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?