Pasture Emeritus

My Dad phoned to say he's being feted by Sunset Hills church June 6, naming him Pastor Emeritus.  Certainly the call was to get me to come (it was the first time he has phoned me in the better part of a year (not that I phone him that often)). (The rare double elipsis.  Don't often get a chance to use that.) 

My immediate instinct was to get my plane reservations, show up dutifully, nod and smile for a couple hours at well-meaning congregants, toss a few back con mi hermano y su esposa, wait while the hours drag by until my flight back.

So what means this?  Emeritus, an adjective: 1 : holding after retirement an honorary title corresponding to that held last during active service. 

That's been a given for about a quarter century.  The church has been limping along with declining attendance for years.  They finally dumped the most recent pulpit-doofus and are now operating under the aegis of a temp.  This 'ceremony' is doubtless an attempt to boost the Nielsens and was probably instigated by Floretta, who I suspect is about single-handedly supporting the financial obligations of the church, and thus dictating its direction.

Cheapest tix available at this late date would cost me about half a g note.  Can think of no compelling reason to go, not one. 

Re-reading this, I wonder why I sound angry?  "Paging Doctor Freud; patient waiting in the lobby."