God's man

1 we were 10 or 11 years old
2 when we went to see the
3 priest.

4 we knocked.
5 a fat, frumpy woman
6 answered the door.
7 "yes?" she asked.

8 "we want to see the
9 priest," one of us
10 said.
11 I think it was Frank
12 who said
13 it.

14 "Father," the woman
15 turned her head,
16 "some boys want to
17 see you."

18 "tell them to come
19 in," said the
20 priest.

21 "follow me," said the
22 fat, frumpy lady.

23 we followed her.
24 the priest was in his
25 study.
26 he was behind his
27 desk.
28 he pushed some papers
29 aside.

30 "yes, boys?"
31 the lady left the
32 room.

33 "well," I said.

34 "well," said Frank.

35 "yes, boys, go ahead ..."

36 "well," said Frank, "we
37 wondered if God was
38 really there."

39 the Father smiled.

40 "but, of course, He
41 is."

42 "but where is He?"
43 I asked.

44 "haven't you boys
45 studied your catechism?
46 God is Everywhere."

47 "oh," said Frank.

48 "thank you, Father,
49 we just wanted to
50 know," I said.

51 "it's quite all right,
52 boys, I'm glad you
53 asked."

54 "thank you, Father,"
55 said Frank.

56 we both did little
57 bows, then
58 turned
59 and walked out of
60 the room.

61 the fat, frumpy lady
62 was waiting.
63 she led us down the
64 hall and to the
65 door.

66 we walked along the
67 street.

68 "I wonder if he's
69 fucking her?" Frank
70 asked.

71 I looked around for God,
72 then answered,
73 "of course, he isn't."

74 "but what does he do
75 when he gets
76 excited?"
77 asked Frank.

78 "he probably prays,"
79 I said.

80 "it's not the same
81 thing," said Frank.

82 "he has God," I said,
83 "he doesn't need
84 that."

85 "I think he's fucking
86 her," said Frank.

87 "oh yeah?"
88 "yeah.
89 why don't we go back
90 and ask him?"

91 "you go back and ask
92 him," I said. "you're
93 the one who's
94 curious.

95 "I'm afraid to,"
96 said Frank.

97 "you're afraid of God,"
98 I said.

99 "well, aren't you?"
100 he asked.

101 "sure."

102 we stopped then at a
103 red light, waiting for
104 traffic.
105 neither of us had been
106 to Mass for
107 months.
108 it was boring.
109 it was more fun
110 talking to the
111 priest.

112 the light changed and
113 we crossed
114 over.