-Bless me Father for I have, I assume, sinned-

Like my friends on the corner,
at the ballpark, opponents among us,

in the schoolyard with others of our kind,
same tenements in the same houses of the same city,
I’d lie about the prior week’s list in venial sins committed
in an effort to assuage my liability as I knelt inside the dank

confessional on Saturday mornings.

We were hellbent to lie, as we saw it as our duty
not to spill-the-beans to Priest and because we honestly
didn’t know what it was we did to offend God so grievously

that Heaven itself was placed in the balance.

"I abused myself three times".

It might have been twenty times during a slow week.

the admission of a three-time self abuser seemed to be
a more reasonable approach to an aggrieved God.

Besides, Priest seemed genuinely fulfilled with repeat engagements.

––– Was this self abuse confined to your own bed at night?

Yes, Father.

––– You know, you want to save yourself for marriage, don't you?

Yes, Father.

––– And this self abuse, did it come by your own hand?

Huh?

––– I mean,..this masturbation. Was it always your hand?

Umm..Yes, Father.

––– And how many times was this abomination perpetrated?

Three times, Father.  I also disobeyed my..

––– Let’s focus on this self abuse issue, shall we?

Yes, Father.

––– Now, confess to God in detail what it was that led you

to abuse yourself, William.

and I said unto them:
"Listen. He’s gonna ask how many times you did it.

We all gotta say Three times, okay"?

                                                                       Quequechan

                                                                       1951 / 1954