The 11th Virgin

Let’s tell the story of the 11th virgin.

She had so many things to do that she didn’t make it to the marketplace until late. She met her 10 friends there who reminded her that that evening was the wedding date. She had gotten her dates jumbled and forgotten. She barely had time to scrape up a little oil and fetch her lamp before running back to the marketplace to greet the groom with the rest (at least with the 5.  She didn’t know where the other 5 went). At the house of the wedding feast, at the door the servant asked her if she had enough oil in her lamp for her part in the festivities. She was embarrassed—there were friends and others waiting to get in behind her—but she frankly admitted that she was not at all sure she did.  Maybe the household had a bit she could borrow?  The servant could barely refrain from rolling his eyes at her but went to inform the groom at the head table. The groom looked at the door, shook his head ruefully, then laughed, and said something to the servant.

The servant came back to say that she could come in. The groom told her he was glad she was there.