The Scot - Part 1 of 2

Intense praying and flagellating...

"Altar Of The Pious Prince Panglia" - by TMITH* (click for full view)  -  Can you see the Scot hiding?

     How I came to be working on the Mekong river tending to all the mechanics of this luxury river steamer is, I believe, a testament to God almighty. I'm an Irishman, not that it matters much. Them that know me call me "The Scot" and I wore myself out trying to get them to stop calling me that. These days I just accept it, because first and foremost I am merely one of God's creatures. I just move along with my duties with a view to the lord. This boat that I keep is a reconfigured commercial boat. Its a water skimming river boat with a low draft - but decked out with gambling rooms and whoring decks and other decks for those smoking opium and all manner of hallucinatory herbs and weeds the likes of which I cannot even comprehend.

      I'm a highly religious man. As a mere boy there was many a moment I would catch the priest and sister in positions unmentionable, as I was hiding behind the altar-cloth or some other darkened corner and they never saw me. At least I thought they didn't. Now that you mention it I also saw another sister with the priest too. You would think that it might've unhinged me a bit but my belief in the almighty grew ever stronger, what with the muffled wails and silenced moans of the sister, as the priest showed her over and over again what to be thankful for. The scenes acted out like a dreamy play, what with the intense praying and flagellating, before and after each occasion. It appears that since they were letting down their moral guard they decided to disable it altogether. Their activities and the methods they used to play them out still send shivers up my spine. Did I say up? I meant down.

      But let me get back to my boat, as I'm a God fearing man amidst a floating city of sin, (well maybe not a city, for the boat is not that big). Yes, even though these passengers are all slaves to pleasure and seem to thoroughly enjoy each available one, I know deep down they suffer. I work hard to make sure that everyone is well taken care of with plenty of steam and electrical power and water that you can actually drink without feeling queasy. That's me, and I do it, not for their pleasure but to keep them alive and well in order that they might have a chance for salvation! One day they may pick up the torture stake, and bear the pain of being true believers! Real, serious pain! Pain that makes you clean. Clean like me, unlike the father and sister. When they were pricked by their physical intuitions they succumbed to their desires without any regard for the faith. None at all. 

(end of part one)

by PHINEAS

*Photo "Incar" by TMITH. First T combines assorted photo parts into a montage then after about three hundred filter and layer blends he generates the incarnation. What he calls a photo "Incar"