A retired Italian wine maker went to the village church to make
his confession for the first time in many decades. When the priest
slid open the panel in the confessional, the man said, "Father,
during World War II, a beautiful woman knocked on my door and asked
me to hide her from the enemy. I hid her in my attic."
The priest replied, "That was a wonderful thing you did, my son!
You have no need to confess it."
"It's worse than that, Father," he continued. "She quickly started
to repay me with, uh, you know, favors."
"People in wartime sometimes act in ways they wouldn't under normal
conditions," the priest replied. "If you are truly sorry for your
actions, you are forgiven."
"Thank you, Father. That's a relief," the man said. He then added,
"I have one more question."
"What is it, my son?" the priest asked.
The man answered, "She is pretty old now. Should I tell her the war
is over?"
