Warning*
If you're a person easily offended by sexual acts in relation to religious figures and places of worship, it might be a good idea to skip this story.
*****
My name's Lance Longwood. I'm a former 'kick ass' cop. For nearly ten years I hunted down the bad guys and sent their asses to jail. I loved my job but the pay was shitty, so in order to compensate for the lack of wages, I decided to take on a part-time gig shaking down low level drug dealers. I made some good money until I got greedy and fucked with the younger brother of one of the big boys. He had me setup and the next thing I know, I'm busted and suddenly the 'kick ass' guy who sends the bad boyz to jail is now a bad boy who has to kick ass in jail. Thankfully I had enough pull to have my five year stretch reduced to two years, not to say it wasn't easy, but it didn't take long to convince my new prison mates, I wasn't a guy to fuck with.
I served my two years and came back home in disgrace. My wife divorced me while I did my time and my kids won't speak to me. I lost my pension, my ability to get decent job and most of all the respect I earned over the years. I lived in a homeless shelter for a couple of months until got a job at a funky ass fish market, but at least I earned enough to get a place where the landlord should be paying me to stay there.
Life was rough so I concluded that since everyone viewed me as a good for nothing thug, I may as well put those talents to use. I became 'Your friendly neighborhood thug'. I robbed and stole from anyone unfortunate enough to wonder into my path. Soon people on the street began referring to me as 'Sinbad' noting I was so bad it was a sin.
I'd like to share a recent experience I had, something I'd rather not share with people who run in my circle.
A while back I saw an old friend. He said he was getting married and planning to leave the state. I was shocked to hear this and when I inquired as to what would've caused him to make such a decision, I mean this guy was a straight up street thug since middle school. He told me that he found love, and religion, he turned his life around and was planning to start his life anew.
Of course I was skeptical but I could see the look of sincerity in his eyes. I wondered if I'd ever find someone or something to help turn my life around, if I did, it'd have to be a miracle.
At any rate, I told him about the changes I'd been going through and of course he tries to convert me, but I didn't have time for that shit. Then he told me the strangest thing. He said this would be his last act of sin for a friend. He told me that before he turned his life around, he often robbed a catholic cathedral near by.
After picking myself up off the floor from laughing so hard, I questioned why he'd tell me something like this and once again he said it was his last act of sin.
I bulked at his offer and challenged his sincerity; I mean come on, robbing a church.
The guy just laughed and told me that every first Thursday night of the month, they stored nearly ten thousand dollars in a flimsy safe. He freely admitted that he never got up the nerve to pull off the caper, being a Catholic himself, but he often dreamed of pulling the job off. He explained in detail exactly how he'd pull the job off and how all I needed was a good pair of bolt cutters, not even a weapon was necessary.
I know I came up Baptist, but since when did that absolve me from guilt, shame, and crimes committed against god and the church?
The guy merely said he was offering his help.
At first I was repulsed and disgusted that anyone would entertain even the idea of committing such an atrocity, but as the weeks went by and I came home night after night smelling like fish, to an apartment that nearly smelled as bad, not to mention the rats, roaches and substandard living conditions, that cathedral started looking more and more tempting.
Almost subconsciously I began strolling pass the cathedral on my way home. I told myself it was just a change in my routine commute but in reality I was actually casing the place.
When they laid me off from the fish market, something clicked. I could take losing my job as a cop, going to jail, losing my wife and my kids, but being laid off from a shit-hole was the last straw.
I went to the service that very next Sunday to outright case the place with full intension to rob it. I boldly walked up to the front of the church, taking note of the rear entrance leading to the staircase. I imagined the upper floor, the long hallway leading to the room where they kept the safe. I was amazed at how much I remembered so many details, considering I believe I wasn't paying this friend any attention.
By Thursday night I was ready to make my move. I stole a good pair of bolt cutters, put on a black pair of jeans, a black ribbed wife-beater, black leather jacket, and a black baseball cap.
I arrived at the church a little after midnight and was surprised at how easy it was to jimmy the flimsy rear door open. It was pretty eerie and I freely admit I was spooked as I crept about in the darkness. The shadowy figures, stained glass windows and all the religious symbols caused me to second guess myself several times. I kept wondering if I could actually live with myself for doing this blasphemous act, yet I drove on determined to make this happen. If there was only half the money in that safe as my friend claimed, I'd have enough to regain a foothold in this crappy life I made for myself. Hell, I even contemplated turning my own life around, leave the state, find a nice religious girl, settle down and start a whole new life, or at least that's the reason I gave to somehow justify my act of malice.
I slowly made my way upstairs, down the hallway, and found the door to the room unlocked. Things were going my way and I reasoned this was a good sign.
I stepped inside the room, walked over to the far wall and pulled back the wall size tapestry to see a small door with a combination lock, just as my friend described. I use the bolt cutters to sever the combination lock, grasp the handle and was about to yank it open when I heard something move nearby. Unlike my friend I wasn't about to get caught without a weapon. I raised my 357 Magnum as I strolled over by the window. I saw the curtain move ever so slightly, confirming my suspicion. I was not alone.
"Ok come from behind that curtain and I suggest you do it slow, and I mean, real slow," I warned. I was prepared for a lot of things, but when I saw a nun emerge from the curtains I nearly took a dump in my pants.
"What the hell are you doing here," I snapped.
"I could ask you the same thing sir,' she countered.
"Well since I'm the one holding the gun, my question takes precedence."
"I was about to place something in...the," her voice trails off.
"Place something in where, the safe," I asked.
"I'd rather not say," she quickly replied.
"Don't play dumb now sister, I know where the safe is, so you may as well fess up."
"Please sir, I'm no threat to you. If you allow me to leave, I won't try to stop or oppose you in anyway." She pleads.
"Your mere presence is causing me problems. I didn't expect this," I say out loud but more to myself.
"There's still time young man, if you leave here now, I promise not to tell anyone. Only you, I and god will know what happened here tonight."
"That's already too many eyes, I eh..." now it's my turn to lose my thoughts as I notice a bright light flashing outside.
I glance out the window to see a cop car parked right outside the rear entrance and two officers coming up to the side the door. "Goddamn, looks like things aren't going my way after all."
"Listen sir, If you leave out now, I'll divert the officers while you escape."
"Right...you must think my head screws off. Why would you be willing to help someone that's ripping you off?"
"Because you are a child of god in need, just because one commits a wicked act, it does not mean that he is wicked, nor does it mean that his soul cannot be saved," she replied calmly.
