The Second Doublewide on the Right, part 84

I’m Fixin’ To present part 84 of The Second Doublewide on the Right:

Reverend Ricky Lee Jones’ gave immediate attention to Quantavious Carter’s comment that they, as well as Jimmy Ray Hurd, could all be getting out of jail on Tuesday—just two days away.

“How do you figure that?” the reverend asked Quantavious.

“The arraignment calendar of court is scheduled for then. That’s where you plead guilty or not guilty. Of course we all innocent, so after we plead not guilty, then the lawyer will get the judge to set a bond which will enable us all to make bail and get out of this hole.”

`How did you come about all this information?”

“My uncle told me. He’s a detention officer in this here jail.”

“You think he could fix it so we could get a steak for supper?” Jimmy Ray quipped.

“Naw, but he did fix it so that we three are sharing this cell instead of being locked up with some dangerous and crazy folks.”

Reverend Ricky Lee spoke next. “I think your uncle’s arrangement is much more beneficial to us than a steak dinner.”

“I guess I do too” Jimmy Ray said. “If I got to be locked up with somebody I rather it would be y’all two than some dang fool crazies I’ve heard about being locked up.”

After they had been escorted to the day room and had cold cuts for Sunday night dinner, the reverend and his two cellmates continued their conversation that night.

“It sounds to me like you need yourself a good lawyer” Quantavious told Ricky Lee. “My uncle done made arrangements for one to represent me. He’s coming to see me in the morning. What he’ll do is when we get to court on Tuesday, is plead me not guilty, get the judge to set a bond and get me out of jail on bail.”

“I think Marthalene will have a lawyer in here to represent me tomorrow morning, too,” Ricky Lee said. Then he turned toward Jimmy Ray and asked, “How about you Jimmy Ray, you got a lawyer?”

Quantavious answered for Jimmy Ray. “He say he don’t need no lawyer, that he’s got a plan to escape.”

“That’s right,” Jimmy Ray explained smugly. “I got me a sure fire plan to walk right out of that courthouse on Tuesday.”

“Well, I wish you luck with that,” Ricky Lee told him. “In the mean time did you fellows ever think about praying?”

“I did me some praying before either one of y’all showed up,” Quantavious reported.

“I ain’t never put too much stock in it,” Jimmy Ray confessed. “Oh, I admit I tried it a few times, but it didn’t never seem to work.”

“Maybe you’re going about it the wrong way,” the reverend informed him.

Slumped down on his bunk Jimmy Ray asked, “What you mean ‘bout that?”

What I mean is that you can’t just say a quick little prayer and expect God to drop everything and come running to your aid. What you got to do is get the Lord’s attention.”

“How in the world you supposed to do that?” Quantavious asked.

“There are lots of ways,” the reverend informed them. “It helps to put yourself away in a secluded place—see, the Lord has already provided that for us. Then you got to get down on your knees. After that the best method I’ve found is to pray all night. Would y’all consider joining me in that endeavor?”

“I’ll pray all night with you preacher, if you think it might help get us out of this jail!” Quantavious concurred.

“How about you Jimmy Ray?” the reverend asked.

“I reckon I’ll give it a try since they ain’t nothing else we fixin’ to do in here.”

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