I was called by my superior to tell the group here about a person that
had a positive influence on my life. I would choose my mother, but I
knew her only until I was ten. I remember more of my father after
mother died, but the memories were so terrible. I want to write about
Keith. He taught me the songs while I was at the priory. But it was
he, that got me into so much trouble. Then there are Trevor, Brute,
Kull, and Ohm Uri. They all have had a positive influence on me, but I
cannot tell a story about them when the chapter is not finished. I
might choose Puck.
Brother Puck is a cleric of my same order that
I am now. He found me shortly after I ran away from my father. I was
just thirteen. I tried to get some food from a merchant. All of my
money was gone. I had not eaten for a few days. I watched the
merchant, like a wolf hunting prey, waiting for a mistake. I noticed
only an older woman. I thought it was only the two of them. But I
didn't know that he was watching me. I found my time to be right, slip
in, get the bread and run. I could easily out run the merchant just for
a few blocks. But the merchant had two boys, bigger and older than
me. I did not see them, till after I took the bread.
The chase
was on. Confident of my running, I made to get away, to loose them in a
crowded street. And I lost one. Now, to slip into the alley and to my
hiding spot. I turned and ran smack into the older taller boy. He
gambled on my route and got lucky. I thought they would rough me up,
for at first I looked like any other street boy. But when I ran into
him, we were entangled, and he could feel my developing body being a bit
odd. He grabbed my arms, and knew I was not a boy.
This next
part I have not told anyone about yet. It has been many years to look
back on this and only now I have the courage to remember it again, and
to write about it. I thought I would die in this alley, violated. Then
a bright light flashed, followed by a force of deafening sound. I
almost past out, or maybe I did. The tight grip loosened. His body
slumped to the ground, or was it mine.
Then I felt a whole
energy fill me. It was bliss. My emotions went from the depths of the
darkest cave to the highest mountain, in seconds. I squinted my eyes
because I had to know what happened, for the ringing in my ears defended
all other sounds. I saw a man emerge from the light. He said his name
was Brother Puck. He was old and stout. And the two boys were on the
ground, still. I just slid down in the alley and cried, I am alive and
fine. I sat there, still. I had to know they were gone, never to see
me again. Then I found myself shivering. When I got the wits back to
me, Brother Puck took the stolen bread and me to the merchant. He gave a
coin, a nice coin, to the man and made me apologize. Which I
reluctantly did.
After this, Puck took care of me and he and I
moved about, from village to town. He taught me many more things while
spreading the Word. Eventually, he took me to the priory. There are so
many more memories to tell about us during those wandering days.
For
my story to my superior, I told of Brother Puck. And what I learned
from him: to help the ones that cannot help themselves. But to also
know there are two sides of the story, and people are full of all shades
of gray. Be patient and tolerant, for people can change for the
better.
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