Newsreel XII
The Camera Eye (17)
the spring you could see Halley’s Comet over the elms from the back topfloor windows
of Upper House Mr. Greenleaf said you would have to go to confirmation class
and be confirmed when the bishop came
and next time you went canoeing you told Skinny that you wouldn’t be confirmed
because you believed in camping
and canoeing
and Halley’s Comet
and the universe
and the sound the rain made on the tent on the night you’d both read The Hound of the Baskervilles
and you’d hung out the steak on a tree
and a hound must have smelt it because he kept circling around you
and howling something terrible
and you were so scared (but you didn’t say that, you don’t know what you said)
and not in church
and Skinny said if you’d never been baptized you couldn’t be confirmed
and you went and told Mr. Greenleaf
and he looked very chilly
and said you’d better not go to confirmation class any more
and after that you had to go to church Sundays
but you could go to either one you liked so sometimes you went to the Congregational
and sometimes to the Episcopalian
and the Sunday the Bishop came you couldn’t see Halley’s Comet any more
and you saw the others being confirmed
and it lasted for hours because there were a lot of little girls being confirmed too
and all you could hear was mumble mumble this thy child mumble mumble this my child
and you wondered if you’d be alive next time Halley’s Comet came round
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