Friday, April 16, 2004

Unbelievable!

I came downstairs this afternoon to answer the door bell. I was expecting someone so this was no surprise. What was a surprise was finding the appointment rifling through my car. That's right, readers. I parked in front of the rectory and apparently didn't hit the door lock button on my key ring. This fellow was in my car picking up the pennies and checking my odometer so that I would rotate my tires. At least, that's what he said. I questioned why he thought he could go rooting about in my car and he started screaming and saying that my attitude was bad, etc., yakkity schmakity. The capper was as he drove away in a rage, he called the rectory on the cell phone and tried to continue to blame me. Thank God for answering machines.

It is crazy people like this that make my life as a priest beastly. Because you are this public person and because of your office in the Church, parishioners act like they can literally barge in anywhere in my private life. I had someone come in a public restroom once and try to carry on a conversation with me while I was otherwise engaged, if you follow my meaning.

And before someone says it, yes, I know he was trying to do something nice for me, but he did it in an offensive way. Would he be thrilled if I just walked into his house to see if the lint needed to be cleared from the dryer? I don't want his house to burn down. But that doesn't justify or rationalize my actions.

Needless to say, my car stays in the garage from now on. The nerve of some people....

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