toddles up the side aisle, sways slightly side to side, goes past Mary's chapel. You watch him from the pews waiting for confession. Old Mrs O'Connor's next in line; bet she'll be there for a week or so. You kneel down on the knee rest gaze at your knees. The priest enters the confessional, closes the door; silence. Mrs O'Connor lifts herself from the pew, wanders into the confessional closes the door after her. You sit back on the pew. The young priest is down at the altar, a nun helps him fiddle with stuff. Magdalene hasn't come. What to say? What not to say? Bless me Father
I've been having it off
with Magdalene Murphy. An old codger comes into the pew, kneels down closes his eyes. You sigh, kneel down, close your eyes, put in a Pater Noster and an Ave. The door of the confessional opens, the O'Connor bag comes out. It is you next, so rise up, go in, ready to spill the beans of sin.