Rainey Blogs on Some Days

I wrote this not long after Benedict was made Pope. I thought becoming pope would be a happier day for me. I mean, I’ve waited all my life for this. Why am I so upset then? Well, I guess it’s the name. Benedict. I hate that name. My successor was John Paul. I get Benedict, the 16th no less! Joseph Ratzinger is a good name. But Benedict the 16th? Good grief. When the masses cheered for John Paul, it had kind of a ring to it—John-Paul, John-Paul. But when they cheer for me, it will be Ben-uh-dict, Ben-uh-dict. But what can you do? I had to choose something, so I chose common papal name. I am 78 years old, so chances are I won’t be around that much longer. But what would have been so wrong with using my name—Joseph. It’s Christian and Jewish. One of the all time great Bible stories is about Joseph and his brothers, that coat of many colors. I wear a colorful robe too. So how about Pope Joseph? Maybe with all of the Cardinals still here, we can reconvene and get my name changed. Then I...

Allison Park is in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, overlooking the Hudson River I saw a man sitting on a bench in Allison Park Rain was pouring down from the skies Tears were running down his face from his eyes The sky was misty, gray. Fog was everywhere, enveloping the man, his world, his town. Not far away were lovers in a car. Not sure if they meant to go for a walk, but not today. Rained in. They didn't care. A man is sitting in maroon Ford Taurus with the windows halfway down. He's reading the newspaper. He seems to be reading the weather forecast-- "Mostly sunny, high of 74." He chuckles and thinks to himself, "It's pouring down rain and 61--so what, didn't affect me!" The man got up from the bench to go for a walk. The trail was different--new trees in the place where he used to pray. "I should come here more often," he thought to himself. But he probably won't. He's not the pastor anymore. I saw a man...