Father Vincent Sullivan, a young priest at the Cathedral, feels honored to have been ordained so young. One of his important tasks is collecting donations from the parish for various activities. Father Sullivan feels admiration for Mrs. Gibbons, a member of the parish who frequently donates. He always thought about her and wished she would approach him. Since he was a young priest, he felt it was best to maintain his dignity and would not approach her, instead simply nod at her.   Father Sullivan was well aware of his strange over-excitement during even the most mundane tasks of his job as a priest, such as walking on the altar or hearing confessions of ridiculous sins. Father Jimmerson, the oldest priest at the Cathedral, explained to Father Sullivan that older priests were still determined to be good and have faith but lacked the eagerness and zeal of younger ones.   Father Sullivan receives a phone call at the Cathedral from Mrs. Gibbons's sister-in-law one afternoon. She tells him that Mrs. Gibbons kept asking for a priest because she felt like she was going to die. The sister says there's nothing wrong with her, and she's a "terrible woman," but still asks Father Sullivan to speak with her. He feels skeptical about hearing the insult of Mrs. Gibbons but agrees to pay her a visit. On the way to Mrs. Gibbons's house, Father Sullivan thought about the remarks of her sister-in-law. He remembers the talk about Mrs. Gibbons's husband's disappearance or departure but felt that any insinuation against Mrs. Gibbons was against the Church because of her dedication as a member of the parish.   When he arrives, Father Sullivan sees a dejected Mrs. Gibbons lying on a divan and wearing a kimono. There was a beer bottle on the table next to her, and she begins to laugh, joking that she can't offer Father Sullivan a drink. The sister-in-law encourages Father Sullivan to tell Mrs. Gibbons "what a trollop she is." He observes Mrs. Gibbons and he felt embarrassed that he considered her to be such a fine woman. Mrs. Gibbons complains that he's too young to speak to, and lies back down. The sister-in-law leads Father Sullivan out and assures Father Sullivan that Mrs. Gibbons got over her episode. Father Sullivan pleads with her to tell him what Mrs. Gibbons was going to say to him, but the sister-in-law tells him he's too young and won't be able to help her. Before he leaves, the sister-in-law tells Father Sullivan that Mrs. Gibbon's daughter went away with Mrs. Gibbon's young boyfriend. She laments that Mrs. Gibbons needs to be reminded of her age.   Father Sullivan walks back to the Cathedral, frustrated by his conflicted feelings about Mrs. Gibbons. He wanted to believe she was one of the finest women of the parish but eventually realized that his role as a priest in the Cathedral had always been unimportant. He no longer felt joyous at being a young priest.