recolle | [OPEN]

[OPEN]

WHO: Father Karl and YOU!
WHERE: Saint Anthony's Catholic Church parish hall and churchyard, Worship Quarter, Tribunal Terrace
WHEN: Sunday 3/5, morning to early afternoon
WHAT: Karl has just suddenly remembered that horses used to be A Thing and is trying his best not to lose his chill in front of his parishioners.
WARNINGS: Religious and churchy things inevitably.

[Father Karl certainly seemed fine last week when he was the co-celebrant at Ash Wednesday mass. He was even hearing confessions during and after the blackouts of the last couple of days and he didn't seem any more or less bothered by them than any other ~~NPC~~ average Recollé resident. Just his usual polite, blandly upbeat self. But now on Sunday morning all of a sudden he seems weirdly... preoccupied?]

I. What Are Birds, We Just Don't Know

[Father Karl says the crack-o-dawn long-ass Latin Rite mass as usual, as well as the normal vernacular mass a little later in the morning, and after both of them he can be found hanging out in the parish hall smiling and nodding at the usual crowd milling around the coffee and donuts. (Remember, during Lent, Sunday is cheat day!) He seems a little less chatty than usual, though, and he gets this sort of odd, pondering expression on his face whenever he thinks no one's looking.]

[Especially whenever a parishioner walks by wearing, say, an article of clothing with a Ralph Lauren Polo logo on it, or a Denver Bronchocos team cap, or a My Little Pullet t-shirt.]

II. (James Earl Jones Voice) Mother Of God

[Later on Karl can be found sitting in the little garden over in the corner of the churchyard, you know the one, with the rosebushes the stone bench and the little Marian grotto like the one your Mexican grandma has.]

[And the way he's staring at the face of the Blessed Virgin, he kinda looks like he could use a nice Mexican grandma to talk to right now. Or anyone, really.]

[This little garden is partially visible from the road through the wrought iron fence between the churchyard and the city sidewalk, and the gate is nearly always unlocked during the day, so whether you've already got some reason to be at St. Anthony's or you just happen to be passing through this part of Tribunal Terrace, why not come and help a Father out?]

{note: Karl hasn't really noticed the Retrospec app yet because he is secretly an old grandpa who never uses his phone, but if it is mentioned he might suddenly remember that one time a few weeks ago when one of his parishioners got freaked out by some weird viral marketing campaign. Hit me up at

randomarticle with any questions!}

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-With the sheer amount of shit that had been going on in May's life, between her suddenly having Luke Cage style super strength to secrets secrets hurt someone and just a whole lot of other things, she found herself showing up at church a lot more often than she had been in the last few years. Well, not like actual mass half the time because fuck waking up that early even if there was free coffee and donuts, but she still felt herself with just a strong desire to... hide. Within the confines of the church itself, just to get away from all the stresses in her life for a bit, and who knows, maybe God would actually bless her with a clear answer for once in their rocky relationship. Which was pretty ironic considering she spent the better part of the blackout looting, but hey.

Of course when she noticed the look on Father Karl's face as she was walking by the churchyard, probably aiming to hop the fence so she could slide into the main building all discreet-like she had to stop, because... wow having looked herself in the mirror with a similar look for several mornings now, she felt a swell of empathy, calling out for him gently.-

Hey... Everything alright up there, padre?

[Karl actually jumped a little at the sound of her voice—he'd been very deep in his own thoughts and hadn't been expecting company. He looked around the churchyard in confusion for a moment before spotting the young woman on the other side of the fence. Then he did his best to smooth over his disquieted expression and offer her what he hoped was a reassuring smile.]

Quite alright, my child.

I ain't your child, homeboi, we gotta be close to the same age. -Not that the truth of that statement kept people from assuming May was younger. Oh the pains of being small and cute, she guessed. Or the advantages, in certain situations.-

You were kinda lost in space there for a second.

[Karl actually managed a chuckle at that.] I expect we are! Still, [He gestured at his collar.] I am a 'padre', aren't I?

[At the next his smile faded somewhat and a shadow of that faraway look came back.] Just... wandering down memory lane, I suppose.

Edited 2017-03-14 05:57 (UTC)

Seems everyone I know's been doing that a lot lately... -She didn't have much of a smile to give, thinking back to that video. She halfway wondered if this guy had seen it. Hell, working at the Church, he probably recognized what was going on in it either way, if he had. She just set there hoping she wasn't in store for another lecture, hoping he either hadn't seen it, or would politely decline to not talk about it if he had.

Better change the subject. Or at least keep it on him.- Any particular memories or just in general?

[Aleksi was in Tribunal Terrace visiting the church of his own denomination. Done...not bearing his soul, his relationship with God is rather do and ask for forgiveness later, he's set to be on his way about his business. The sight of a priest sitting so forlornly is kind of a new thing though. So he stops. Looks around — no one else is in the area. He considers just walking on.

But in the end...]

That doesn't look like a face a man of the cloth should be taking. Receive an answer you didn't like?

[Leaning on the fence separating them he smiled, words lightly joking. What's up, stranger. Why not he's got time to kill and the reminder to act closer to God's wishes with where they're located. Help thy fellow man and all.]

[Karl is surprised by the interruption and looks over at the man with a small start, but the smile and the kind tone lead him to smile back in kind, if a little wearily.]

Prayer isn't just asking a question of God and expecting an answer, you know.

[At first it isn't a person who approaches, but a small dog instead, bounding into the garden with all the energy one might expect from a puppy. It almost seems to be eying Karl from where it's stood, but suddenly the silence is broken by-]

Souji, I told you no biting priests! Get back here!

[Okay, so there's no guarantee that's the dog's intention, especially considering as that happens it runs off.

Their owner runs into view not too long afterwards.

...oh, there really is a priest out here.]

Did a dog run by just now?

[He notices the bounding puppy almost at once and for a moment his face is filled with unguarded delight. He's always loved dogs.]

[But before he can do more than wonder to himself about the breed (Akita, perhaps?), he hears a voice and glances in its direction and suddenly the dog has run off.]

[He's halfway standing from the stone bench wondering if he should run after it to help herd it back to its presumed owner when that presumed owner approaches.]

I did indeed. Is he yours?

[There's a polite concern in his look, implicitly offering help if she needs it, but he still has some of that warm smile about him.]

Yeah, she-

[WHEEZE...give her just a second, she's really unfit and had to chase her dog for quite a while.

...

Okay, she's good.]

She ran off. She got out of her lead all by herself, too...I still don't know how she managed it. She's too smart for her own good.

Which way did she go?

[He nods more seriously and points.] That way, I'm fairly sure. What's her name?

Souji. [A beat. If she's giving her dog's name, then-] And I'm Aki.

[It'd be weird to leave a conversation with someone knowing your dog's name and not yours.

Either way, she looks over in the direction he'd pointed and groans, gearing herself up to go after her.]

I just hope she isn't trying to get into the church.

[Karl chuckles.] Unless Souji knows how to turn an outer door handle or press a timed accessibility switch, I doubt she would succeed.

[He gestures in the indicated direction.] Would you like my help?

[Judah passes by from his own mass, carrying a tin that he's trying to pass off anyway, so in coming upon the church, he gets to thinking the Father might be one to take it off his hands. And what luck when he looks in the gate to see him there already. But he looks...what's the word for it, confused, morose?]

Are you alright, Father?

[Karl blinks and jerks his chin out of his hand, jostled out of his thoughts. But when he glances over and sees Judah he smiles warmly, glad at the prospect of a simple chat with a friendly acquaintance.]

I'm fine, Mister Behar, I just got a little lost in my thoughts.

[He glances down at the tin with friendly curiosity.]

And what's that you have?

[That seems like an invitation to come in, so he opens the gate and makes his way in to take a seat as well.]

Cookies the children made, there's a holiday next week and we always make them for it with the kids. I'm sure I'll have a lot more coming to me and I'm not too big on pastry to begin with so I wondered if you might like them?

[He happily scoots aside to give Judah more room.]

Ah, that's right, Purim is next week, isn't it? I'd be happy to take them.

[A slightly cheeky smile.] Hamentashen, at a guess?

That's right - there's a few different fillings in there so hopefully there's something in there for you!

[He certainly looks pleased that Karl knew so quickly.]

I guess I shouldn't be surprised you're well informed, it would be Old Testament after all, huh?

Naturally. Esther is fascinating, both the woman and the book. [He chuckles softly.] Not to mention the endless academic arguments I sat through in college about proper narrative arrangement and verse numbering of the deuterocanonical chapters from the Septuagint.

[A bit sheepishly.] Although, to be honest, I was planning on giving the cookies to the Sisters down at the elementary school.

There's some really amazing figures in the Holy Books, even if you take it with a grain of salt. Although hearing something like that makes me awfully glad I didn't go in for theology.

[That solves a problem for him really, and more integration between different sects in the quarter would be good for everyone besides.]

Oh, that's a good idea actually, please do! Since so many of our holidays involve giving gifts of food, I'm often ending up with more than I can make use of, so I'll have to pass more along!

[Teasingly.] Ah, more of a Historical-Critical Method sort of man, are you?

[And he chuckles.] Well if there is one thing I can always help you with, Mister Behar, it is finding some place to shuttle off excess food.

[Since moving to Recolle a few years ago, Anise and her parents have been Sunday regulars at the Catholic church. That being the case, it's not too unusual for her to hang around the area on a day like today, and when she sees the priest, she recognizes him right away.

He doesn't look like he's in the best mood, and for a moment, she wonders if it's best to leave him be... but Anise is nothing if not nosy.]

Oh, Father Karl! [She approaches with a bright smile.] Ehe, it's not often that I see you outside of church services.

[Her expression quickly turns curious, and she tilts her head at him.] Is something wrong?

[He looks up at the sound of her voice and recognizes her immediately as a parishioner; Karl has only been here since just before Advent, but he already knows most of the regular congregants. He smiles back, if a little guardedly.]

Miss Tatlin! Good morning.

[At her question the guarded look intensifies for just a moment, but he quickly smoothes it over.]

Nothing, it's nothing. [A friendly smile.] And I suppose I haven't seen you very much outside of service either. How are you doing?

I'm good! I'm working hard at school, as always! [She has a habit of sounding like she's always fishing for praise... possibly because she is.]

But... are you sure it's nothing? You're always listening to everyone else's problems, so it's only fair if you get to say what's on your mind once in a while, you know?

[Well, there's no sense withholding praise where praise is due.] That's excellent to hear.

[He smiles gently.] You're a very kind girl. ... I was thinking about my grandfather.

[It's a half-truth, but it's still true. His grandfather owns a farm that boards... well, at this point Karl's wondering if he should just call and ask if they're still horses.]

Your grandfather? ... What about him?

[She's a little more cautious as she asks. With his slightly-somber mood, and the mention of a grandfather, at his age... Her first guess would be that he passed away.]

[Karl notices the caution in her tone, and he quickly realizes what he must have almost-implied.] Oh, he's fine! He lives on a farm outside of Salem with my grandmother. I used to spend summers there as a child.

O-oh! Eheh. I did kinda wonder... [She gives a sheepish giggle.]

But if his health isn't the problem, then what is? [Because clearly, there is a problem of some kind.]

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[OPEN]

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orz sorry i forgot to exist for an entire day

no worries!

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note to self: make more smiling icons

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