Contrasting Touchdowns

The cafes at the university are named Touchdown (Touchdown I, Touchdown II, Touchdown Express, etc.). The name refers to what people do there and not to what is sold there. So students come to the cafe to "touch down," or reconnect, as it were. It has nothing to do with our football. IN a similar way, the cathedral is the reference point for town since it is visible from nearly everywhere in town. Few buildings have more than 4 stories. I am in the library now on what we would call the 4th floor (they say the 3rd because the ground floor is not numbered), and I can see most of the town and into the distant hills with unobstructed view. The cathedral tower rises some 19 floors.

Wednesday after class, at nearly half past 17, I joined Evensong service at the Cathedral. Normally it costs £10 to visit the Cathedral, but the 5:30 evening prayer services are free to attend. I entered a side door and joined those gathered in the sanctuary. I find it difficult to describe the humility that comes in knowing I was sitting where many have prayed since 1070, and where countless more will long after I have moved on. After services, which were remarkably similar to our night prayer and liturgy of the word--except that we prayed for the queen instead of the pope, I made my way out an opposite side door and found myself in a magnificent corridor. I sat in the cathedral grounds and wept at its beauty and the opportunity that I had to be there. Touchdown.

I then walked to High Street to my flat, about a half mile. I have to admit, however, that I ate at McDonalds as the perfect antidote to the reflective experience I had in the cathedral. I was curious really, and if I were to only be here for a week, I would not have wasted a meal at McD's. The food was, as you might imagine, exactly like it is where you are, i.e., the fries were excellent. Touchdown. 14-0. Another perfect day, and yes, it rained.