I Confess

I am no longer a practicing Catholic; but I feel the need to confess:

I had an unprotected conversation, indoors, with a stranger.

I was enjoying beers at an Eagle’s Club with two family members. We had worn our masks into the club. We had chosen a table six feet from the other patrons and we didn’t remove our face covering until after our beers had been served.

After two rounds, he/she approached our table. He/she was unmasked. He/she pulled out a chair and sat down. I was closer than 6 feet and we talked for more than 15 minutes.

Yes, I am aware there is a pandemic. And I am old enough to know, I shouldn’t talk to an unmasked stranger, indoors, at a distance of less than six feet, for longer than 15 minutes.

It has been eight days. I have had no symptoms, but if I were to start to show signs of Covid, I would go and get tested and while I waited for the test results, I would pray, and bargain like I was in my early 20’s    If the test results are negative, I promise I’ll change my ways. I’ll never be careless again. I’ll go back to church…

Maybe not church.

But, before you past judgement there is more, I need to confess: after using the gas pump I used hand sanitizer, but then forgot to re-disinfect after using the public air hose, and coin operated vacuum.

I am no longer wiping down my groceries and packages before bringing them into the house.

It has been two months, since I clean my credit card with hand sanitizer. I do care and I am concerned, but my account numbers are disappearing and I can no longer tell the difference between 7’s and 1’s.

I also went to the store unnecessarily, I just wanted to look, to shop.

I let an elder gentleman and two children pet the dog.

I passed another on the sidewalk with a distance of only 3 feet.

For all of this, I am truly sorry, and contrite. And I firmly intend to avoid risky behaviors, and unprotected conversations in the future.

A sincerely, sorry, ex-catholic.