III

      Priest lies on the bed and looks at the sealing. Even though he is refreshed and very still his face is sweating. His serious look is like a stone waiting to be touched and turned into some everlasting sculpture. Fly is making only noise in the room, but it is as the priest is not of this world. After a few landings fly finally goes away. Even she understands that you cannot bother this man. Finally he moves, like a cat out of the bed. His stomach roars and he puts his hand on it. He takes his hat and goes out of the room.

        Hotel restaurant is more like cafeteria for students or workers it just doesn’t have the trails for self-service and there is no cashier at the end of the line. Few people are eating behind their tables and whisper something as the pries comes in. Slightly in background you can hear the music Edith Piaf Autumn leaves everlasting jazz standard. It certainly doesn’t fit the ambient but it is nice.

     Priest sits down at the corner table and looks around. His eyes meet the waiter`s eyes. Waiter puts out his cigarette, takes a cloth and hurries toward priest.

Waiter: Good evening sir. Would you like the menu or even better I can recommend something?

Priest: Do recommend, please, I am sure it is way better than the stuff from the menu, right?

Waiter: Wisdom is reserved for the man in black robe and white collar.

     Priest smiles to a waiter. He smiles back.

Waiter: We have two house specials, roasted chicken and potatoes and boiled potatoes and fried chicken.

     Priest sharpen his eyebrows as he is slightly mad, and look at the waiter for a moment.

Priest: Roasted is a way better I presume, my good man, fried is too much oil. It is Passover, roasted, OK.

Waiter: Again, I must say you are full of wisdom father. It is here in ten minutes. Something to drink?

Priest: I will have a beer, as cold as it can be.

Waiter: Right away sir.

      Waiter runs to the kitchen, and takes a pan filled with chicken and puts it on the stove.

Waiter for himself: Passover, you can bet, father, ha, eats the meat, and it is not the time of Passover or maybe…

      Back at the dine priest looks around and sees the newspaper. He goes and takes them and returns to his table. He reads them as if he tries to find something with a hurry.

Waiter bring the beer and servers it.

Waiter: You will not find it in there.

    Priest surprised looks at him.

Waiter: Not in there sir.

Priest: What are you talking about? (In a higher tone)

Waiter: Those are old s paper not newspaper. Must have been standing there for a week or so.

Priest: You do not have fresh one?

      He puts newspaper on the chair next to him.

Waiter: I am afraid no. Wheels delivering them is broken more than a few days, and if they were not the old man who delivers drinks from time to time and, you see, he makes mistakes, father.

Priest: I see, well, we won’t bother with the news, right.

Waiter: Nothing new ever happens, right father?

Priest: Yes, same old story, nothing new.

Waiter: You are just passing by, if I am not too curious, or you have some business here, though it is likely possible.

Priest: And why is that?

Waiter: No one ever comes here, only to rest and move on. This is town at the end of a dog’s tail.

Priest: As a matter a fact I do have some small errands here, nothing big, for the church you see, few days and I am gone.

Waiter: Oh well that is new. You want to visit our reverent, I knew it.

Priest: Why?

Waiter lowers his voice.

Waiter: We all know he has some problems, you know…

Priest: Problems?

Waiter: Oh well I know you protect your generals, it is the honor of the church after all, he has some drinking problems.

Priest: What…

Waiter: And with some ladies, you know…

Priest: That is enough, he is your pastor…

Waiter: OK, OK, don’t be so harsh, I am zipping it, OK, let us see your specials.

      Waiter goes again to the kitchen. Owner of the hotel comes in the restaurant and blushes as he catch sight of the priest. Priest looks at him and waves. Manager goes to the priest.

Hotel manager: Good evening father, is everything in order.

Priest: Maybe.

Hotel manager: How is that?

Priest: I did not tasted the food.

Hotel manager: Oh right, yes, it is fine, do not worry.

Priest: Oh, the food is coming in.

Priest puts off his jacket and gun flashes from its inner pocket. Manager turns pale instantly, and sweats.

Hotel manager: And, and, and, for tomorrow?

Priest: What for tomorrow?

Hotel manager: The confession, it will be alright, yes, I will have my penance, do not worry.

Priest: Yes, OK, first you must confess my son, yes, then the penance, you know.

Hotel manager: I see, I remembered, from Sunday school, penance is…

Priest: What my son?

Hotel manager: Voluntary self-punishment, yes?

Priest: As I recall yes, but sometimes…

Hotel manager: What, what sometimes…

Priest: Sometimes it is doing of good deeds, you know.

Hotel manager: Oh, yes, good deeds indeed, I will do some very good deeds father. I promise.

Priest: (with half-filled mouth) we shall see, we shall see…

Hotel manager: Oh I just remembered something, I must go, I am so busy, well father we will meet tomorrow.

Priest: In the afternoon, I have someone before you.

Hotel manager: Oh I know the… I mean yes I know you have told me. Well see you tomorrow father.

Priest: May God be with you my son, good night.

Hotel manager: (for himself) I hope not yet.

        Manager goes away in a hurry. Priest eats his food. He is not happy with the taste, but he is hungry like a wolf. Waiter sits behind his table and takes another cigarette. Heat is strong though it is already late evening. It looks like no one will have a good night sleep, at least not the hotel manager and a bartender for now.

TO BE CONTINUED