It was late evening and the parish was almost empty. Father David Steel was bored out of his wits. All he got in the confessional today was a lot of old ladies and little kids, and none of them had much to confess.
He had just gotten through with two old ladies whose worst sins were gossiping about their neighbors. In the cramped, dark booth the grilles on either side didn't provide much ventilation, so with the warmth and the boredom he was yawning every few minutes.
He even dozed off for a few minutes at some point. Therefore, he didn't hear the door to the booth opening, just the sound of a fingernail rapping on the wooden grille.
"Father?. Father David Steel?. Are you there?".
He blinked a few times and stifled a yawn. Then he recognized the voice and was immediately awake. It was
