A Church Mandated Penance

A church mandated penance

Needing to get something off your chest, you head to the confessional at church. After laying out your misdeed to the priest, you are given an unusual task to perform as penance—not creepy, just unusual. Write this scene.

Post your response (500 words or fewer) in the comments below.

I lean in closer so that I can hear him clearly.

“Are you serious?” I blurt out.

“Yes my child. That is what the Lord has requested from you.” He replies leaving me dumbfounded.

As the father had instructed me, I left confessional and headed to Mrs. Reilly’s house, father Reilly’s mother.  I was to take her Christmas shopping at the mall for three hours and then according to Father Reilly, the Lord would forgive my transgressions.

Although odd, it was a small price to pay for my weekly sins. After all I had lied to my parents nine times, smoked five cigarettes, stole $20 from my aunt Ginny’s purse when she visited my mom, and I swore more than a hundred times. As I thought about it, I realized I was getting off easy.

I had just gotten my license two weeks ago and was eager to show off my newly learned driving skills.

Dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a rock t-shirt, I rang Mrs. Reilly’s doorbell.

An older woman about fifty years old opened the door and stood in front with her coat and purse in hand. . She was petite with a blonde wig.

“Well it’s about time. I have been waiting over an hour for you.”

She slammed the door shut.

“Hello to you too.” I mumbled under my breath.

“Hah? What did you say?” She yelled at the top of her lungs. I wanted to tell her I wasn’t deaf but I opted not to offend the mother of my priest, in case of bad karma.

I walked ahead of her and she continued talking to my backside.

“I don’t know why my son always has to pass me off to someone else. It’s like he doesn’t even care about me. You’d think he’s show me some respect? I mean I am his mother after all. I only suffered eighteen hours of labor to give him life.”

My head was already spinning and we had only made it to the car.

When she saw my car parked outside the house, she sighed heavily.

“Is that your car? Its small isn’t it? I have to have the window down you know or I get motion sickness.”

Once the car went on the radio automatically went back to playing the rock song I had left off on, and of course it was on full blast. “Mrs. Reilly jumped up and touched the roof of the car from the shock. I lowered the music quickly and apologized but it was too late.

“Are you trying to kill me? That’s what’s wrong with you young kids these days, you and that rock music! And what are you deaf?”  I sealed my mouth shut for fear I might blurt out more curse words and then get stuck with her again as next week’s penance.

I let out a small laugh as I now realized that God was teaching me a lesson. My sins seemed petty now in comparison to the punishment.   It was going to be a long three hours.