Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Confessions.
When things go wrong
When I was 8, my brother owned a candy store where he sold candy to the kids in our neighborhood. He made good money doing it and often enlisted my siblings and me to help him run the store. He sold tootsie rolls for a penny apiece, he sold licorice, snow cones, candy bars, and Laffy Taffy. As long as he marked up the price on it, he made a profit. Well, he finally got into mowing lawns and turned the candy store business over to us. Well, we had no idea how to manage a candy store. Nor did we know what things would cost. We took advantage of our family, but I was the only one that got caught. I was stealing change from my Dad to buy candy. First, it started out as forty cents in the laundry basket. Next, it was sixty cents in the laundry hamper, and this continued for about a month. Finally, I was in the car with my Mom, and she knew what I was up to. I'm not sure what it is about Moms who have a sixth sense about what their children are doing. With me, she knew and finally got me to confess. She wasn't angry, but she did insist I tell my Dad. After all, it was him that I was stealing from. If you knew my Dad, you knew when you delivered bad news to him. It never went well. I planned it out and that night after dinner I told him. The level of rage on my Father's face cannot be described. You see, my Dad was a police officer, and theft was a very big deal to him. So, my punishment was that he put my arms behind my back and handcuffed me. He read me my rights as he was walking me out the door. All my siblings and their friends were in the driveway. A look of shock set in on their faces as we passed by them. My Dad was still in uniform, so I can only imagine how this looked to everyone in the neighborhood. I could hear the whispers as we walked past them. "What did she do?" "How scary", and there was even some laughter mixed in. Never have I ever been more embarrassed than I was at that moment. He opened the door to his police car, put his hand on my head, and forced me to sit in the back seat. I was sobbing by this point, and absolutely believed he was taking me to jail. I didn't know what jail looked like, but I did know that's where bad people went. I didn't want to be a bad person. He radioed in to dispatch that he was in his vehicle, as they were required to do so. However, I could barely hear what he was saying over my sobs. To me, he was telling them that he had a young lady in the car, and he was taking me to jail. He started the car, and drove through the neighborhood, and turning out of the neighborhood. He asked me "Do you know what you did wrong?" Between sobs, I answered "Yes", and then he asked me "Are you ever going to do it again". I could barely get the words out and said "No", and he turned around and drove me back home. The problem was everyone was still outside in front of my house. I was beyond embarrassed at this point.
By Brooke Hudson5 years ago in Confessions
Talking about Breasts in Church
Several years ago, I stood at the pulpit of a church where I served, encouraging people to share prayer requests from their pews. The Senior Pastor assigned me this role on this particular Sunday morning. This method of people making others aware of their needs doesn't work at megachurches, but at the small Country church where I led music and served as youth pastor, this occurred on a weekly basis. After almost 30 years of ministry, I've learned that people I like to call oversharers seem to feel very comfortable in the church setting. Maybe too comfortable. I've had people confide in me innumerable personal issues...but in most cases these sensitive topics are shared one on one or with my wife present. On occasion, very personal needs have been shared publicly without a thought of how the rest of the congregation might react. And that's what happened on this particular Sunday.
By Bryan R..5 years ago in Confessions
How This Entitled Nurse Changed Everything For Me
I remember the exact moment I realized that I might be a successful freelance nurse. While in and of itself, it may sound super cool, realizing you may actually be successful and all…that moment was…let's just say less than gentle.
By Rick Martinez5 years ago in Confessions
Grey Gifts
Two were the color white, with scattered shades of charcoal in between. One was your typical dark brown while the last was a hybrid of the two, but they all indicated good health so I wasn’t concerned. All were hardened to some degree, laying on a bed of synthetic green blades, partially shaded by a combination of this black metal folding chair with the cheapest plastic laundry basket on top that was procured from some low end store awhile back. These gifts were dropped off by someone that I cared very deeply for and were for me alone to pick up at some point in time, but I thought to myself, that was not this current one.
By Kimberly Harper5 years ago in Confessions
Musings from an Insomniac
It has always started with the birds. As far back as I can remember, the birds have been the soundtrack to my surrender, the inevitability of the dawn. I wrestle with trying to shut them out as much as I wrestle with the idea of getting out of bed and taking a brisk walk around my sleepy neighborhood.
By Deborah Nava5 years ago in Confessions
The Bathroom Terror
Like most people, I have a slew of embarrassing moments that haunt my every step, as I make my way into the world of adulthood. But, one of the most embarrassing times for me was when I was a child because unlike most children whose biggest fears were monsters under their beds; mine was going number 2.
By Allison Schafer 5 years ago in Confessions
Awkward Moment Created By Dad
I must of been about 14 years old at the time. A few weeks prior to this we moved into a new house. I had not met the neighbors yet, just knew that they were an older couple with three young sons. The oldest being just about a year or so younger than me. It had been snowing on and off for days now. This afternoon I found myself sitting in the front window, captivated by the image of my neighbor's son shoveling snow in the front yard and the driveways of the houses next to ours. Just then my father came in the front door, he had been outside talking to the neighbor. He chuckled and said why don't you go out and talk to him, you have been sitting in that window watching him for over a half an hour. To which I abruptly replied, no thanks I am good. He followed it up with when did you become so shy? I said I am not shy, I just don't have anything to say to him. Are you completely sure about that he asked while kind of laughing at me. To this I replied yes and stood up and headed toward the stairs to go up to my bedroom. My dear old dad who was still standing by the front door proceeded to push me out it as I was walking past him. Now I probably would not have minded so much if I wasn't barefoot and wearing just a t- shirt, and a pair of basketball shorts. Just knowing that my father was on the other side of the door laughing thinking he was funny, was extremely annoying to me. I heard through the laughter, you can stay out there until you talk to him.
By Carolyn Leonelli5 years ago in Confessions
The Last Leg
It's Saturday morning and my closed blinds aren't fullfilling their purpose of keeping the light out of my hotel room. I can hear the rumbling of car engines outside my window as I lay in bed admiring the ambition of those wild with life on this weekend morning. My bed sheets are twisted and my pillow is stained with last nights eye makeup. I'm an emotional wreck. Its the final leg of my last flight as an attendant.
By Lesli Walker5 years ago in Confessions
The New Normal
The New “Normal” I think the most telling part of the movie Titanic was when the well to do people on the ill fated voyage were first in line for the lifeboats, believing their first class tickets entitled them to a second chance at a first choice salvation.
By Michelle Denise Milam5 years ago in Confessions
Standing Ground
My first time was with a friend. I had made an offhand joke that for a bottle of Jack, I’d be willing to have sex. I eventually had some serious hesitation in doing such a thing with him, but after having my repeated nos and being told that I was not allowed to change my mind, going through with having intercourse with him seemed my only option. I will say that the hour spent is something I can never get back. I say spent, but I honestly mean wasted. For me, that was a complete waste of my time. He did assure me that even though I didn’t feel it, I did get an orgasm. Anyone with any sort of common sense will understand how stupid that type of comment really is. He was also more keen on the idea of ‘bedding a virgin’ then making sure that I actually enjoyed the act. I know for sure he enjoyed himself. So there’s that, I suppose. While this may not matter to some, it’s still vital to understand and comprehend what happened.
By Kristal Lewandowski5 years ago in Confessions
