” (long beat) Mama was in bed with a cold for almost a week. It was never the same in our house. Daddy never smiled again without trying. And Mama never hummed in the morning. He made an example of her. He made an example of God’s wrath.