Friday 6 May 2011

Sequel

As predicted, we attracted suspicion from members of the most secretive of secretive sects, but were eventually approached by an older gentleman who invited to stand close enough to hear the short eulogy that was delivered to members and their disinterested children by Bill’s son-in-law David. Then shovels were produced and Uncle Bill was returned to the soil that had nurtured him.
Of the immediate family, only dear zany Pam and her clan were still members of the sect. Understandably, she was somewhat overwhelmed by our presence, but despite having known me well and having lived near my sister Dianne in the past, she twice asked us who we were.

Sister Dianne and I made ourselves known to the old lady, who seemed to remember me and was introduced to Sis, born after the schism and with no knowledge of the sect or its members. I can’t say the welcome was a warm one, but on the day she was burying her husband of 75 years, she could have been in a daze of grief. Then again, I detected an impatience with our presence. After all, with family ‘outsiders’ outnumbering those still in captivity at least two to one we must have represented a challenge to their superior morality. Sadly, nobody came from Bill’s brother’s family.

But as predicted, we outsiders got together afterwards in a restaurant, met the generation born since we last met and thoroughly enjoyed each others’ company for a couple of hours. It was worth the trip.

However, I am kicking myself I didn’t take my camera. But as nobody else did either, perhaps photos are taboo now. Who knows what the MOG has declared sinful since his last edict! What I would like to have shown you was the shoes.

With no make-up, jewellery, hair dye and all plainly dressed and sporting a curiously truncated head scarf, the women expressed their vanity through the most expensive and ornate shoes I have ever seen, with bright colours, patent leather shining, bejewelled and with heels! Funny animals, humans.

Shoe borrowed from here.

14 comments:

  1. Oh this was priceless
    bless your unbelieving heart
    cheers Stafford
    truly you are a peach

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  2. Noooo! You're not pulling our leg are you Stafford:-)

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  3. Makes you wonder what they are wearing under the clothes ;)Glad it all went well.

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  4. * CONGRATULATIONS ! *

    To You and Diane , Dear Stafford

    * Efforts * such as this, with your the attendance at this 'Special Event' will go a long way to ' Easing the Pain ' of the ' Immediate Family Members' still affected by ' THAT HORRIBLE SECT '..

    * GREAT SADNESS and GREAT SATISFACTION *

    A Little ** Closure ** For Everyone Perhaps ??

    And a ' Jolly Good Laugh for Dear Marjorie and Stafford Watching From Above '

    Take Care xx

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  5. I'm glad you had a happy reunion with the other 'fallen' ones :)

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  6. Your writing is wonderful and I am enjoying the image of fancy shoes and plain clothes.

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  7. Cameras are a definate no no on these occassions - but shoes? How wonderful ... I can feel myself almost being tempted to write about Seans funeral.

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  8. i once dated a guy who was separated from a bretheren woman, he would laugh at the way i would brush my hair and tie it up without drama because his ex would take sooo long on her hair on account of it being the only thing she could express herself through.
    he also said she was the most vain person he ever met :)

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  9. People always try to make everything right by making rules. the end result is an expression of rebellion, such as the shoes you mention. More laws just make rebellion worse. What is needed is a change of attitude instead. As a pastor, I'm way too familiar with what you have described. You cannot pass enough laws to make people right.

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  10. Oh, yeah, like that's one of the actual shoes--sure Stafford.

    Seriously, I don't get how the male hierarchy overlooked the shoes (fear of revolt, perhaps). Maybe in your country you too have Mennonites and conservative Pentecostals, the women of which sects have made a fetish of being as unattractive as possible. The image of such women in their plain and unbecoming clothes and hairstyles, yet adorned in such shoes as you describe, is an odd one indeed, and could hardly be equalled by Moslem women in their black beekeeper suits.

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  11. Me being me ... I couldn't resist taking a closer look at the shoe website you referenced. A portion of the marketing hype reads: 'will look great with tanned legs and a skirt or short shorts' ... what a waste!

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  12. Victorias Secret under those plain clothes?

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  13. I'm laughing, both at your sequel and Kathe's comment above mine. :0 Truly, I pity "those still in captivity"!

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