Auto Stations of the Cross and Other Stories of Truthful Fiction
by
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“Now please just try to relax, Father,” the bishop advised. “I know this is a difficult report for you. Just take your time. Here, have some water.” The young priest tried to stop his hands from shaking as he took a long drink from the glass the bishop handed him. The rectory office was dark except for a bright desk lamp which illuminated a pile of brochures, photos, and magazine ads. The light also cast a glow toward the corner of the office where the cardinal was sitting, looking on, hands folded – a shadowy observer. “Feeling better now, Father?” the bishop asked patiently. “Let me remind you that you are only reporting what you’ve seen first hand. No harm will come to you. After all, didn’t I send you to Father Dystain’s in the first place?” “Yes, Your Eminence,” the priest replied as he set the glass down on the desk next to a three-color poster. It showed a middle-aged, bald man dressed in an Hawaiian shirt with a priest’s collar, standing in the desert next to a gold and purple neon sign that said: “Auto Stations of the Cross – A Haven for Christian Pilgrims of the Highway.” The bishop sat down behind his desk and shuffled through a stack of papers. “Now, Father, we’ve been hearing rather strange things about Father Dystain’s activity since he left us for supposed retirement. That’s why I wanted you to come here in person to report what you’ve discovered. Are the claims in these advertisements accurate?” He held up a newspaper Sunday supplement and a slick brochure like one finds in racks at rest areas on interstate highways. He cleared his throat and read aloud: Have no fear as you travel across this great land; thou art in God’s good graces. Each Auto Station of the Cross is an oasis of salvation, inspiration, and renewal for you, your loved ones, and your vehicle. Our certified auto technicians are also ordained priests, prepared to make this your one-stop care center, whether you seek a soul-cleansing confession or a radiator hose replacement – or both. The bishop let the brochure slip from his fingers to the desk top. “Is this, as they say, ‘for real,’ Father? After all, you’ve spent several months there.” “Oh, yes, Your Eminence. Father Dystain put me to work initially in the ‘Prodigal Son Service Area.’ I helped the new arrivals ascertain their needs by filling out a ‘Doubting Thomas Needs Estimate’ with them.” He winced a little and sneaked a glance to the shadow in the corner. There was no movement. “And you actually saw priests working on cars and sometimes performing sacraments like confessions, baptisms, and communion?” the bishop asked with a hint of disbelief in his voice. “Oh, yes, often right in their car,” the priest replied. “We even performed last rights on a dog which had been hit on the highway. His young master was quite hysterical, but it seemed to calm him down and the rest of the family as well after some grief counseling. We also had marriages. All the necessary legal documents were on file and even a small wedding alter set up for video taping the ceremony right next to the front end alignment machine. Of course, the mixed-faith marriages took a little longer to process, but usually no more than a few hours . . . to get all the paperwork done, I mean.”
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About the Book
Prepare yourself for a wide range of plots, characters, and settings in Scott Fisher’s collection of short fiction Auto Stations of the Cross and Other Stories of Truthful Fiction. Travel down the highway with a snobbish talking luxury car; or stop at an interstate rest area where you can get a cup of coffee, a new headlight, and some absolution, all at the same window. Sit in the darkened bleachers of a haunted football stadium; or watch the world’s greatest hotdog vender do her thing at a minor league ballpark. Take the shortest raft ride in history down the
Along with these stories, enjoy the never-before-published illustrations, especially the unique pencil sketches by artist/writer Jan Neudeck created specifically for this collection.
The stories can be as shallow and entertaining, or as deep and troubling, as you like, depending on what you want to see, along with your own “baggage.” The only common bond among the stories is they each reflect a tiny chunk of life, or the alternative to it, as
They’re simply stories . . . just for fun . . . maybe.
About the Author
Scott Fisher was born and raised, but never really “grew up,” in
His writing career began as an undergraduate in college with short fiction, then progressed into the development of educational and technical training programs, both print and video, for the automotive and aerospace industries. During that time he also researched and wrote non-fiction historical narrative pieces for various publications, primarily about
Scott’s life is a continuous and challenging quest to discover whether he is “a teacher who writes; or a writer who teaches.” One of his non-writing goals is to hike in each of