Category: Rituals

December 23, 6:55 a.m.
the phone
early – almost inappropriate
it will be family or
wrong number. Wrong.
It is the Blood Service
could I donate today – yes
could I come in as early as possible – yes.
On arrival, no waiting, instantly processed – bustle
I ask
the blood will be screened immediately
then flown to a provincial city.

Three months later
another donation.
On the noticeboard, centre and proud
pasted on brown butchers paper
a cutting
from a provincial newspaper
chronicling the backstage of drama –
logistics.

An urgent need for blood
a young mother, critically ill
an aircraft supplied without charge
express analysis by laboratory staff
12 donors
strangers all, to the recipient
a happy ending.
Across the bottom scrawled in children’s crayon
‘thank you for saving our mummy’s life.’

Everybody called him Jack
or to distinguish the Jack’s in the pack, Jack O’Neill,
Reverend and commissioned officer, US Naval Reserve.
I only once heard him called Fr O’Neill,
self-described, when preaching a sermon.

He seemed to know about temptation,
its co-dependence on opportunity
and always gave a good sermon.
But this was the best –
at midnight Mass
in broad daylight: Antarctica, mid-1980’s.

He made the expected quip
about
telling folks back home he’d celebrated midnight Mass –
in sunlight.
Then
“I’m supposed to speak about Christmas
how it endures through the years
but instead
I’m gonna to speak about Christmas last year.”

He had been asked to lend hand at a nearby parish,
a knockabout area with a flickering congregation
steady throughout the year
congested at Easter, road block at Christmas –
could he? “Sure.”

The local priest introduced him
then gave a update,
on a parish family.
The mother was ill in hospital
the father worked long, low paid hours
the women of the church had organised meals and after-school care.
One noted the absence of Christmas presents
so …… gifts had been arranged,
another …  there were no holiday plans,
so … money had been raised.
He thanked their efforts
and was hopeful they might end in mid February.
“And now, Fr O’Neill will tell you about Christmas.”