“I thought you had found Jesus years ago. I thought that’s what you’ve been spouting off since you became a priest.”
“No, you don’t understand. I have finally found Jesus and accepted him as my personal savior. I am so happy.”
“Accepted him as your. . . ? Bill, that’s that holy roller crap. What are you talking about?”
“I’m leaving the priesthood, Frank. I have found other ways to serve the Lord. I informed the Bishop this morning.”
Just then the waitress shouted “Two on a bun with mayo, L and T. . . burn ‘em.”
“Leaving the priesthood?” shouted Frank. Everyone in the restaurant stopped and looked. “You can’t leave the priesthood, that’s all you talked about as a kid. Priest this, priest that, I heard it until it was coming out of my ears. I can promise you that if it hadn’t been for you I could have found a hell of a lot better ways to spend my Sunday mornings than ringing bells on an altar. Come on now, let’s laugh about it and tell me you’re kidding.”
“No, I am serious. I told the Bishop this morning.”
“Okay, you’re leaving the priesthood. What are you going to do? It’s not like you know how to handle a real job.”
“I have a job, Frank. I have much to do.”
“Okay, great! You have much to do. What is this ‘much’?”
“I will be bringing souls to Jesus. I will be doing what I was destined to do all along.”
Then it occurred to Frank. Actually it slapped him. “Let me guess, you’re going to work for Billy Taylor. You’re going to become one of his goddamn snake charmers.”
“Please don’t use God’s name in vain, Frank.”
Frank shook his head. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You’re going to work with Billy Taylor?”
“Reverend Taylor has offered me a position and I have accepted. This is what I wanted to tell you. We will talk more, but right now I have to go.”
“Didn’t you forget to ask me if I was saved?”
“Are you Frank?”
“Am I what?”
“Are you saved? Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal savior?”
“Jesus Christ, Bill. You used to joke about that saved shit in the pulpit. We all laughed. It was funny.”
“I’m not laughing now, Frank,” Bill said seriously. “Have you accepted. . .”
“No, and I don’t plan to, at least not in that weird, sick, holy roller way you’re talking about.”
Bill stood and turned toward the door. Frank could see his friend leaving. What had happened? Why the change? Was this just a joke? If so, Bill was taking it too far. Frank had to do something.
“Lunch, what about lunch?”
“Man doesn’t live by bread alone. . .”
“Bill, we talked about Taylor. You, yourself said he man was a fraud, a con artist. You said he was an embarrassment to the whole Christian community. Do you remember saying those things?”
“I did say them, yes, but maybe I was wrong.”
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