The Pledge Page #5

It's made by a local craft artist.

She makes doormats too.

You want to come see?

Fifteen apiece for the little fellas,

The mats are 10 bucks even.

You don't run this whole place

yourself, do you?

Are you a religious man, Mr. Black?

Baptized. But I'm not churchgoing.

You got a wife?

Two-time loser.

What about you, ma'am?

My son, Gary, is the true gift

of the Lord.

He dotes on me hand and foot, he does.

Hardest working boy you ever saw.

Works construction all summer...

...runs a snowplow for the county

in the winter...

...and ministers at our church.

What about him?

Does he have a family, kids?

No wife, no kids. No little ones.

I pray, every day...

...he'll find a woman

good enough for him.

The Lord hasn't come through yet.

God bless.

Closed!

I'm closed!

Yeah, all right, all right.

Closed.

Lori?

Woman, what has happened to you?

Come in.

Sorry....

My ex- I was just so scared.

He was gonna kill me!

It's all right.

- And you being a cop!

- Where's Chrissy?

- She's in the car!

- No, no, I got it.

She's okay, he didn't touch her.

He didn't touch her, he didn't....

With a restraining order,

he's still gonna beat me up.

They put him in jail and he

can't pay child support payments.

That's why he's beating me up

to begin with.

Ow.

Just hold still.

All right, this might....

All right, that's okay now.

Hold still for a minute because

this one might sting a little, okay?

Just hold still.

Right here, that's it.

All right, all right, okay.

Yeah.

The eye looks okay.

You might want to think about

getting a stitch on that lip.

I'm gonna miss that

half-tooth of yours.

I'll drink out of this side

for a while.

Listen.

All things considered...

...I think it might be best

if you and your girl...

...stayed out here with me

for a while.

- It's not why I came.

- Hear me out.

No strings attached, no obligations.

But I've seen these things

go from bad to worse.

I've got more rooms out here

than I know what to do with.

I wouldn't ask anything of you.

Except maybe help out

around the station...

...every once in a while, when

you're feeling better.

Just think about it.

Just think about it.

Mine's up here at the top....

Mommy, this house is so big!

- You got a whole new one, right?

- Yeah-

Is it real?

- It's not real. It's called a cap.

- Oh.

- in front! It appears that

they're playing very cautiously.

- Is that because it's a big game?

- The last time these two teams-

Pass to Murphy, in the net!

Backhand deflected by Jackson.

Another backhand-

Nice snowman you got going there.

Does he have a name?

Should I guess?

If I guess, will you tell me yours?

He looks cold.

Want to put my hat on him?

Goal!

Has your mommy talked to you

about the Word?

Do you know what I mean?

- Merry Christmas, Chrissy.

- Merry Christmas.

There she is!

Yeah!

- How was it?

- Good.

Good!

"She knew the mole would never

permit her to leave his side.

She wept as she felt the warmth

upon her face...

...and made ready to go back....

Then suddenly, above the hill,

she heard a shower of notes...

...a glorious morning song.

She looked up...

...and there was the swallow.

She told the bird how she disliked...

...having to marry the ugly mole

and live deep down under the earth...

...where the sun never shone.

She couldn't help crying

at the thought.

'The cold winter will soon

be here,' said the swallow.

'I'm going far away to the warm

countries. Will you come with me?

You can sit on my back.

Just tie yourself on with your sash...

...and we'll fly from the ugly mole

and his dingy house...

...far away, across the mountains...

...to the warm countries...

...where the sun shines more brightly

than it does here...

...and it's always summer,

with its lovely flowers...

...dear little Thumbelina. ' "

Lori?

Are you all right?

Here, hon.

Chrissy is gonna go nuts when she

sees this. This is so neat, Jerry.

Yeah. She'll like it.

She'll love it.

You sure you want it here,

so close to the road?

We got all that space

back behind the house.

Well, we can see her

right from the station...

...keep our eye on her, you know?

Out back...

...there's all that space, you know.

I mean, she could just disappear.

No, you're right.

You think?

You're probably right.

I'll get that.

Yeah, she's gonna love it.

Mommy, I like this one.

Yeah?

Well, it's nice.

Jerry, what do you think of this?

Well, uh...

...real nice.

It's not really your taste, sugar.

It is her color.

- You like it?

- I like it.

- Let's see how this looks to you.

- You like- Oh, no.

Come on, Tex.

- You only have chocolate?

- Thank you.

Let's have three of them.

Did you see that?

Isn't he at your school?

"Thump, thump, thump. "

"They heard the giant's footsteps.

As guick as a wink, the lad

once again hid in the oven.

In came the giant for the second time

and he bellowed, Fe... "

- "Fi. "

- "Fo. "

- "Fum. "

- "I...

...smell the blood of an Englishman.

Be he alive or be he dead...

...I'll grind his bones...

...to make my bread. "

Here you are, $ 1.50 is your change.

Here's your receipt.

Thanks for stopping by.

Jerry!

Look what Gary gave me!

It's glow-in-the-dark so Jesus can

always be with me.

Can you push me on the swings?

Yeah. What did Mr. Jackson

want, Chrissy?

He invited me to his church.

You think Mommy will let me go?

Well, honey, you know...

...a lot of people believe

a lot of different things.

Some people believe that the stories

in the Bible are real...

...and some think they're like fairy

tales where the giants aren't real.

Chrissy, I want you

to promise me something.

When anybody tries

to talk to you, any man...

...whether it's Mr. Jackson or not...

...especially if it's a big,

tall man...

...I want you to tell me, all right?

Promise me that you'll tell.

I promise.

All right, honey.

Could you push me on the swings now?

Yeah. All right.

Give me your tootsies.

Here we go.

Lori.

Oh, wow!

Hold the roast. Let's eat these.

- Let me clean the sink for you.

- Where's Chrissy? I want her to see-

Oh, she's not here. The Jacksons

came over to take her to church.

- Who?

- Put those in there.

- You know, that Bless the Children-

- You let Jackson- Oh, Jesus.

What?

- What? Jerry!

- No, I-

I told her I'd go to church with her.

I'm gonna try to find them.

For God's sakes, it's just church.

You're gonna give yourself

a heart attack!

Come on!

Oh, God, no!

Welcome to the House of Our Lord.

May Jesus be with you.

May Jesus be with you.

Jerry!

Jerry!

Yes, hon. What is it?

I can't sleep.

Could you read me a story?

Another story?

Please?

Well, all right.

But just a short one. Scoot over.

Let's see what we got here.

We've got...

... "The Elves and the Shoemaker. "

- We've got-

- I met The Wizard today.

What?

I had to promise not to tell

my parents. So you can't...

...tell Mommy or he'll be very angry

at me and never come back again.

Well, Chrissy, I...

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