When he arrives at the gate, St Paul (for other new souls it may be Peter but for him it will be Paul) will be waiting. ‘Bless me father for I have sinned’ he will say. ‘And how have you sinned, my child?’ Then he will have no words to say, save to show his empty hands. ‘You sorry fellow, ‘Paul will say, ‘you sorry, sorry fellow. Did you not understand you were given life, the greatest gift of all?’ ‘When I was living I did not understand, father, but now I understand, now that it is too late; and believe me father, I repent, I repent me, je me repends, and bitterly too. ‘Then pass,’ Paul will say, and stand aside: in the house of your father there is room for all, even for the stupid lonely sheep.’
J. M. Coetzee, Slow Man
J. M. Coetzee, Slow Man
