I met Charles in group at the Drug Treatment, where we were encouraged to share.

Charles didn’t need to be encouraged to share and was usually the first to speak. He would get just inches from your face when he spoke. He was a close talker.

They asked us to think about our most embarrassing moment and if possible to please share with the group of 15 men.

Charles shared about the time he got caught stealing 2 avocados from a Rabba Fine Foods by the manager. After the manager was finished humiliating Charles by announced to those present. “This is a Thief! This is what a Thief looks like.” The manager then told Charles to leave his store. As Charles got to the door, the manager threw an avocado and hit the door jam just above Charles head.

Charles exclaimed to the group in what I assumed was an attempt to illicit sympathy. “Those avocados were damn hard; they weren’t ripe yet.I could have been injured!’

I had missed the detail that Charles was dressed in Cassock and Clerical collar and was laughing so hard that tears were stream down my face.

Charles asked me what I found so funny.

I asked him if he stole green bananas.

Dennis Mantin