Sunday Mass
My Dad kept on poking me trying to make me laugh. He has been taken my brothers and me to Church on Sundays, since the divorce. Today our entire family was there, including my Aunts and Uncles. Aunt Joan was standing next to me. The family filled the whole pew because my brothers, Tony and Steven and my Dad’s stepson Billy are home on Military leave. Gloria told me their uniforms were cute.
Yes, you guessed it my brothers have been dating my girlfriends for years. There will be engagements announced tonight. That’s another reason for the party and my happy mood.
I remembered it was near the end of Mass when it happened, we were all following the Church’s dictations, stand-up, sit-down, and say something in Latin. The repetitive nature of this religious dogma goes back centuries. Soon the priest will tell us to sit, I know because I’ve attended this play a thousand times.
While standing between my Aunt Joan and my Dad, “Sunlight replaced my universe of never-ending darkness. It spread a path of light in front of me. I could see the priest, the altar, everything. It was like someone flipped a switch and my eyesight returned. Tears rolled down my face as I stood petrified. The priest said sit, I refused. Aunt Joan pulled me down anyway; my body was collapsing, my life was over, I must be dying.”
I looked up; my heart stopped, I could see Aunt Joan’s face and her navy- blue colored round hat. She was looking down at me. I screamed, I was hugging her, yelling, I can see you. Then I turned towards my dad and brothers, no light, just a pitch-black world which slammed me backward; I cried out, “God.” With my back to the altar, I saw a tall young man standing in the last pew, (By the Church’s entrance) the light was coming from him. He must have been seven feet tall “He looked at me, smiled and waved. It looked like he was wearing a uniform and belonged in the hospital.” An old blond slut was hanging on to him, and they were both drunk and looked like they just finished doing it.
“The World stopped, I didn’t know him, but something tried to tell me I knew him and missed him and that I loved him. I waved back with my hand down at my waist, God, he must think I’m retarded. I watched him for what seemed forever. Mass ended, and the place became a nightmare with everyone trying to get out at the same time. Then he disappeared, and total darkness returned, and I passed out.”
My father grabbed me by the top of my winter coat and pulled me into his arms, whispering don’t worry honey. My Uncle Joe, the family doctor, joined us. Between the two, they walked me through the rectory (back of the altar) and to our car, to get away from the crowd and the stranger. Uncle Joe also told me “not to worry everything is going to be okay.” The doctor was a large man, and I was able to hide from the World by putting my head under his overcoat as I wailed. With the help of Aunt Joan, I was able to put myself together before we got to my home.
Before going to the families’ diner for supper or any parties, everybody always stopped at my house for coffee and snacks. When they arrived, they hung up their coats and hats on the kitchen porches’ wooden hooks. They sat down at the polished and clothed covered kitchen table. The men pulled out their cigarettes usually “Camels.” The young men smoked “Chesterfield” for only one reason. So, they could say “to a young lady do you want a Chesterfield?”
While the women were removing the large bowls filled with plastic fruit from the table and replacing them with, serving platers, clean ashtrays, coffee cups, silverware, bowls of sugar and milk and cloth napkins, the men lit up and waited for me to speak.
I had about 15 minutes to think about what I was going to say, during the car ride back home. I am not a dope, “An Italian Family will not listen to what a young female has to say.” My Uncles “will say I fell asleep and dreamed the whole incident.” My Aunts “will believe me and say it was a miracle.” But, either way, I knew my family genuinely loved me and that all I needed.
Alice imagined the family sitting around the table, waiting for the coffee to perk, and her to tell them what happened at the church. When she got to the house, Alice told, “Her Dad and Uncle she was okay and just wanted to go to her room for a minute.” Alice sat on her bed; she had two choices, go to sleep forever or face the unknown man from Church that’s if he even shows up at the house?
Picking up her slightly beat-up stuffed knight’s doll, she told the toy “I think his name is Robert.” “Thanks to him I have been blind for years, and I hate him more than life itself as she carefully placed the stuffed toy back on her pillow.” Alice said, “the hell with it and smeared more lipstick on her lips not thinking about what she was doing. Alice,” wanted to use a particular color red of her lips that she had received numerous compliments on.”But she didn’t know which one it was. In her haste and some last minute confusion, she realized she had lipstick on her hands, face, and arms. Alice felt like a freak as she put her head down on the makeup table and started to cry.
There was a soft knock on Alice’s bedroom door; one could hear ”Sis, Sis, are you ok?” It was her brother Tony.
Alice yelled, “Tony, please come in I have made a real mess of myself again.”
It ok Alice, it’s not as bad as you think. Sure enough Tony saved the day, he been taken care of his Sis since they were babies and this wasn’t the first time he had to straighten out her lipstick. Tony said “Alice this is fun working on your lipstick before you see Robert instead of after (Smeared lipstick from making out with Robert).
Alice yelled, “There that name Robert, again.“ Tony, I don’t know anyone named Robert. But more importantly, I understand you may be getting engaged tonight. “Now Tony who is the lucky girl?”
Hilarious Sis. I’m going to tell her. Said Tony, “With a loud laugh.” As Tony was getting ready for his hug from Alice, he was making sure she had the same colored shoes on, and her pocketbook contained everything she needed for a long day. He also promised to get Gloria to check her (Alice’s) hair. He knew not to mention Robert. For some unknown reason, all of a sudden both of them went nuts (Alice and Robert). They both hated each other. Alice has wholly forgotten Robert. But, there was something Tony had to say. “I saw him a few months ago.”
Alice said, “I don’t want to hear a word about that bastard.”
Tony has never heard his sister curse before, and it stopped him in his tracks, but he had to continue. Alice listen, said Tony, “I saw him three months ago in one of the secret cities. He was all curled up in the corner of a bar. He was unconscious; he looked dead. So, we got a hold of a few Soldiers, and they took him to the hospital.”
Alice said, “I hate him.”
Tony said, “listen, Alice as the Soldiers dragged Robert away, he put something in my pocket and whispered your name.” A few days later I tried to find out how he was doing, and the hospital people wouldn’t talk. I don’t know why. Anyway, here is what he gave me. It was a bright blue colored heavy decorated medallion with a gold chain. It looked like a picture of Alice was on the pendant
“Great,” said Alice, now I must be worried about a dunk hanging around. “He looked fine this morning,” said Alice, “in Church with that blond hooker hanging on him.” Alice accepted the piece of jewelry; she placed it deep into her pocket.
Tony walked Alice to the table found her a seat, put a napkin around her neck showed her where the silverware was located on the table and got her a cup of coffee.
Alice loved the attention, especially when one of her girlfriends had the duty, they got to do cool things like pick up a knife and say” here is a spoon for your big mouth. Oh, honey, you forget to shave today?”
Alice gets back by saying things like Gloria I heard you’re the easiest girl in the school next to Joeann. It always ended with Grandma Lily coming over and putting her arms around Alice and saying, “you all have enormous mouths.” Alice could put on her napkin, but she knew it made her family members feel good because they were helping.
Uncle Carmine and his son Carmine Junior arrived; now everyone was here. Alice said to herself, “Only the men make the decisions, in this family, not the women blind or not. Forget it, no one going to listen to a female.”
When my adopted Mother Clare is not around my Father Freddy DeVan is responsible for my care. Years ago, my father tried to divorce my mother, but the Church said no. So, under the laws of Brooklyn, he divorced Clare and married Lily a beautiful, older woman who was also, Gloria’s guardian and Robert’s and Billy’s Grandmother. Grandmother Lily Kemble is the matriarch of this family. There was no question about it she was the boss.
Alice said,” everyone, please be quiet. Dear family, I love you all very much. You are all wondering what happened during today’s Mass.” She said “I had a moment of partial sight. It happened near the end of the Mass. For the first time, I was able to see.” When I saw Aunt Joan’s face looking down at me, my heart soared, but when I found out that my dad and brothers, were still in the darkness, it hurt badly. I asked myself who would upset me like this? Alice said, why am I being tested?” The light turned out to be my sight. Alice said, ‘it had something to do with the giant young man standing at the back of the Church. ‘He had a dark tan, he needs a haircut, and he wore a uniform.”
“Was he good-looking,” Aunt Mary asked?
Alice said “No.” After I had answered the question, reality caught up with me. I felt like a pipe hit me in the back of my head. I couldn’t hold it back anymore and sobbed with my hand squeezing the gift in my pocket.
It upset everyone in the kitchen, because, they couldn’t do anything about Alice being blind.
Alice said, let me finish,” I could see everyone and everything between where I was and where he was. It is hard to explain, she said, it was like a valley of brightness separated by two endless black worlds. For the first time, the individual faces in the pews asked me to look at then, while they stilled stared straight ahead, with their colored dresses, incredible variations of hats, and dark colored suits.”
Alice continued, I saw, “little kids fussing, one was sitting on the floor with both of his arms wrapped around one of his mom’s legs like it was a regular thing one did. When the priest said it was time to stand, she picked him up kissed his head and held him in her arms.”
Seeing the inside of our Church was the most fantastic thing. Massive polished wooden beams and walls of baroque stained windows held together the Church, with its commanding height reaching toward heaven, with cold black frames. Marble statues of Saints guarded the church and its parishioners who allowed the wooden pews to march down the aisles. Alice ended her statement; “For a brief period I examined life instead of it looked at me.”
The kitchen door opened, and someone walked in carrying two brown colored shopping bags. He said, “I overheard you guys talking.” It’s Robert.” I was sitting next to him with Gloria on my lap when he saw you, Alice.”
Alice asked, “who speaking?” My dad said “it’s Billy, Robert’s brother. Hi Billy, he continued what do you have there and where your brother?”
Bill was a big strong young man with light brown curly hair, a good smile and overall a nice guy.
Billy said, “It’s just bagels and a pound of Philadelphia crème cheese from Grandma.”
Aunts Joan and Mary took the bags and emptied the contents on two large serving plates, Grandma, Lily must have mixed the bagels with some great looking hard rolls. The rolls had hats of tiny black seeds. Aunt Joan got the waiting butter from the refrigerator. Aunt Mary, then to the cheers of the guests, put the essential item on the table, a bottle of brandy.
As the coffee was being poured, Billy continues his story. He said, “the last time I saw Robert, he was sitting in the apartment.” He told me “he saw you, Alice, at Church.” We were late for Mass because we had to help him get dressed. He is having a lot of problems; he wanted to wear his medals to show you, Alice. It will be a while before he can take care of himself. I doubt if anyone is going to see him today. Billy sat down next to his girlfriend Sarah who had saved him a seat.
Then Gloria, (Tony’s girlfriend since before they had girls.) knocked and walked into the kitchen and joined the conversation. She said, “Hi” to everybody, put down an assortment of cannoli, biscotti, and creme cakes in return for a seat at the table, instead of a chair she landed on Tony’s lap and given a cup of coffee. While buttering a hard roll, she said, “I overheard someone mentioned, Robert.” Listen Alice he’s at Grandma’s. I’m in the bedroom next to him, and I can feel the heat coming right through the wall.”
Everyone in the kitchen, except Alice laughed.
Gloria got off Tony’s lap and sat next to Alice, pulled out her make-up purse and worked on Alice’s face and hair. “Don’t worry gruesome he is not going to look at your face,” said, Gloria.
Aunt Mary said “Gloria, I love that color blond you are wearing.
“Thank you, Aunt Joan,” said Gloria.
“I don’t know this Robert person you are talking about, “When I” meet him, we will have a pleasant conversation,” said Alice.
Uncle Joe laughed.
I stood next to him at Church, Alice. He’s so hot, sorry, but I see him all the time he picks me up and always says ‘Feed Woman’ and puts me on Billy’s lap, he thinks Billy is Tony. Doubt you will see him around here, but again I saw the giant at Church today. I ran over to Grandma Lily and sat next to her. Robert saw me; he picked me like I was a tiny doll turn me around and said in a monster’s voice ‘Feed Woman’ and then put me on Billy’s lap. Grandma yelled at him, and he stopped. Then he said, I go see Alice now.” Again, Grandma yelled you sit down you are going to scare her to death.
Gloria said, “Alice, excuse me the guy is burning, even if he has brain damage, I still will go away with him in a second.”
Tony said, “Keep pushing it, Gloria.” Only his Grandmother Marie laughed.
Alice couldn’t see the goodies on the table, but she knew they were there. She didn’t say a word.
Aunt Mary knew her niece since her husband; Doctor Joe said the baby was blind and could read her mind that a plate of a few goodies and a fresh cup of coffee is all she needed to be happy. Aunt Mary filled a plate with Italian treats and placed it in front of Alice. She smiled and started to devour a cannolo as she was thinking of the gift in her pocket, she couldn’t wait to ask Rosemarie (A female Soldier) about it.
Uncle Carmine stood up and said, I wanna make a toast to the three new officers who are sitting with us. Shot glasses were quickly filled with brandy, Aunt Joan put one in Alice’s hand and hugged her.
Alice said, to herself, this was the happiest day she could remember her family ever had. All the men were home from Military Service. Now the family was getting ready for their children’s engagements and then their marriages. “My “God” the Grandmothers Lily, and Marie must be thrilled after all these years of taken care of the family babies,” said Alice.
Alice was still unable to take care of herself. She has been a burden on her family for twenty-one years now it was time for her to move on. Soon the girls would have babies, and the Grandmas would have to go back to work, take care of the newborn babies.
Meanwhile, Alice said to herself everyone would still have to take care of her. While she couldn’t even put on her lipstick. Now it was her turn to get out of their way so they can enjoy life, her adopted Mother Clare told her about a nunnery in Sicily Italy that would be good for her.
Alice had made up her mind she was leaving the family, she already felt better.
Meanwhile, Aunt Joan said she needed help with placing the knives and forks, and Alice stood up to help and then realized she couldn’t, so she sat down.
The room’s conversations stopped for a few seconds but continued again when Alice sat down.
Suddenly Alice was able to see her silverware. She picked up her knife and was in shock as she stared at it. A knocking on the kitchen door broke-up the spell.
Alice said in a firm voice, “I will get that.”
The people at the table knew who was at the door.
The kitchen was silent.
Alice walked around the table grabbed an apron and put it on as she was opening the door. The Sun was blasting through the doorway so no one could see who was there. A voice said hello I’m looking for Alice?
Alice asked, “if someone would find a seat for Robert as she was looking at a surprise bunch of flowers?”
Aunt June popped up took the flowers and pushed Alice into Robert and closed the door.