Jesus!

The year was 1987. My younger brother and I were carpooling to the community college we attended. We were both studying art. We were carefree and young. I was driving - which was unusual but my brother wanted to cram for an art history test during the 30 minute commute to school. It was a sunny day, the air was light and cool for fall. The windows in our truck were down and the air was blew in.

We were laughing and joking about the test he was about to take. My brother pointed to a painting in the art history book and commented on it. I looked down to see the photo when I looked up, the truck in front of us is less than six feet away. I stompped on the break petal. It was too late. Tires screamed. The words, "DODGE RAM" came at me fast. I couldn't stop in time. BLLLAAAAMMM! I hit the truck in front of me hard. A loud crunch and then it's very quiet.

I looked at my brother and said, "You ok?"

"Yeah. Wow, dad's going to kill us."

As if choreographed, we both turned to look out the windshield and out stepped the other driver.

"JESUS! JEESSUS!

"Sweet Mother of God," my brother murmured

"We just hit Jesus! I can't believe it."

The other driver looked just like Jesus. He had the long hair, scruffy beard, and a rather old, worn look about him. He's now at the side of our truck. "Are you ok?" I am speechless. All I could think of is, "Of all people, I had to hit Jesus. How much time in purgatory am I doing to have do for this one?"

I pulled myself together. "Yeah, I'm fine." I distracted myself by unbuckling and getting out of the truck.

When I walked around to the front of dad's truck, I don't see too much damage. Whew, a sigh of relief. Looking over to Jesus' truck, I saw that the bumper was now nearly off. It wasn't in great shape to begin. It looked like it was held on with bailing wire. Apparently, this isn't his first blow.

I walked back to our truck and begun digging through all the farm receipts in the glovebox, looking for the insurance card. Found it. We exchange information. Someone calls the police. I am put in the back of a squad car. The kind policeman filed the report. I am not ticketed. We were late getting to class.

I learned a few things that fall day.

1. Never look down at books while driving.

2. Most teachers are forgiving and will let you make up a test.

3. There are no door handles inside the back of police cars.

4. My parents valued us more than a hunk of steel. They weren't mad but happy no one was hurt.

5. Jesus shows up in unexpected places.