Banished by Linda Byler

Author:Linda Byler
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781680997507
Publisher: Good Books
Published: 2021-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

Next thing he knew, Oba was brought before Tom Jr. and introduced to his two boys, Randy and Brian.

He secured a position at the pharmacy, stocking shelves, cleaning, carrying customers’ orders to their cars; he was told to greet customers only when they addressed him, to use the string mop after hours, and to help someone find an item on the shelves when they asked.

Tom Jr. was a replica of his father, except for the well-rounded stomach and a different pair of glasses. The boys were still in school, and his wife Elaine had her own cake-decorating business she operated from her kitchen. She was very pretty, much too young-looking to have two sons, and the first time she smiled at him, Oba blushed like an idiot, then felt all the shame and self-hatred start anew.

He was still Oba Miller, the orphan who deserted his sister, who was whipped and beaten until his back looked like the railroad tracks he’d escaped on, and now he was shamefully attracted to pretty girls and young women, which was a sin—one he would have to overcome or go to hell, the way Melvin told him.

He learned to turn his back without ogling the girls when they came in. He kept a tight rein on his wandering eyes, wished for blinders even, but he finally came to realize most of this was normal. He observed a group of boys hanging out of a slowly moving car, whistling at two girls who seemed to be flattered, putting their hands to their mouths and giggling, flouncing their skirts like umbrellas.

He was glad to be like other people, no longer chained to the long hair, the straw hat, the patched broadfall trousers, the muddy bare feet, and the fear of being mocked. Here in Bridgeport, California, he would get his start in the world, make something of himself. He would learn how to save money, how to better himself, if he could.

He wondered, sometimes, if he should be afraid of having left the Amish way of life. He’d had only dead parents, uncaring relatives, and a violent uncle to teach him that lifestyle, although there were others. Leonard Yoder and his wife had done their Christian duty, but they had never really dug deep enough to uncover the cold, hard truth. But then, it was the way of it. These things were not to be spoken of. If a man chose to beat his children then he was entitled to that, the Old Testament agreeing with him. Steeped in the law, to spare the rod was indeed shameful; a spoiled child was an ill light to the community, so corporal punishment was meted out with regularity.

But to be whipped and beaten till the scars crisscrossed his back could hardly be justified by any scripture, no matter how old. Neither could he put out the flame of his consuming hatred toward Melvin.

Oba never read his Bible. Even before fleeing, he questioned a loving God who cared about him; he refused to attend Tom’s church.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.