Extra Duties

The day began, as do most days, with Charlie Brown, the parson's faithful canine companion, and the parson going on their usual walk around the outskirts of the QuikTrip, America's foremost convenience stop. The local QuikTrip doubled as a truck stop and that afforded the parson and Charlie Brown a long walk.

After the completion of the walk during which Charlie Brown had carefully marked the entire area as his territory, the parson removed his harness and leash whereupon Charlie Brown hopped back into the car. The parson headed inside to purchase his daily dose of cappuccino.

Exiting the facility a man stopped the parson, “Excuse me,” he said, “are you the Parson?”

“I am,” said the parson.

“Can I talk with you a minute?”

Back in an area of the store where there were booths for truckers to sit the man talked with the parson about difficulties he was having with his father. The conversation continued for a half hour.

The parson left, obviously later than he'd expected, and headed to the local CVS pharmacy to pick up some medication for a family member. At the pharmacy counter a woman tapped him on the shoulder, asked his to listen to her story, and the parson did. At the end of the story he promised to refer her to the proper agency in the county where her needs could possibly be met.

The parson delivered the medications to the family member. Returning to the car he looked at the time. With as much haste as avoiding arrest would allow, the parson headed to the church where he was scheduled for a pastoral counseling session with a couple. At the session she yelled at him and he yelled at her. And the parson wondered what kept them together. Exhausted at the end of the time, the parson headed home.

The phone ring just as he entered the house. The woman's electricity had been cut off and she wanted to know if the parson might be able to pay the unpaid balance to have her power reconnected. The parson called the electric company. After listening to the information he received he didn't call the woman back.

Just after lunch there was another call. It was a younger pastor in the area hoping he might talk to the parson about a problem at his parish.

Mid-afternoon, the parson received a all from a family advocate in the school system wanting to know what vacancies there might be in the parson's church's transitional housing program.

Around supper time, a couple, on a conference call, contacted the parson about marital problems they were having. The parson scheduled a time to meet with them.

Charlie Brown, sat beside the parson as he prepared supper, obviously, hoping for some handout with more taste that what was in his bowl. The parson decided to share a bit of his supper and tossed a third of his steak on top of the undesirable food already in the bowl. Charlie Brown gobbled it up as one entitled.

Later in the evening the parson looked at Charlie Brown and said, “You know, I didn't hear from any church members today.”