Unless you are born as royalty, an heir, or the adopted child of Angelina Jolie, people most likely do not have preconcieved notions of how you should behave. There is one exception, however. Being the preacher's kid. Thousands of children must endure this form of perks and tortures, myself included. Yet in special cases, like my own, there is the quadruple threat: a mother, step-father, grandfather, and father all of whom are or were pastors. That is where the fun really begins.
Somehow, if you live in a small enough town, everyone knows you're the preacher's daughter. Teachers crack jokes, students automatically assume you never do anything wrong, and you get blatent stares and gasps when you do something out of the perfect Christian mold. We had a subistute teacher around Halloween this year who told me I should dress up as Moses for trick or treating. I, unlike the rest of the class, was not amused. Of course, you smile when such jokes are made, no matter how many times you have heard them or have been forced to answer all questions relating to religion in any way, in any class. There was a problem I had in geometry this year that my teacher called on me for because the polygon was in the shape of a cross. Being stereotyped as God's perfect child follows you everywhere. Let's not forget the torture endured during church as well. I am constantly being placed in sermons and children's time as a funny anecdote. Embarassing stories need not be reserved for family friends. The whole congregation should be in on it, too. It is incidents like these that have me as cynical as most adults at age 15.
Of course, there are perks to this job. Roaming around forbidden areas of the church like the offices and doors behind the sanctuary are great if you want to impress younger children. It is a guarentee that all overly-perfumed women over the age of fifty will love you. You can get away with much more than other children, eating leftover communion bread and telling dirty jokes to the old men. When my now deceased father had his last church in 2001, he would often discourage me from going up for children's time because I answered all the questions I had been fed since age two much too quickly. At the age of ten, I was a biblical scholar.
Despite having dinner talk revolve around PPR committee meetings and paying aportiments on time, I do not regret being a PK my entire life. Although some people wouldn't like living up to the rep, I can embrace it and really shock others when I don't. I have no intention of becoming a pastor myself, but I know it will follow me wherever I go. I imagine when I am an old, perfume-wearing woman, I will look at the preacher's children and smile, because I know they are milking it for all it is worth.
A contest entry
- ALMOST ANYTHING GOES by AlohaDolphinLover.
175 points, ended January 19, 2007, 14 entries
• next story in this contest, remove from contest - LET ME HAVE IT ( short stories )( poetry ) by Night-Rink.
140 points, ended February 5, 2007, 6 entries
Bronze trophy winner
• next story in this contest, remove from contest - Something to make me laugh by Kitzwa.
135 points, ended February 25, 2007, 17 entries
• next story in this contest, remove from contest
Please tell me what you think
Comments
1 - 11 of 11
-
A few structural problems but I think for the most part you do well describing the life and expectations of pk kids. This is a good start, a little editing could only enhance what you have already. Good work
-
Unless you are born as royalty, an heir, or the adopted child of Angelina Jolie, people most likely do not have preconcieved notions of how you should behave.
This is a great opening line, as it is topical, current, and really illustrates what you mean by preconception.
Also your writing style is either far beyond that of average 15 year olds or I have been reading a lot of stories from 15 year olds from 'Special Class.'
It is a guarentee that all overly-perfumed women over the age of fifty will love you.
This is what I call not wasting words. You have to describe people and places, do it in a way that is also a joke in itself. 'overly-perfumed'
The humor is the kind you could read to your paster which in your case would be your family. This is very important. The right kind of humor for the right crowd. Or as they say there is a time and place for everything. Hmmm maybe I should have said, "To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose. . ."
beginning: 3, language: 3, ending: 3, dialog: 3, characters: 3.
-
Well, dated a preacher's kid. Parking lot during evening services...another story. Well told and I'm sure someone out there can really relate, even if not a PK.
beginning: 4, language: 4, plot: 4, ending: 3, dialog: 3, characters: 4.
-
Exellent writing, and good info here, I didn't know it was like that... I know children of preachers myself and didn't know that it was quite like this
very well written aswell, with humor and emotions all the way trough
Good work
beginning: 5, language: 5, plot: 4, ending: 5, dialog: 3, characters: 5.
-
Wow very interesting. Never thought that being the preachers kid could be like that. Although it's very amusing from an outside perspective. Good luck in the contest.
-
Impressed!
Simple straight forward writing, touch of humor, and wow can I relate. Will tell you seperate comments. As for the writing, I liked it and will check out more. Enjoyed it.beginning: 4, language: 3, plot: 3, ending: 5, dialog: 3, characters: 3.
-
well Imust say I do feel for you mainly because I can't really relate to you, but is this story really true or is it clever fiction?
beginning: 5, language: 5, plot: 5, ending: 5, dialog: 5, characters: 5.
-
-
yes, it is true. the whole thing is based on my childhood
-
-
this is a good story. I like how she shows her feelings. In that part, it is very detailed. This is an interesting idea, too. By interesting, I mean creative. You could make a really good book with this idea.
-
A woman preacher? Wow. I always envied and respected them, and the way they took on to the church like that. It sounds like the characters make for a great family of Christians! Can a preacher's kid really get away with telling dirty jokes to old men? I love the ending to this. It reminds me of my youth pastor's daughter, who does exactly like that. She's only eight but she already rules our middle and high school youth group. It's sad, heh.
This is a good story.
-
Ah! but you might surprise yourself and hear the calling one day. Then you'll have to change the ending of this story!
I think your character is well balanced in how she feels abour life in general. She's able to see both sides of life yet not condemn either.
A very good write. Is this for a contest?
beginning: 5, language: 5, ending: 5, characters: 3.
Adding your comment:
1 - 11 of 11
