Walnut Grove, Minn.-Reverend Alden is disappointed that he once again had to remind his congregation that he has feelings.
“This takes me right back to when I met Anna,” Alden shares. “People act like just because I’m a Reverend I don’t feel things, but I do. I am a man and I feel things. Like when that guy started telling me that I don’t know what it is like to be alone and have no wife and kids–who did he think he was talking to? I, at the time, had no wife and kids. Of course I know what that is like.”
The Reverend continues that he has always tried to show little bits of humanity when he could.
“I remember one time, oh a few years back, when Charles and Joe Kagan were helping the blind school move to Walnut Grove after that man–what was his name? Oh yes, Standish–when Mr. Standish sold the building in Winoka,” Alden reminisces. “As we sat around the Garveys porch and thought about what we could do and the talk turned negative about Standish, I thought I seemed pretty laid back when they expected me to reprimand them for the way they talked about Standish. I actually even agreed with a little joke, which really showed that I was personable and approachable–or so I thought.”
There have been other times that the Reverend has shown that he is just a regular guy after all. For instance, as the Reverend is quick to point out, he slammed Gallendar against the wall as the congregation drove the bully brothers out of town.
Reverend Alden laments that despite these previous displays of showing his humanity, he is dismayed at having to yet again remind people that he has feelings.
“With the railroad coming into town and everyone getting fired up, I can’t believe that in this context I just gave you of how laid back and relatable I’ve been in the past, it’s just really unfortunate that I have to remind people that I, too, feel outraged at these happenings.
At press time, the Reverend was relieved that blowing up Walnut Grove may mean he would no longer have to make up excuses for why his wife wasn’t around.
