Read Online Conceived Without Sin by Bud Macfarlane - Free Book Online Page B

practically yelled. "You've got it, Donna! Coke.Excellent example. My favorite is the star one."
    "All right, Buzz, I'll bite. What's the 'star one?'" Sam asked, finally hooked, and trying to think of his own example.
    "Okay," Buzz started. "You're on a date. Summertime. Romantic. You're walking along the beach with your significant other, hand-in-hand. The sand is like gritty pillows under your toes. The engagement ring sits in a velveteen boxin your pocket, waiting. The wind softly whispers off Lake Erie–"
    "We get the picture." Sam rolled his eyes.
    "Let him tell his story his own way," Donna corrected. "No matter how long-winded and dull it is."
    "Ha ha, Donna," Buzz said, false hurt in his voice. He took a sip of coffee and a drag off his cigarette.
    "Anyway, it's a romantic situation, you look up at the stars, and say, 'Look, my love,the stars in the sky are so beautiful,' and just as you're about to quote Shakespeare and pull the ring out, she says back, in a kind of know-it-all voice, 'We're not really seeing the stars–'"
    Donna cut in to finish for Buzz, "We're seeing the light they're reflecting a million years later because they're light years away!"
    They both laughed heartily, then looked at Sam, who wasn't laughing.He was lost in thought. Then his face brightened.
    "I've got one!" Sam said excitedly.
    "Go for it!" Donna encouraged.
    "Okay," Sam began. "When you bring up the topic of computers, somebody always points out that they're getting faster and faster."
    Sam's observation was met with unenthusiastic silence for a moment.
    "Well, I guess that's true," was all Donna could say. She smiled warmly at Sam.
    "Right," Buzz added.
    "Okay, so it's not the funniest example," Sam protested. "But I've heard it a hundred times."
    "Yeah, as if there's some computer company out there trying to make computers slower or something," Donna commented.
    "I can just see the meeting in the boardroom," Buzz said. Then, in a lower, faux-businessman's voice, "'If we could just get the boys in R & D to put in that older,outdated chip, we can slow those babies down to a snail's pace!'
    "Okay, not bad, Sam. Not bad. You can't help it if you're not very funny. I love you anyway, man. In fact, your example was touching. Can we hug?"
    Sam just rolled his eyes.
    "My turn for a story," Donna said.
    2
    "…don't know how old I was. Three, maybe. It's not a long memory, and doesn't have any chainsaws or blood, but it's the firstmemory I have.
    "I was in church. It must have been a daily Mass because there were only a few old women there, wearing black dresses and veils, 'cause that's the law in Little Italy. We had some Dominican sisters teaching in our parish–at least they were still there when I went to school a few years later.
    "Anyway, six or seven nuns were in the second pew, and Mass had begun. Then, a young nuncame in and practically ran down the side aisle to join the other sisters.
    "I was fascinated by her habit. And her beauty. She was about the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. I still remember her face. She was light-skinned and blond. She looked a little like Princess Di, but more like that old-time actress who also became a princess. Uh, Grace Kelly.
    "This was Little Italy. Even the nunswere Italian, with dark skin and dark hair. This beautiful woman looked like she came from another planet.
    "She stopped short when she got to my pew, even though I was on the other side of the church. I'm not sure now, but as the memory goes, I was the only one looking at this nun at all. She stopped and looked at me, and smiled. Time kind of stopped. I remember waving back and saying 'Hi.' Mymom turned and shushed me.
    "The nun turned and went to her pew, more slowly now. She sat in the row behind the other nuns, alone. I stared at her for the rest of the Mass. I even remember that her habit was a different color from the nuns in front of her. They all had white habits. My nun had a blue habit.
    "I never saw her again, and don't