Meeting the Adventists
Ramona pulled up to my house right on time as I nervously climbed in the passenger seat, I was really having second thoughts about this and was teetering on bowing out, but I must admit Ramona looked so pretty and offered a sweet smile that dampened any thoughts of disappointing her.
We stumbled through some small talk on our way over to Oxford Park, a beautiful older neighborhood full of converted mansions and stately houses that were for the most part built when Eastman Kodak was exploding on the horizon and many made fortunes as Kodak’s stock went through the roof in the early part of the last century, as a matter of fact George Eastman’s mansion (now a museum) was only a couple blocks from our destination.
We pulled up to a converted duplex which still made for a huge place, we walked in the door of Patty’s apartment and there were about 6 others milling about, making small talk and introductions were made informally around the room. There was an air of lightness or maybe serenity as I felt comfortable immediately. Ramona introduced me to Richard who would be giving the study, Richard was an interesting and unique individual with an incredible background, some might call him a Renaissance man. He held a Doctorate, Masters & Bachelors Degrees in varied disciplines; he was a former back up vocalist and guitar player with Peter, Paul & Mary and a founding member of America’s Children (a folk group similar to the New Christy Minstrels) who had a robust, energetic personality that lit up a room. Richard also happened to be black so his folk music interest really amazed me at the time, he laughed when I mentioned that and told me that he was not alone and started to rattle off some names of other black musicians who were involved in folk music, Richie Havens, Nina Simone, and a couple others, I liked Richard immediately.
Richard worked at the University of Rochester’s Psychiatric Department, Patty also worked there, Rick and Gary were the other “hosts” of this weekly study. Rick had lived on my street before his parents bought a house in the suburbs, he was about 8 or 10 years older than me so we did not really know each other very well but we did immediately recognize each other, I was surprised that a former Catholic alter boy was involved in this knowing how the Catholics regarded anything outside their realm of influence. I remembered Rick as the “All American Boy” every parent might like their own son to be. Gary was a former guitarist/vocalist with “Orange” a popular local rock band, he was now at age 25 a manager at a manufacturing plant, had a wife and son and surprisingly was the most conservative of the (bible study) group.
So here I was a 17 year old misfit among this group of professionals, feeling right at home.
Richard’s study focused on Daniel/Revelation and the prophecies contained within them especially Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, this stuff blew me away; I was fascinated and did not want it to end. I was asking questions like crazy, I was full of enthusiasm and knew I wanted to be a part of this (had my prayer been answered?).
The next Wednesday Ramona came by to get me and on the way she told me that this bible stuff wasn’t really where she wanted to be right now that she wanted to go out and have fun and all this religion was weighing her down (or words to that effect). I wish I could of seen the perplexed look on my face when I asked her “are you kidding or what? One week you are all fired up and the next week this is weighing you down? What’s up with that?”
She said she had visited the church they belong to the past couple Saturdays and it became clear to her she was not ready to commit to anything. Well I was, this bible study gave me a hope I hadn’t had in years.
My Mentor
Ramona spoke with Richard privately for a while presumably to inform him of her decision to bow out after this week, soon afterward Richard approached me and asked if I would need a ride to the bible study next week. I told him I did not want to put anybody out that I could take a bus if need be, he insisted on picking me up so we could shoot the breeze on the way there. Cool, fine with me.
I was soaking up Adventist doctrine like a sponge, the Sabbath, the Cleansing of the Tabernacle, Diet & Nutrition (they advocate vegetarianism) and I was introduced to the writings of their “Prophet” Ellen G. White. It was incredible, nothing like the stale Catholicism I had known as a child. This was like an epic adventure, in retrospect it was the personalities of Richard (especially), Rick, Patty & Gary that I found very compelling, they were a good natured group with keen senses of humor and really seemed to look out for each other, I had found a home.
The ride to and from the bible studies became something I really looked forward to Richard had such a fascinating history, his days in New York City as a folk music “beatnik” (as he put it), he had met Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, and a host of other musicians he had even partied with Ringo Starr (Beatles) as Ringo checked out the cafe’s and bars in “The Village.” He had traveled Europe, Asia and Alaska as a student and a musician and had done all this before the tender age of 36, I had asked him how did you find the time to do all this stuff and get all your degrees and everything? He smiled and said “I don’t sleep much.” I found out that was the truth, he would be up until 2 A.M. working on some paper or project and be up before 6 to start a new day, his wife Sharon and the folks in our study group all had amusing stories of Richard’s legendary energy level.
Richard had told me he was born into the Adventist church but had left it at about twenty to play in the world, just recently returning about a year ago, his wife did not share the same beliefs and was not 100% happy about his return to Adventism, she still enjoyed steak and seafood dinners, wine and socializing with the University people she worked with, Richard's return to the church hampered all that profoundly.
On one of our rides to a study Richard told me the group had a dream of opening a vegetarian restaurant and they were currently looking for a location, if I saw anything to let him know. That is when I decided to also become a vegetarian; I had stopped the drinking and drugs (for the most part) and thought this was the next logical step in my progression; I was amazed at all the changes in my life the past few weeks, and was looking forward to more.
I found out that the church had a vegetarian store a huge bookstore and that there were pot luck dinners every Sabbath right after services; I was told the sermons were all from the “inerrant” King James as well as Ellen G. White and this is the one true church. All of this appealed to me so when they asked me to join them next Saturday I jumped at the invitation. I did experience a bit of a letdown when I went, the membership was considerably less dynamic than my new friends and Richard was not there, I rode in with Rick and Gary, when I asked where Richard was they nonchalantly said he was at the “other” church. The black church. WHAT?!
The House of Better Living
Believe it or not that was the name of the new restaurant; they found a place downtown right across the street from the Eastman School of Music and the Eastman Theatre, it was the old Town & Country Bar and Restaurant, a huge place whose glory days were long past, I got involved in helping to clean it up, paint and generally get it ready for business. I really felt I was a part of something huge, I had purpose and I was thinking clearer than I had in years, my parents were shocked, pleasantly pleased at the change but a little wary of my new friends, they were thinking that “cult” might very well describe this group. It did temper their fears some when they were reminded that Rick (All American Boy) was involved and that these were married folks with kids and good jobs, not some bunch of wild eyed Manson followers.
Initially the restaurant had some success; it was in the right neighborhood for a trendy eatery but I was surprised that not many from the church had visited, or shown much support, there was one family that jumped in with help and encouragement, they were 3rd generation Adventists who struck me as throwbacks to a more innocent and simple time. I started out as a prep cook, breakfast cook and dishwasher, soon the “Chef” some high strung egomaniac from the church left in a huff over some minor slight he perceived, it was a general good riddance feeling that permeated his departure and here I was a week or so before my 18th birthday. Joe Chef.
Overall I was very happy with my new friends, my new church and my new position, my life had seemed to gain traction in the right direction but I was feeling the pull to go back to school get my diploma and perhaps even go to college. I knew public school was out of the question, too much temptation, too many distractions. I had discussed this with Richard and he thought I would be better off getting a GED and then going off to college, he thought an Adventist Academy would not be a real good fit with someone like me, too independent, way more life experience than the kids there. Others in the group and church thought differently and said that the discipline, studies and dorm life would be good preparation for college.
I had a lot to think about.
The Academy (Part 4)
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Topic: What got me here, Part 3 (Read 5902 times)