
Justin and Shelby have by now created The Numbers, the text that contains the beliefs of the new religion (as yet unnamed). After discussing possible methods for getting the word out, they settle on the idea of focus groups but have no idea how to secure a place where these focus groups can meet. They agree that Justin should approach Theo (one of his roommates), because Theo has connections with the Seattle music scene and one of them might know of a suitable venue. Justin accompanies Theo and his girlfriend Emmy (both of whom would qualify as “somewhat nerdy”) to a gig featuring their favorite local band, Acoustic Disturbance. After discussing Emmy’s sick cat on the way to the event, they arrive at Pioneer Square in Seattle.
At the time, Pioneer Square was in one of its frequent periods of slight cultural decline due to a combination of a city clampdown after the 2001 Mardi Gras riots, well-publicized incidents of street crime and the persistent appearance of new sports bars creeping out from the recently constructed stadiums. The music scene, centered in Pioneer Square during the heyday of grunge, had dispersed throughout the city, but there were still a few credible venues in the neighborhood. Justin always felt a combination of comfort and anxiety being there. He felt comfort because Pioneer Square was one of the few places in Seattle dominated by brick; anxiety because he knew that brick was not the architectural material of choice in an earthquake zone. Still, he liked the preservation of the old State Hotel sign advertising rooms for seventy-five cents and the faded paint advertising business establishments that hadnât done business in decades. The dim lighting from the triple-globed street lamps may have contributed to street crime, but had the virtue of providing the scene with a sense of romance and mystery. As he walked with Theo and Emmy through the tree-lined streets and dark alleys to the Colourbox, kicking up leaves and cigarette butts with his shoes, taking in the shouts and smells of the already-inebriated, Justin felt that old Vancouver feeling coming back. He loved the diversity of a city.
Acoustic Disturbance was second on the bill, which meant that Justin had to endure a lame two-person retro-grunge band with very little in the way of talent. Theo and Emmy, on the other hand, cheered loudly after every number and sang along to the cover songs, gazing into each other’s eyes as if they were a husband-and-wife duet on a 1960’s variety show. The impromptu duets allowed Justin to marvel at their physical differences. While Theo was loose and gangly like a toy soldier with broken springs, Emmy was tight and very well-contained. Theo dressed in baggy t-shirts, baggy pants and floppy shoes; Emmy dressed like the stereotypical librarian, with a sweater buttoned at the top serving as a makeshift shawl to cover her thoroughly buttoned blouse. While Theoâs hair refused to form a recognizable shape, Emmyâs brown hair was pulled back tight into a bun that refused to allow a single strand to escape from its clutches. Justin smiled as they stared wholesomely into each otherâs glasses, singing away, oblivious to their dissimilarities.
As the bands swapped equipment, Justin and Theo engaged in raised-voice conversation while Emmy twitched to the filler music.
âSo, man, this is terrible, Mega Software and all. If you need any help, you just let me know,â offered Theo.
âWell, I need some help finding a stage,â said Justin offhandedly.
âA stage? Do youâyou donât playâIâve never seen you playâwhat do you play?â
âNothing,â Justin responded.
âThen why do you need a stage?â Theo asked, now quite puzzled.
Justin wasnât ready to disclose to the world that he was a religious icon in the making, so he just said, âItâs a long story.â
âWhat kind of stage?â
âSomething simpleâcheapâsomething with a curtainâa place that could seat maybe thirty or so.â
Theo thought for a minute and said, âLet me talk to Tommy.â
âWhoâs Tommy?â
âTommyâs the bass player for Acoustic Disturbance. Heâs sort of the leader? But donât let the other guys hear you say that.â
âWhy talk to Tommy?â
âOh, man, they rented this space? Kind of over near First Hill? And they signed a lease and everything, thinking they were going to use it as their practice space? But they played so loud that they got complaints and the landlord told âem they couldnât play with amps anymore. And get thisâthe landlord still wants them to pay for the place and they canât even use it. This oneâs going to court, man.â
âSo how do you know about it?â
âOh, I work with Tommyâhe does the coolest graphicsâand sometimes they let me hear them practice.â
âAh,â said Justin. âSo, whatâs the place like?â
âWell, thatâs why I thought of it. It used to be a space for this theater company that went under? So itâs got a stage and some curtains and they even left some of the lights. Thatâs what they liked about the spaceâthe stage.â
âSounds promising.â
âYouâre not going to have any drums or amps or anything like that?â
Justin shook his head, âNo, noâitâs justâlike talking.â
âOkayâlet me talk to Tommy. Heâs really cool. I bet theyâd even let you use their practice sound system if itâs still there.â
âCool,â said Justin, terminating the conversation. He felt uncomfortable because Theo was being so nice while he was keeping a secret. He looked around the club and pretended to notice people for a while, like he was on the make but rather shy about it. Finally he broke down and leaned over to Theo.
âAfter the set Iâll tell you what itâs all about.â
Theo broke out into a huge happy smile. âCool!â he said.
*****
It was easy to forget about inconspicuous little Emmy and Justin had done just that. After Acoustic Disturbance had finished (leaving Justin seriously wondering about Theoâs taste in music), the three of them walked outside and looked for a relatively quiet place between the streams of people moving between clubs and away from the homeless who sometimes wandered into the middle of the throng. It wasnât until they found a small cranny in the entrance of an old building that Justin remembered that Emmy was with them, and with no graceful way out, Justin resigned himself to doubling the size of the inner circle.
Justin didnât know where to start. After several false starts, he finally said, âThis is going to sound crazy.â
Theo showed a look of patient concern and Emmy followed his cue and did the same. âItâs cool, manâitâs your thingâif you donât want to tell us, weâll understand.â
Because Theo meant it, Justin lurched forward.
âShelby and I have started toâhave created what we think is going to be a newânewânew . . .â Justin got hung up on the word âreligionâ for it sounded so pompous.
âA new world movement . . . we need to kind of test it out with some people,â Justin finally choked out.
Theoâs face was a blank, so Emmy went blank, too.
âYou mean like a political movementâagainst the war or something?â
âNo, no, more like a, like aâoh, the hell with itâa religious movement.â
Theo now looked thunderstruck. Emmy did not mimic this, but squeezed his arm in a gesture of concern.
âReligion? Wow, man, I never pegged you as that kind of person,â Theo said quietly.
âWell, itâs not your typical religionâwe invented sort of a non-religious religion,â said Justin, groping to explain. âWe need a space to try out the message and I figured you might know someone who knows someone.â
âSo, you want like some kind of space for like a church?â Theo said, still trying to get his fuzzy head around the fuzzy idea.
âNo, manâthereâs no church. Thereâs just a message. No rules, no rituals, no priests. Nothing but a message: to try to stop people from doing mean things to each other.â
âI like that!â came Emmy out of nowhere.
Theo looked at Emmy, who nodded, which in turn removed any lingering doubt Theo had. Suddenly, Justin felt Theo hugging him.
âThat is so cool! Yeah! Stop all that bullshit!â he shouted into the night, releasing Justin from his grasp.
âWell, now that the cat is out . . .â started Justin.
âPoor Myrtle,â Emmy interrupted.
Justin paused in memory of Myrtle, then took Theo by the shoulders and looked him straight in the eye. âNow, donât tell anyone about thisâespecially, and I mean especially, Matthias.â
Theo looked horrified. âOh, no, man, I donât tell that dude anything.â
Justin seemed relieved.
âSo youâll talk to Tommy.â
âYeah, yeahâIâll go find him right now.â He ran across the street and disappeared into the throngs of clubbers, shouting, âThis is so cool!â
Justin turned and looked at Emmy, who was just standing there smiling.
âTheoâs a great guy,â said Justin.
Emmyâs smile brightened up the night. âI knowâa great guy.â Justin thought he heard her giggle.
âAnd I have to tell youâIââ Justin paused in mid-sentence as a little âuh-ohâ went off in his mind when he realized he was talking to Emmy.
âWhat do you want to tell me?â
âAh, itâs nothingââ
âOh! Well, I just thought, you know, well, you know.â
Justin looked at Emmy and considered the possibility that she wasnât an airhead, but simply someone who had a hard time communicating. He decided to throw her a lifeline.
âWould you like to help us?â Justin asked.
Emmy gave Justin another bright smile and said, âAh! Well! Thank you! Iâll doâIâd love toâwell, you know.â
âYeah, I know. Iâll send you guys our little âbible.ââ
Emmy stood there gushing, speechless, flabbergasted and then said, âSend the âbible.ââ
âBut like I said to Theoâkeep it under your hat. Weâre still working things outâand I just think, you know, well, you know.â
Emmy brightened up so much Justin thought the heat would burst her skin. âI know!â she said, with great excitement.
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