The Killer Bear Quotes

“strong athletic body, and his brown hair combed nice and straight. He’d even cleaned his fingernails and washed his neck and ears, which I knew he didn’t like to do. There he was, sitting up straight and listening with shining eyes, in spite of knowing that as soon as the meeting was over he’d have to go home to a weathered old house with poor furniture and worn-out rugs on the floor and a swearing, drinking father who didn’t like him. I remembered the time about a month ago when Circus’s dad had been drunk on the same night they had a new baby at their house. Circus had stayed all night at my house. He and I were upstairs undressing, and he got tears in his eyes and doubled up his fists and looked terribly fierce because he was so mad at the people who made and sold beer and whiskey. That was the night he had said, his voice all trembly, “I wish they’d just once take a picture of my dad when he’s drunk and put that in their”
― Paul Hutchens, The Killer Bear (Sugar Creek Gang Original Series Book 2)

“When I’d first started praying for Circus’s dad, I’d sort of expected God to answer my prayer right away, anyway in a week or two. I didn’t realize then that a person had to hear the gospel preached first and that nobody ever gets saved unless somebody tells him about Jesus. Besides, God won’t just come to a man’s heart and batter it open in order to get in. You have to open that door yourself. So I’d decided if I had to wait a long time I would, but I would keep right on praying. Anyhow, the minister who preached that night talked about the home. I was sure Circus’s dad was outside somewhere listening, but I certainly didn’t expect him to be much interested in that. That’s why I was so surprised when I got my prayer answered. This is the way it happened. Every now and then during the sermon I glanced over at Circus to see how he liked it. But I didn’t need to worry about him not liking it. He was listening for all he was worth. Good old Circus, with his monkey face, his”
― Paul Hutchens, The Killer Bear (Sugar Creek Gang Original Series Book 2)

“because of their having such big voices and being so important. A little later one of them stood up to pray. He had such a deep voice and used such long words that it made God seem very far away, and his voice had a little growl in it, like a bear’s. Just then I thought of Poetry and looked at him. And would you believe it? His mischievous blue eyes looked right straight into mine, and before I could stop myself, I’d snickered out loud. Just that very second I thought of my dad, too, and I looked back at him. He was looking straight at me with his long blackish-red eyebrows down and with a scowl on his forehead. Well, I was sorry, but I knew that wouldn’t help because I’d promised to be good in church and not get into mischief. But let me tell you about the important thing that happened that night. The meeting kept right on going, band and choir music, solos and quartets, and a very interesting sermon.”
― Paul Hutchens, The Killer Bear (Sugar Creek Gang Original Series Book 2)