[Here's another story in my Bohemian church series. While this can be read as a stand-alone, you will likely gain more pleasure by reading the stories that precede it first. All characters are 18 or older. This story involves bodily fluids and an elderly widow, so if either are a turn-off for you, please look for another story more to your liking. The ending of this story is open to more than one interpretation and was intentionally left ambiguous.]
It had been nearly six months since I had joined the Bohemian Church's parish in northern Ohio's rust belt as a catechumen and lay server to the congregation and their clergy. Father Viktor had put me on an accelerated training which consisted of home visits to "needy" church members, mostly elderly Czech widows, as well as daily instruction in the customs and traditions of the Bohemian "old ways" which the parish struggled to preserve amidst the upheaval and strains of the late Sixties' eruption of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll.
I was close to completing my catechumenate, which would grant me full membership in the parish, and unimpeded access to all of its many sacraments, which included not only Communion, but the numerous rituals of the old ways, which celebrated the natural human body in all its hairy glory, as well as the body's odors, secretions, excretions, and erogenous zones, especially those associated with its anal aperture and bowels, which the congregation honored as the Altar of the Open Heart.
My mentor, Father Viktor, had me move into the church Rectory, where he and the other clergy systematically acquainted me with the old ways, which served me well as I, in turn, served the needs of the congregation.
* * *
On this particular morning, I was seated in the Good Father's office, while he prepared me for today's home visits. He was particularly concerned that I successfully meet the challenge of serving Mrs. Ludmila Nekola, whom he described as "a tough nut to crack".
"I have to confess, my boy, that I've saved Mrs. Nekola for nearly the last of your training visits, as she has managed to defeat me in all my attempts to understand her psychological disposition and fulfill her needs. There is no question that she has deeply held needs -- she practically radiates their hidden presence -- but, try as I might, I've been unable to pry them out of her, and I've tried for years, ever since her husband passed away and she retreated into a solitary existence, largely shunning the church."
"But, Father Viktor, what makes you think that I can succeed where you have, er, failed? I'm still just eighteen and barely starting out, while you have decades of experience."
"True enough, Brother Jack, but I believe you have a God-given gift for solving tough cases, as you've shown time after time. No matter who we've directed you to help: Dame Taborova with her "advanced needs", shy Sister Katka, poor blind Sister Pavla, the demanding Agata Zelenkova, heavens, even Mother Magdalene at her neediest, you've come through with flying colors.
"I wouldn't dare send you to visit Mrs. Nekola, if I didn't think you had a fighting chance to overcome all her defenses and help her open her heart once again. She used to be such a vibrant member of our parish, but I fear that her husband's death sent her into an emotional tail-spin from which she has yet to recover."
This still sounded kind of dubious to me, though I had to admit to myself that I was rather intrigued by the challenge. I just needed to get a few more questions answered and then I'd give it a shot.
"I do appreciate your confidence in me, Father Viktor, but things might go better if I had some idea of the needs that you say she seems to 'radiate'."
"That's the exasperating part, Jack, my lad. It's as if she produces a strong magnetic field that pulls you toward her, but then if you get too close, the same force repels you and pushes you away. Does that make any sense? No? Hmm.
"Let's see if I can put it another way. When you first meet her, you are almost overcome with how attractive she is -- though it's not that she is a real 'looker'. Not at all. She's merely pleasant-looking, at best. But there's something about her that makes you want to get close and personal. You can sense a great hunger in her that you want to satisfy. And then..."
Father Viktor paused and gave me a confounded expression.
"And then, it's as if a switch is flipped, and you get the feeling that she is pushing you away and you had better keep your hands to yourself. It's strange. It's not a personal rejection, exactly. And it isn't even necessarily her doing it. It's more like you got too close to a sensor, and a force field springs up and you watch helplessly as she recedes away into the distance, with the hunger still showing in her eyes."
The Good Father gave a great sigh, and his shoulders sank in defeat. I didn't often feel sorry for Father Viktor -- he usually impressed me with his charisma and self-confidence -- but in this instance, I felt like he was reluctantly passing on a sputtering torch to me, with the hope that I could run with it to the finish-line in his stead.
I was still left with one lingering question that I put to him before I went out to make my rounds.
"Was it Mrs. Nekola's idea for me to come visit today? I mean, did she make the appointment, or...?"
Father Viktor grinned sheepishly and dropped his gaze. He sighed again.
"To be perfectly honest, Brother Jack, it was my idea. It was time for my twice-yearly pastoral visit, and I thought that a new face at her door might brighten her day and open up new possibilities. I hope you don't mind. Let's let it be our little surprise for her. It might do her a world of good."