The Devil's Opera(201)

The pastor pursed his lips and nodded.

Simon took a deep breath, and said, “And finally, there is you.”

Pastor Gruber’s eyebrows flew up and his eyes opened wide.

“Me?”

“Our talks here, beginning when I was scared to even come in the building, to when you talked to Ursula and me after Hans was killed…that meant a lot to me.”

“Just doing what I could to help,” the pastor said.

“I know. But I learned from you, as well. I had to ask Ursula for the word; I never heard it before. From you I learned compassion.”

Pastor Gruber cleared his throat, and said softly, “Thank you, Simon. That means a lot to this old pastor.”

They sat in companionable silence for several moments. At length, Pastor Gruber spoke.

“You know, lad, I’ve heard trained men two or three times your age who couldn’t have laid out your situation and your learnings that clearly or simply. But you said you had a decision to make?”

“Yes,” Simon said. “And I have made it.”

He stood from his stool, crossed the room, and knelt before the pastor. He held his hand out to him.

“Pastor Gruber, I want to be a man of compassion. How can I become a pastor? Like you?”