"Two more," I said to the bartender, holding up my shot glass.
He nodded and proceeded.
The old man was coming back from the can and glad to see more drinksbeing poured. I was happy to oblige. The drunker I got, the warmerI felt-- and the more willing I was to go back and head for the altar.
"So how do you know Father Feenan? Were you guys priests together orsomething?" I slurred.
"Something like that."
"You're not the only person who thinks I'm a selfish bastard."
"Oh no?"
"Nope, I'm right along with you on that one buddy." The alcoholunlocked my secret door. "I know I'm a big son of bitch. And that'swhy I'm doing it. It's what my father wants and what Donna wants andyou know what?"
"What?"
"They deserve to get what they want."
"And you don't?"
"I didn't say it's not what I want."
"You didn't say it was either."
"I got to take a leak." I thudded off the stool and tried to walk astraight line to the john, but I do believe if I were driving I wouldhave been arrested.
When I got back, my beer was full and my shot glass glistened withmore gold liquid, but the priest was gone. My twenty was still on thebar and when I asked the bartender to clean up the tab, he said thepriest had taken care of it.
"What the...he paid?"
"Yup, with a fifty and left the rest for a tip. Go figure, I felt like an asshole."
"Don't we all?"
Well, I shot back the last whisky shot and slammed down the glass."I do believe I feel good enough to get married." And that wasall I remember until....
I opened my burning eyes to the shining sun, and I quickly raised myhand to protect them. The sun illuminated my hands, and still, Iremained in my own world.
Then..."Honey, honey." I had no idea if that was in reference to meand I had no idea where the hell I was. I felt my hand being pulleddown and my eyes adjusted. I was lying down on a beach and Donna's facewas about five inches from my face. "I'm going in. Come with me."
"No."
"Come on, baby."
"Basically I can't seem to move my body, so going in with you isbeyond my realm of possibilities. Do you get that?"
"Oh you think you're so smart. Forget it, I'll go in by myself, butyou better be careful. I just may come out with a bigger fish."
Now, the idea of trying to figure out what Donna really meant by thatwas much too frightening so I tried to concentrate on finding outwhere I was. It must be my honeymoon. I must have gone through withit. Wow, a honeymoon, who would have thought. I remembered she hadtold me something about Mexico, so that's where I must be.
