Jackie used to divide her friends into two categories: “front-door” friends and “back-door” friends. Front-door friends were the ones who only came by when they had a reason; usually it was to talk about church business, or to ask Jackie to make a hospital visit, or something similar. Back-door friends were the ones who never knocked, who headed straight for the coffee pot, who felt free to smoke and talk “naughty,” and who were, inevitably, women who sang in the choir. These were the ones who knew they were welcome at the parsonage any time and who came often. These were the ones Jackie could
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