At lunch the next day I was one of the first out to the Smoking Yard. It had been a great morning. Aaron didn't go to church but waited around for me to get up. We smoked on the way to school and Aaron had three cigarettes! What a dummy! I couldn't believe it.
I was glad that Pepper Conklin was one of the first at the Smoking Yard. I needed some time to prep him if this thing was going to work. I walked over to him as he was saying goodbye to Janice Bigelow. He gave her a big wet one, probably for my benefit, then slapped her on the ass, telling her he'd see her later. Then he winked at me, like he wanted to make sure I got the point.
"Hey, man, we're you thinkin' about what I said yesterday?" The slimy smile came back on his face.
"Actually, man," I said, "I really don't need any bread right now, but I wanna introduce you to my brother, Aaron. I think he could probably use some dough soon."
"Is he cool, man?"
"Well, that's the problem, Pepper. He's always been very shy - I mean, not in school stuff but in personal stuff, ya know what I mean?"
Pepper looked clueless.
"You see, " I said, "he's always admired you from a distance because of what you stand for, ya know. He's always said to me, "You know, I wish I could be like that Pepper Conklin. He's such a big guy at school and seems to know where its at." But, of course, he's really been too shy to talk to you or anything."
"Do I know him?"
"Oh sure, you must have seen him around school. He was on the swim team and he had a big part in the school play. In fact he had to cut his hair for his part."
"I don't go to no plays and ain't nobody gonna touch my hair."
"Well, look, when he comes around, I'll introduce you and you can see what you think. Maybe it'll work out. What kind of thing have you got in mind?"
"I don't want to talk about it unless you want in on it."
"I better beg off, but thanks," I said.
I walked to the other corner of the yard and waited for Aaron but he never showed up. Then I went to my next two classes because I thought I'd be pushing my luck to skip again. After school, I looked for Aaron but when I didn't see him I went on home.
Aaron was lying on the living room sofa when I got home and he didn't look too well.
"What's the matter," I said.
"I had to leave school at lunch. I was feeling sick to my stomach. I think it's the cigarettes. I think I'm smoking too much."
"That's too bad," I said. Are you feeling any better?
"Yeah, I guess so... no, not really," he said.
"The Lord be with you," I said, starting up the stairs. I looked back, not knowing what to expect, but Aaron's eyes were closed and he looked very much asleep. I slowly came down the steps and walked toward him.
"Can you hear me, Aaron?"
"Yes."
"And who is speaking to you."
"God."
"That's right." I sat on the floor next to him. "Are you having a problem now, Aaron?"
"Yes. I don't feel so good. I don't think I want to smoke. It's making me sick."
"But you don't have any choice, do you, Aaron? In fact you want a cigarette right now, don't you."
He thought about it. "Yes, but..."
"You don't believe it is the cigarettes making you sick, do you? No, you love to smoke. It is one of your favourite things to do. That couldn't ever make you sick, could it?"
"No."
"What's making you sick, Aaron?"
"I.. I don't know."
"Are you worried that you can't afford to smoke a pack a day like you want to?"
"I still have some money left."
"But, Aaron, it will run out very soon, won't it.
"Yes."
"Then what are you going to do?"
"I don't know."
"And what will happen if you don't smoke a pack a day?"
"You'll make me get dumber and I won't do well at school."
"Have you smoked a pack today, Aaron?"
"No. Only about five."
"God will have to punish you, Aaron. You can feel yourself starting to forget stuff you know, can't you?"
"I want a cigarette."
"Good. Of course you do. You've got fifteen more cigarettes to smoke, Aaron. Now you know what it is to need a cigarette. Think of how much better you understand people. You are on your way to becoming my special person. What do you want?"
"A cigarette."
"And will you ever want to stop smoking again."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I love it."
"That's right. And how are you going to afford a pack a day?"
"I... I don't know."
"I am going to help you again, Aaron. Your God is going to send someone to you who will help you. His name is Pepper Conklin. He is going to be someone very important to you."
"Important."
"You will meet him soon and he will help you solve your problems. He is a special messenger of mine, and although some people may talk him down or make fun of him, you will like him immediately and want to be like him because I have sent him."
"I thought you wanted me to help him?" Aaron asked, obviously thinking about what I had told him last night.
"Oh, you will. You will help each other."
There was no comment so that seemed to satisfy him.
"Do you know who Pepper Conklin is?" I suddenly realized that they might have had classes together or something, even though Pepper didn't seem to know him.
"I think I have seen him... with Janice Bigelow."
"That's right. Do you remember what he looks like?"
"About my size, long blonde hair, leather jacket..."
"You really envy his long hair, don't you?"
"No. I don't like..."
I placed my hand on his forehead and pushed very hard. "You have always wanted long hair, Aaron. You are looking at yourself in a mirror right now. You are watching yourself. And suddenly you can see your hair growing. You can feel your hair growing -like time is going very fast. You see your hair getting longer and longer. And as it gets longer and longer you can feel beautiful girls around you, girls like Janice Bigelow, more and more girls as your hair gets longer and longer - and they are running their hands through your hair and acting as though you were a rock star. Your hair is very long now. Can you feel it?"
"Yes."
"Shake your head and feel your hair move. You love the way it feels. It's just like Pepper's hair."
"Just like Pepper's."
"You'd do anything to have hair like that. But now the mirror is changing. Your hair is getting shorter and shorter and the girls are disappearing. They hate your short hair. You hate your short hair. You're feeling very sad now."
"Yes."
" I am going to give you another present, Aaron. Would you like your hair to be long?"
"Yes."
"Each day you will let your hair grow longer and longer, and =as your hair gets longer and longer you will get the strength of Samson. Just like my friend Samson in the Bible, you will start becoming very strong. But... just like Samson, you must never cut your hair off or you will lose your strength. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Now what are you going to do?"
"Let my hair grow long and get strong."
"Will this be easy to do? Will anyone try to stop you?"
"Yes. My father hates long hair."
"But who is more important to you? Who is going to make you important? Me or your father?"
"You are."
"And you hate anyone who stands in your way, don't you."
"...Yes."
"No-one can stand in the way of God, can they?"
"No."
"As your hair gets longer and longer and you get stronger and stronger, you will find a way to deal with your father. I will help you."
"Yes."
"Now, I will show you my power so that you will never doubt me. I place the hand of God on your stomach. Can you feel it?"
"Yes."
"Your upset stomach is now completely gone. In fact, you never had it. You don't even remember having had an upset stomach today, do you?"
"No."
"Why did you leave school, then?"
"I... uh... I don't know." He looked confused.
"You had no reason, did you? You just wanted to skip out. You don't need a reason, because I am with you."
"No."
"And you feel very good, right now because you've had a great rest all afternoon. Right?"
"Yes."
"Let's review a little then, before I go, just to make sure you got it all. Who am I going to send to help you?"
"Pepp... er."
"And how do you feel about Pepper?"
"I like him. He's going to be a good friend. He'll help me get cigarettes... and I really like his hair."
"And what are you going to do about your hair?"
"Grow it long, like Pepper's."
"And what if someone tries to cut your hair?"
"I won't let them. I want to be strong."
"And what do you want right now?
"Long hair."
"And what else?"
"Cigarette."
"And do you want me to help you stop smoking?"
"No... no. I love smoking."
"Yes, you do. In just a few minutes you'll wake up and feel really good. I want you to slowly count down from ten and when you get to one you will wake up just like you had a long sleep this afternoon. You won't remember talking to Chris - in fact, Chris hasn't come home yet. You haven't seen Chris since this morning, have you?"
"No."
"I will be talking to you again soon. Whenever you hear Chris's voice say "The Lord be with you." you will go to sleep and I will be able to talk to you. You are my special friend, aren't you?"
"Yes."
"Now start counting down to one."
"One..."