First Confession: resumé af Frank O'Connors novelle

The story first confession is about a boy called Jackie that is about to make his first confession.

All the trouble started when my grandfather died, because then my grandmother has to move in with us. My grandmother was an old countrywoman and was unsuited to live in the town. There was an old woman called Mrs. Ryan she was about the age of my grandmother. She wore black cloak and bonnet, and came to our school every day at three o´clock. She told us about hell, she lit a candle, took out a new half crown and offered it to the first that could hold one finder in the flame for five minutes. I was always ambitious and I got tempted to volunteer. Then she asked if we were afraid of holding one finger in the flame on the candle and not afraid of burning in hell for all eternity.

Jackie was scared to death about confession. The day that the whole class went, I let on that I was sick and hope my absence wouldn´t be noticed. But at three o´clock there was a message from Mrs. Ryan that I was to go to confession myself on Saturday and be at the chapel for communion with the rest.