Friday, August 31, 2012
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Monday, August 27, 2012
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Disclosure
(A Short Story)
Dear Fred, The weather is uncooperative with the kids today. Notwithstanding my deep love for rain, I could empathize with their discomfort as they sit in my class with eyes through the window, longing for the sunshine, feeling what a waste of an outside recess time it is. Well, while they are doing some writing , I am actually preparing for some after class exercises for Albert. Remember Albert? I once mentioned to you this kid with some speech problems. Now, last night, his mom called to tell me the earlier sessions I had with him seemed to be doing good, and she has asked me for more!
Dear Linda, I think that should call for some celebration! How about a glass of wine shared me through the mailbox? Kidding, of course! But count that as one more feather to your cap. Am so proud of you, believe me. Right now, I am at this family business of ours run by my brother, Robert. It's a diner smack right in the middle of town but as I also sit here beside one of the windows, I am overlooking some mountains yonder and it's a beautiful sight I am enjoying. You should really see this! A majestic row of tree-topped mountains against a vast blue sky with occasional drifting clouds! Counter-pointing this picture, however, is a touch of a regular busy town sounds: cars passing by, kids shouting out to one another, a mom reprimanding her little one, not to mention the clutter of silverware right behind me. It's simply poetry, don't you think?
Dear Fred, I totally agree with you. I didn't know you had a little of the literary blood in your veins! You had always talked about aspects of running a business and about your take on the advances of modern technology, it made me think you were a downright pragmatic bent on nothing but efficiency. But it sure is an eye opener for me to know about this side of you. So have you ever tried to write poetry?
Dear Linda, Guess what, but I did once! The result? You wouldn't want to know! It was such a failure I never tried it again. I suppose I am only good at enjoying the poetry of others, - not to create any of it. But you know, I was invited by the Curator of our local museum to its Opening Night last week and he tasked me to give a talk, would you believe that? Apparently, I can talk but not write because the townspeople told me they were inspired! Directed to me, I thought that was quite a compliment, which to my mind, is not really often. Can't one be good in both the written and spoken medium? You tell me. You're the language teacher!
Dear Fred, Don't be silly. When it comes to judging your language skills, you know I will always be biased in your favor, so don't ask. There was this new teacher who just joined us, by the way. He is quite young, comes from Indonesia, and you would be surprised how proficient I think he is with the English language considering it is a second language to him. He doesn't even have an accent! I wouldn't be surprised if he grew up here in the US but he didn't. From what I hear, he spent his college education in Belgium when his family had to migrate and yet, contrary to my expectation that he would speak Flemish or French better than English, it is quite the other way round. I understand he is being trained to later take my position as my retirement isn't far off. He's quite a likeable colleague, if I may say. And I don't usually have praise for anyone so easily as I do for him so there you go! Exceptional might be the term I have for him, you think? Well then now, how about you! How have you been lately?
Dear Linda, So sorry for the late reply but I just got out of confinement from the hospital. Yes, scold me for not letting you know, but I only wanted to save you from needless concern. It was just a mild dose of a high blood pressure reading! Call it crazy but that's what I call it. Not really bad. It's just that family insisted I listen to the doctor instead of to myself and be confined to give me a much needed rest. That's according to them, okay? But I'm okay now, thank heaven. I have gotten back enough energy to go back to my own teaching. And I should thank Amber-sweet for all the care she shared during all that time in the hospital. Ah yes, Amber-sweet! That's what Robert calls his lovely wife... that's what all of us in the family call her too!
Dear Fred, You certainly deserve a scolding. For being 65, you should even have a double scolding for not taking care of yourself. But I will spare you that as I am so glad you are now well and good anyway. You are so like our school director... our parish priest, in fact.... such a stubborn man. He is rightly called Father Johnson but he likes to be called Randy You see, St Gerard Academy is actually a parochial school so he gets to be my boss as well. He gets to have so many ideas regarding cutting down on aspects about the school that I can't help standing up against him at times. Does that make me as hard-headed as he is ? Well, he claims his moves will ultimately benefit the whole parish, and he might be right. Still, I have my own misgivings.
Dear Linda., I am looking at the photo you sent me a couple of years back and I feel like I am looking at a school girl I have fallen in love with through time That's clear exaggeration, I know, but strange how letters cut down the distance between us. And unbelievable how it is to know one so well without having met her personally. That is exactly the reason why I am so excited that finally, I'm going to meet up with you. I share your joy over the retirement gift the school has given you - a round trip business ticket to Istanbul, imagine that! With a three-day all-expenses-paid-for-stay at the Cascade Premium Hotel! Okay, let me come and pick you up for breakfast Saturday morning and then I'll give you a tour around the place. Not to worry about a thing... I'll see you at the lobby at 8 o'clock.
Dear Linda, By this time, I am sure you are back home and understandably wishing you hadn't known me at all. I was there at the hotel lobby, alright - earlier than 8, actually. I watched you from a vantage point as the receptionist handed you my note at the desk. And I reiterate telling you how sorry I am for compounding things by not coming forward to meet you at least. So as it was, you couldn't believe what you read in my note. "Better for us not to meet now or ever at all." I was so distressed having to do this to you, please believe me. My heart went out for you and with you as you went back to your room perplexed and frustrated but I vowed to explain to you later. The thing was when you went to hear mass the next morning, it was to my parish you came and incredulously found out that it was I who said mass.... and you left the church right then and there. You found out before I could tell you. I know we told each other everything about us but why, you ask, did I keep from you the fact that I was a priest? Well, because if I did, I'd have lost you, you who gave me as a man fulfillment in life simply by sharing it with me even if only through your letters. To my parishioners, I am just an icon, an ideal, but with you, I am me...and strange as it may, it even gives essence to my priesthood. Linda, I'd so much pray you would understand and forgive me and still have me remain to you as "Dear Fred"?
Dear Linda, I know you how angry you must be until now but I beg you to find in your heart some forgiveness for a wretched soul like me. I certainly don't deserve it but I am willing to wait till kingdom come for absolution. Meantime, let me tell you we're trying to raise funds to expand the eastern wing of the church. The parish council is planning to put up either a play or a concert, perhaps tapping the kids from our Sunday School down here to do it. Over all these, Linda, I go on praying you would understand and forgive me and still have me remain to you as "Dear Fred"?
Dear Fred, I had to let some time go before replying while I tried to let go my hurt and disappointment. It's true, I wished to heaven I'd never known you. I didn't want to have anything to do with you anymore. But well, I guess I do understand after all. I had always taught my kids in class that God was all forgiving so why couldn't I be? And yes, why couldn't we just continue to be friends? Some of my old friends visited, by the way, and were surprised to see me back in school. They knew I had retired but it was welcome news for them to find I had accepted Father Randy's offer to be the new Principal. You know, we still argue about a number of things on the policies of the school but we do get along pretty well. And too, Albert has improved a lot more already. A few more weeks of practice and his speech problems will totally and hopefully be overcome. Write me back and tell me more news from your end, too?
---------------------------------------------------------
Dear Linda, I think that should call for some celebration! How about a glass of wine shared me through the mailbox? Kidding, of course! But count that as one more feather to your cap. Am so proud of you, believe me. Right now, I am at this family business of ours run by my brother, Robert. It's a diner smack right in the middle of town but as I also sit here beside one of the windows, I am overlooking some mountains yonder and it's a beautiful sight I am enjoying. You should really see this! A majestic row of tree-topped mountains against a vast blue sky with occasional drifting clouds! Counter-pointing this picture, however, is a touch of a regular busy town sounds: cars passing by, kids shouting out to one another, a mom reprimanding her little one, not to mention the clutter of silverware right behind me. It's simply poetry, don't you think?
Dear Fred, I totally agree with you. I didn't know you had a little of the literary blood in your veins! You had always talked about aspects of running a business and about your take on the advances of modern technology, it made me think you were a downright pragmatic bent on nothing but efficiency. But it sure is an eye opener for me to know about this side of you. So have you ever tried to write poetry?
Dear Linda, Guess what, but I did once! The result? You wouldn't want to know! It was such a failure I never tried it again. I suppose I am only good at enjoying the poetry of others, - not to create any of it. But you know, I was invited by the Curator of our local museum to its Opening Night last week and he tasked me to give a talk, would you believe that? Apparently, I can talk but not write because the townspeople told me they were inspired! Directed to me, I thought that was quite a compliment, which to my mind, is not really often. Can't one be good in both the written and spoken medium? You tell me. You're the language teacher!
Dear Fred, Don't be silly. When it comes to judging your language skills, you know I will always be biased in your favor, so don't ask. There was this new teacher who just joined us, by the way. He is quite young, comes from Indonesia, and you would be surprised how proficient I think he is with the English language considering it is a second language to him. He doesn't even have an accent! I wouldn't be surprised if he grew up here in the US but he didn't. From what I hear, he spent his college education in Belgium when his family had to migrate and yet, contrary to my expectation that he would speak Flemish or French better than English, it is quite the other way round. I understand he is being trained to later take my position as my retirement isn't far off. He's quite a likeable colleague, if I may say. And I don't usually have praise for anyone so easily as I do for him so there you go! Exceptional might be the term I have for him, you think? Well then now, how about you! How have you been lately?
Dear Linda, So sorry for the late reply but I just got out of confinement from the hospital. Yes, scold me for not letting you know, but I only wanted to save you from needless concern. It was just a mild dose of a high blood pressure reading! Call it crazy but that's what I call it. Not really bad. It's just that family insisted I listen to the doctor instead of to myself and be confined to give me a much needed rest. That's according to them, okay? But I'm okay now, thank heaven. I have gotten back enough energy to go back to my own teaching. And I should thank Amber-sweet for all the care she shared during all that time in the hospital. Ah yes, Amber-sweet! That's what Robert calls his lovely wife... that's what all of us in the family call her too!
Dear Fred, You certainly deserve a scolding. For being 65, you should even have a double scolding for not taking care of yourself. But I will spare you that as I am so glad you are now well and good anyway. You are so like our school director... our parish priest, in fact.... such a stubborn man. He is rightly called Father Johnson but he likes to be called Randy You see, St Gerard Academy is actually a parochial school so he gets to be my boss as well. He gets to have so many ideas regarding cutting down on aspects about the school that I can't help standing up against him at times. Does that make me as hard-headed as he is ? Well, he claims his moves will ultimately benefit the whole parish, and he might be right. Still, I have my own misgivings.
Dear Linda., I am looking at the photo you sent me a couple of years back and I feel like I am looking at a school girl I have fallen in love with through time That's clear exaggeration, I know, but strange how letters cut down the distance between us. And unbelievable how it is to know one so well without having met her personally. That is exactly the reason why I am so excited that finally, I'm going to meet up with you. I share your joy over the retirement gift the school has given you - a round trip business ticket to Istanbul, imagine that! With a three-day all-expenses-paid-for-stay at the Cascade Premium Hotel! Okay, let me come and pick you up for breakfast Saturday morning and then I'll give you a tour around the place. Not to worry about a thing... I'll see you at the lobby at 8 o'clock.
Dear Linda, By this time, I am sure you are back home and understandably wishing you hadn't known me at all. I was there at the hotel lobby, alright - earlier than 8, actually. I watched you from a vantage point as the receptionist handed you my note at the desk. And I reiterate telling you how sorry I am for compounding things by not coming forward to meet you at least. So as it was, you couldn't believe what you read in my note. "Better for us not to meet now or ever at all." I was so distressed having to do this to you, please believe me. My heart went out for you and with you as you went back to your room perplexed and frustrated but I vowed to explain to you later. The thing was when you went to hear mass the next morning, it was to my parish you came and incredulously found out that it was I who said mass.... and you left the church right then and there. You found out before I could tell you. I know we told each other everything about us but why, you ask, did I keep from you the fact that I was a priest? Well, because if I did, I'd have lost you, you who gave me as a man fulfillment in life simply by sharing it with me even if only through your letters. To my parishioners, I am just an icon, an ideal, but with you, I am me...and strange as it may, it even gives essence to my priesthood. Linda, I'd so much pray you would understand and forgive me and still have me remain to you as "Dear Fred"?
Dear Linda, I know you how angry you must be until now but I beg you to find in your heart some forgiveness for a wretched soul like me. I certainly don't deserve it but I am willing to wait till kingdom come for absolution. Meantime, let me tell you we're trying to raise funds to expand the eastern wing of the church. The parish council is planning to put up either a play or a concert, perhaps tapping the kids from our Sunday School down here to do it. Over all these, Linda, I go on praying you would understand and forgive me and still have me remain to you as "Dear Fred"?
Dear Fred, I had to let some time go before replying while I tried to let go my hurt and disappointment. It's true, I wished to heaven I'd never known you. I didn't want to have anything to do with you anymore. But well, I guess I do understand after all. I had always taught my kids in class that God was all forgiving so why couldn't I be? And yes, why couldn't we just continue to be friends? Some of my old friends visited, by the way, and were surprised to see me back in school. They knew I had retired but it was welcome news for them to find I had accepted Father Randy's offer to be the new Principal. You know, we still argue about a number of things on the policies of the school but we do get along pretty well. And too, Albert has improved a lot more already. A few more weeks of practice and his speech problems will totally and hopefully be overcome. Write me back and tell me more news from your end, too?
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