The Most Fun We Could Have In Church Without Sinning
Our question, 'When were you happiest?' gave rise to a Proustian recollection for Gina Ochnser. Here, you can read her evocative, if unseasonal, full response.
Gina Ochsner
Posted: 19:00:00 17/03/09
Presbyterian church
Some of the happiest memories I have of growing up were those spent at a little Presbyterian church, a two storey brick building with an immense basement floor kept at all times in a high state of waxy shine. This basement housed Christmas, I was sure, because on the first Saturday of December the long tables that would have ordinarily held a silver coffee urn and little paper plates with cookies were folded up and pushed against the wall. Someone would arrive early in morning and spread over the floor as a carpet boughs cut from Noble Firs. The smell of forest: mud, balsam and pitch filled the entire downstairs of the church.
The women, ordinary staid, calm, polite —utterly Presbyterian--on these days became almost giddy, intoxicated I think by the smell of pine. They turned pushy, too, as they grabbed for the choicest boughs, tying them onto hoops that would become wreaths or into swags that would later adorn the mantle above our fireplace. I’m sure the women talked but we kids weren’t listening because the other half of the highly polished basement was left for us. And on this day the normally locked utility closet would be left open. Inside was a bin full of ancient metal skates, the kind with mean-looking adjustable shanks and rickety wheels and keys attached with rotting strings.
A few halting steps on those skates and we understood the necessity of the slick floor. We also learned the importance of embracing high velocity at all costs. This we did in full earnest, and Lord help anyone who got in our way, we breathed under our breaths, because we could in no way control ourselves as we careened from one end of the basement to the other. It was the most fun we could have in church without sinning.
Gina Ochsner
March 2009
See all articles in Gina Ochsner's blog
You must be logged in to comment.