Check and Mate

Chapter 38

It was only a few minutes before we were all put behind bars. I wasn’t terrified. I mean, the twins could get me out, or at least that’s what I expected.

“So, are you going to pay to get us out of here?” I questioned.

“You can only do that when you’re on the other side of the bars,” Madam said as she sat down.

“No!” I panicked. I ran to the door of the cell and started shaking it. “We deserve one phone call!” I shouted.

“Woah, calm down,” Miss said. “We can give a call to Stinky Toes.”

“Oh, phew,” I said as I sat down.

Through the metal bars, a cop gave Miss a phone. Stinky Toes quickly got us out, but we had no one to pick us up. We sat in the lobby for a while, discussing our next move, when Pastor Garbage Man came out of a police officer’s office.

“Pastor Garbage Man, what are you doing here?” I asked.

“I was giving a sermon to the inmates. What are you doing here?”

“Well, long story short, we all took a swim in the Seine River and didn’t realize it was against the law,” Miss said.

“Oh,” Pastor Garbage Man chuckled as he offered us a ride back to our hotel. We jumped into his car and zoomed off. “You know, I used to be in prison,” Pastor Garbage Man said.

“What?” Madam asked, shocked.

“Yeah, it was before I gave my life to the Lord. I was a reckless teen and stole some things. I guess you could say I had a lot of garbage,” the pastor said with a chuckle. “I didn’t get caught at first, but one night I was with the wrong crowd, and they wanted to steal some jewelry from the mall. I agreed because I didn’t want to look like a chicken. However, when we went to steal the jewels, the desk clerk pushed a button under her desk that immediately called the police. I was eighteen at the time, so I was charged as an adult and got a few years in prison. One day a pastor came to give his testimony and gave the gospel. I felt complete remorse for what I had done and was grateful for what Jesus did on the cross for me. He took the penalty, so I wouldn’t have too. I silently prayed and felt the Spirit of God fill me. I knew I was Born Again and had finally met God for myself. When I was released from prison, I felt called into the ministry, and now I preach to other inmates and young teens. I have a changed life and I want to be a good role model in their lives.”

“Wow, what an amazing testimony,” Madam said.

“Yeah,” Miss agreed. “That’s amazing how God changed your life forever!”

“Amen, nothing can separate us from the love of God,” Pastor Garbage Man said. “Romans 8:37-39 says, ‘No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’”

“Well said, Pastor,” I agreed.

Once we arrived at the hotel, we hopped out of the vehicle with Pastor Garbage Man. We all went into the hotel as I started thinking about everything I had to pack. Tomorrow, I would be heading home.