Ring the Bells-Sunday Sermon

    I was thrilled to death to ride the Amtrak this morning.   My downtown 'Y' hotel did not have hot water again and without A/C, I needed an infusion of cool clean air. The # 567 is usually quiet, but not so today. Since every Saturday night in San Diego seems like a holiday, I needed to stretch my legs and read a book in solitude.
   Unlike the Coaster train, each seat comes with a button that reclines the seat, and a foot stand. It feels like getting a hair cut. There was one problem today. I heard a radio blaring in the disabled seat up ahead. The old lady wore a blue and white polka-doted skirt. She appeared to listen to a transistor radio show. 
   "Mam, kindly do my the favor of toning your radio down. And don't you have any earplugs?"  There was a long pause and I repeated myself using a higher key.
    "Sorry sir, I will take the sound to my ear. My ear-things don't work."
    "May I ask what program you have on?"
     "It is Ben Stein. He comes on at eight o'clock and gives race-goers tips. I am on my way to Anaheim."
      "You mean you are going to the races?"
       "Yes, they have thoroughbred racing now at Los Alamitos. I have a pass since I own the tail of a horse no longer running."
   I wished the little-old-lady luck and returned to my book about World War 2 by Winston Churchill. I have read over two hundred pages of this great book.
   
Earlier on the train , I thought about my great time at the eight thirty mass in Old Town. Father Eckar was at his best and told the filled congregation a little about himself.
    "My ancestors are from Austria and Ireland, two generations removed, but I think part of me was born in the City of Sarcasm. That was what I had told one parish subject the other day." 
   Father Ecker's Sunday sermons, as always, inspired me and his subjects. Today was no exception, as I always leave the church with a new idea my mind refuses to release. Today he spoke about the bells-the handle ones. It is a story for all ages and seasons. 
  "I told Joey to ring the bells for me. I had a choir many years ago.  One Mass, Joey, who was in the choir, did not appear, yet his Dad did. Joey came late and his Dad whispered to Joey, 'Ring the bells'. And Joey replied in a loud voice, "Ring the Bells!" Well the congregation laughed so loud I had to wait to complete my sermon another Sunday. 
   Today half of the congregation of over 200 were from out-of-town. He spoke about the meaning of the Fourth of July. He threw out names like Ben Franklin, Thomas Pain, Steve Foster and others and at the end, we all sang America the Beautiful. My Sundays are always blessed by the Pipe Piper of Old Town, Father Ecker.
   My solitude was interrupted by two mouthpieces -- you know the type that can't read but make up with it with chatter One tattooed old man spoke about his operations and the old dimwitted lady could not get enough of his chatter. Of course it interrupted me so much I left my book on the train.
   I am now at the Carlsbad Library where I am blogging you with my Sunday in San Diego.