Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Ash Wednesday: Awkward at the Office

I mean no disrespect, but I find the "ashes on the forehead" thing is always startling to be confronted with, especially in the morning. It takes a second to realize that it's not soot from a coal mine but actually ashes put there on purpose in a holy setting. I'm just a Catholic on paper, and I don't entirely understand the whole thing, so I'm not going to feel guilty about not getting ashes on the forehead today. But the woman at the office here is a nice, God-fearing lady--unlike myself--so she's got a big blessed smudge. Anyway, I just overheard an interesting (and possibly even enlightening) conversation between her and a non-ashed woman that I would like to share:

Non-ash: What is this thing on your face? I see it a few times this morning. (heavy Italian accent)
Ash: What do you mean? It's Ash Wednesday! You're Roman Catholic, aren't you? (heavy Long Island accent)
Non-ash: Yes, and as you know, I grew up in Italy.
Ash: Rome, of all places, if I'm not mistaken, correct?
Non-ash: Yes, Rome. And we don't see this there. Never. You wear this on your face all day? (points to smudge with wide-eyed disbelief)
Ash: You're an Italian Roman Catholic from Italy, and you're telling me you've never seen ashes on the forehead before.
Non-ash: Never. Never in my entire life have I seen this. All day in the office with this black on your face?
Ash: You're kidding me. I mean, the Pope himself, has ashes on his forehead, I'll find a picture of him. The good Pope. The old one, the one who died. He was the good Pope. Are you telling me you don't get ashes on Ash Wednesay in Rome, Italy?
Non-ash: Well, yes, we do, but you know maybe what I think, it's that it's white ash, and they just sprinkle gently around your face, not a big black smudge that you wear on your face all day. This is Manhattan, no?

3 comments:

Elizabeth said...

I can't believe that was an actual conversation. There are so many strange things about it. I esp liked the "good pope...the old one who died" comment. so the current one is not good? i won't argue but this woman's ashes might. thanks for mentioning this awkwardness of the day. i was startled as well when i saw it on someone in the office. i thought "you got up that early for church!" wow. the thing about the ashes that i dealt with growing up: when is it okay to wipe them off?

anne altman said...

good point, liz. i'd ask Him but i don't know Him very well. let's say you go get your ashes after work, in the evening, and it's dark and you live alone, and nobody sees them but your cat---did you still get ashes?

newbluebaby said...

Catholics are silly.