Friday, February 01, 2008

To church in a wig and sunglasses

Let me tell you a story. Of how my mother and I embarrassed ourselves at a church, and how I wear dark shades and a wig whenever we go back there.

While my mom was visiting us, she loved the churches here. At one point she asked if we can go to both Sunday services. To which I answered “Of course not!” and off we were to the second service.

We had to get Neil from the train station and he decided to stay home, so we went alone. We snuck in there when the service had started already, so we sat at the very back and I was translating the whole message. At the very end they said that it’s time to take the Communion.

They even told the whole congregation how to take it but of course that I missed that part. I would like to say that it’s because I was busy translating, but there might have been other distractions.

So the ushers came down the isles. Since I was at the very end, two of them stood right next to me. I did find it strange that they were holding a loaf of bread and a single glass of wine, which reminded me of a Catholic way to do it, but then I thought that maybe Australians have different customs here. Of course that I happened to be the first one to take the Communion and didn’t get to see what others are doing.

I broke off the bread, put it in my mouth and ate it. Then I took the glass of wine and took a nice swig out of it. I noticed that I got a bit of a different look from the usher but he didn’t rip it out of my hands and I didn’t think of a different way to do it. The thought that was running through my head at that moment was “I am glad I am the first one so I don’t have to drink other people’s germs”. Once again, I found it a bit odd but then I just figured it’s an Australian thing.

After I was seated, I glanced to the side and what I saw next produced sweat-beads on my forehead.

Apparently the correct way was to break off the bread, dip it in the wine and then eat it.

Needless to say that we shot out of that place before the singing at the end was over and while saying quick good-byes at the door, I made sure they can hear my accent loud and clear.

I told the story to Neil and was expecting him to tell me that he’s leaving me at home next time but what he said justified him playing video games for long hours and made me realize how much I love the man: “You should have drank the whole thing, said it’s good and asked for more!”

4 comments:

V said...

Hahaha! I laughed so hard I cried. Plus, Ags, this demonstrates one of the things I love about you - you plan to go back there!? :)

yellowgirl said...

aaah...hahahahahahaahaha!

melissa said...

I love it! You know I did something very similar at a church I visited once. The usher did stop me before I took a drink from the cup, but they made me take a second piece of bread to dip in the wine. I felt just a little silly.

Anonymous said...

Your story just made my day! I loved it!