November 11, 2014

Beloved -

     Normally I don’t write to you while on vacation but I need to get this down while it’s fresh.  I have arrived in St. Simon and here's my first favorite story from vacation.  It's way funnier if you know my friend Charlotte.  She not five feet tall and won’t let me tell her age.  Let’s call it old enough to know better. She is hilarious and when I am with her I sometimes amaze myself.  

    Last evening we drove to the Michael's over in Brunswick to buy yarn. While waiting at a stoplight a young man on a bike rides up along my side of the car and motions me to roll down the window.   "Hey, can I hook my bike on your bike rack and get a ride across the causeway?"  We look at each other and Charlotte says, "Okay.  But I am going to tell you something, I am armed!"  I almost die inside.  "That's fine," he says.  While he snaps on the bike I get out my phone and cue up the camera.  "Sit behind the driver," I tell him.  I ask his name and tell him we are Christian ministers and that while Charlotte drives I am going to talk to him about Jesus until he wishes he could curl up and die.  I have no idea why I say such a thing - but being with Charlotte makes me do stuff like this.  He points to the squiggles on his jacket which I do not recognize.  “It’s 666,” he says, “and there’s a cross on my back.”   

I can’t think of what to say to this so I ask him how to spell his name and tell him to get ready because I'm taking his picture.  "Why?" he says. "So I can text your picture and name to my husband. That way he has it if you try anything sketchy."   We learn he works for Domino’s Pizza and has a baby girl.  He plans to go to paramedic school.  Charlotte asks why he biked over to St. Simon. He explains, “To have some brews with my buddies.  I’m actually a little wasted right now.”   We are not wildly surprised by this.  

However, what he really wants to talk about is what I plan to do with his picture on my phone.  
“When you get out and we are safe I’ll delete it.”  
He seems relieved then says, “You think your husband will delete it immediately?”  
“No way of knowing,” I reply.
“Maybe we should take a selfie of all three of us,” he says.  

So we do and then let him out of the car.  He rides away and we laugh our heads off.  Then Charlotte starts the long story of how last month she got kicked out a Mexican restaurant with her friend Vanessa.

You can pray for us if you want but we are fine. Having a wonderful time in fact!     ~ peace & prayers, pastor annette