Ordinary People

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEvRsFhpoec&feature=related After reading a few lines, the High School drama teacher quickly said, “thank you, that’s enough.”

 Disappointed and feeling rushed off stage, I knew I didn’t get a part in the play Ordinary people, a story about a families struggles after a boating accident caused the death of the older son.The 1980 movie won an Academy Award for best picture and starred Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch and Timothy Hutton.

A few days later someone screamed through the halls of Cy-fair High School,  “She posted the cast on the wall!”  Slowly approaching the sheet of characters and students names, I anticipated disappointment with the absence of my name. Everyone crowded around the sheet and turned around quickly, patting me on the back, saying, ” Congratulations!”

I was like, “For what?” Stunned, I looked at the cast, and my name was written next to the role of Beth Jarrett, who was played in the movie by Mary Tyler Moore. Beth was the mom, it was a big part.  

 I was overjoyed and so surprised.  After all the audition was swift, and I felt completely brushed off the stage during the audition. I later mentioned to the drama teacher that I didn’t think I made the play because she was so quick during the audition. She told me she knew instantly, that I was perfect for “Beth Jarrett.”

Play practice started right away, and my friend who played the shrink’s role didn’t drive yet, so I drove him home  after practice. One day after school, I dropped him off and headed down 1960 in Houston which turns into Highway 6.

As most teenagers do, I buzzed along, listened to music, not paying mind to much.  Suddenly,   “Lady Blue,” my old blue tempo stopped in her tracks on this busy 4 lane highway. Stranded on the side of the road with no station in site, no money at all and  with no phone because we didn’t have cell phones back then.

Soon a small hatch back car pulled up, over loaded with rough looking men. With windows rolled down their skull tatooted arms hung down the side of the car doors. The man in the back swept his stringy unkept hair from his eyes and with eyebrows raised yelled out , “Hey baby, ya need help?“

My heart began to beat hard in my chest fearing these men were “bad guys.” I had already been followed at the mall and now this.

Their appearance combined with how they engaged me was frightening to a young girl. I quickly said, “no thank you.” They smirked in a creepy gawking way. Right then, a large light colored van pulled up, blocking the sight of these creatures.

An older gentleman, kind of Dad-like got out of his van and said, “Everything okay? Is something wrong with the car?”

Looking back with a unsettling smiles, the carload of men drove off.

I said, “I have no clue; the car  just stopped running.”

Immediately he said without hesitation, “I bet you ran out of gas.”

 I thought to myself, “I’m sure that’s not it but went along with it anyway.”

Sure enough, he was right. I was an airhead teenager, and I was flat out of gas.

He said, “Hop in, I’ll take you the gas station to get gas.”

 I said, “I don’t have any money at all.”

 He said, “Don’t worry about it. I will get you enough gas to get home.”

Without hesitation, I got in a strangers van. As soon as he put the car in motion all the warnings that my parents had ever given me started SCREAMING in my head. I then started a plan in my mind.

“Okay Shea,  don’t put your seat belt on. If he passes the  Mobil station,  jump out and roll if you have too.”

I was going to take my chances on dying from the jump. It’s better than going to a second location with some crazy person.

I thought to myself, “What the heck was I thinking, Mom said never get into a car with a stranger!”

As I looked around in the van, I noticed he was in construction industry. He had a ladder in the back, a level and a lot of construction equipment. But the odd thing was that everything was so clean. There was not a mark on any of the equipment. The van sparkled with newness.

 I had not been around a lot of construction guys, but this put a whole new meaning to the word clean.

Soon, he pulled into the Mobil gas station, and I took a deep breath.

He said, ” I’m going to fill up the gas in this red can. Here is some money. Go in and pay the attendant.”

 When I went into pay, I was still nervous and said to the clerk, “I ran out of gas on the side of the road.”

 Pointing out the window I said, “You see that man. He picked me up and is buying me gas. If I disappear, or go missing that man killed me. Look.”

The gas attendant probably thought I was crazy.  I was crazy!  If I was so scared, why on earth would I have not borrowed a phone at that the gas station to call my mom?  If I was that nervous, why would I get back  into the van?  Teenagers don’t always have the best judgment, and despite my comments to the clerk, I got right back into the van with the stranger.

  As we pulled out of the station’s driveway he looked at me and said, “I believe young people have guardian angels that look after them every day. If I had a daughter or a wife, I would hope some nice person would pick them up and help them.”

At the time, this comment just put me on edge more. Seemingly outside my body at this point with nervousness, I focused on getting to my car. Making sure that he actually stopped at my car. 

We pulled up to my car; he filled my tank and said, “Start her up.” Immediately, the engine started.

 I said. ” thank you? And he smiled.

I looked down to put my seat belt on. When I looked back up, he was gone. As quickly as he appeared, he disappeared.

One thing I’ve often thought about was the spotless van and  scratch-less tools. My husband is in construction, and I’ve seen many work trucks for over 14 years. Not one of truck or van I’ve seen is immaculate nor are the tools. Tools are used often and have scrape marks, scuff marks and paint chipped off.  Even the most conscientious of workers, tools look used.

Construction workers work hard and job sites are often dirty or muddy. They get in and out of their vehicles with job sites all over the bottom of their shoes. It’s nearly impossible to have perfect equipment and a spotless van. Only an angel in a heavenly van could have one this perfect.

He appeared out of nowhere and seemed to immediately know what was wrong with my car.

As I’ve matured, I’ve replayed the comment about the guardian angels in my mind over and over.   It would be a rare occassion that a man would bring up guardian angels after picking up a scared teen on the road.  Most would flat out not think of it. Plus, angels are just not a topic that the norm discuss. 

Did I have an angel encounter? I believe I did.   Then there is the passage in the bible that makes me think he was more than a stranger that came to help.  

Hebrews 13 (1-2) : 1 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. 2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

 I will not know for sure if I was entertained that day by an angel. But I know angels are real. I believe that each one of us a guardian angel that is assigned to us, maybe more than one.

So as we strive to live like Jesus make an effort everyday to be kind, be generous, be helpful and always smile to strangers.  You just never know what appears as a “Ordinary People” might be something extraordinary.

 

Other Bible Verses About Angels:

Matthew 18:10: New International Version (NIV) 10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. (Many believe that Matthew 18:10 refers to children having angels)

Luke 22:43: New International Version (NIV) 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.

1. Are you always friendly in the store, at the check out, at the bank? Do you hold the door open for others?

2. Do you smile at passerbys?

3. Do you feel God nudging at your heart to give more to the needy, poor or a person struggling?

If you have an angel story that you want to share: Send it through my comments page. Love to hear about it and share them!