Rendezvous in Baghdad
by
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Excerpt: Chapter 1: "Habemus Papam (We Have a Pope)" Throngs of humanity packed Rome's St. Peter's Square on this cool April morning, at the Vatican. They jostled, waited and waited, for a smoke signal from the chimney, above the Sistine Chapel. A groan went up as a plume of smoke puffed out of the stack. It was black, telling the world, that no pope was elected, with the cardinals' ballots, which just went ablaze in the conclave's fireplace. Outside, a baby cried, and its excited mother rattled, in fast Italian, with animated gestures. The baby mysteriously fell silent. Watching the spectacle on television, from San Francisco, was Luke Godwin, a former seminary student, supervised by Father Paul Rogan, now Cardinal Rogan, presently ensconced in the Sistine Chapel, voting for the next pope. With an indelible smirk on his face, Luke made a clearing on the coffee table for snacks, prepared by Sami Yusuf, his Iraqi American lover. Both, now older and wiser, were young and attractive, when under Father Rogan's supervision. "I hope he hasn't turned the conclave into an orgy!" remarked Luke, with that sarcastic look, barely camouflaging a pained soul. "You mean son-of-a-dog Rogan," responded Sami; "that Baghdad Jesuit, who decided celibacy was optional!" he added, straightening his US Air Force shirt.
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About the Book
As throngs of humanity pack Rome’s St. Peter’s Square, all await the news from the Sistine Chapel as to who will be the next Pope. But no one is more anxious than Iraqi American Sami Yusuf, for he and one of the papal candidates share a well-kept secret. When it is finally announced that Cardinal Paul Rogan has been elected Pope, Sami knows the one thing about Father Rogan that no one in the crowd does-he is a humble shepherd who molests his unsuspecting sheep.
Many years earlier, while Sami was a Jesuit school student in Baghdad, he was molested by Father Rogan. Deathly afraid of revealing the abuse for fear of losing his family’s honor, Sami eventually emigrated to the United States and joined the Air Force. Meanwhile, Father Rogan slowly moved up in the Catholic Hierarchy-while quietly ruining one young boy’s life after another. Now amid sectarian mayhem and the occupation of Iraq, Sami must visit his ailing dad in Baghdad. But first he must fulfill his most important life’s mission-to cleanse the honor that Father Rogan stripped from his family.
In this compelling tale that spans three continents, a vendetta drives an Iraqi American pilot into international dram that culminates with unexpected ramifications that change everything forever.
About the Author
Ben Sheldon lived in the Middle East, including Baghdad and Kurdistan, and attended college in Europe before settling in the San Francisco Bay area. He has worked as assistant editor for a national technical magazine and is the author of a novel and poetry book.