I went through the bank drive through this morning. Before reaching the plate glass window next to the building where you get a clear view of the tellers, I could see through a sliver of window on the side of the building. There were three tellers, and I could see only their profiles. The one farthest away from me caught my attention. I know the economy is bad, but I couldn't believe that there was a nun wearing her habit working the drive up window. I pondered the situation. Poor dear. Why would the parish allow that? Well why not?
I remembered a long time ago when I attended a neighbor's birthday party and read a risqué birthday card aloud, and someone said, "Shhh! Her sister's a nun."
I had always known her sister only as her older sister.
I didn't KNOW her sister was a "sister" because I never saw her in her habit. She wore street clothes. I did think it strange that her family called her Louise and everyone else in the community called her Paulette.
Anyway, having not been raised Catholic or being exposed to the nuns as a child, I remember someone saying they had to shave their heads, that's why you never saw a strand of exposed hair. I felt sorry for them in summer.
I asked my hubby, who attended parochial school, what he remembered about the nuns. He said, "I remember we kids made up a song about one nun who was extremely mean. We sang, "Mighty Mouse-Mighty Mouse waddling down the aisle, Mighty Mouse Mighty Mouse never cracks a smile." He said, "But man! she could crack us with her rubber tipped pointer. She'd stand in the back of the room and catch us (ME) doing something, and before you knew it, she was rolling down the aisle."
So anyway, I pulled up to the bank drive up window and got the "nun teller."
Turned out she was a girl with long straight black hair wearing a wide, white headband, and a black shirt. Whew! Sometimes my imagination runs wild.
I remembered a long time ago when I attended a neighbor's birthday party and read a risqué birthday card aloud, and someone said, "Shhh! Her sister's a nun."
I had always known her sister only as her older sister.
I didn't KNOW her sister was a "sister" because I never saw her in her habit. She wore street clothes. I did think it strange that her family called her Louise and everyone else in the community called her Paulette.
Anyway, having not been raised Catholic or being exposed to the nuns as a child, I remember someone saying they had to shave their heads, that's why you never saw a strand of exposed hair. I felt sorry for them in summer.
I asked my hubby, who attended parochial school, what he remembered about the nuns. He said, "I remember we kids made up a song about one nun who was extremely mean. We sang, "Mighty Mouse-Mighty Mouse waddling down the aisle, Mighty Mouse Mighty Mouse never cracks a smile." He said, "But man! she could crack us with her rubber tipped pointer. She'd stand in the back of the room and catch us (ME) doing something, and before you knew it, she was rolling down the aisle."
So anyway, I pulled up to the bank drive up window and got the "nun teller."
Turned out she was a girl with long straight black hair wearing a wide, white headband, and a black shirt. Whew! Sometimes my imagination runs wild.
16 comments:
I would go to the nun teller too but would have been disappointed when she turned out not to be.
Merle...........
Ha! It's funny where the old memories take us...
I never went to school but I had a MIGHT FEAR if those nuns who taught summer catechism classes!
Oh funny. When I was a kid.
When sitting on the bus . The nuns
came on the bus and all you could see shinny was the big cross and the outfit of a nun.
So I bought myself a cross from Woolworth's back then.
I wore it not at home. As our family believed . Jesus is off the cross he died for sinners. So the big cross I bought with Jesus on.
Would be not proper in my home. If I bought the cross without Jesus
that would be appropriate.
So my parents would not be in favor of that cross.
Funny what you see when your a kid. Then you now mentioning this.
With the nun. So it brought back back memories.
Like the minister said to our Sunday school kids one Sunday.
If you see a Priest or a minister walking down the street.
Which one do you think is the one who is the most Christ like?
Well the kids put up their hands.
The Priest.
What about the man with the suit.
Oh no.
So does that make him not Loving God. Another guy. Yes.
The Priest is more religious.
What we see with our eyes.
Now if you see three people walking down in front of you on the street.
Which one looks like a Doctor, mechanic or a manger of McDonald's
We would not know.
Would we know if they were lined
up on a stage and you were asked. No.
So we have child like eyes.
Outfits yes.
I've heard a lot of scary nun stories in the classrooms too. I didn't grow up catholic either so never knew if the stories were true or not.
It sounds like "Mighty Mouse" found a way to keep Bill in line.
Perhaps you need to find a rubber-tipped pointer?
As far as your nun teller, THAT is why you're such a gifted writer, Linda...you see the extraordinary (and sometimes the hallucinatory ;) in the ordinary.
I can hook you up with an optometrist's office where you can get glasses that almost make you see clearly after only 8 visits to have your lenses re-ground.
Laughing at Val's comment, some optometrists are like that for sure. (mine)
You had me wondering why a nun was working in a bank, then I realised you'd mentioned a drive through. At a bank! That's odd to me, we don't have them here. We have ATMs or you go inside.
LOVED this post as well as the comments. I hope your eyesight stays just the same because it's so entertaining. Come to think of it, I haven't seen a habit in years. Are nuns still required to wear them? I'll have to ask the nearest bank teller. ;)
I could have told you she wasn't a nun. Some of my grandkids go to Catholic school and there hasn't been a nun teacher for years. I was afraid of flying so my relatives pointed out a nun in line to reassure me, but I knew a terrorist when I saw one.
When I was a kid I wanted to be a nun, though we weren't Catholic, so I can't imagine why except that Sally Field made it seem pretty fun. :)
Oh Linda, that was funny. I couldn't imagine a nun working in a bank.
I had nuns in high school. Like most human beings, some were a little difficult but most were very dedicated to the students. I got an excellent education and one of the sisters encouraged my writing. I'll be darned that decades later, I still love to write and it has been a wonderful profession.
Take care, Linda, and thanks so much for your sweet visits and comments. You are a faithful Follower! Susan
You didn't get me that time, Linda! I figured there was a surprise ending to this story. (Most of the time you "get me.")
The places our imagination takes us...I've had things like that happen not just with people but when getting a glance at a sign and whatnot. Thanks for the chuckle.
Was shopping the other day and the song "I Will Survive" came on. Thought of you. :)
Or you need an adjustment to your bifocals! Isn't it funny how our eyes play tricks on us! Can't tell you how many kids I've worried about because they're standing too close to the road; only to get closer and see that the 'kids' are fire hydrants!
Oh, Linda! Too funny. I laughed out loud at Val's comment, and Debora's, too! I have some great memories of nuns from my school days...one in particular is in my memoir and others are in the sequel! Those were the good old days! :)
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