Masonville
by
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'If you come with me, I'll let you see me naked.' That's what she said, exactly what she said. We were both 13 at the time, standing across the fence from one another in our backyards. 'You would like to see me that way, wouldn't you,' she added after my moment of wonder and silence. I thought perhaps I was dreaming and didn't want to do or say anything to wake me up. 'Yes I would,' I finally replied. 'Well, come on then,' she said and headed toward her house. I jumped over the fence and followed her. 'Don't worry; my folks aren't home,' as we went upstairs to her bedroom. She closed the door and told me to sit on the bed. 'One thing though,' she said. 'You have to promise not to touch me. You promise? You just get to see, nothing more, all right?' I promised, still not believing this could possibly be happening, but it did.
She undressed in front of me; not much to remove, just jeans and blouse, confidently. Then she seemed to hesitate, and I thought she would lose her nerve, but no. First her bra, and then her panties; and she stood before me naked as the day she was born, but she didn't look like that the day she was born. She modelled herself, turning and posing slowly and gracefully, staring me straight in the eyes, as if to see what she could find there. I knew she had rehearsed this, possibly many times. She said nothing, and neither did I. I wanted to touch her more than I had ever wanted anything in my whole, young life. She was more beautiful than any fantasy I had ever had or ever would. And then she dressed and sat down on the bed opposite me. 'Why did you do that,' I asked. 'Because I wanted to,' was all she said. 'Will you let me see you that way again?' 'I don't think so,' she replied, and she never did. Her name was Jenny Tuner.
Author's notes
Is the author trashing religion? I certainly hope not. I have both reverence and respect for religion insofar as it symbolizes the wonders of creation and the mysteries of being. Nonetheless, in describing religion, it should be noted that for all its lofty purposes and ideals, it is undeniably a business. Ask the bankers who carry the church loans and mortgages. It's big business. Ask the Vatican which divinely oversees an international financial empire, or the political power brokers of the so called religious right who raise megamillions for election campaigns while also amassing vast personal fortunes. And on the local level, ask the accountant of the First Baptist Church of Masonville who handles the church payroll and accounts. It's a living.
But let us go to the heart of the matter. Is the end of times truly at hand? Is Jesus really coming again? Absolutely not. Do you have the right to believe such nonsense? Of course, you do. You also have the right to believe that the earth is flat and that two plus two equals three. Nevertheless, unless an errant meteor should randomly knock us off course, you may count on the earth orbiting the sun in comely fashion for several billion more years. If there is an end of times in sight, it will not be with the end of the earth, not even then. Indeed, if there ever will be an end of times, it will not be at hand for trillions of years, and if the universe should prove to be cyclical or self-sustaining, time is infinite. What do you think of that? As for Jesus returning from the grave, it will never happen, regardless of your faith or mine. He was human and therefore mortal as you and me. You may choose to believe otherwise, but it will not affect the fact of the matter. We are allowed, by the nature of our being, to be a specific person on earth for only one lifetime. If we would have Jesus here, let him live in you and in me. That's the only way it can be.
I am not implying that religion should be denied; only that many of its claims, when taken literally, are false. However, it is apparent that many persons cannot confront their ultimate and inevitable demise without some sort of comfort or safety net to cling to. Let these dear people believe in their heaven and hell and guaranteed eternal security if that is what they want and need. I also have no doubt that morality and ethics would be out of reach for many persons without fear of eternal damnation and hope of heavenly reward. I would prefer that such people remain blindly moral and ethical rather than be aware but evil. If religion is in many ways for many people the proverbial 'opiate of the masses,' then God bless opium. Be it noted, however, that there are many others who can face both life and death without it.
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About the Book
Welcome to Masonville, the most important book written since the Bible, though guaranteed to be shorter, sexier and much more fun. Masonville is inclusive of a short and ribald novel, complete with author's notes, two short stories, one poem and a series of brief reflections on various aspects of human thought and life. The various elements comprising the book, although separate and complete in themselves, are all introduced and integrated within the context of this most unusual and surprising novel. Masonville represents three levels of intent. The first is simply to entertain, with a fast paced, outrageous and humorous tale featuring an ensemble cast of offbeat characters placed in the fictional, small town of Masonville, California. The second purpose is to promote a liberal philosophical and social agenda stressing individualism and equal rights for women, homosexuals and other aliens from the norm. Concurrent with these emphases is a denunciation of the so called "religious right" and dogmatic, conservative, fundamentalist perspectives. Evangelicals and homophobes may be endangered by thought-provoking material and should proceed with caution. Third, the fictional elements of the book create a prelude to the perspectives and philosophy delineated in the concluding Reflections at Sea Level.
About the Author
A. Paul Bergen was born Jan. 1939, Wasco, California.
Education: B.A. Philosophy, Westmont College, Santa Barbara, CAM
Mr. Bergen has been a professional singer since 1960. He has performed and/or recorded with John Williams, Norman Luboff, Roger Wagner and Fred Waring. Movie soundtrack credits include Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Choir Boys, Damien II, and Ironweed. As a southern California studio singer, his voice has been recorded on over 8,000 commercials for radio and television. He has also been nationally recognized as a narrator and voice-over artist.
A. Paul and his family moved to Encinitas, CA, in 1980. Masonville is his first novel.