A DISHWASHER'S Diary

December 31: New Year’s Eve Tonight was my first night at the Iron Skillet. I worked from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. And the people flooded the restaurant like a torrent of water. Needless to say there were plenty of dishes to be done. I am glad to have a job, where I really know what I am doing, and where I no longer have to perform in front of an audience—a class or congregation. I am also glad to have a wife that has a job that is enough to keep us a float with my meager paycheck. Sam works in Human Resources for a Health Insurance Company. Thank God that at least one of us has a real job. For the last twenty-plus years I was the main bread winner, with Sam supplementing our income. More than this I was the person who was out in front of the people—the Pastor, Minister, the Rev. Dr. Thornbee. Now I was behind closed doors, doing my menial work away from the eyes of the public. I was hidden away like some dirty secret. Sam has been a life-saver through all of my trials and tribulations. She has stood by me “for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health.” She has always been willing to let me do whatever I had to do to keep my sanity. Thank God for Sam! Tomorrow I will work early because we’re closing half day on New Year’s Day. I’m the new guy and so I get the holidays. I don’t mind, I’m just glad to be out of the ministry. As a minister I was supposedly in the business of “washing people’s sins away” in the waters of baptism. Not the stains of Original Sin, but of unoriginal sins or I should say common sins— the common run-of-the-mill sins that litter our lives and make us feel guilty and unworthy. Now I wash dishes and silverware, pots and pans, cups and saucers—and glasses that have been filled with the water of life—not to mention the occasional beer. And speaking of beer... listen to what was attributed to St. Brigid in the 10th century: “I would like to have the men of Heaven in my own house; with vats ofgood cheer laid out for them. I would like to have the three Marys, their fame is so great. I would like people from every corner of Heaven. I would like them to be cheerful in their drinking. I would like to have Jesus sitting here among them. I would like a great lake of beer for the King of Kings. I would like to be watching Heaven’s family drinking it through all eternity.” And now I am home, having a beer. And a crock-pot of black-eyed peas is cooking, which is our tradition to eat on New Year’s Eve. We watched the fireworks on our television, and ate our black-eyed peas when it struck midnight. And then a kiss before going off to bed. I have to work tomorrow morning so I need to get a few hours of sleep in. “All is well, and all manner of things shall be well.”