“What's your record for consecutive questions asked?”
I found myself in the predicament of entertaining several young people the other evening while their parents and older siblings were seeing the pastor for a pre-confirmation interview. The rectory is not really a child-friendly place and despite my experience as a mother of six, former La Leche League and Brownie Leader and a CCD teacher, I’m not a natural at entertaining kids. I never felt called to babysit as a young girl. In fact, I did my best to avoid it whenever possible.

So, I notice a young man loitering in the front hallway. His parents must have told him to sit tight for ten miinutes, which judging from his apparent-to-the amateur-eye ADHD difficulties, was about 9 minutes and forty-five seconds more than he could handle. I noticed him when I heard him tinkering with the big grandfather clock. Oh, man. I’m not allowed to touch the grandfather clock. Nobody is allowed to touch this clock. Just the pastor and one trusted, calm adult friend of his. That’s it.

Thinking he just needs a change of venue, I put him in the living room across from my desk and attempt to continue working. Of course, this living room is filled with delicate antique works of religious art, several GLASS TOP tables and other fine furniture. No LEGO’S, Hi-Lites magazines, Hot Wheels Cars or any other suitable amusements. When the boy is up and wandering the room within 15 seconds I decide to invite him into the front office to color. (Note to self: Bring some better markers and crayolas from home.) That kept him focused for a while.

As he colored, he debriefed me. On everything....
“Does Father --- live here?”Yes.
“Why do they make Fr. --- live here?”It is a benefit of his position. (I wish someone would make me live in a clean beautiful well-organized home with someone else to answer the phones....)
“Do you live here?”No.
“Who else lives here?”The priests.
“Do the Fathers have TV?”Yes.
“Cable?”I thinks so.
“Playstation?”I doubt it. They’re a little pressed for time. And they like to read a lot.
“How big are their rooms?”Never looked. Girls don’t go upstairs. (But I bet they’re bigger than my room at home.)
“Who buys the food?”The office staff. Or the priests.
”What do the Fathers eat” Lots of stuff.
”Does Fr. --- buy any food?”Sure.
“Does Fr. --- shop at the Jewel?”I guess.
“Is this a real plant?”Yes. And please don’t play in the dirt.
“Did you ever eat a bug?”No. Not intentionally.
“A chocolate covered bug?” No. But I did see a show about them on FoodNetwork

I felt like Uncle Buck.
The next child was a second grader. It took me a bit to recognize him, but the look of recognition/terror on his face tipped me off that he had been one of the kids that I worked with during my semester as a second-grade teachers’ aide. So we reminisced a bit. And he colored a nice picture....