The Mess Inside Me

Conversations With Mr. Parrish

Mr. Parrish was the Sunday School bus driver. He would come over and bring us bubble gum every Saturday and make sure we were coming to church on Sunday.

Sometimes he would come inside and talk to daddy who would always be sitting at the kitchen table. He never sat in the living room.

When he came in it was usually because my daddy invited him in and that was because he would be drunk. One day I was outside playing and I saw the church bus outside my house. I ran to get my gum. Mr Parrish and Haskell were playing the guitar and they were all 3 singing gospel songs. I was so embarrassed to see how drunk they were. Moma was at work.

Mr Parrish would listen to the drunk talk for a while and then he would throw Jesus in the conversation. I remember him saying that God loves you. You should join us for church one Sunday. You know God forgives all of your sins. All you have to do is ask for forgiveness. No matter what you've done, he will forgive if you believe and ask. He offered to pray with him. My daddy replied "well i aint done nothing"

I was so scared that he was gonna think I had told Mr. Parrish something and I wouldn't be able to go to church anymore. I went in my room and cried.

Mr Parrish talked one time to him about getting saved. He said " I don't need saving"