Deacon Duties?

This past Sunday I pulpit supplied at a church about a half-mile from The Sow's Ear. After the service, a woman, one of the deacons, came up to me.

But she didn't introduce herself as one of the deacons. She said, "You live next door to the Beauchamps*, don't you?"

The Beauchamps* indeed are my neighbors to the west, and members of that church.

"Yes, I do," said I.

"I used to live in their house! We sold it to them a month or so after the Carpenters sold yours to you!"

Temporary mind freeze, while I tried to work out the time perception discrepancies. I could have sworn the Beauchamps* were in their house two weeks before I was . . . ?

The lady and I traded moving in and out and real estate closing horror stories, until we both realized we weren't doing our duty. She had to clean up the sanctuary and I had to get into the fellowship hall and greet people. At the very last minute, simultaneously, I put on my glasses so I could see her nametag to read her name and she gave it to me herself.

I think I've managed to remember it. I worship in that church sometimes when I'm not on call. I'll be looking for this deacon at coffee hour. She might be able to serve me well with information about my previous owners. And about what was done to my house, when. There's all sorts of things I'd really like to know!