MYSTERIOUS AND WONDERFUL

You may not chose to believe this story but I do and feel it wants to be told. Sometimes even I think it is just a matter of coincidence, then other times I know I met some one very special. You can judge for yourselves, I am pretty sure what side I am leaning towards.

About nine and a half years ago, I was living near a tiny town in Florida called Fort Drum. I had a home in a five acre ranchettes subdivision. Most of my neighbors were old time Floridians with country attitudes. They were the best of neighbors as long as your skin was the right color. Kind and generous to their own but really red around the collar area for those a bit different.

There was a general store/filling station in town and at that time, that was all there was in Ft. Drum. I had just come from an Okeechobee shopping trip which was 20 miles away. I stopped at the store to get a soda as it was a hot day. There was a car pulled up in front of the store with the hood up and shimmering heat from the engine distorted the air. I'm no mechanic but even I know overheating when I see it.

A black man in at least his late seventies was trying to release the radiator cap but his hands were twisted and deformed from arthritis and he was unable to remove it. Still he tried. In the car was an older woman, probably his wife and two grade school aged children, probably grandchildren. All were dressed as if going to church. They were starting to wilt in the heat.

Had that been me with the steaming car, several of the good ole boys who hung around the store would have jumped to help me. The good ole boys were there that day, just not moving to help this man and I knew they wouldn't. These men had basically good hearts as I had learned many times, but their charity was reserved for like types. No room for those any different. Parts of their hearts were closed off.

Seeing no one else helping, I approached the man and asked if I could try to remove the cap for him. He looked a bit embarrassed but let me try. I used a towel for grip, pushed down and released the cap. Remember, I was ten years younger then.

He started the car and we added water. I couldn't see any leaks but was not convinced that there been anything more than a temporarily fixed. I asked where they were going and they said they were due at a wedding in Okeechobee. They were determined to drive the 20 miles so I said I would follow them to make sure they made it. They protested but I insisted. I had been helped many times in my life when stranded and I was glad for the opportunity to" pay it forward."

So we caravaned down the road till we were about 5 miles from Okeechobee and they pulled to the side of the road. Oh oh, I thought. Over heating again. The old gentleman got out and came back to my vehicle.

"The temperature is good." he said," You don't have to follow us any more but my wife would like to talk to you."

I went to the passenger side of the car and she covered my hand with both of hers.

'I just want to thank you." she said. Then she said something very strange as she still held on to my hand. "You have a hard,scary time coming soon child, but you will be just fine. Today has been noted."

Not knowing just how to respond to such a strange statement, I just told them to enjoy the wedding and waved as they left, turned my vehicle around and went home.

A hard time did come and it was of the blue. Less than a month after that, I was diagnosed with cancer of the bladder. It has not been a smooth ride with many surgeries, but actually, I am "just fine." After all, I am here and with all original body parts. Am I applying obscure statements to an unrelated event? I don't think so. Do I believe I met someone special that day? Yes I do.