Subject:  THE CAR WASH |
Author:
Dusty
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Date Posted: 15:48:51 04/29/02 Mon
Author Host/IP: spider-wd074.proxy.aol.com/205.188.193.184
THE CAR WASH
One afternoon in early spring
I set out to wash my car
Armed with spray and cleaning rags
The drive-thru wasn't far
After running through the line
I parked off to the side
To vacuum all the floormats
And air out the damp inside
I whistled merrily as I worked
In a happy, vibrant mood
Determined that not a single care
Or problem would intrude
From the corner of my eye
I caught sight of a man
In the nearby intersection
Cardboard sign in hand
You know the type, they're everywhere
All across this mighty nation
Ragged, dirty and reeking of
Poverty and deprivation
"Will work for food" or "Homeless"
Their signs most always read
I never stopped when driving past
Just stared blindly straight ahead
Too far away to read his sign
I squinted for a better look
Then he glanced and caught my eye
A second's all it took
I groaned aloud and rolled my eyes
"Good going.....really smart!
Here he comes to beg a handout
From a gullible, bleeding heart!"
As he approached I studied him
He seemed to be my age
Although we'd been dealt different hands
When life's game of chance was staged
His clothes were torn and faded
He looked filthy beyond belief
Unkempt hair fell in his eyes
THIS conversation would be brief!
He stopped a yard from where I worked
Just stood there for awhile
Before he said, "Good morning, friend"
And flashed a brilliant smile
I couldn't keep from grinning back
That smile transformed his face
And seemed to spread a golden glow
All through that time and space!
I steeled myself for his request
But though I waited....it never came
So I countinued with my work
As he watched me without blame
The little voice inside my head
Was getting louder all the time
"Ask him if he needs some help!
At least ask to see his sign!"
So against my better judgement
As though I had no choice
I gestured towards the silent man
Obeying that inner voice...
"Can I help you somehow?"
Pointing to his cardboard sign
"I have some cash that I can spare
Although I'm short on time..."
Once again, that wondrous smile
As he reached to shake my hand
At that moment he did not seem
To be a homeless, broken man
Again I asked, "How can I help?"
But he simply shook his head
"You've already given more than money
You offer dignity instead!"
"Most folks simply pass us by
Pretending not tosee
As if for them, we don't exist
That's the painful part, for me
But you not only noticed
You took the time to ask
As one man to another
Instead of hiding behind a mask!"
I reached into my wallet then
Found a twenty and a five
Tucked the money in his pocket
Saying, "C'mon, let's take a drive!"
I hoped that once we started
He'd tell me where to go...
Suprised by my own actions
Why I'd helped, I didn't know!
I started slowly down the street
Asking, "Where to now, my friend?"
He simply shrugged, "It matters not
God's highway has no end"
Then I noticed that his sign
Was on the console there between
And the words that I could finally read
Said only JOHN, then 3:16
Confused, I glanced at my new friend
"Please tell me who you are!"
He said, "Turn left at this corner
After that, it isn't far..."
"For God so loved the world He sent
His only begotten Son"
The man next to me nodded
Whispering, "That's it..that's the one!"
"Nowadays, no one pays attention
They act like they've never heard
So I try to remind them
Of God's message and His word!
Here we are....pull over
I must hurry or I'll be late!
Thank-you kindly for your help"
As he jumped out, I yelled, "Wait!"
Leaning down he reached in
To pick his sign up from the seat
"May God richly bless you, Joe
Until next time we meet!"
Without another word he turned
To walk away at quite a pace
I saw reflected in my rearview
A confused, bewildered face!
I had the strange sensation
That somehow nothing was the same
Then a chill hit me as I wondered
How had he known my name?
I was sure I hadn't told him
Now a shiver touched my spine
This encounter, in retrospect
Was getting stranger all the time!
I slowly put the car in gear
And turned to head for home
Questions tumbled through my mind
As I drove on....alone.
By the time I reached the carwash
I realized I'd spent a hour
In the clutches of a con man
Who'd held me captive in his power!
He'd accepted my donation
And hadn't even had to ask
In all likelihood, he was somewhere now
Sipping wine straight from the flask!
No doubt chuckling to himself
About suckering chaps like me
Waiting naively to be duped
Out of gas and time and money!
Right then I noticed up ahead
A maze of flashing lights
Traffic slowed down to a crawl
As wreckage came into sight
It looked to be catastrophic
A chain reaction crash for sure
With over a dozen cars involved
Emergency vehicles by the score
As a young policeman hurried by
Face pale, eyes filled with dread
I asked him, "What has happened here?"
He whispered, "It's awful...many dead"
As traffic was re-directed
To skirt the tragic scene
I saw the blood and twisted metal
Then heard a woman's painful scream!
Later that night on the news
Watching coverage of the wreck
Something I heard caused the hairs
To stand up on my neck
The accident which occured that day
On my usual homeward route
Had taken place at 4:15
And I knew without a doubt
That if I hadn't been distracted
By an unknown man of mystery?
And 'wasted' that entire hour
One of those bodies would be me!
I started then to tremble
Feeling waves of great relief
Followed instantly by ones of shame
For my earlier disbelief!
I knelt down right on the spot
To thank the Lord in prayer
That I'd had my chance to entertain
One of His angels, unawares!
Since that day, I always stop
For those ragged men with signs
And help in whatever way I can
I simply MAKE the time....
Regardless of the rush I'm in
Or how hectic my schedule seems
For clipped to my visor is a card
With the words: JOHN 3:16!!
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