Sunday Drive
The Christian radio network was playing one of Colin’s favorite songs, Slow Down by Matt and Sherry McPherson. He glanced in the rear view mirror, and saw his son AJ contentedly sucking on his pacifier.
“Slow down, take the time to notice,” Colin sang along with the radio, “I keep hearin’ this in my mind…”
He was to meet his wife Pam at church. She had left earlier to help set up for the luncheon after the service. She was always volunteering for the church. So did he, but this morning was different. The car was acting up. The radiator. He had to work on it. But the Lord helps those who help themselves.
After he finished with the car, he thought he might be late. But he realized after he gotten ready for church that he had a little time. So he decided to take the long way by the railroad tracks. Nobody lived out this way, and the drive was peaceful.
“I can’t seem just to let it go,” Colin continued singing, “Such a vicious ride, got no place to hide…”
Colin glanced back at AJ. Still sucking the pacifier and looking right at him. He was going to raise his son a good Christian, he thought. Pam and he were very active in the church. His parents raised him a Christian. Her parents raised her a Christian. Life was good. God was good.
Colin turned back and saw a man in the road. He swerved, and the man jumped back off the road and fell. Colin hit his brakes. He couldn’t see the man through his rear view mirror, so he looked back past AJ. He thought he saw something lying by the side of the road. He put his car in park, opened his door and ran to the figure.
The man was lying in the ditch. He had on a dirty trench coat. Colin thought the man might be a transient; catching rides on the passing trains. He bent down, and the man looked up.
“I’m sorry mister,” Colin said, “I didn’t see you. Are you all right?”
The man slowly got up. Wow, thought Colin, he must be at least a foot and a half taller than me.
The man’s long greasy hair lay over his eyes. Dark eyes. “Can you give me a lift to town?”
Colin hesitated as he looked at the tall dark figure standing next to him. Then he thought he had to help the man. It was the Christian thing to do.
“Sure I can. Hop in.”
The tall man had to stoop to get his head in the door of the car. Colin sat next to the tall stranger and smiled. The man didn’t look at Colin. He stared straight ahead.
Colin put on his seat belt and looked over at the man, waiting for him to put on his. The man didn’t move.
“Buckle up,” Colin said. The man didn’t respond. He continued his gaze out the windsheild. Colin looked in the mirror and say AJ still sucking on his pacifier. Colin decided to drive even though the man hadn’t put his belt on.
Natalie Grant was singing, “And there’s no fear when the night comes ’round I’m in better hands now…” Colin wanted to sing along, but decided it might be best to wait until his passenger had left.
“I hope you don’t mind Christian music,” Colin said to his passenger. The man just stared straight ahead.
Maybe the man just doesn’t like to talk. Colin decided it would be best just to sit and listen to the music.
The man slowly looked at Colin. He smiled. A crazy crooked smile. And then he spoke. “You’re taking your chances picking up a stranger. Especially with a baby in the back seat.”
This unnerved Colin. He tried not to let the man see his fear. He thought about God. God has a reason for everything. And giving this man a ride was the Christian thing to do. “You are a child of God,” smiled Colin, “And so am I. We are put on this earth to help each other.”
The man turned his head back to face the road. “This is a long stretch of road. There’s no one out here but us.”
Colin looked at the man. This time he did show fear. He looked back at AJ.
The stranger thrust his hand in his coat pocket, and brought out a knife. Colin stared at the blade as the man ran his fingers lightly on the sharp edge. “Yes. I would say you are taking quite a chance.”
Colin slammed on the brakes. The man slammed into the windshield. He started to turn to Colin, and Colin shoved a large screwdriver up the man’s left nostril. Blood pore down the long handle, and Colin let go. The strangers head fell against the passenger window with a thump.
Colin reached over and opened the car door. He shoved the body out onto the side of the road and shut the door.
There was blood on his hands and on his screwdriver, but miraculously nowhere else. He put the car in park and went around back to find a rag in the trunk. He cleaned his screwdriver off, and wiped his hands. The blood almost touched his cuff, but he got it in time.
He got back into the car and started to drive. Randy Travis was singing, “And is there or isn’t there angels here on earth…”
“Well we know there are demons,” said Colin. He looked at his watch. Good, he would still get to the church on time.
He drove away. He looked in the rearview mirror at AJ. He would raise him a good Christian. AJ was contentedly sucking on his pacifier. And Colin could see past AJ. At the dark lump on the side of the road. Getting smaller…and smaller.
