Taboo

Taboo. How thrilling, absolutely exciting it

can be to do that which you have been told

not to do. Taboo...the word itself sounds so

foreign and exotic. Why, it rolls off the tongue

with such unbridled eloquence. Taboo—to

willfully do that which you have been told

you are not supposed to do. As a child well

into my age of knowing, I ate a hot dog for

lunch while at a friend’s house. It was on a

Friday, I recall, and I being raised a Catholic,

was prohibited from eating meat on Friday

at the time. The day of the week had slipped

my mind. And later that day when I thought

about what I had done, I feared my heinous

act would surely send me straight to hell

should I die before I could make a sincere

confession before the priest at my church the

next day on Saturday. My friend was raised a

Protestant, and because he was of a different

faith, he could rightly claim immunity from

any wrong doing. Not fair! For me, Father Sullivan

would likely give a Penance of making a good Act

of Contrition and three Hail Marys. Hellfire, had I

only known that, I may have asked my friend for

another hot dog. Ah taboo, the sinfully delicious-

ness of you...Pass the mustard, please. Gladly, I

would fall to my knees, bow my head and faithfully

recite six Hail Marys for that. Taboo, sometimes

for me and not for you. Go figure?

Chris Hanch 3-29-18