The Matthews Opera House & Arts Center announced the second concert for their Homegrown Sessions concert series. South Dakota musicians Hank Harris, Jon Hegg, and Jeremy Hegg will be performing with special guest Jimmy Givings on October 29 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for youth & BHSU students. The performance will be general seating.
“We are so excited to continue our Homegrown Sessions, our series dedicated to featuring South Dakota musicians,” explained Darren Granaas, executive director at the Matthews. “Hank Harris and the Hegg Brothers are exceptional musicians who represent some of the best our state has to offer.”
The concert will feature original songs written by Hank Harris and a few by Jeremy Hegg. Harris is an accomplished songwriter, vocalist, and musician who has performed his music across the state. He has spent the last 12 years as part of the South Dakota Arts Council Touring Artist Program.
The sons of lifelong music educators, the Hegg Brothers are best known for their band Spooncat! Jeremy Hegg is a staff arranger and composer for the Augustana Brass Choir, Sioux Falls Municipal Band, and many marching band programs throughout the country. A skilled pianist, He has performed around the country and throughout Europe with artists ranging from Smokey Robinson to Chuck Berry. Jonathan is a vocalist, keyboard player, and is also the mixing engineer for the Spooncat! albums. He performs music for a living and often arranges music for various ensembles.
While not from South Dakota, Harris and the Hegg brothers are excited to perform with special guest Jimmy Goings who is best known for his work with the band Santa Esmeralda. The group had hits with its remake of the 1960s hits “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” and “House of the Rising Sun”.
“We are excited to continue this new series and we hope everyone will come out to support not only the Matthews Opera House but these phenomenal local musicians as well,” Granaas added.
Tickets for Homegrown Sessions: Hank Harris and the Hegg Brothers can be purchased during business hours in the Matthews Opera House & Arts Center gallery, Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by phone at 605-642-7973. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.matthewsopera.com/homegrown.
For more information about the Homegrown Sessions and other upcoming events at the Matthews Opera House & Arts Center, visit matthewsopera.com.
Happy October! It’s officially pumpkin season and the Matthews is bringing in the new month with some BIG events! Our Subscription Series kicks off in October with Magician Jason Hudy performing his show Mesmerizing Magic. This event will be fun for the whole family so make sure to snag tickets while you can. They are going fast! Just a few days after Jason, Canadian Singer-Songwriter Royal Wood will be performing in our theater. He’s an award-winning, fast-rising star with some phenomenal tunes! Tickets are available now! Finally, our Bellman this month will feature the Matthews Opera House Readers’ Theater group sharing some of their favorite fall-themed stories. It’s going to be a great October! Keep scrolling to find out more! Cheers, The Matthews Staff
Jason Hudy Mesmerizing Magic October 1 | 7:30 pm $25 Adults | $10 Youth & BHSU Students
The 2021-22 Subscription Series at The Matthews begins with internationally acclaimed magician Jason Hudy on Friday, October 1 at 7:30 p.m.
Jason’s touring show, “Mesmerizing Magic” features large-scale illusions along with comedy and audience participation combined into one show that will amaze and amuse the whole family.
Royal Wood Canadian Singer-Songwriter October 5 | 7:30 pm $25 Adults | $10 Youth & BHSU Students
The Matthews presents the 43rd annual Festival in the Park at Spearfish City Park.
The 2021-22 Subscription Series at The Matthews continues with a live concert from Canadian Singer-Songwriter Royal Wood.
Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Royal Wood has established himself as a true musical talent. Since being proclaimed “Songwriter of the Year” by iTunes, Wood has continued to evolve and hone his musical craft. Wood has two albums that have debuted in the Top 30, multiple JUNO nominations and a #1 added song at Hot AC radio.
Bellman: Readers’ Theater Presents Halloween Tales & Fall Stories October 13 | Noon Free!
At noon, on Wednesday, Oct. 13, join The Matthews for a special presentation from the Matthews Opera House Readers’ Theater group. They will be performing a series of Halloween and Autumn inspired stories to help get their audience into a Fall mood.
The Bellman Brown Bag Series takes place in the Matthews theater and is free. Coffee is generously provided by Common Grounds.
Happy September! The cooler weather is already starting to set in! Are you ready for Fall? We are!
We are starting the new month with our Bellman Brown Bag Series featuring the winning works of our 2021 Writing Contest.
After that, it’s time for an annual favorite Theater on the Run. We have about 8 tickets left for our main Saturday productions, and we have added a special matinee production called Theater on the Run: REPLAY. This one-day-only show will take place entirely in the Matthews Opera House theatre and the ticket price includes free appetizers and a drink.
Finally, our Subscription Series kicks off at the beginning of October with Magician Jason Hudy! This will be a fun event for the whole family so don’t miss it. Jason will be closely followed by Royal Wood, a Canadian Singer-Songwriter whose songs have been heard on high-profile sync placements like “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “Private Practice.”
By the way, single event tickets for our Subscription Series open up September 1st, but you can still save some money and buy a season ticket before October 1st.
Keep scrolling to find out more!
Cheers, The Matthews Staff
Public Reading of the 2021 Writing Contest Winners Bellman Brown Bag Series September 8 | 12 pm FREE!
At noon, on Wednesday, Sept. 8, join The Matthews for a public reading of the winning pieces of our 2021 Writing Contest.
Both poetry and short stories will be read.
Many works will be presented by the authors themselves. We’ll have the coffee on!
Theater on the Run: REPLAY September 19 | 2 pm General Admissions: $35
By popular demand, The Matthews is adding a one-day-only matinee performance of our Theater on the Run play on Sunday, September 19.
This is your final chance to see Murder on the Fly by C.A. Dougherty performed by Black Hills actors. All six scenes will be performed in The Matthews’ Theater. Audience members will not move to new venues. Free appetizers will be served and a cash bar will be available.
Jason Hudy Mesmerizing Magic October 1 | 7:30 pm $25 Adults | $10 Youth & BHSU Students
The 2021-22 Subscription Series at The Matthews begins with internationally acclaimed magician Jason Hudy on Friday, October 1 at 7:30 p.m.
Jason’s touring show, “Mesmerizing Magic” features large-scale illusions along with comedy and audience participation combined into one show that will amaze and amuse the whole family.
Royal Wood Canadian Singer-Songwriter October 5 | 7:30 pm $25 Adults | $10 Youth & BHSU Students
The Matthews presents the 43rd annual Festival in the Park at Spearfish City Park.
The 2021-22 Subscription Series at The Matthews continues with a live concert from Canadian Singer-Songwriter Royal Wood.
Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Royal Wood has established himself as a true musical talent. Since being proclaimed “Songwriter of the Year” by iTunes, Wood has continued to evolve and hone his musical craft. Wood has two albums that have debuted in the Top 30, multiple JUNO nominations and a #1 added song at Hot AC radio.
What happened to our Theater Running in Place production that was canceled in 2020? We turned it into an audio series! To celebrate the upcoming 10th Anniversary of Theater on the Run, we are releasing the audio performances throughout the week of August 8 – 14. We hope you enjoy and don’t forget that tickets to the 2021 production of Theater on the Run go on sale at 10 am on August 17.
Enjoy a fresh take on the classic one-act play “The Boor” by Anton Chekhov. Mrs. Popov is mourning the loss of her husband, but when a young, boorish stranger knocks on the door–she learns how quickly disdain can turn to something else.
What happened to our Theater Running in Place production that was canceled in 2020? We turned it into an audio series! To celebrate the upcoming 10th Anniversary of Theater on the Run, we are releasing the audio performances throughout the week of August 8 – 14. We hope you enjoy and don’t forget that tickets to the 2021 production of Theater on the Run go on sale at 10 am on August 17.
Who says you can’t fit 51 plays about smoke into just 10 minutes? Marsha and John sure can! And the result is hilarious!
Smoke Scenes – by Nick Zagone
Directed by Max G. Merchen Marsha – Christie Ardis John – Max G. Merchen
What happened to our Theater Running in Place production that was canceled in 2020? We turned it into an audio series! To celebrate the upcoming 10th Anniversary of Theater on the Run, we are releasing the audio performances throughout the week of August 8 – 14. We hope you enjoy and don’t forget that tickets to the 2021 production of Theater on the Run go on sale at 10 am on August 17.
Who do you turn to when you suspect your husband might be an alien? Dr. Phil of course! But what about when he’s not available? Your local psychiatrist will just have to do. That’s the situation Dixie Dexter finds herself in when she goes to visit Dr. Naish.
Calling Dr. Phil – by C. A. Dougherty
Directed by Hoodie Smock Dixie Dexter – Pamela Wegner Dr. Naish – Jim Hoff
“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” to open at the Matthews
The Matthews Opera House & Arts Center in Spearfish, SD is excited to announce the production of “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” an original adaptation of the Lewis Carroll classic by local author Joanna Mechaley. Performances start July 12 and continue every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday at 7:30 pm though the month of July. Mechaley is also directing the show.
Tickets are $12 for adults, $6 (youth 18 and under), and can be purchased online at matthewsopera.com, in the Matthews’ gallery, or by calling 605.642.7973.
Darren Granaas, executive director at the Matthews, said this show is a continuation of their summer theater tradition.
“For the past few years, we have produced ‘The Phantom of the Matthews Opera House,’ an incredible show written by local author playwright, Paul Higbee.” Granaas explained. “This year, we are trying something new and we are so excited to continue the tradition of showcasing local authors.
Granaas added that “Phantom” will definitely make a return in the future.
“It’s a classic and it was written for our beautiful theater. So it’s certainly not going anywhere.”
In “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” the classic story by Lewis Carroll, audiences will tumble down the rabbit hole and meet a troupe of charmingly madcap characters. This original adaptation is a dream-like journey filled with the simple charm and magic of turn-of-the-century theater. Alice, tired of having nothing to do, follows a frantic white rabbit to Wonderland where everything is out-of-the-way and circumstances never unfold quite as she expects. In a world gone topsy-turvy, Alice grows and shrinks to extremes, receives advice from a cheeky cat, attends a mad tea-party and struggles to keep her head.
The show features intricate masks created by local artists and a cast of talented area actors.
“It’s also full of fun theatre tricks that create incredible visual illusions,” Granaas added. “It’s a family-friendly show that everyone will enjoy!”
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit matthewsopera.com
CAST
Alice – Lucy Cole
White Rabbit – John Eisenbraun
Queen of Hearts – Caroline McVey
Carroll – Mitchell Mechaley
(also plays Mad Hatter)
Duckworth – Dwight Myers
(also plays Bill, Duchess, Card Nine)
Lorina – Danielle Valentine
(also plays Cheshire Cat)
Edith – Bailey Sadowsky
(also plays Caucus Race Animal, Caterpillar Body, Card Five, Dormouse)
Violet – Tori Schoenherr
(also plays Dodo, Caterpillar Body, Card Seven, March Hare)
Rhoda – Brooklyn DeNeui
(also plays Caucus Race Animal, Caterpillar Body, Card Two, Gryphon)
Joan – Gretchen Volk
(also plays Caucus Race Animal, Footman, Mock Turtle)
King of Hearts – Tytus Spivey
(also plays Caucus Race Animal, Caterpillar Head)
Miss Prickett – Lisa Junge
(also plays Mouse, Duchess’s Cook, Caterpillar Body, Knave of Hearts)
The next event at The Matthews is the 43rd Festival in the Park, July 16 – 18. For additional information or to learn about upcoming events, visit www.matthewsopera.com.
Wow! July is a BIG month at the Matthews Opera House!
We have several craft days coming up and our Summer Art BINGO Challenge is still going on through the end of July! For those wanting to get back on stage, auditions for our 10th Anniversary of Theater of the Run are in early July. It’s going to be a special year and we hope you will be a part of it!
It’s summer theater time, and while we plan to bring back Phantom someday in the future, this year we are bringing a brand new production to our stage! Adapted and directed by Joanna Mechaley, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderlandwill be a fun, whimsical show the whole family will enjoy.
And of course, the biggest news of all is FESTIVAL IS BACK! We have missed Festival in the Park desperately over the past year and we know many of you have too! Well, clear your schedule for July 16-18 because Festival in the Park will be in full swing once again at the Spearfish City Park. Six Mile Road is headlining our Friday Wristband Night Fundraiser! Wristbands are now on sale at the Matthews’ gallery, Killians, Visit Spearfish, and the Spearfish Chamber.
Keep scrolling to find out more!
Cheers, The Matthews Staff
Auditions Theater on the Run July 7 & 8 | 6:30 pm
The Matthews Opera House & Arts Center will host auditions for the 10th Theater on the Run July 7 & 8. The auditions will take place at the Matthews’ Fireplace Room
There are roles available for 9 males, 9 females. Ages 20 – 60. This year, all actors cast will be part of a full-length play.
Each scene will be performed at different locations. The play is Murder on the Fly by C.A. Dougherty.
Summer Art Bingo June & July July 10 – Take Home Craft Kit July 24 – In-Person Craft Day
Ready to have an art-filled summer? Participate in the Matthews Opera House Summer Art BINGO challenge for the opportunity to win prizes like art supplies and tickets to upcoming shows.
Pick up a Summer Art BINGO card from the Matthews gallery and grab the supplies you need. Each card is filled with a variety of art ideas that can be completed at home!
Complete enough projects to get a BINGO and you’ll be entered into the Matthews’ monthly drawings.
43rd Festival in the Park July 16 – $5 Wristband Night: 4 – 10 pm July 17: 9 am – 7 pm July 18: 10 am – 4 pm
The Matthews presents the 43rd annual Festival in the Park at Spearfish City Park.
On Friday, July 16 the Festival in the Park will kick off with $5 Wristband Night with headlining band Six Mile Road performing from 6-10 p.m. This event is the Matthews’ largest fundraiser of the year. Festival in the Park will continue on July 17 & 18. Live music, over 150 craft and food vendors, and children’s events will be available to patrons.
To celebrate our 2021 Writing Contest that is currently underway, we are FINALLY releasing audio performances of last year’s winners!
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR CURRENT WRITING CONTEST. SUBMISSIONS DUE JUNE 30.
FIRST PLACE WINNER OF 2020 SHORT STORY CONTEST!
When an angelic visitor gives average-joe Harley Miller the power of miracles, his first attempt at the miraculous leads to disastrous ramifications. Enjoy this hilarious and thought-provoking short story by Spearfish local Joanna Mechaley.
This entry won 1st place in our 2020 Short Story Contest!
The Remnant by Joanna Mechaley
When the town of Meadow outlawed miracles, Harley Miller blamed himself. And he should. Any student of theology could’ve told him to start with something smaller. Loaves and fishes, for instance. Tuna on toast never offended anyone. But, lacking proper mentorship, he’d gone with his gut. His gut, apparently, had terrible judgment.
Water to wine. On the top ten list of miracles, it ranked second only to resurrection. It was a bold choice, but what’s the point of a miracle if not to galvanize an audience? Not a single sermon has ever focused on curing ingrown toenails or healing farsightedness. Since the beginning, miracles have been earth-shaking, plague-inducing, sea-parting wonders.
Plus, the end of the world sounded awful. If he could lighten the blow of “judgment is nigh and God is stamping out the vineyard” with some free merlot, shouldn’t he? After all, it would serve as an ice-breaker and an apocalyptic illustration.
None of these thoughts, however, would occur to Harley until later, when he would find himself ricocheting between bouts of justification and self-flagellating blame, clinging to whatever emotional life raft would bear his overburdened conscience to shore.
First, though, the visitation.
The stranger had materialized in his living room, interrupting Final Jeopardy! with a command to “fear not.” From his position on the couch, with one hand on the remote and the other nestled comfortably in the waistband of his pajama pants, Harley found plenty to fear. The stranger towered over Harley, his head grazing the ceiling, his torso dwarfing the narrow room. His voluminous robes indicated the expectation of a slumber party although Harley couldn’t imagine anything more uncomfortable than snuggling with this mountain of a . . . was it a man? The natty pile of feathers gathering over the visitor’s toes seemed to suggest otherwise.
Harley struggled off the couch, capsizing a bottle of Miller High Life on his way up. He glanced between the visitor and the foam dribbling over the edge of the coffee table, trying to draw a connection between the two.
“The end is at hand,” the stranger intoned, presenting Harley with a primitively carved staff. “Sin no more and gather the remnant,” and he vanished in a blinding flash of light, now you see me, now you don’t, conveniently frying the television with his Houdini-esque departure. He had also, as Harley would later discover, scorched a patch of carpet with his bare feet, a parting gift. Maybe the burn was shaped like a cross, maybe it wasn’t, but it would definitely cost Harley his security deposit.
Harley comforted himself with the idea that the whole episode had been the result of a tainted batch of hops—except a week’s worth of empty Miller bottles lined the coffee table and he hadn’t experienced a single angelic visitation prior to that night.
He examined the staff closely. It reeked of incense. Other than that, though, it resembled any other museum-quality handicraft. No Aramaic text appeared on the wood, it didn’t hum with power, “Property of J. Christ” wasn’t engraved on the shaft; it was just a very old, fragrant walking stick. It could hardly be expected to generate miracles, if that was what the angel had intended. Harley would look ridiculous lugging it around town like some kind of urban shepherd, pounding it on the sidewalk every time a blind man crossed his path.
He fell to his knees, praying desperately. He asked for intercession. He asked for the brass to do what the Almighty commanded. He asked for the peace that surpassed his understanding of mental health commitment laws.
He couldn’t fathom what qualified him for such a task. When he made it to church at all, he slipped into the back row fifteen minutes late, once the hymns and handshaking had finished. He was no motivational speaker—he worked in IT, for Pete’s sake. He could think of a dozen people more suited to the job. Maybe two dozen. Let it pass to one of them.
Nevertheless, when he finally rose to his feet, he obediently recited the first miracle he remembered from years of Sunday school. “Water to wine.” He tapped the staff uncertainly against the floor.
He turned on the faucet, hoping for very little, and the water tumbled out as clear as ever. Congratulating himself on his failure, he reached for the handle.
The plumbing groaned in response. The faucet spat like a tomcat in a bathtub. The pipes seized and belched. Dark liquid streamed from the spout, staining the basin.
Harley tentatively collected a palmful. He sipped. He was no sommelier, yet a certain fruit-forward boldness teased his tongue, full-bodied with a dry complexion.
It was definitely wine.
It had worked.
He had performed a miracle.
Well, technically the Almighty had performed the miracle and he had just acted as a vessel. Still . . . he had performed a miracle!
A grin broke across his face. He began to giggle as his doubts melted away. Of course, he had yet to convince every citizen of Meadow to drastically change their ways or face eternal damnation, but the job was practically done for him. He’d gather the sheep, give the staff a tap and presto-chango, let me tell you about this guy I know. The proof would be in the proverbial pudding.
Harley didn’t realize, however, that he had no need to work miracles in fits and starts. It wasn’t possible to confine the work of the Almighty to the plumbing of his apartment unit as he’d assumed. It sought a larger canvas. The fruits of his labor had already spilled over and every Meadow resident was tasting the miraculous, whether they were prepared to recognize it as such or not.
When Mayor Margorie Thompson stepped onto the porch to water her award-winning azaleas she was justifiably alarmed by the shower of booze that shot from her garden hose. Her four-year champion blooms were equally distressed and fell into a depression that, without serious intervention, would cost her the Grand Prize at the county fair.
And, with just enough time to dry his uniform before the work day began, Jimmy “T-Bone” Tetrault pulled a load of ruined chef’s jackets from the washer. In what his wife would later describe to the repairman as a “typical T-Bone snit,” he tore the door from the machine and flung it into the laundry room wall. He couldn’t possibly maintain his dignity while serving brunch at the Pork and Bean; he was too large of a man to pull off pink.
Sandi Stanton, nearly blind without her glasses, had noted the hue of the coffee pot when she shuffled into the kitchen; however, lacking the visual acuity to distinguish between burgundy and black, she assumed her husband had beaten her to the brew button. The first sip had been a shock; the second, a confirmation; the third, the start of a trend. By the time John Stanton wandered downstairs for breakfast, his wife was singing Moon River and burning a pan of scrambled eggs that could’ve fed fourteen.
When Harley swung by the Piggly Wiggly the next morning for a block of Gruyere and some oyster crackers, he was startled by the headline dashed across the front of The Post. He scoured the paper for phrases such as awe-inspiring, life-changing or born-again. The article contained no such religious hyphenates. The reporter denounced his miracle as an “insidious prank” that had destroyed every inch of city green space including parks, school grounds and recreation paths. The municipal golf course, the city swimming pool, all gone. Letters filled the op-ed pages demanding spaghetti-western, vigilantee justice.
For a town split by a river named Redwater, a town with an equivalent bar to church ratio, a town in which the gross domestic products were barley and kitty litter, it was a surprising turn of events.
Harley considered quietly leaving the neighborhood, trying again in the next county. But when the editor of The Post laid blame on a local winemaker, he had no alternative except to reconsider. Disinclined as he was to step into the guy’s mud-spattered Tony Lamas, as a holy servant he supposed it wasn’t right to let another man take the blame. So, he responded with an act of honesty that would have been admirable, perhaps even romantic, had it not been for the reluctance that preceded it.
—
Five hundred and thirty-two citizens, by the fire marshal’s count, squeezed into the high school gymnasium. The marshal pointedly ignored the breach in capacity and waved to his wife, who waddled up the stands to claim the seat he’d saved for her. Fans pumped sluggishly, spreading a misery of overbreathed air and body odor. Those who had come late leaned against the walls, casting grudging glances at the bleachers. The winemaker slumped in front, wearing defeat like a wilted carnation at a shotgun wedding.
Mayor Margorie Thompson commandeered the court to a smattering of applause. She was magnificently imposing, the proportions of her face as finely carved as a maritime figurehead guiding her crew through uncharted waters. She swept her warmest mayoral smile across the sea of constituents and tested the microphone with a cordial “good evening.” A shriek of feedback swallowed her words and the student running sound withered in his BVDs and adjusted the volume.
“Thank you all for coming,” Mayor Thompson said. “There are a few points I’d like to make about recent events before opening the floor to comment.”
Harley already knew the talking points. Pepper Johnson had neglected a maintenance issue at his winery and thousands of gallons of alcohol had been siphoned into the city aqueduct, contaminating the municipal water supply. Fiscal hardship . . . waste disposal . . . compensation . . . wah, wah, wah.
He examined the audience. There sat Pepper, staring vacantly at his lap, his posture reflective of an amorphic creature—man devolved into his primeval, slug-like state. Whatever Pepper had been subjected to over the previous days had stripped away his boundless, effervescent energy and left him wallowing in a gelatinous shell of submission. Harley shuddered.
Seated beside the old man, Sophie Whitaker vibrated with reserves of indignant energy. Harley hadn’t laid eyes on Pepper’s niece since graduation, not since she traded the countryside for a penthouse view. He wasn’t entirely surprised to see her—unlike the rest of her family, she’d always favored good, old Pepper and his eccentricities, which was why she’d chosen to live with him rather than her own harassed mother.
As for the rest of the crowd, Mayor Thompson had worked them into a frenzy of intolerance reminiscent of German book burnings and Old Testament stonings. They nodded along with her speech, eyes wet with emotion, pounding their thighs in vigorous agreement, swaying like horses at the starting gate.
As loathe as he was to step forward, Harley couldn’t put it off. He raised his hand. Turns out, the gesture wasn’t as effective in real-life scenarios as it had been in elementary school. The mayor was so enraptured by the brilliance of her own discourse, she didn’t see him. He took a deep breath, hefted his staff and trudged onto the court.
“Mayor Thompson, Pepper Johnson didn’t do it.”
Harley felt the weight of five hundred and thirty-two pairs of eyes on him. It rattled him, yet there was no turning back.
Mayor Thompson smiled coolly. “Mister . . .”
“Miller.”
“Mr. Miller. Of course. I believe we already established that the origin of the problem is Mr. Johnson’s winery. Our city engineer has examined the property and found the source of the breach.” As if Harley was a child arguing the unfairness of his bedtime.
The engineer, a paunchy man with disproportionately meaty forearms, leaned forward, regarding Harley with a narrow gaze as he gnawed on a toothpick. The V of his unbuttoned collar exposed an unruly mat of hair. He reminded Harley of a beaver—an eager, openly hostile beaver.
Harley examined the floor. “Yes, I’m aware.”
Mayor Thompson’s smile sagged slightly. “Then I’m not certain what you’re suggesting.”
“I’m suggesting,” Harley said, “that you’re wrong. That, maybe, in an election year you thought it would be in your best interest to find someone—anyone—to take the blame. And your engineer found it in his best interest to support your theory.” Harley looked into the mayor’s face. Her smile had disappeared entirely. “Pepper Johnson didn’t neglect his winery, Mayor Thompson. What happened was a miracle meant to open our eyes to the coming days.”
“Mr. Miller, I do not appreciate—”
“No, Madam Mayor, you do not.” An unexpected evangelical fire lit in Harley’s belly. The words poured out of him. “You do not appreciate the significance of a Heaven-sent revelation because you won’t admit there are powers in this world mightier than the ballot. You place your faith in what you can see and quantify—statistics and votes and bottom lines. You demand proof and reason, yet fail to realize that the Creator of Wonders owes you neither.”
Harley stood—shoulders back, spine straight, feeling uncharacteristically smug—and let his words fade into reflective silence . . . which stretched into awkward silence . . . which bled into embarrassed avoidance. He shrunk slightly and wondered if he should continue.
Mayor Thompson’s eyes narrowed. “Mr. Miller, I would caution you to tread lightly. What you are implying is slander. Unless, of course, you possess evidence of wrongdoing. Do you? Possess evidence?” She contemplated him like a spider who, assiduously spinning her web, feels the thrum of a landing fly. “No. You do not. You expect us to discard logic and common sense in the name of faith. You claim that what happened was a miracle.” She snorted. “You would have us believe in fairytales rather than verifiable fact. Based on what? Your word?”
“Not my word,” Harley mumbled. “God’s word.”
“Do you view us as entirely ignorant? Certainly, you must. I cannot fathom another reason why you would find it appropriate to interrupt these proceedings with nonsense about miracles and revelations.” She gestured toward the door. “Now, if you are finished . . .”
“I can prove it. God doesn’t owe you proof, but . . . maybe I do.”
“Mr. Miller, I don’t have time for theatrics.”
“Madam Mayor, I dare you to let me perform another miracle.” Maybe it lacked the sophistication of his former appeal but, in Harley’s experience, a good, old-fashioned dare almost always yielded successful results. “If I can prove miracles are possible, will you listen to me?”
Mayor Thompson closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Let us see a show of hands,” she said. “How many would like to witness Mr. Miller’s . . . miracle?”
If she intended to humiliate Harley with disinterest, she misjudged her audience. Hands rose across the auditorium. Disappointed by the vulgarity of their curiosity yet with no choice but to concede, she yielded. “Very well, Mr. Miller. The floor is yours.”
Harley resisted the urge to pump his fist in victory. He scanned the room, searching for a particular teenager and finding her in the front row. He’d read about Mindy LaRose’s accident in The Post. She’d been struck by a vehicle in the school parking lot on the same day the angel had visited his apartment. The town was fiercely divided over who was at fault—the driver, the school or Mindy, herself. He approached. “Miss LaRose.”
The girl watched him warily, gripping her crutches as if preparing for a fight. Her right leg extended rigidly in front of her. Her mother sat beside her, scowling.
“That looks painful.” Harley gestured at the girl’s brace.
“It is,” Mrs. LaRose interjected. Her daughter rolled her eyes.
“Would you mind explaining what happened?”
Mindy brightened, pleased to play the victim. “I was in the parking lot and Garret Wilson rammed me with his truck. I guess he was too busy cheating on his girlfriend to look where he was going.”
“She needs surgery once the swelling goes down.” Mrs. LaRose added. “She’s all messed up. Torn tendons, multiple fractures. She can’t even shower alone. I have to help.”
“Mom!” Mindy groaned in humiliation.
“What if I could heal you?” Harley asked. “Immediately. Without surgery. Would you like that?”
Mindy sneered. “Whatever.”
Harley assumed that was teenager for “yes, please.” He knelt before her and, praying quietly, passed the staff over her leg, back to front, right to left, paying special attention to the area around her knee. As the pain began to recede, she closed her eyes and groaned in relief, like a dog receiving an intense belly scratch. Harley pounded the staff once against the floor. Tendon and bone knit together instantly and Mindy yelped in surprise. Using Harley as support, she stood tentatively and straightened her leg. She pressed her foot against the floor. Bounced on her toes. The audience craned, trying to ascertain exactly what was happening in the front row to cause Mindy LaRose, a good Catholic girl, to shriek “Mother Mary!” and tear the hospital-issued brace from her leg.
“It’s fixed!” She flew into Harley’s arms, sobbing.
The crowd murmured. Harley stretched his arms like a magician taking a bow, ta-da!, while Mindy clung to his torso. He waited for the first hearty “Hallelujah,” to rise from the crowd.
Instead, Garret Wilson leapt from his seat and shouted, “She faked it!” The teen shook with rage. “She’s a liar!”
Sharon LaRose snatched her daughter and slapped Harley with five-foot-three inches of maternal fury. “We already found a lawyer! She was going to use that money for college, you ninny! We’ll be lucky if the Wilsons don’t sue us for fraud.”
Stunned, Harley took a step backward. This wasn’t the gratitude he’d expected.
Mindy froze, considered the implications of her immaculate healing and collapsed, grabbing her leg in stagey histrionics. “Ooooh, it hurts,” she wailed.
Throughout the gymnasium, people popped from their seats like moles in a carnival game. As they clambered down the bleachers, Harley realized they didn’t look reverent or awestruck. They looked . . . menacing.
The rising hubbub broke through Pepper’s miasma. Like a rabbit scenting predators on the wind, he stiffened, suddenly alert. He bolted from his seat, pulling his niece with him and spinning toward Harley in one graceful step. “Come on. We’re getting out of here before they lose their damned minds.”
He herded Harley and Sophie through the emergency exit, ignoring the blare of the alarm as they burst through the door. After the oppression of the gymnasium, the outside air was impossibly sweet, but Harley had no time to appreciate it. “Move your feet, kid,” Pepper barked, dragging him into the parking lot and down the lane to Sophie’s car.
Harley tossed his staff into the backseat and scrambled after it. “I guess they weren’t ready for a miracle.”
Sophie slid into the driver’s seat. “So, where to?”
Harley laid his head against the window and closed his eyes, suddenly miserable. “Oh, I don’t know. Montreal?”
“How about Carson?”
The neighboring town was twenty minutes away. Harley nodded.
Pepper piped up from the passenger seat. “So, what are the rules?”
Harley shrugged. “Love God and your neighbor, I guess. And don’t look back or you’ll turn into a pillar of salt.” He forced a laugh.
“Really?” Pepper asked. “Why the heck do you suppose that is?”
“I don’t know,” Harley sighed. “Obedience?” The car lurched over a pothole and the staff rolled to the floorboard, bounced once.
“Do you think—” Pepper began.
. . .
Harley felt the vehicle swerve, heard Sophie cursing. He opened his eyes.
A bulky, roughly man-shaped mound peeked over the headrest. It tottered precariously as Sophie struggled to pull the car to the shoulder of the road. Either Pepper hadn’t believed Harley’s warning or he had hardly considered glancing into the backseat as “looking back.” Motives aside, the result was the same. Pepper had turned to salt. He was already beginning to crumble.
Sophie screamed at Harley to change him back. It was impossible—although Harley thought it worth mentioning her uncle would’ve appreciated the irony.
Finding himself deposited on the highway with nothing more than the clothes on the back and the staff in his hand, Harley looked to the horizon. Well, if it was good enough for the apostles, he guessed it was good enough for him.
To celebrate our 2021 Writing Contest that is currently underway, we are FINALLY releasing audio performances of last year’s winners!
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR CURRENT WRITING CONTEST. SUBMISSIONS DUE JUNE 30.
A quiet western town suddenly finds itself overwhelmed with famous outlaws in this short story by 8-year-old Owen Guy. This entry won first place kid’s short story in our 2020 Short Story Contest.
The Outlaws of the West by Owen Guy
Once there was a town in the Wild West. Not a little town, not a ghost town, not a big city, more like, a medium size town. It just so happened, that, in that town, a little boy was born in the town. His name was Terno. Now, Terno was very good at learning things. He learned how to scream as soon as he entered the open world. (Ha-ha!) But he was a quick learner. He could shoot a gun well by the time he was 6, He even ran his own store! One of the most interesting things about Terno’s town was: it never- ever got attacked! It’s true, nobody like Billy the Kid ever attacked his town. One day, Terno asked “Mom, are we ever going to get attacked?’’. Her steady response was “No, not now, not ever.” And, for a very long time, she was right. But, the town did get attacked one day, and this is how it happened:
One day, when Terno was 14, He had been having a really good day. He had won 15 shooting contests in a row that morning. He was heading back home, when, he heard the sound of horse’s hoofs! Now, having horses was illegal in his town. The only person who owned horses was old man Middleton who kept them entirely as pets. Soon, the watchman yelled (Terno didn’t know why they even had a watchman.) “Were under attack!” Terno ran to his house and yelled “were under attack!” His mother said “ha-ha very funny.” Then, suddenly, their house didn’t have a roof. Terno’s mother screamed. Suddenly, Terno ran for the door! His mother yelled “come back! Somebody, stop him!” Terno ran outside and saw a LOT of outlaws. He counted 10 in all. There was Billy the Kid, Buffalo Bill, Davy Crockett, Calamity Jane, Wild Bill Hickok, Annie Oakley, Butch Cassidy, Jesse James, Wyatt Earp, and Doc Holliday? Terno knew that Doc Holliday was not an outlaw. In fact, he was a dentist. Suddenly, Terno was lying spread-eagle on the ground. He had been trampled! One of the outlaws pointed his gun at Terno. “Don’t move’’ said the outlaw. “Well, I Guess I should just shoot you instead” said the outlaw. Terno barely avoided the bullet that sent him careening through the air! He landed right onto one of Middleton’s horses! Well, Terno thought, at least I landed on a horse, and, it sort of gives me an advantage. Oh, boy, I’m going to get arrested for this. Terno found a pistol in a leather satchel on the horse and a 22 caliber rifle on the side of the horse. Terno rode out and said ‘’hiya!”. The outlaw’s turned towards the sound. Terno aimed the rifle and fired. Billy the Kid was down! He also fired the pistol but he missed. The outlaws retuned fire and almost hit him. Terno shot down Wyatt, Wild Bill, and Butch in 1 shot. But, the next shot scraped him. Grimacing in pain, he shot again. He took down 5. The one left was Jesse James. He said “You cardboard box made of matches, you shot down all my comrades.” Terno said “Well, you and your comrades were invading my town”. Without warning, Terno fired but Jesse ducked. Jesse said “ya missed me, la, la!”. Terno felt anger boil up inside him. He hated being taunted. Terno yelled at the outlaw and shot him. Now, thought Terno, I should probably put out the fires. He did, and after a few days, the death counts were sent out. Only 1 person that was not an outlaw died, and it had been old man Middleton! Now, his horses were free for the taking! Terno took them in and cherished them until he died.