The Wish of a Lifetime

By Ed Crane

Sun, 18 May 2014
  • 716 reads
4 comments
 

This story was going around in my head since the IP based on Araby. Therefore I've attempted to make this a 200 word novel.

****************

She seemed old when I first arrived, thirty-five years ago. She pounced on me after my first Sunday.

‘Father Danby. Such a pleasant name,’ she blurted. ‘So good to have a young priest at last. Father O’Brian seemed tired and lacking faith before he passed.’

I tried to defend my predecessor, but she brushed away my comments and turned the conversation her way.

‘Father, I’m old, but the years haven’t diminished my enthusiasm for God and the blessed day I meet Him. I pray every day he takes me.’

I was concerned about her readiness to die and told her so.

‘Don’t be concerned, young priest, I am not depressed. Death is such a wonderful thing to look forward to – I cannot wait. How can you not see death is a door that opens into the ecstasy of God’s presence?’

Over the years she never lost her enthusiasm for passing. Many lonely evenings in the Rectory ended, when she visited to discuss death and attempt to make me love it. But her arguments only served diminish my conviction I would ever face God.

After 98 years her wait ended.

I prayed her God was not as elusive as Mangan’s sister.

Certificate PG
Story
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by Bee on

Hi Ed.

This is beautiful. I found - 'I prayed her god ...' interesting and thought provoking. And I love that picture.

Bee

Submitted by Ed Crane on

It's difficult in such a short piece to get the meaning across. I had in mind to write this as a longer story . . . I might do that actually.

The point of this piece is longing for something you love (she) and disappointment in something one thought was special (The Father's faith in his religion).

I think they are two of the themes running through James Joyce's, Araby. (I could be wrong tho')

Cheers

Ed

PS. The illustration is on Wiki (about Heaven). It's from an illustration in Dante's, A Divine Comedy

 

Submitted by Bee on

Hi Ed.

I did get all that - (had to google Araby last night), but what interested me was that he prayed her god wasn't as elusive, and it made me think he didn't have faith. It's an interesting piece as it is, and clever to get so much into such a short story, but I'd love to see it developed. I liked the relationship. Definitely don't give up on this one.

Bee

Submitted by Ed Crane on

Thanks very much for your very kind comments, Otto. I feel flattered.

Cheers

Ed