Love After Heaven

17 This strangely attractive woman

"Father," Julie whispered, thankfully interrupting his inner struggle with himself and bringing him back to the podium, from where he was expected to hurl fire and brimstone on the young children. "I apologize for the outburst of the children. They are used to answering 'Good morning, visitor' when someone from the outside greets them 'Good morning' in their classrooms. They will now listen attentively to what you want to say to them. Please continue."

This woman's authoritative tone bothered Father Romy a bit. He was a priest. He was used to telling his parishioners what to do. For this woman, this lovely woman, this strangely attractive woman, to tell him what to do was, well, unexpected. Not to mention that the two of them were on stage and she was not supposed to talk to him at all.

But Father Romy, drilled into obedience by what he supposed were years of training in a hierarchical church, continued as told.

"Dear children," he said, for the third time now. "I want to tell you the good news."

Julie interrupted him in what was now a loud whisper, "Father, I failed to mention that this is an ecumenical recollection. Please do not say anything that will offend the children who have Jewish or Muslim parents."

Twice interrupted! Father Romy was a little peeved. But she was attractive. He could imagine touching those long, tapering fingers and being touched by them. He shook, then nodded his head. He could not possibly offend the children, he thought, because he didn't have the proper words to say, anyway.

"Please continue," Julie whispered.

Father Romy continued. "The good news is that there is a Supreme Being that keeps us alive."

That was more like it, thought Julie. This priest learned quickly, she said to herself. No talk of any specific god. Just a Supreme Being.

Father Romy continued. "You will learn from your studies now or later that we human beings have been on planet earth for only a very short time. Before us, there were all kinds of animals, even dinosaurs. You have all seen drawings of dinosaurs, right?"

Julie whispered to him. "They have all watched the Jurassic Park series, Father."

Now, this principal was really getting into his nerves, thought Father Romy. He was delivering what was supposed to be a speech to inspire and she kept talking to him. That had never before happened to him, at least as far as he could remember, which was admittedly not very far back.

Father Romy continued, "Can the dinosaurs or any animal or the trees or the waves on the sea be there without someone or something causing them to exist?"

Julie nodded. This was more like it.

"Did the Supreme Being create the universe and then just leave it alone? That doesn't make sense, dear children, because we cannot, all by ourselves, cause ourselves to exist. The Supreme Being must still be creating us."

Julie motioned to him. She whispered, "Father, please do not be philosophical. The children just need to be told that they should pray before meals."

This was really silly, thought Father Romy. If that is all this principal wanted, she could have told them that herself.

As though reading his thoughts, Julie said, "They pray before meals, but they do not know why. Just tell them why, Father."

Father Romy could not believe what was happening. He was being told what to say and what not to say. How dare this woman? But then again, how could she do any wrong when she was so attractive?

Father Romy continued. "So, my dear children, we have to pray before meals."

He stepped back from the microphone and waved goodbye to the children.

The children shouted, in unison, "Goodbye, visitor! Have a nice day!"

Father Romy turned to get down from the stage of the auditorium. Julie shook his hand and placed an envelope of money in it.

Father Romy took the money, but it wasn't the money that he was thinking about. He was thinking about how nice it felt to touch this woman's hand.