A quick tale 108

Relating to worldwide church

Some years ago, a young girl chanced upon the word ‘ecumenical’. She ran it past her tongue, slid it down her throat and discovered a pleasurable sensation. She found it the most intriguingly wonderful word and being a young girl, she was keen to use it in a conversation. But ecumenical being ecumenical, is not an easy word to slip into a casual talk with friends. However, a year later, the opportunity presented itself unexpectedly when she was travelling by train. She overheard two people in the next carriage discussing clues to a crossword puzzle.

‘Relating to the worldwide Christian church, ten letters’, said the fat one. ‘Hmm…catholic?’ ventured the younger man. ‘No’, said his friend, ‘third letter U’. Then they both went silent for a while. Ecumenical! Ecumenical! She wanted to scream. This could be her only chance to use the word she reckoned with rising panic.

‘Papal? Churchical?’ guessed the younger man once again. Churchical? CHURCHICAL?? She wanted to yell. That’s not even a word, you moron! She had to hurry up. Or this occasion could be lost forever. But how could she walk over to two strangers and offer an answer to their crossword puzzle? Won’t they assume that she had been overhearing their entire conversation? That she was interested in them? But isn’t it her duty to use the word? Hadn't she had waited long enough? Such were the thoughts pulling her in conflicting directions when the fat one said ‘16 Across. Researched dissertation. Six’. She knew the answer. But she no longer cared if they knew their 'thesis' or not.