The schedule for the meet was a bit messed up...and Jonathan was still a few minutes out...so I decided to take the two atheists two blocks over to St. Patrick's Cathedral (which is getting a major overhaul right now...scaffolding and all.)
We walked through the place...Bernie with his hat on. At some point, I look over at Bernie who had walked into one of the transepts. There was a guy in a clerical collar on his knees in front of him speaking to him.
After a short conversations (which I could not hear), Bernie nodded in an obvious thank you to the guy...and took his hat off.
Reminded me of a scene in the movie, "The Night They Raided Minski's"...where a Jew, an Amish guy, and a Christian are talking in a "house of worship"...and some funny business happens dealing with whether or not hats should be on or off.
@blatham,
blatham wrote:
If it doesn't arrive on hoof or wing, it isn't legitimate. The slither creatures seem from another very disagreeable planet. I've had to leave restaurants where people are being served calimari.
Who doesn't eat SEAFOOD?!?! Even seafood eats seafood!
And chickens don't fly. At best they flutter.
Still sympathetic about you being ill, though.
@Frank Apisa,
I've other friends like that, re green.
And some who will eat green only if it isn't bitter
at all.
I love calamari but have never cooked it myself. And there's no chance I'll order it, much less try to cook it, here in Abq. Shudder.
@Frank Apisa,
Oooh, I haven't been in there since '50 either. Looks different..
Reminds me of my seeing the Milan cathedral in '99 - lots of scaffolding on the exterior, in an effort to spruce up for the coming Holy Year. Didn't check the interior, was in a relative hurry that day.
For me, given a choice between a steak and seafood, the turf loses out to the surf every time. Nothing in the world as delicious as shrimp...unless it's salmon or a lobster.
@Frank Apisa,
Come to think of it, I might forego seafood in favor of a truly good ossobuco.
"even if he had to be asked to remove his hat while we were in St. Patrick's Cathedral"
I didn't know you'd caught that little exchange with the incenced parishoner. The hat protocol is one I almost never oblige because it has no acceptable rationale. In the church setting, it's just one of the customs in place designed to enforce established hierarchies of power - lowering eyes, bowing, kneeling - all of which demand subversion. They are actually instances of a very typical (almost ubiquitous) primate behavior where dominance is established by intimidating the other to drop eye contact, turn and present bum for penetration. The most obvious example is the Muslim prayer position. And as there is no God, this is all about the humans and power structures, maintenance of. It's perverse, unthinking and I usually just don't put up with it.
In this instance, and though it would have been easy enough to tell him to **** himself, I gave the fellow his wish, but I took an ounce of flesh from him in exchange.
@dlowan,
Quote:Who doesn't eat SEAFOOD?!?! Even seafood eats seafood!
Obviously, for someone like me, this is not an argument working in favor of your thesis. Who else would Richard Nixon's immediate family vote for?
As one comic put it, the first person who ate a crab must have been REALLY hungry.
True, chickens don't fly. I suppose I have to grant you that. And I expect I will be reminded of it each time I see a lobster breaching.
@blatham,
Dys had had a far more consequent behaviour - thus, we didn't visit Cologne cathedral when he had been here but want in a local pub.
@ossobuco,
Quote:I've other friends like that, re green.
And some who will eat green only if it isn't bitter at all.
OK, OK. Maybe I was exaggerating. A McChicken sandwich without lettuce wouldn't be quite proper. And fresh peas, harvested under the full moon from Old Lady Armitage's garden were, are and will always be as delicious as a carnal escapade with a forest nymph. OK, OK, maybe I'm exaggerating again.
There was a design in blue on the dinnerware. I can't do blue and green. Just can't.
@Lustig Andrei,
Quote:For me, given a choice between a steak and seafood, the turf loses out to the surf every time. Nothing in the world as delicious as shrimp...unless it's salmon or a lobster.
I may never speak with you again.
@Frank Apisa,
Quote: But we had to consider Bernie's delicate condition.
A condition which, though both real and unfortunate, effects only the upper half of my physique. The bottom parts are most indelicate.
@Walter Hinteler,
Quote:Dys had had a far more consequent behaviour - thus, we didn't visit Cologne cathedral when he had been here but want in a local pub.
Hi Walter. No one on earth, least of all myself, would presume I was even half the man Dys was.
@blatham,
At least, he didn't have fish, too.
Ought to note that Thomas wanted to join us but was to arrive back from Germany the next day or two after we'd returned to (cough) Texas.
Also, Jane and I had really wanted to see our female mathematician friend but because I had something infectious and seriously ugly, I cancelled all plans for social engagements other than the dinner on the evening before we left. My ex wife and daughter were in town and I didn't even see them.
Bernie...you asked about the side altars at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Here are two pictures of what they are like:
I served Mass at one of them.
@Frank Apisa,
Quite beautiful, frank. Thanks.
Do they ever switch out the background paintings? Perhaps a black velvet Elvis or some such?
I'm only thinking in terms of getting attendance figures up. Trying to help.
