"Mass kits?" Carole could not believe this discussion. Mark Levi met her at the LBB, the most popular and posh cafe on the Atlantic in her part of Florida. He had stood up when she came in the door, a perfect gentleman. Carole immediately was struck by his air. He was, well, European. He quickly entered into the reason for his desiring to meet her.
"There are about 40,000 priests in the States. Most are either going into hiding or hiding. With the closing of churches and chapels, masses will be underground. I have decided to fund 40,000 military mass kits for every priest in America. But, I need someone to design and make both the bags and the finger towels, purificators, travel stoles. I shall provide the chalices, patens, cruets, candlesticks, wine bottles, crucifixes and pixs. But, I need someone to do all the linens,and the bag. Would you do this for me, for the priests?"
Carole made a mental leap from what she thought was going to be some sort of tryst in her romantic mind to the practicalities of spiritual warfare. Obviously, this man had thought about the details of his huge project.
"I would make sure every priest had a kit. Whether he used it or not would be his business. I shall fund the entire project and pay you for your work. But, I know I am asking you to do something full time for several months, even a year."
Carole sipped on her iced tea. She looked at the table and felt ashamed. Here was one of the most famous men in America asking her for help in a project which seemed impossible. She would have to turn her business from one targeting ladies of a certain age and tourists to priests in hiding. But, he was paying for her efforts.
"I would need time to work out the details. You are wanting a soft bag, rather than the usual portfolio types?"
Mark looked out at the ocean. "I guess I was thinking of a rucksack or knapsack type of thing, with pockets and sections. Of course, we would need the linens as well and the stoles. These could be embroidered."
"40,000?" Carole had never done more than three of four of the same design. Her line was famous for one-off designs. She had never thought in terms of mass marketing.
"Yes, I do not want to do less. I realize that not all the priests are good priests, but we could always send some abroad, if we made too many. Canada will need such kits, for example. I shall work on logistics through my own company. I have contacts with every existing diocese."
Carole could not answer right away. She calculated quickly the hours of time for sewing and embroidering the stoles alone. And the design of the bag would be tricky. This could take years.
"It would mean closing down DaisyChain," she said softly. "And, I would need to hire help."
She looked up at Mark, and she knew she could not say no. Times dictated her life now, not merely art or craftsmanship. "OK, when do we start?"
The architect smiled. "Right now. I have paper and pens." And the two began to discuss design over the iced teas.
To be continued....
