Nor am I in a bare naked philosophical discourse. I'm butt naked
at around mid-night in the Sacred Heart Church of Cloudcroft
New Mexico chilled, knees swollen bone tired. What to do.I am
certainly aware that I have put myself in a unfavorable position having
placed all my faith in the faith that no late night repentant will come
through the door.
Everything I looked at was a hard wood to lay on except the carpet
behind the pulpit.So there I placed my wet cloths and looked for
something to cover myself for chill and modesty. In the perusal for
clothing I ventured into small side vestry off stage and there found
a chest of drawers with nothing but altar linens. To my credit I
declined these as inappropriate for their or my purposes. In my fruitless
search however for a warmer substitute it became apparent I was to
wear altar linen for the night.
As I moved about the church my knee finally locked up so I was walking
similarly like the Pharaoh's Mummy.I paid no heed as I was in want of
cover . Back inside the vestry I removed all the linen from the
chest of drawers and laid down behind the pulpit as the best alternative
to a sorry situation. Inspecting the linen it was apparent the right way was
simply to warp the narrow thin linen around my legs around and around
then up around the stomach and so on. The finished product was as
might be surmised, a bad imitation of the Mummy.
A man cant take a good look at himself until he has covered his ass. However
the moment came when I laid down on the wet pillow and there looking
down was the Crucifix. Jesus looked in my eyes . I also looked into Jesus
unblinking gaze. After some growing introspection and comfortableness I
offered that "I know this isn't what you had in mind Jesus, with me at your
altar naked wrapped in altar linen. I not a bit happy about this myself !
"Jesus", This looks bad,real bad. I'm not proud a bit.about this situation.
I have all the respect in the world for the church. Jesus had a way of
lookin kinda deep in me. Those non-judgmental thou compassionate
eyes. So I confessed all the lies I had ever told. I could remember an
the time Jerry, Conrad and I had stole money out of my mothers purse
so me could steal her car for an adventure down Balmorhea way in the
Davis Mountains. A Long night of confession until dawn but I'm
sure Jesus had a lot of late night company.He seemed to offer encouragement
" Yes Sir" I was gona change my ways There was no two ways about that.
All the drinkin and dope smoken,..! Dope!, my God I had that lid of pot
still in my shirt pocket! Desperately I reached my shirt pocket and there the
of grass lie secured in a zip lock baggy. Hum...The knees were not very
cooperative and unwrapping and re wrapping would be just too much I looked
for another alternative. The faded plastic roses in the pulpit flower pot offered
a possibility. I lifted the flowers from their place and stuff the stash for safe keepin.
That's it Jesus, I can't take it any more.
Like I said, "There's no question bout that"," I am a changed man".
If lighten had suddenly struck me from the Crucifix I would not have
been the least bit surprised. I have expected a fiery finger that wrote
the Ten Commandments to stick the floor I laid on " thou shall not beget
with pot in my church" , with after thought the finger post scripted..
" what could you be thinking" ?!
A troubled night went all to slowly. If you want to be honest with yourself
start at the beginning.I had many confessions to tell Jesus.
The church door opened with a small elderly Mexican lady slipped through
at the crack of dawn. My great fear at that moment was I'd give her
a heart attack. So in all concern I arose to the setting position from behind
the pulpit wrapped in altar linen and in as cultured voice as I had in me said.
" I don't mean to frighten you mam",..........". Ahhhhhhhhhhhh ",she turned and
fled the scene of my misery.
"Well I guess it's time to go". I flew into my jeans and shirt while spinning
toward the flower pot to retrieve the evidence.. I hit the street looken like
a desperado on the run down Highway 82.
to be discontinued..........First two editions already posted
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