"She Hears You"

So, I have another little story for you. I realize most of you don’t have a lot of truck in this praying business and to he honest, I’m not exactly sure where it’s coming from (aside from deep inside me) but I could certainly be doing worse things with my time (and have). It’s been a while (mostly because of the play taking up all my time) but I have liked going to the Choral Evensong at St Thomas on 5th Ave & 53rd. It’s a magnificent cathedral in the middle of midtown and was at first my attempt at replicating the even more ancient and awesome experience I had frequenting St Paul’s evensong in London. But I haven’t been in a while, probably since Christmas. This is Holy Week, tho’ and so they’ll be pulling out all the stops, reaching for every high note, lighting every candle, and I’m gonna hit it Wed, Fri and Saturday. Meantime, and this is actually what I wanted to tell you, there is a far far more modest little church on 51st street just around the corner from my apartment. It’s mostly an Hispanic congregation, I think. And across the street is a little rectory where the nuns live. There’s a sweet little garden next door, beautiful flowers abound and a statue of The Virgin Mary is at its center. I can’t remember exactly when I started doing this but every time I pass, I stop and say the same little prayer- for Summer, to keep her safe in The Beautiful New Place and for our reunion there forever and soon. I go by there a lot. It’s the way to and back from the theatre. It’s the way to and back from my run. It’s the way to and back from D’Agostino’s. I stop every time, both ways, close my eyes, gripping the black iron grating, and say my little prayer. Tonight on my way to Dags, I stopped, as always. The snow was turning to rain. Just as I finished, one of the young nuns came out of the door with a couple of garbage bags on a hand truck. As I turned to go, I saw her beaming at me. “She hears you”, she said. My heart leapt. “Thank you, ” I replied. “Happy Holy Week”. “God bless you, ” she said. She hears you. I think she meant Mary but I’ll take it all in all...