–From The How Did We Get Here Series–
Now: Jessica Simmons looked up from the holy water in Saint Michael’s Church’s vestibule to find three priests staring at her with crossed arms and shocked looks on their faces. Brown chunks of biological matter floated around in the holy water. Jessica wasn’t sure but at the moment the priests arrived, she might have a peed a little into the holy water.
Before: Jessica Simmons was upset with her parents about having to go to Sunday Easter services alone. She never understood why they made her go to church when they themselves did not go. It was no matter. On Easter morning she woke up and ran through her usual routine. When it came time to dress, she picked one of her favorite sundresses, and decided to paint her nails to match the dress. With finger nails and toe nails ready, she began getting dressed. First, the panties and bra, followed by the slip, and then finally the sundress. She looked in the mirror and marveled at how good she looked.
She left her small house and began the short two block journey to the Catholic Church named Saint Michael’s. It was an over the top throw back to the times when church mattered more to folks than what it seemed like now, she thought. As she approached the church, she removed her flats and continued the journey in her bare feet. The sun was warm and she felt so beautiful. Until, she accidentally stepped in a big steaming pile of dog poo. The feeling of shit squishing between her toes almost made her vomit. The smell was excruciating.
She had a plan. It was early enough that the priests wouldn’t be out greeting anyone just yet. She got as much of the shit of her toes as she could without touching it by wiping her toes in the nearby grass and then proceeded into the church vestibule. Right in the center, right where she expected it to be, was the holy water fountain or whatever the proper term was. She didn’t know and didn’t care. She set her shoes down on the small bench inside the door and jumped up planting her feet in the Luke warm holy water. She wasn’t sure if she should say a blessing, prayer, or simply ask for forgiveness.
Hopefully, she could get cleaned up and no one would see her.
