'Tamar
said unto her step-brother Amnon, I pray thee, speak unto King David,
our father, for he will not withhold me from marrying thee.' King
James Bible.
Ruth
and Emilia were sisters. In facial features they were, inexplicably,
identical although they were not and could not be identical twins.
They had been born on the same date, two years apart.
Again
mysteriously inexplicably, they were alike in so many respects.
Each
had five adult children. Each was a widow.
They
were living comfortably off, especially because their late husbands
had bequeathed to them more than adequate resources.
They
lived in the same City, and visited each other a few times a month,
more out of family tradition than family loyalty.
This
story is about the first crisis in their lives since the day they
celebrated the last of the ten children leaving home to begin their
adult life, away from home.
The
sisters were seated at the kitchen table in Emilia's home. The crisis
was in Ruth's family.
Ruth's
eldest daughter, Enid, had graduated from Teacher-training College.
She was unmarried, and had always made it clear that she intended to
never get married. Of the six daughters in the two families, Enid was
the only one who was not married.
When
Enid graduated, her Mom, Ruth, was exceedingly happy and proud. Enid
had applied to a Primary School in the City for employment as a
Teacher. Her application was accepted. A date had been set for an
interview with the School Board. She had received a few pages of
conditions which she was required to accept before she attended the
interview.
One
of the conditions was impossible for her to accept.
All
teachers at that school had to be married. Enid began a search for
another school. She told her Mom, and as far as Enid was concerned,
that was the end of the matter.
Ruth
informed her sister, Emilia. Emilia instantly informed Ruth that
there was an easy solution to the crisis. And, so, the sisters met
for tea.
We
are Christians, right?
Most
of the time, uh-huh. I go to Church at Easter time and Christmas
time. Never missed a year, so far, Emily.
Me,
too. You remember the story of Tamar and Amnon in the Bible?
No.
You were always more religious than me, Emilia, having read the Bible
from cover to cover. Right?
More
than once. Are you making fun of me, Ruthie?
No,
no, no. Just quoting you. Go on, about that story in the Bible.
Tamar
wanted to marry her step-brother, Amnon. She asked Amnon to ask their
father, King David, permission to get married. She said King David
would not object. In those days, Gods and kings allowed it.
Uh,
okay. And what has that story to do with my unmarried Enid getting
the job?
In
a minute. I need another cup of this delicious tea.
Yes,
it is delicious. Me, too, please, another cup. This time with two
sugars and no cream, thank you.
Emilia
poured her sister and herself a third cup of tea.
Remember
our High School teacher, Mrs Fatima Meer?"
Of
course, Emilia. The only one we can never forget, for the wrong
reason. She was married to her cousin. That Christian school accepted
her as a teacher because she proved her marriage was allowed in her
religion. Which was not Christianity, even.
There
you go, Ruthie.
Emilia
sipped her tea while peering enquiringly at Ruth over the rim of her
cup. Ruth was clueless.
What,
Emilia?
Remember
the fun we got out of our children playing being married? Especially
my Obed marrying your Enid?
For
a second or two, Ruth remained in the dark; and then it dawned. Her
eyes opened their widest. Emilia happily observed,
And
both of them are yet unmarried. Tamar would not have lied about her
father, King David. Enid marrying her cousin Obed has the approval of
the Christian Bible.
Emilia,
they are adults. Besides, Enid has vowed to never get married.
Besides I am almost sure neither Enid nor Obed has seen a Bible for
years, let alone having read one, ever.
It
will be only pretending, Ruthie. As they were happily doing it as
children. Now that pretence will serve a really good purpose. And if
Mrs Fatima Meer was allowed, why not our Enid and Obed? And best of
all reasons is Biblical King David's permission. And if King David’s,
why not King David’s almighty God’s, Jehovah? Remember,
Jehovah conversed with David as casually as I am conversing with you
here over tea.
There
was a long silence. Ruth spoke softly.
If
Obed recalls how happy he was when pretending to be married, it will
certainly help him with his failures nowadays. I have lost count of
the times he has said to me he was on track to getting married.
Ruth,
is he on one of those tracks at present? If he is, there’s no
point in risking a pretend marriage with his cousin, my Enid.
I
do not think so. But let’s hurry; just in case. I don’t
see a problem in persuading Obed and Enid to go along with the plan.
But what if the Board of Education wants to see a marriage
certificate?
Long
before that happens, we take our children to the Courthouse downtown,
and get them married. And after the Board is satisfied, we rip up the
certificate.
What
about witnesses? The Court officials will require witnesses.
Tsk,
tsk, Ruthie. We have enough of our other children who will love
recreating happy childhood memories.
What
if the Courthouse people want to see birth certificates?
That
won't be a problem. My husband carried on a lot of shady business
with those Courthouse officials. Money is the only language they
speak. After my husband died, one of them suggested he and I get
married. It wasn't me he was interested in. He was after the fortune
my husband left me.
He
knew about the fortune?
Why
not? He probably helped my husband get it, by whatever means. He
still works there, slimy fat worm.
You
know this for certain?
What?
That he still works there, or that he is a slimy fat worm?
Both.
I
take care to invite him and his wife over whenever I think up an
excuse. And, before you ask, the answer is no; he was not married
when he suggested we get married. And that is why I still have a
crumb of respect for him, although he is still a slimy fat worm.
The
sisters guffawed crudely; and drank more tea.
Emilia,
spoke gently, There is a wild card that could sabotage our plans.
Ruth
took a long drink of tea. Emilia waited, patiently. Ruth put the cup
on the saucer, and pushed the saucer away on the table. She looked at
her sister, resignedly.
Emilia
spoke quietly, Some of those teachers at that school might know Obed.
Ruth,
wide-eyed, broke out into a smile, Emilia, that school is on Epsom
Road.
Uh,
okay. So?
I'm
finding this hard to believe, Emilia. You have forgotten Epsom Road
school?
Obviously,
Ruthie.
The
teachers there behave like they are aristocrats. They never shop
where the rest of us shop. They are never seen anywhere where people
like us go in this City. The chances that they know your Obed, are
less than that of that doomsday meteor smashing into Earth,
tomorrow."
Again,
the sisters guffawed, uproariously.
Ruth,
in uncertainty, We might be able to persuade my Enid to go along,
because she wants so passionately to teach at that school. But what
about your Obed? He might have outgrown marrying his cousin, even in
pretence. And, too, we know how obnoxiously stubborn he can be.
Ruth,
my Obed will do anything for the right sum of money. And you and I,
fifty-fifty, can manage that sum easily right now because he has been
unemployed for over a year, and he is desperate. Anyway, if money
alone will not serve, we have an ace to play, right out of the Bible.
She
looked sternly at her sister.
Emilia,
please, do not expect me to know the answer. I have always been a
respectable Christian, and so I do not have to read the Bible. We
have ordained paid holy persons to do that for us.
Emilia
playfully threw a serviette at her sister, as she answered.
I
know my Obed, Ruthie. For all his many egregious faults, he always
loves to be reminded that in the Holy Bible story, his namesake,
Obed, father of Jesse, is King David’s Grampa, straight down
the line to Jesus himself.
Contact
Ezra (Unless
you
type
the
author's name in
the subject
line
of the message we
won't know where to send it.)
