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place."
    "What do you mean?"
    Mr. Callahan looked past my right shoulder. He stared so long that I turned and followed his gaze to an old photograph of his grandfather on the wall. Preacher Callahan didn't look like he knew how to smile.
    "You know exactly what I mean," the lawyer continued, his eyes returning to mine. "You're different, and it won't take long for anyone to find it out. Most people focus on the externals: the way you dress, the fact that you don't go to movies, the obedience to parents, the way you honor the Lord's Day by not doing anything on Sunday except go to church meetings. They don't realize that what makes you special is on the inside-your integrity and strength of character. That's rare, especially when joined with your intelligence."
    Mr. Callahan's words made me uneasy. It sounded like an invitation to pride. I kept silent.
    "Is it all right for me to share my opinion?" he asked.
    "Yes sir. That's why I'm here."
    The lawyer tapped his fingers on his desk. "Just the answer I expected, and although my ideas don't always line up with your beliefs, hear me out. When I look at you, I appreciate what my grandfather and those like him stood for. The strict ways don't work for everyone, but in your case they do. And I'm open-minded enough to acknowledge the good done by God's grace when I see it."

    "Yes sir."
    "So, what are you going to do about the job?" the lawyer continued.
    "Could I work for you?" I blurted out.
    Mr. Callahan smiled. "That's not the bait in the water. But to be honest, I thought about it after Joe Carpenter called me. I even prayed about it."
    My eyes opened wider.
    "Does that surprise you?" he asked.
    "No sir. I mean, I guess it does a little bit."
    "I believe in prayer," the lawyer said. "What does the Bible say? God blesses the children of the righteous to how many generations?"
    "A thousand generations."
    "Did they teach you that in law school along with the rule against perpetuities?"
    "No sir. It's in Deuteronomy."
    Mr. Callahan nodded and spoke thoughtfully. "Well, I'm only two generations removed from a very righteous man, and all my life I've felt the stirring of his influence in my soul. When I prayed about offering you a job, the Lord told me to `ask for a continuance.' When does a lawyer request a continuance?"
    "When he's not ready to try a case."
    "Or when the case isn't ready for the lawyer to try."
    I mulled over his words for a moment before responding. "Do you think I have to learn more before I'm ready to make a decision about coming back to Powell Station?"
    "Maybe, but don't treat my opinion like someone standing up at the church and saying, `Thus saith the Lord.' I don't claim infallibility or divine imprimatur. And it's not just about you. I need time to decide what I'm going to do over the next few years. Someday, I want to spend more time feeding my cattle than fighting with insurance companies. Unless I simply close the doors when I retire, I need to bring in a younger lawyer or two who can develop rapport with my clientele in preparation for taking over my practice."

    I knew the meaning of patience. Instant gratification wasn't part of my upbringing.
    "Yes sir. Can I share what you've told me with my parents?"
    He leaned forward and clasped his hands together. "I'd expect you to. And if you need Internet access or use of the fax machine while you're home, come here."
    "Thank you."
    I stood up. Mr. Callahan spoke. "Don't let go of the good planted in you."
    "Yes sir."
    As I drove home, I couldn't shake a deep longing that, in spite of his comments, Mr. Callahan might offer me a job. It would be a gracious next step along the path to independence. As I rounded a familiar curve, I appealed the lawyer's decision to a higher judge.
    "Lord, could you tell him a continuance isn't necessary?"
    AFTER SUPPER THAT NIGHT, Daddy, Mama, and I returned to the front porch. After making sure neither of the twins was eavesdropping, I told them about my meeting in town. I left