"Agent of Pain" John Coffey—who was hard to classify as either a priest or a pastor—walked up between the three newlywed couples, dressed in an elaborate red-and-white robe.
He stood seven feet two inches tall, yet he had no intimidating presence at all. His exceptionally kind face seemed to wear a perpetual smile.
Alvin watched the big man extend a fist toward him. He instinctively bumped it with Coffey's, then said with a grin, "Buddy, you'd better take this seriously. Don't let the Hell's Kitchen bastards corrupt you."
John Coffey smiled kindly. "I have to thank you for your donation. If you hadn't given us a hundred thousand dollars, there wouldn't have been a confessional in Stonewing Beast Church.
The church still hasn't got a roof, but I can see hope now.
People need somewhere to let out what's weighing on their hearts..."
Alvin had no idea when he'd donated money to the church. He looked at Fox curiously. "I donated to them?"
Fox glanced at Coffey, looking a little awkward, then glared at Alvin. "You donated in June. Don't you remember?"
Alvin knew he would never donate to a "temple." There had to be something going on that he didn't know about.
But for Fox's sake, he decided not to press the matter...
Nearby, Stark impatiently nudged Alvin with his foot. "Could you stop talking nonsense for once?"
Alvin raised his hands in surrender, then gestured to Coffey. "What do we do now?
After the wedding, are you going to give me some kind of certificate?"
"Alvin!"
His chatter had annoyed everyone. Several people glared at the long-winded Mr. Battleaxe and growled, trying to get him to shut up...
Coffey, however, just smiled good-naturedly. He wasn't holding a Bible. Instead, he opened his hands and gestured toward the men