June 26: "Halloween," Good Friends, "Chicken and Beer"

Billy Collins and trick-or-treating . . . 

Halloween

by: Billy Collins

When I said hello

to a very small cowboy,

he gave me the trigger finger.

Ah, kids say and do the darndest things, usually at the most inconvenient times.  Any parent can vouch for that.  Halloween, in particular, heightens this possibility.  Having a small child in costume, hyped up on sugar and tired from walking around the neighborhood, is a recipe for these kinds of embarrassments.  I can't tell you how many times I stopped one of my kids on Halloween to remind them to say "thank you" after receiving their treat.  Usually, said kid halted mid-flight, turned, and mumbled the words as if they tasted like Kaopectate on their tongues.  One time, my daughter was offered some candy she didn't like, and she politely closed her treat bag and said, "No, thank you,  I don't like those," and walked away from the stunned homeowner.

Kids get a free pass when it comes to expressing brutal honesty because, frankly, it's kind of hilarious.  Adults, on the other hand, can get themselves into trouble sometimes if they actually say what they are thinking.  The one phrase that has prime real estate on the tip of my tongue is "you have got to be fucking kidding me!"  As in, someone reminds me about a meeting at work, and I whisper to myself, "You have got to be fucking kidding me!"

Because of this constant need to monitor thoughts, speech, and actions, adulting can be pretty exhausting.  That's why good friends are so important.  You don't have to apologize to them for being yourself.  They know and understand.  

Once a week, my wife and I have dinner and beer with another couple.  They are very good friends.  None of us feels the need to obfuscate if asked the question, "So, how was your day?"  Sometimes, the answer is "Great!"  Other times, the answer is "Complete rubbish!"  And then we spend our time together sorting through the trash heap of the day.  We know and care deeply about each other, and it's wonderful.

Tonight, my wife and I had KFC and beer with our friends.  We unpacked our days, aired our victories and struggles, and left feeling heard and loved.  The food and drink nourished our bodies, and the conversation nourished our spirits.  I always leave these dinners feeling better about myself and the universe.  It's a sacred moment of connection that I rarely experience at any other time.

Saint Marty gives thanks for good friends.

Chicken and Beer

by: Martin Achatz

with friends is Holy

Communion on Wednesday

evening, minus the betrayal,

arrest, crucifixion.  I'll save

that for Saturday night.