Parable Road 21 (Redemption)

Where is he?

Jason has a habit of being late but this is getting ridiculous.

I shiver as I pace the gravel-covered parking lot of this gas station. Winter is coming to this prairie. That much is obvious.

I rub my hands together in an attempt to warm them.

Grey clouds are swirling above. I hope they don’t release any snow. We’ll have a hard time meeting our deadline as it is.

My wife dropped me off and went home. If I’d known it’d take this long I would’ve asked her to stay.

An expensive-looking black Lexus turns onto the driveway and slows to a halt a few feet away from me.

The sound of a door opening and closing fills the frigid air.

An elderly man in a suit exits his vehicle and starts examining a tire with a worried expression on his wrinkled face.

His driver’s side tire has certainly seen better days.

“Hello, I’m Ben.”

“Hello, Ben.”

Huh. He didn’t give his name. Instead, he continues looking at the shattered tire and cursing under his breath.

I take a breath. “Can I help you?”

He glances toward me with an expression of panic. “Could you please?”

“What’s the trouble?”

“I was just driving along and then I was having trouble turning the steering wheel…I figured I better stop and check…and well, you can see what happened.”

“Well, that’s easy enough to fix, do you have tools?”

“No, no, that’s the whole problem. I don’t have anything.”

I examine the man before me. He’s studying the tire as if he’s looking at a patient. By the look of his clothing, he is well off. I can’t help but wonder what a man like that is doing at a small-town gas station.

What’s his story?

“I’m sure they have some tools inside. Just hang on,” I say as I move toward the small gas station just beyond the fuel pumps.

It doesn’t take long to get what I need. Before long I’m back at work. I can’t help but wish that I had gloves as I work with the frigid metal tools.

“You from around here Ben?”

“Yes, I have a farm just down the road.”

“A farm? That’s nice.”

“I think so.”

“Is it enough to make a living?”

“Not really, that’s why I drive a truck.” I blow on my cold red hands in an attempt to warm them. With that done I return to work on the tire.

“Oh, so you’re a trucker?”

“Yes. Well, as soon as my driving partner gets here I’ll be a trucker. Until then, I’m a tire mechanic.”

“Good. Good. I’ll have to say I’m thankful for your work Ben.”

“What’s your story?”

“Me? Oh, I’m a doctor.”

“What kind of doctor?”

“A sports doctor. I’m the team doctor for the Vancouver Canucks.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes, I’m on the way to Winnipeg for a conference.” He pauses and looks sheepish. “Well, I was on my way to Winnipeg until my tire blew.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll get it fixed up for you soon.”

The puttering of Jason’s old Buick is music to my ears. Finally. As soon as I’m done here we can get back on the road.

“I can’t thank you enough, Ben.”

“You know, humans are all a bit like this tire,” I say as I pull the shattered tire from its place and set it beside me.

“What do you mean?”

“Sin has left us broken and flat but then, if we call on him, Jesus comes along, gets rid of our old broken ways, and gives us a new life.” With that, I place the spare tire where it belongs and begin turning the wrench fastening it into place.

“Really?” The doctor chuckles, a grandfatherly chuckle. “I’ll have to say, I’ve never heard it explained like that before.”

“Yep. Redemption, that’s what we need if we hope to get anywhere.” I say as I stand and begin blowing on my hands in another attempt to warm them.

“I don’t quite know what to say to that,” the doctor mumbles.

“Well, it’s fixed, that should get you to Winnipeg.”

“I guess you were my Jesus today Ben.”

“Oh, what I did wasn’t much…but…”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Vince McMasters. I know I said it before but I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done. Here, take this.”

“Oh I can’t take that, I was just doing what needed to be done,” I say as I look toward Jason’s old car. “Now I really have to go to work.”

“Alright. Be careful out there,” the doctor says.

“We always are,” I say with a chuckle.

“It’s just that they say there’s a pretty bad snowstorm on the way.”

“We’ve seen it all before.”

The doctor smiles. “I’m sure you have. Well, good bye Ben.”

“Goodbye. Think about what I said.”

“I will.”

On that note, I turn and walk toward Jason’s car. As I walk I continue to blow warmth onto my hands. I sure hope Jason has the car heater turned up high.

To be continued…