Father Norris Phones

Back home, preparing a quick meal when your phone rings. It’s Father Norris.

“Mr Smith, I gather you and Miss De Gaulle submitted the petition today. I’m surprised you haven’t got back to me yet. How did it go?”

“Anissa hasn’t spoken to you?”

“No, she hasn’t. Which worries me. And the answer?”

What do you say? Your mind surges through the best way to say it. Blunt. Keep it blunt.

“I don’t think Dr Stricture was ever going to say yes. We could have had the entire school sign the petition and she’d still have said no.”

Silence on the other end. Then the most unchristian words, a torrent of invective. Followed by a more comprehensive whine.

“Doesn’t she know the influence she has? Everyone sees how she treats me and treat me the same. Every school. Every playgroup. Every guide and scout pack. Every club. I should be welcomed in all of them. Welcomed. Accepted. Part of the furniture. But they umm, they ahh. They see St Perpetua’s doesn’t accept me. They think they can turn me away as well. They treat me like a leper, like a …an atheist. I’m a man of God, a man of God.”

“Aren’t I doing what they want? That wretched Town Council. The cardinal said follow them, do what they want. Not my fault everything has gone wrong. Theirs. But I’m still to blame for not fixing their problem. And all I ask is to help the children, to guide them, look after them. But no… no…”

“I should have known you wouldn’t be able to do anything. I should have known. I told you, if you help me, I’ll help you with Miss De Gaulle. I helped you. You’re not helping me.”

“It was impossible.”

“Don’t tell me what’s impossible. What they’re asking me to do is impossible. Not when they never recorded the details of how it was done in the first place. If they wanted it repeated they should have written down the details. But no. I’m just supposed to know them when I didn’t even know what they had done until I got here. Ahh…”

“I’m expected to do the impossible. I expect you to do the impossible. I’m not helping you with Miss De Gaulle. Unless you change Dr Stricture’s mind. Understand. No help for me. No help for you.”

Then he slams down the phone. Just as well. You were about to end the call yourself. You didn’t like where it was going. Didn’t help that you didn’t understand most of it.