SACRILEGIOUS: Confessions of a Roman Catholic Seminarian

Chapter VII: Interior Castle

Jake and Mark both froze, they had read each other's thoughts. Jake wondered what it was Mark needed to tell him, and speculated if it had anything to do with what he desired to tell him. Jake had been impressed by Mark's elaborate scheme to take him to lunch, yet he was not naïve, the whole matter seemed more like a date than a casual lunch between friends, and that was what distressed him the most. He was after all a seminarian, the mere fact of being seen so close to the Castro would arise suspicions about him; the knowledge of being seen with another man having this carefully orchestrated meal would place him on the firing squad of gossip.

Nevertheless, Jake could not deny how whimsical and charming everything was. Mark was horrible hiding his emotions, and ever since they had arrived at the park, he had been noticing how nervous he looked, he was an almost maniac, no to remark he was perspiring as if in a sauna. Jake could only literature what troublesome issue must be distressing him.

"Why don't we take turns. How about you tell me first what you need to tell me and then I'll tell you." Offered Jake. Mark had quickly drunk his glass of wine and served himself another cup, which he drank with comparable thirst.

"Are you sure you want me to go first?" Nervously broke in Mark, his face was red from the wine. "Why don't we finish eating and then we can talk?" Yeah, let's do that first." They sat for the nest couple minutes picking at pieces of chicken and pairing olives with hummus. A man carrying an ice chest walk by them offering them edibles, "Three brownies for five bucks" he said, Jake waved him off. This was San Francisco, sometimes it was easier to buy cheap weed than it was to find fresh produce. Jake made an attempt at making small talk with Mark, but he was met with a wall of silence that apprehensively seemed to be avoiding talking.

Jake, turned to his phone, Rob had already called him three times, every single time he had left a voicemail. Jake hated how Rob always did that, not only were their voicemails and lost called, but there was also a stack of text messages waiting to be read. "Jake, brother. Please answer the phone, there's something I need to tell you. It's Important. It's something best not told over text. Call me back!" it read, two running man emoji's accentuated the importance.

Every time that Robert Anderson, called or texted Jake, he always emphasized that it was important, even when it was not. Jake opened his photos folder on his phone, and he began browsing through the pictures he had just taken, he picked one which depicted the whole park with views of the city's skyline, he clicked edit and began toying with the light and color, making the photo pop with color.

When he was satisfied he click the share button, when an unknown phone call came in. He did not answer and silenced the ring, waiting it to go into his voicemail. Mark still ate in silence. A new notification popped dip on Jake's phone, he wanted to listen to them, but he was more intrigued by what Mark had to say.

"Where are you going?" asked Mark

"I am going to the restroom, it's just down the hill. I'll be back." Replied Jake. "Don't leave!" he teased. The restroom was located on the north side of the park, next to 18th Street. Jake climbed the small hill they were sitting at, and walked got on the paved path which took him to the highest point in the park the steps above the statute of Fr. Miguel Hidalgo the man who gave the "Cry of Dolores" which gave the start to the Mexican independence movement.

Dolores Park commemorated this historical event significant for the Mexican community of the Mission District. These day's however, the pigeons gave more attention to Fr. Hidalgo's statue as proved by their droppings, Jake climbed the pair of arching steps which encircled the statue, dozens of other millennials were here taking selfies and photographing the eclectic vibe of the park. Soft clouds hanged on the sky, the Financial District's skyline accentuated the view, Jake joined in flipping his phone out and snapping half a dozen shots of the magnificent view.