************************************************************************
The priest stepped out of the large church of St. Mary's with a sigh, breathing in the early morning scents. He stepped down a few stone steps and turned to his right to face the side of the stone railing and smiled. "Now how are ya? Hmm? Feelin' better teday I hope. Yes I'm sure a little bit o'water would do ya good, eh?" The priest murmured softly as he held up a water jug. On the side of the railing was a full rose bush, filled with radiant red blooms the color of scarlet. Beside it grew another rose bush, this one just as beautiful as the other, but the blooms were the color of gold. The two rose bushes were so close together that they could touch but neither of them crossed the boundaries of the other. The old priest smiled as he watered the two blooms with delicate care. "That's it now. Drink up."
"Hello Fadda! Wid all due respect, may I speak with you?" The priest turned to the sidewalk and he grinned at the lanky boy standing there. "Francis! Why, what in the world brings you to this side of Manhattan this early? Oh it does me good to see you!" The priest said excitedly as he wrapped his arms around the boy and the boy likewise received him in his embrace. "Hello Fadda Laurence. I been a little busy an' I ain't been by fer quite a while now. I regret it." Jack said with a smile, looking fondly into the shining green eyes of the priest. "Oh sure ya have now. Seein' that fair Rosie haven't ya?" The priest chuckled in his Irish brogue. Jack blushed and turned away. "Actually no. I ain't. Been seein' da enemy actually." Jack almost muttered.
The priest's face went serious. "Whatcha talkin' 'bout now? Been doin' the devil's biddin' have ya?" Jack laughed. "No, not THAT enemy. Brooklyn. I been seein' Brooklyn. Brooklyn's sista actually." The priest chuckled. "Oh ho! So soon are you forgettin' that Rosie? What a shame? And all the time you spent moanin' an' groanin' over her!" Jack rolled his eyes. "So yer mockin' me are you Fadda?" Jack asked. The priest smiled. "Well, if the situation is good to be mockin', which it is, I'd say yes. Come now, what is the real reason for your visit?" The priest asked, his laughing face turning sober. "Well Fadda it's like dis, I want ya ta git me married ta Jewel, Spot's sista." The priest started. "What's this now? Spot Conlon's sister! I don't know Francis."
But at that moment of hesitation on the priest's part, a thought flashed through his mind. If he were to marry these two of warring districts, he could unite them. Surely they wouldn't remain enemies if their kin were one. He could be responsible for bringing peace back to these two peoples. "Come now Francis Sullivan! I'll do it! This afternoon' if it's good." Jack grinned and slapped the priest on the back joyfully. "Danks Fadda! I knew I could count on ya! Danks! I gotta go! Da guys is gonna worry 'bout me! Danks again Fadda!" Jack said as he ran off, stumbling a bit in his haste. "Slowly and wisely Sullivan! Keep that in mind! That boy." The priest said fondly as he ascended the stairs of the church once more. But he stopped in his tracks and peered down at the two rosebushes beneath him. One brilliant golden rose had crossed the barrier and was entwined with a single scarlet bloom.
The priest stepped out of the large church of St. Mary's with a sigh, breathing in the early morning scents. He stepped down a few stone steps and turned to his right to face the side of the stone railing and smiled. "Now how are ya? Hmm? Feelin' better teday I hope. Yes I'm sure a little bit o'water would do ya good, eh?" The priest murmured softly as he held up a water jug. On the side of the railing was a full rose bush, filled with radiant red blooms the color of scarlet. Beside it grew another rose bush, this one just as beautiful as the other, but the blooms were the color of gold. The two rose bushes were so close together that they could touch but neither of them crossed the boundaries of the other. The old priest smiled as he watered the two blooms with delicate care. "That's it now. Drink up."
"Hello Fadda! Wid all due respect, may I speak with you?" The priest turned to the sidewalk and he grinned at the lanky boy standing there. "Francis! Why, what in the world brings you to this side of Manhattan this early? Oh it does me good to see you!" The priest said excitedly as he wrapped his arms around the boy and the boy likewise received him in his embrace. "Hello Fadda Laurence. I been a little busy an' I ain't been by fer quite a while now. I regret it." Jack said with a smile, looking fondly into the shining green eyes of the priest. "Oh sure ya have now. Seein' that fair Rosie haven't ya?" The priest chuckled in his Irish brogue. Jack blushed and turned away. "Actually no. I ain't. Been seein' da enemy actually." Jack almost muttered.
The priest's face went serious. "Whatcha talkin' 'bout now? Been doin' the devil's biddin' have ya?" Jack laughed. "No, not THAT enemy. Brooklyn. I been seein' Brooklyn. Brooklyn's sista actually." The priest chuckled. "Oh ho! So soon are you forgettin' that Rosie? What a shame? And all the time you spent moanin' an' groanin' over her!" Jack rolled his eyes. "So yer mockin' me are you Fadda?" Jack asked. The priest smiled. "Well, if the situation is good to be mockin', which it is, I'd say yes. Come now, what is the real reason for your visit?" The priest asked, his laughing face turning sober. "Well Fadda it's like dis, I want ya ta git me married ta Jewel, Spot's sista." The priest started. "What's this now? Spot Conlon's sister! I don't know Francis."
But at that moment of hesitation on the priest's part, a thought flashed through his mind. If he were to marry these two of warring districts, he could unite them. Surely they wouldn't remain enemies if their kin were one. He could be responsible for bringing peace back to these two peoples. "Come now Francis Sullivan! I'll do it! This afternoon' if it's good." Jack grinned and slapped the priest on the back joyfully. "Danks Fadda! I knew I could count on ya! Danks! I gotta go! Da guys is gonna worry 'bout me! Danks again Fadda!" Jack said as he ran off, stumbling a bit in his haste. "Slowly and wisely Sullivan! Keep that in mind! That boy." The priest said fondly as he ascended the stairs of the church once more. But he stopped in his tracks and peered down at the two rosebushes beneath him. One brilliant golden rose had crossed the barrier and was entwined with a single scarlet bloom.