I Am the Messenger: 7 of Clubs Summary & Analysis

Ed looks up the first name on the rocks, Thomas O’Reilly, and finds two T. O’Reillys in the phonebook. One lives in the richer part of Ed’s town, the other in the poorer neighborhood. Though Ed knows he probably has the help the one living in the poorer neighborhood, he goes to the other T. O’Reilly’s home first just to make sure.

When Ed knocks on the front door of T. O’Reilly’s house, a tall, friendly man greats him and invites him inside. Ed asks him if his name is Thomas O’Reilly, but the man says his name is Tony. He adds that his brother’s name is Thomas. Before Ed can leave, Tony asks what he wants with Thomas. Ed says he doesn’t know. Tony instructs Ed to tell Thomas that greed hasn’t destroyed Tony yet. He gives Ed one last warning that Thomas is a priest.

Later that night, Ed is talking to his own brother, Tommy, on the phone. He is asking Tommy if he is the one sending the cards, because Tommy is the only one who would have known about them fishing off the stones as children. Tommy says Ed seems to always attract weird situations. Finally, Ed briefly asks Tommy how he is doing and receives an equally brief answer. They hang up.

Before attending a card game, Ed goes to the neighborhood where Thomas O’Reilly lives. The street is full of rundown houses, and Father O’Reilly’s house is no exception. Before Ed can approach the house, three large strangers begin hassling him for money, cigarettes, and his jacket. Scared, Ed quickly walks the other way and leaves the neighborhood.

Later, while playing cards at Ritchie’s place, Ed asks Ritchie where his parents are, since he still lives with them. Ritchie says he doesn’t know. Ed has a streak of good luck and wins several card games. Marv keeps rambling on about the soccer game. Audrey continues to treat Ed carefully and awkwardly, as she has ever since he confessed his desire for her. Ed offers her a small smile to let her know their friendship is still okay.

After the card game, Audrey comes over to Ed’s house. Ed realizes how dirty his house is and feels even more sorry for himself for being unable to date Audrey and unable to complete his mission. But then he imagines himself conquering the mission with Father O’Reilly, despite the thugs that lurk outside the priest’s front door. Ed tells Audrey about the stones of home and that there are three new people waiting for him. She says whoever is doing all this must know him very well. Ed says that no one knows him very well. Even he doesn’t believe that he truly knows himself.

Ed returns to Father O’Reilly’s house and the priest happily invites him in. The priest is a bald man in his mid-40s. Ed is about to explain why he’s come when O’Reilly’s neighbors begin screaming at each other. The Father opens the window and asks them what’s wrong. The neighbor couple details their marital fight to the Father, who tells them to be kinder to each other. Ed asks how he can stand living next to all that fighting, but the priest says this is why he lives here.

Ed and the Father discuss their respective careers. The Father curses and tells Ed very few people come to his church these days. To Ed’s relief, the priest does not lecture him on religion. Instead, he asks Ed why he came here. Ed tells him that he has a purpose for being here; he just doesn’t know what that purpose is yet. The priest says that purpose reveals itself in time and Ed should “have faith.”

Father O’Reilly walks Ed down the street. On the way, he tells the three thugs from yesterday, all of whom he knows by name, not to both Ed anymore. They all agree. Before the Father leaves, Ed tells him what Tony said about not being destroyed by greed. The Father admits he hasn’t spoken to his brother in a while. For the first time, Ed views the Father as simply human, rather than a priest.

Later, Ed is at Marv’s house. Marv realizes with disgust that Ed has brought along the Doorman. Marv hates the Doorman and the Doorman always barks at Marv. The friends play cards, and Ed draws the Ace of Clubs in their third game. Ed thinks about Father O’Reilly and asks his friends if they will go to church with him on Sunday. Ritchie, easygoing as always, agrees and then Marv and Audrey agree too.

That night, Ed’s mother calls. She reminds him to call his sister, Kath, because it is her birthday, and then immediately hangs up. Ed realizes he does not have his sister’s phone number, so reluctantly he calls his mother back. Ed spares the reader the details of the tirade that inevitably follows.

On Sunday, Ed, Marv, Ritchie, and Audrey are all in church. Ed sees that the church is old and depressing and only filled with about a dozen people. Father O’Reilly comes out and looks dejectedly around the mostly empty sanctuary. He spots Ed and gives a special welcome to all the cabdrivers present. After the ceremony, the friends sit on the church lawn and Marv, hungover, complains about the sermon. Father O’Reilly comes up and thanks them all for coming. He says he hopes to see them next week, but Marv says he won’t be coming. Ed now knows he must fill the Father’s church with people.