As I was leaving the
food pantry yesterday with both kids, Jesus caught me, needing a ride to the
doctor. She was a woman, probably in her 50s, with thick, curly hair, tan lines
on her feet from other sandals, and a penchant for sharing more information than
people wanted to hear. She wouldn't get into my car until I had cleared the
entire floorboard in front of the front passenger seat. Her cell phone fell
apart--the battery cover coming off and the battery falling out--as she got in the
car. She claimed she was waiting for the public transit, but that driver was
taking lunch, and the doctor had called and told her she needed to come in and
see him. She said she didn't know why, but she hoped it was nothing bad. She
rattled on about where she lived--in that yellow trailer on the corner in the
mobile home park just down the street, but she really didn't like it
there--that she had to go to Kingsport in the morning and wouldn't have time to
eat breakfast before that long drive...she asked what I thought of "that
clip," referring to the solar eclipse that had happened the day before.
She talked about how long she had been going to church and how often she
prayed. When I dropped her off, she offered me money for gas, but I declined,
noting that we are supposed to help each other out. She hugged me and thanked
me and told me she loved me. She said she was hesitant to pick up hitchhikers,
too, but that she's a nice one, she's always nice to people and she loves
everybody. Yeah, I'm pretty sure it was Jesus. I almost missed him. I'm sure
glad I didn't, though.
