Page 117

By Jack Joseph Smith

or so it appears to those looking on. But its filled with the same caverns you see twisting through the world. Sometimes, I too get lost. But then I just take a look around at the space, and come up for some good old earth air. The University isn't so bad. There are men there who can help one cross the bridges of oblivion. All the same I don't hope for much, because it's all the same. The space there is the same as the space in your alleys. The forms change, but the space remains the same. Close your eyes Michael. Do you think you could stop drinking at this point? That might change things. You took an oath once, didn't you? Yes. Does the Church still have a power over you? The last time I went to church, O'Dandy and I staggered drunk into the sacristy immediately before Mass, and demanded that the priest hear our confessions. That's the last time I watched Christ die on stage. Did he hear your confession? Yes. We both laughed widely wild wishing at the same time for another round to wash our whispers into largeness. I walked to the bar laughing. I go to order another round, for I have found, that it kills a disease. Hoof and mouth, I hope. To the table he returns. Yes. With a beer for he and a beer for me. Now let us see, where were we? Somewhere on a dangerous street, I do believe. Somewhere black, and fearful to perceive. The Catholic chruch was in question.

Original Scan

Page 117

AI Interpretation

GPT

Dani speaks of the university and mental space while asking whether Michael could stop drinking or still feels the Church's hold, and Michael answers with a story about staggering drunk into a sacristy with O'Dandy to demand confession before Mass.

Religion enters here as both farce and wound, with confession turned into a barroom anecdote and Christ reduced to another stage scene. Their laughter keeps the talk loose, but the question of whether anything still has power over Michael remains unsettled.

Claude

Daniel presses the spiritual question - 'The forms change, but the space remains the same' - then asks 'Do you think you could stop drinking?' and 'Does the Church still have a power over you?' Michael answers with a desecration: he and O'Dandy 'staggered drunk into the sacristy immediately before Mass' to 'demand that the priest hear our confessions' - 'That's the last time I watched Christ die on stage' - and the priest did hear it. The grave talk dissolves into shared rhyme and another round: 'I go to order another round, for I have found, that it kills a disease,' the two of them recapping 'Somewhere black, and fearful to perceive.'