Encounter 31
Allen stood under the tree, looking onto the park. The small child was on one of the swings, swinging lazily back and forth.
“He’s the one?”
“Yep, he’s the one,” came the reply.
“He’s not going to listen to me. He doesn’t know me. And I’m not going to offer him anything, like candy. That will just give him the idea that it’s safe to continue doing that.”
“You’ll figure it out. You’ve always figured it out.”
“Thanks a lot,” was Allen’s exasperated reply, “that makes me feel sooo much better.” He then started strolling into the park, approaching the boy sitting alone on the swing set in the twilight. When he got close to the area he decided to reach for the closest swing and to start swinging lazily himself.
The child never so much as looked to the side. It was as if nothing had changed in his surroundings. Allen had expected a glance. He wanted some sort of opening so that a discussion could take place. He thought for a second and devised a plan.
“Achoo!” Allen was pretty sure the fake sneeze was way too obvious. He didn’t want the child to think he was some sort of stalker or pedophile. But there was still no reaction from the child. Allen looked back toward the tree. He mouthed out though he new he didn’t need to, “Is he deaf?” He saw the figure shake his head back and forth slowly. Allen thought to himself, “no, he’s just stubborn.” He glanced towards the tree again only to get a stern look, and he guiltily mouthed “sorry”.
“Not much of a swinger are you?” Allen could swear the question came out of his mouth as he was about to ask it, only to realize that he was being addressed by the boy in the adjacent swing.
“Uh, no, not really. It’s been years since I sat on one of these. What’s your excuse?”
The boy eyed him for the first time. “Just don’t feel like swinging. You’ve never come here with your boy?”
“No, I don’t live to close to here, actually. I usually take him to another park. Why’d you figure I had a boy?”
“Lucky guess. You just look fatherly. Yet you haven’t been on one of these in a while, huh?
“Nope. I’m the pusher. It’s kind of silly, I guess, that I haven’t climbed aboard all this time. So where’s your pusher?”
“I don’t need a push. I swing fine on my own.”
“Of course you do, but it’s nice to be pushed isn’t it?”
“I don’t need a push,” came the reply and the boy looked away again.
Allen got up and walked behind the boy. “Would you like a push?”
“Didn’t you hear me. I said I don’t need a push.”
“I know what you said, but just because you don’t need one, it doesn’t mean you wouldn’t want one, does it.”
“I guess a push would be nice,” the boy said after a pause.
Allen started pushing, and he noticed that the boy began to relax. He was getting ready to ask the boy’s name, but decided to ask something else first, something he already asked.
“So where’s your pusher? Working?”
“No, he’s at church. He goes there three times a week. He’d rather be there than with me.”
“Oh, I see,” replied Allen getting an answer he just did not expect. He looked back over at the tree and noticed for the first time it’s large trunk and the two large branches that reached out from it’s center to form a big T. And in front resting against the tree he saw the man he came with with his arms reaching out grabbing the two branches.
He looked back to the boy. “You know he loves you.”
“You don’t know my father.”
“No, I don’t know your father, but i do know your “Father”, the one your dad is visiting. And He loves you very much.”
The boy jumped off the swing and looked at Allen, then he suddenly yelled at him, “Then why is he taking my father from me?”
Allen stopped and chose His words carefully. “I think your dad got comfortable on his swing and just sitiing there. He goes to church to see if someone there will give him a push, though he doesn’t need it. Maybe you should go find him and give him the push yourself. Tell him His Father sent you. Maybe then your dad’ll realize he’s been looking for Him in the wrong place.”
“So your saying I should tell him to stop going to church.”
“NO, NO, heaven’s no. Your going to get me in trouble, here,” Allen said as he peered towards the tree. He could swear he heard a snicker coming from that area. “No, you should just let him know that you were sent by God for him and that you’ll be there if he ever needs a push. And maybe from time to time you can go with your dad to church, so you can see why he is going. Reach out to him and he’ll reach out to you. Then maybe the two of you can take turns on your swings.”
“You speak funny mister,” the boy said. Then he just started to walk away.
“Hey how about giving me a push before you go?”
“Sorry, mister someone is already waiting for me for a push. Go ask your son for a push, I’m sure he’d like that.”
The boy walked away. Allen stayed watching and then noticed he was being approached.
“Would you like a push, Allen?”
“I’d love one.”