The Cardinal

-The Alarm rings- “Beep,Beep,Beep”

 

I awake to a empty place, only a bed exists in this room. I get up, right leg first the left follows. I look round me, up down, right, left and then finally down to the floor. My clothes sit alone on the floor, I put each piece on, bit by bit, starting with my shirt. I have each piece of clothing on, I stand and exit the room. I walk to the door of the kitchen, I turn the nob round clockwise and it opens. I come to an empty Kitchen, no crumbs, no mess. I open the fridge, the remainder of a left over Curry remains, on the next shelf there is milk, I proceed to take it out. I open a nearby cupboard to find what I need, Cereal.

 

By this point 15 minutes has passed since I first awoke. The reminder that I have to be at the Graveyard for 11:15 lingers in my mind, it is my priority at the moment. It is 10:30, I know that the Graveyard is 25 minutes away from my home on foot. I grab my coat of the hanger and proceed to lift my keys. I begin to make my way to the Graveyard. I walk, foot by foot, through the streets of a wet and cold Belfast town. It is 1969. The beginning years of what eventually becomes known as the Troubles. I walk down the road towards Milltown, through Andersontown, I hear the voice of a preacher in the Air, Continuously saying “Do you Love, Believe and Cherish God!, Are you a follower of the Commandments?, Are you educated!, Well Visit your local Parish today on how to become a Deacon firstly, then eventually a Priest!” I walk on, the words “Priest and Deacon” begin to linger,” I have no love, I have no job and lastly my friend has just left the world”

 

I think about this continuously throughout the day, my good friend James had died of Natural causes. The days passes, so does the Pints of beer. I find myself at the end of the day drunk, coming into my home, and falling to sleep. I awake the next morning Hungover, the words “Priest and Deacon” Still are present during this time. I decide to do what I do every morning, the exact same thing I did the previous morning. With the exception today I made my way to the Parish. I ask the Priest what does it take to become a Priest, he explains Briefly, I agree with him. I find myself 7 days later, on my way to Rome to begin my journey to become a Priest.

 
4 years would pass before I became a Priest. Another 10 before I became a Bishop, and another 20 before I moved to America to become a Cardinal of California. I find myself back in the State which I had left for Belfast a long time ago. I find myself now In Washington. Writing briefly about my experiences.

 

Written by Links_Redemption