October 19, 2005

Highway 113

There were no shadows as I drove south on highway 113 from Yuba City to Woodland, on my way to attend an all-day meeting on "preventing sexual misconduct." The sky was overcast, which made everything look just a little different, a little unfamiliar. To some extent, things were unfamiliar. This two-lane rural road was not one on which I often travelled.

I had the radio on. I was listening to 100.5 FM, "The Zone," the first radio station I "found" when I moved to the Sacramento Valley. Today, they were giving away a guitar signed by all the members of the band Switchfoot. I thought of my own guitar, back home. It's been beaten, it's been banged, and it buzzes when I play certain notes or chords. I use it every Sunday, to lead songs in worship.

I also thought of the band Switchfoot. Pretty cool band, Switchfoot. How much cooler would it be to lead praise songs in worship with my Switchfoot guitar!

I whipped out my cell phone and began calling. First try: busy signal. I usually don't talk on the phone and drive, let alone talk on the phone, drive, and listen to the radio. But a new guitar! A Switchfoot guitar!

I dialed again. It was ringing! I held my breath. The ringing stopped; did I get through?...."All circuits are busy now. Please try your call again later."

It was futile. Realizing that my buzzing guitar would be with me for awhile longer, I put the phone down and focused on the road in front of me. A hawk was flying low over the pavement. As I neared, it flew off to the left, but then turned around, crossing back directly into my path. It missed the car, but hit the radio antenna: boing, boing, boing....

Who knew that a drive down lonely highway 113 could be so exciting?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You didn't need that guitar anyway.

Michael said...

You didn't need it but sometimes that is what is so sweet about things. You didn't need the hawk either. seeing him soar is part of what makes life grand.

Keep the faith.


Take Care
Michael

PS - word verifications crack me up some times - mine amnguvy, I translated to "I am groovy"