After all these years...

This afternoon I imagined my grandparents smiling down on me. On Tuesdays, my boss Fr. Emanuel Izuka comes to Cimarron to work.  He lives in Springer at the St. Joseph rectory, as the Immaculate Conception rectory is now the parish office.  He divides his time amongst the churches, and Tuesday is our day.  He also stays for adoration from 4:30 - 5:30 pm and mass at 5:30 pm.  Last Tuesday I was just trying to get my bearings and did not attend, but today I went over about 5:20 pm.  There were three parishioners there with Father.  One woman led the prayers until adoration was over.  Then Father began the mass.  I was wondering how things worked when Father pointed at me to come up and do the readings.  He had to pull out the book and find the page for me, and then I began.  After the Gospel, homily and prayers, he waved for me to come to the altar.  My first time as an altar server..... As a child my brothers and sister and I would join Mom, Grandma and Grandpa, sometimes Dad, our uncles, and the other daily mass regulars before we went to school.  I felt it a terrible injustice that my brothers got to be altar servers, as well as other boys from the school, and sometimes even the older men; however, the girls were not allowed.  My sister and I went to mass practically daily all through school, and not only had we memorized all the altar boys' parts, but we had learned all the priest's parts, too.  Shortly after I left Holy Family, girls were allowed and trained to be altar servers. So here I was today getting to be an altar server for the first time, and I was clueless!  I wasn't sure what I was supposed to hand to Father to set the table, but I knew that I was supposed to put the towel over my arm and pour water on his hands.  I was ready for that part a little on the early side.  I then knelt on the tile floor and rand the bells at the right time.  Instead of having to hold the patton, I got to be the cup minister (yes, for all of three people).  I didn't know if I was supposed to go back to my seat, so I just stayed for the blessing.  Then Father kept waving for me to follow him and process out, though it was lost on me.  Not too shabby of a job, but I will have to practice.  Moreover, I hope that the three faithful didn't feel slighted that Father asked me to do everything.  Next Tuesday, I will be the wiser...