THE TWO-BY-TWO SUNDAY
A deathly silence fills the room, naught but the pages turn,
As one by one they file in, their faces long and stern.
Mabel always takes the couch, she says the chairs to hard.
We think she plops down over there to stare into the yard.
When David comes, his pants like floods, he sits down on the chair;
The hem goes half way up his leg, you just can't help but stare.
And Mary always has to stop to go the bathroom first;
Doris roots for half an hour sorting through her purse.
The Oztuks come with all the kids; from teen to tiny baby.
With two seats extra in the room, could mean the workers maybe.
Sure enough, it's Dan and Ted, they're staying here I guess,
Since Donna's husband passed away, their homes are now one less.
"Does someone have a hymn to start," says Dan in that deep voice.
Of course Eileen will yell one out, give no one else a choice.
"Oh for a closer walk," she'll choose, we know the words by heart,
Then Dan, who's not the singing type, says, "someone else can start."
After singing, everyone will bow their heads in prayer.
When no one's looking Ruthie's way, she starts to comb her hair.
They all have prayed but Ralphie now, he must have fell asleep.
His wife gives him the elbow and he almost takes a leap.
Just as we start to sing again, this time it's Laura's choice,
The back door hinges start to creak; she always late, that Joyce.
We sing the hymn that Laura chose, then much to our surprise,
Our chronic late "friend" starts to pray, we can't believe our eyes.
David, trying to be a help, tells her we're all done praying.
Joyce stops short and stares at him, she can't hear what he's saying.
It's testimony time of course, we each must have a part,
Though some speak only from the mouth, we hear too, from the heart.
Now Doris pulls a funny one, we nearly laugh out loud;
The workers' looks across the room don't make us feel to proud.
Now all have spoke, the workers too, we share the bread and wine.
Of course those can not have a part who cast pearls before the swine.
We sing another hymn and then the meeting is complete,
We sit around and talk about the crop and all that heat.
Mabel gets invited to the Oztuks house for lunch;
They get together often and gossip while they munch.
We just go home alone today for sandwiches and soup,
Then write letters to the workers, way off in Guadeloupe.
Fifty two times in the year, every Sunday morn,
The Two by two's meet in the home, the worldly church they scorn.
So this concludes the weekly scene of Sunday meeting here,
Week after week, month after month, now in it's hundredth year.
By Scott
December 24, 1997
