Reinke Faces Life

It happened in Church - October 19, 1962
Chapter Seven - Down in the shelter

Marie had a problem. The world was spinning way too fast, and she had not been a teenager very long. Following Brother Kevin’s commands, she lead the rag tag group down the stairs to the shelter. She was shocked at Brother Kevin’s quick dumping of John into a bunk. And, his blunt directive to her, to get everyone seated, was unlike how men ever spoke to her. But, she was of good stock, and would straighten that out later.

“Gather round Classmates”, she exclaimed in her happiest playground voice. After all she WAS an EIGHTH and had led recess for the lower grades before. She recognized that she had more than a lower grade now, but for now she treated everyone as if they were a First. She was well aware of the two little ones that had not let go of their death grip on her skirt. If she hadn’t had the hula lessons, they might have pulled it down around her ankles for all to see her slip. A full slip per her Mother’s directives. But it still would have been shocking and embarrassing.

“You may call me Miss Marie. I’ll learn all of your names shortly. But first, let’s pray for our deliverance, our fallen Classmates and Faculty, and most for our families. Now we can’t kneel on a concrete floor. So everyone sit comfortably. And let’s join hands for prayer.”

All the students addressed each other with the honorific Miss or Master. It was the Prefect’s idea to instill respect in all spoken word. In this instance, he was right; it gave the speaker and the listener confidence that they were conversing as, and with, “authorities”.

“But Miss Marie, shouldn’t we be going home now.”

“No, not yet, dear Classmate. I’m sure your Mommy and Daddy will come pick you up when it’s safe. And, they did tell you to be good. Right? And, I KNOW FOR SURE they would want you to stay here, safe with me, until they come.” She thought for a half-second about her family, but she had responsibilities here and now.

“OK, Miss Marie”.

“Now Classmates, with all the excitement, I seem to have forgotten the Third’s Prayer. Can some Third help me out?”

I conveniently ignored the fact that I was soon to be an eight-time gold medalist in “Overall Performance”, as well as an eight-time gold medalist specifically in “Devotions”, with some of the highest scores ever posted. Having a tough Mother, who didn’t tolerate poor results or excuses, made that “easy”. That was pride talking. I know. And, pride goes before a fall. I probably could have hula-ed the eight prayers (one for each grade) without missing a beat. But I needed to get time to focus.

“Me”, “ME!”, “me?”, “Me Miss Marie”.

I picked a little boy. “Who are you Master Classmate?”

“I’m TomT. And I’m a Third. There’s was also a TomS, but he’s not here now.”

“OK, Master Tom T, Can you lead us in the Third’s prayer?”

Each class had a prayer to the patron saint of their grade. It was to teach them some specific virtue and give them a common bond. St. Thomas Aquinas is the patron saint of students. He was the patron of the Third.

Master Tom T began, working very carefully, since he had probably just memorized it earlier in September.

*** begin quote ***

Let us remember that we are in the Holy Presence of God.

<pause>

Creator of all things, true source of light and wisdom, origin of all being, graciously let a ray of your light penetrate the darkness of my understanding.

Take from me the double darkness in which I have been born, an obscurity of sin and ignorance.

Give me a keen understanding, a retentive memory, and the ability to grasp things correctly and fundamentally.

Grant me the talent of being exact in my explanations and the ability to express myself with thoroughness and charm.

Point out the beginning, direct the progress, and help in the completion.

I ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

*** end quote ***

Marie wanted to use this time as effectively as possible. So she hefted the one child to her hip. Her breast still hurt badly, so she shifted her to the other hip. And twisted her skirt to bring her “hanger on” to the other side. Walking to the shelter door, she joined in the prayer. She could use Saint TAQ, as he was disrespectfully, but playfully referred to, when the faculty wasn’t around. Maybe TAQ could give her a keen understanding of what to do next. She really prayed the Third’s prayer with all her heart and soul.

On the back of the door was a laminated card. It said “IN THE EVENT OF AN ALERT, THE SHELTER CAPTAIN SHOULD PERFORM THE FOLLOWING STEPS:”. OK, how hard could this be?

She looked around at the children in the center and spied one of her fellow Eights — June. She had discarded her ripped shirt, and was just wearing her blazer. Under other circumstances, it would provocative. She had some blood on her face and skirt. Not too bad, if you ignored the fact that she had nearly been raped and looked like she was sea sick. So under these circumstance, she looked like hell. I needed to involve her.

“Thank you, Mister Tom T. Very very good. It helped me. Miss June, can you tell us what that prayer has meant to you?”

“Ahhh, I guess it means that we don’t have to know everything, or understand why and what happens to us, but we do have to try to learn what God’s plan for us.”

“Very good. A great insight given what we have be through. Can you please lead the Class in the Rosary for the safety of our families that we all miss badly?”

“Certainly, Miss Marie.”

And she began with a spark of purpose. The rosary tradition at the school meant that there were several “speaking” roles, June pointed to different students and held up one finger for the person who was to lead the Our Father, fist and and a one for the first half decade, fist and and a two for the second half decade, pinky up for the Gloria, and so on. Until all the roles were assigned. She than began “In the name of the Father, … …”

Marie knew that gave her about thirty minutes of “coverage”

The laminated sheet said: “1. Turn water on.” so she walked over to the pictured valve and turned it. She could hear water running like a very very fast flush toilet. “2. Deploy chemical toilets.” That was beyond her; help was needed.

She went to the praying group and tapped another Eighth, Roy, he turned and she held her fingers to her lips to indicate silence and motioned for him to come with her. She tapped two of her Seventh Gal Pals — Lisa and Linda — to come as well. She figured to create groups of threes to a task to prevent “pairing off” or immodest behavior.

She whispered “Can you set up a boys and a girls? We’ll need it soon.” pointing at item #2.

“yes miss marie” Lisa said cattily with a smirk.

“Hey knock off the barbara streisand. I’m hanging on by my finger tips.”

“Sorry, you’re doing great. They’re gonna give you a habit next week.”

Linda chimed in “You’re a natural at this stuff. I wet myself.”

“And, what makes you think I didn’t as well?” Marie shot back.

“Well if you ladies can stop discussing personal bodily functions, then maybe we can have a place for you to poop before we all pop”, said Roy ending the discussion.

She open up some cabinets — blankets, food, and stuff she didn’t recognize.

She went back to the prayer circle and tapped out another Eighth Girl Jody and two Seventh boys — Joseph and Dylan. She brought them to the blanket closet. And whispered, “Please set out some pairs of blankets for the boys here and the girls over there.”

Jody said “Who died and left you Queen Bitch?”

Marie, gather all her upset feelings and seethed venom, very quietly, but it screamed with the quiet, “Sister Euphemia and all the rest of the Nuns. That’s who died, Jody, in case you missed it! And, if you screw around, I’m the Bitch, who will kick your ass, so hard you’ll think it was done by a giant jackass. Queen indeed!” Jody’s eyes widened. She’d never heard Marie ever utter an unkind word; let alone threats. Marie continued to the three of them. “I don’t give a flip where you put everyone, but they’ll be no messing up, or around, until I get out of here. If the blankets are not out by the time the next decade of the rosary starts, you’ll have blankets shoved ‘gently’ in some very personal holes by the Queen Bitch. I’m not losing my medals because of anyone. So put them where ever, quickly. And don’t stop praying, we’re not out of trouble yet. I’m flying this by the seat of my soiled pants, and you’re not making it any easier. Now MOVE!” Jody hopped like a frog with a cat on its tail. The boys had to hustle just to catch up to her. Blankets were flying.

A few minutes later, in the middle of the third decade, Brother Kevin and his crew came back down the stairs. He could hear the prayers, and saw the circle. He could also see stuff was happening. Marie brought the handout to him and pointed to number 4. “We’re here”, she whispered. He said “You’re fantastic”.

“Excuse me children. We’ll continue the rosary in a minute, but now I need every one to lay down. Some of our Classmates have generously set blankets out for us. Please go and lay down on the blankets. But, no matter what happens, don’t get up until you’re told. The ground may shake but there’s nothing to be afraid of.” He got them all settled down and said “Fine. We’ll now resume the rosary. I am very proud of all of you.”

June picked it right up. The children were all calm. Some were dozing. Marie gave June a wink with the “stretch” signal. It wasn’t uncommon when the girls wanted to goof off, that the leader, who was supposed to be counting off the five decades, would throw in an extra decade or two. Any one, who was actually paying attention or praying, would just assume they had made a mistake. As a matter of fact, one time when she did it in school-wide May devotion on a dare, John had held up his rosary beads when he stretched. Indicating he was in on the gag. So, June inserted two extra decades with no problems. Maybe someone’s family was saved by some extra prayers for their benefit.

Marie laid down next to John. Her two charges were with her. One still clinging to her skirt. The other nestled by her uninjured breast. Maybe this is what is mean by “a nuclear family”. She dozed a little herself.

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