B.P.O.E.

We had an initiation at the Elk's Lodge last Tuesday. I can't tell you much more. But that's me in a tux sitting on the stoop with my garden. Long night. But some good new members.

I joined the Elks, as I sometimes say, because I wanted to lay down some roots in my new community. But now that I'm literally laying down roots in my new community, I can come clean.

My brother Dan tried to join the Elks because he wanted to watch Monday Night Football. And he would have fit right in and probably made a better Elk than me. But in the interview, they asked him, "Do you believe in God?" And he just, off the top of his head said, "Eh, No." They pretty much told him to get the hell out after that. He just wanted to watch football.

And when my sister heard that I was going to be and Elk, she said, "But you have to tell them you believe in God." Or god, take your pick. I said, "No problem, sis, I'm a minister." (Or monk, or priest, but not any kind of scientologist). I don't generally discuss my religious beliefs. I think some might assume I'm an atheist or at least agnostic. I've gone to Church a couple of times lately. Not really because I wanted to, but because other people wanted me to or it was the right thing to do and all that. I still identify as Catholic.

But if you really want to know, my religious beliefs can be summed up with, "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claust. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! How dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished."

I ran down to 7-11 yesterday because I ran out of tomato sauce. Michelle was about to go looking for me, because I took longer than usual. I ran into a couple of Elks and also another Elk's son, whom I had met earlier in the day when I ran into that Elk right before the parade.

I walk around town and know people now.