IMAGINATION'S PLACE
FICTION

CONFIRMATION
By; Gerald A. Polley

All rights reserved.

    The minister sat back from the sermon he was working on and rubbed his eyes, when the phone rang. He quickly grabbed it so his wife would not be woken.  "Potter residence!" he remarked.  
   A man's voice answered, saying "Is this the same Mr. Potter that used to do odd jobs around Riverview back in the '60s?"
    "Certainly is!" the reverend answered.  "Who's this?"
    "Daniel Harrison, sir!"
    "I don't have a very good memory for names son!"
    "Sarah Harrison's son, sir, the curly haired little boy that used to ask you endless questions?"
    "Oh!" the reverend answered, "The one who asked me what a penis extension was and had his mother nearly faint dead away?"
    "Yes sir!" the younger man answered with a giggle. "Sorry about that, sir!"
    "As I said at the time," the reverend continued, "you don't learn if you don't ask questions.  Just as some questions you wanna ask in private.  How's your mother?"
    "She died five years ago, sir," the young man continued, "in a fall.  She was trying to help a neighbor patch a roof."
    The reverend sighed. "Sounds like your mother!  How can I help you, Daniel?"
    "Well, sir, mother left this list, things she wanted to have me do.  I go through it once and a while and cross out the things I've managed to get done.  She wrote in the list to call you and let you know if we ever found out what ever happened to father."
   "Oh!" the reverend sighed.  "That would be of interest to me, Daniel! What happened to him?"
    "We just got word," Daniel answered, "that he died of a drug resistant strain of syphilis. Guess he was pretty far gone in the end.  His lawyer was instructed to send what was ever left in his accounts to me.  It's a considerable amount, sir, even after the government takes their share!  However, I really wonder if I should take it.
    "Of course you should!" the reverend answered.  "It's rightfully yours, and I'm sure you'll use it for better purposes than he would.  Got a family?"
    "Three sons, sir, all strappin' boys!"
   "Your wife must feel outnumbered!" the reverend remarked, "If you're not planning on trying to have any more yourself, why don't you consider adopting a couple of daughters?"
    "Well, I guess that confirms that idea!" Daniel remarked.  "My wife has been putting forth the same proposal.  I'm afraid the last birth made it so there can't be any more.  Thanks for the advice sir!   Your advice was always good."
   "Tell me one thing before you go," the reverend asked, "whatever happened to that friend of yours that kept giving you all the bad advice?"
   "Him, sir?" Daniel sighed, "He became a psychiatrist, sir, and they say he's a pretty good one.  I guess he learned to give better advice!"
     The reverend laughed.  "Well, you just caught me before I went to bed, Daniel!  I really do appreciate the call.  It gives some closure."
   "I just wish my mother knew!" Daniel remarked.
   The reverend smiled and answered "Oh, she does, son!  She knows!  Don't worry about it.  Well,  got a busy day tomorrow.  Best wishes!"
    "Same to you, sir!  Thanks again for the good advice."
    "You're quite welcome!" the reverend concluded, and hung up the phone.  He turned out the light on his desk, went into the bedroom, undressed, and slipped in bed.  
    "Who was on the phone?" his wife asked.
    "A young man from many years ago," the reverend answered, "letting me know his father's finally gone to hell."
    "Isn't there any possibility," his wife asked, "he's gone some place else?"
    The reverend shook his head.  "not a prayer!" he answered, "Not a prayer!"  
   He cuddled up to his wife and was quickly asleep.

THE END

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