Characters in My Life-Collage: The Radical Priest
Absolution. I knew I needed it, but I had this attraction, you see. Should I turn left or right? The glory of heaven or the pains of hell? It all started at a school board meeting. I was a single mom, having left an abusive husband and taking my three young children with me. I was still in recovery. And I was angry. How could a man have been so cruel? It would be a long time until I sorted through it all. In the meantime, I had these kids to raise.
We lived in a small house in a small community, but the house was on a busy road, one that seemed to beg people to drive fast, even though several families had children who walked that road to and from school. There were no speed limit signs along the stretch that our children walked. After several near misses of cars almost hitting my kids, I got together with other parents in the vicinity. We were all concerned and I was outraged, the anger in me over a multitude of issues still simmering beneath the surface. That is why they elected me to represent them at a school board meeting to try to have this speeding situation resolved. They liked my anger and feistiness.
The night of the school board meeting, the other parents were there, but I was the spokesperson. I stood to make our case, but when the board members seemed dismissive, I got louder, ranting and raving that they would have the blood of our children on their hands. They threw me out of the meeting!
I was standing in the parking lot by my car, and I was still steaming. That’s when he appeared. This handsome middle-aged priest with his collar, blue eyes and white-too-soon hair came over to me. He was gorgeous, not to mention off-limits. He laughed a quiet laugh in a velvet voice and said, “You kinda lost it in there.” It turned out that after I had been thrown out of the meeting, he had risen to my defense and was told to leave as well. I laughed as he told me the story. We talked for a long time under the glow of streetlights and he learned my story. “The best way to get rid of your anger is to help others, “he said. Then he asked me to do some volunteer work at a homeless shelter he ran in the community. I agreed and the next day I was there serving lunch to the homeless and castaways. It was a healing process. Father O’Riley had been right.
As the months went by, I became more and more involved with the shelter and soon Father O’Riley put me on the Board of Directors. He was truly a radical priest, refusing any government funds for this project and shunning any possible intervention by powers that be. We had a lot of meetings, he and I, and there was a glimmer in his eye every time we spoke. He would sometimes take my hand or put his arm around my shoulder. He peered into my eyes as a man, not a priest. But feelings were there, no doubt about it. I wrestled with these feelings, both as a Catholic who had almost joined the convent, and as a woman. Women know the signs, even if we don’t act upon them. Oh, but I wanted to act. He had me in my mind, and that is how a man first gets a woman, in her mind. Priest or not, he let his attraction to me be known. There were times when we were together that I thought I heard Hal from 2001: A Space Odyssey saying, “Alert! Alert here! Sin about to be committed!” So I prayed.
God must have heard me because I soon received a job offer with a good salary and would move from that community. The hours at the board meetings ended, and so did my time with Father O’Riley. We kept in touch by phone and once in a while, I would read a newspaper article about him, always stirring the pot of politics in that community he loved.
Several years later, my Mom passed away. Though she had become a Catholic to please my father, she had never gone to Mass, nor had she been affiliated with any church. I called Father O’Riley and asked if he would preside over her funeral. Always accommodating, he said he would. After the services, I held a Wake at my house, which was brimming with people. My brother was tending bar, and had served Father O’Riley more than a few drinks. At some point, and it’s still a bit hazy, this gorgeous radical priest came up behind me, put his arms around me, and sighed into my ear. I could have died and gone to heaven—or hell, had I chosen the wrong door. I just turned and smiled, and held him at arm’s length.
Today, some years later, I often think of him and the possibilities of what might have been if I had given into my desires and his. It’s fantasy, nothing more. But let me tell you, I could have easily taken a wrong turn and there would have been no absolution for me. I sigh, and turn to other thoughts with my soul still intact.
Share and Enjoy
Shortlink:
Posted by Cher Duncombe
on January 17, 2012. Filed under Cher Duncombe, Creative, Short Stories.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.
You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
About Cher DuncombeSomeone once told me, “Used-to-be’s don’t count.” I have pondered this often and find that they do count. We are the sum of our life experiences.
I used to be an English and Speech teacher. There will always be a part of me that wants to teach. I used to be an Investigator, first for the government and later in my own private investigations business.
I will always probe beneath the surface of issues and people, looking for the gem-like quality hidden in the text of words and personae. Today I am a writer and all of the used-to-be’s are part of the continuum of this journey.
View My Profile
View all posts by Cher Duncombe →
Talk about a provocative story!
Someone I know left the monastery after meeting a woman during a missionary trip. They would sit up all night talking about religion and books and politics and love. When he got back he wrestled with the idea of betraying God, but also with the idea of betraying his heart. What was he to do? He asked for God’s forgiveness, and soon after his mentor’s. They have been married over 30 years.
I think sometimes people forget that clergy are just lay people underneath their clerical clothing.
This was a wonderfully honest post, Cher!
I guess we all have our priest stories… even good ones.
http://itsalwaysfriday.blogspot.com/2010/06/what-have-you-done-for-your-art.html#more
Thank you Cher. That really WAS honest.
Bill, a compliment from you is a compliment from the Gods of writing! Thank you so much. Your link is one all should read. It gets my highest recommendation!
Jen, your story had such a sweet ending. For me, that Catholic guilt still raises its not-so-dormant head, but I do not regret my time with this priest for a minute.
Cher tempting the priest, that’s a film script waiting to be written. I’m liking reading about these episodes in your life with different people. Harley riding bikers, radical priests, what next. Time to renew my subscription to the the ‘nuns you’d like to meet’ dating site.
Oh no….there’s going to be a Sister Crystal, isn’t there?
If only I could dress up as nun without fear of persecution, oh the humanity
“oh the humanity”! Garry, I was a thousand miles away from my computer when these comments came in, but if I had been here I would have hugged you across the ocean for that line!
Sister Crystal…*snickers*
Garry, your comments had me in stitches! Most definitely, renew your subscription to “the nun’s you’d like to meet dating site.” You never know…
I spent a year in seminary thought I wanted to be a Jesuit. Decided I didn’t have to be a priest and decided I didn’t have to give up the world to help the world.
Cher that was a great story
“…I didn’t have to give up the world to help the world.”
I love that!
And this from our word master! Thank you, Jen.
You know, Dan, I can see you as a Jesuit, but think of all you would have missed and all the beautiful stories you now have to tell.
Thanks Cher and your right, but I still think I would have been sexy as hell with my collar on backwards
what a story, Cher! My great grandmother was a nun and my great grandfather was a priest. Her convent was right next to his seminary. In what could surely be the basis of a romance novel,they used to slip love notes to each other between the bars of the fence. They didn’t do so well with the temptation bit, eh?
Wow! THAT story needs to be made into a movie too!
Now that is a great story, Janene! Sometimes we all lose the battle with temptation, but oh what a ride.
Oh my goodness, Cher! This really read like a movie! I’m afraid that I don’t have stories to share about people I know who were a nun or a priest. So thank you for sharing yours
xoxoxo
Thanks Sweet TJ. I’m happy you enjoyed the story. As Garry said, from Harley bikers to priests, I am nothing if not an acid trip on steroids!
Cher, I am almost speechless but when you mentioned the blue-eyes I understood everything.
I agree with TJ, this would make a great movie!
Katy, those blue eyes are temptation itself, aren’t they? A movie script someday, ’cause there is more.
There’s MORE?!?!? Oh, do tell.
Katy, I need to determine whether this will be a book, a chapter or a screenplay. Plus, do I really want to go to confession for having impure thoughts…again?
Thanks Cher and your right, but I still think I would have been sexy as hell with my collar on backwards
Dan, “sexy as hell,” I’m sure! Plus you do have those blue eyes.
What a bittersweet memory. What is it about the tingle of things that might have been? I bet the Germans have a word for it.
“…the tingle of things that might have been.” Anya, you have a marvelous way of phrasing dreams in lovely thoughts.
Cher,
What a captivating story.. One you are “blessed” enough to share.
My best friend loves to razz me about my fondness for my priest. In confidence, I’ve confessed that he was hot… I bragged that he winked at me during anointing of the sick… She said, “will you stop this, listen to how you sound”
I guess she’s right, it doesn’t sound good….. Ha ha…
If we goto. Hell, at least we will be together……
Love this post
Tiffany
Tiffany, I so understand. It’s a good thing those nuns literally put the fear of God into us! That said, do you still want me to be a Godmother?
Cher,
I just re read this for about the third time and how well written. I think It’s difficult enough to let ones secrets out. But so beautifully done is mind boggling.
Dan, thank you so much for your generous thoughts. You are such a good writer, open and revealing what is in your heart. That makes your compliment even more cherished.