Short story: A serendipitous day

Although I had my standing every two-month appointment with my dermatologist and had several new, suspicious “spots” to have frozen, it turned out to be a very serendipitous day.

After the doctor’s exam, I went to the desk to get my follow-up appointment. I fumbled around in my purse for my car keys as I was on my way out. I could not find the keys, so I went into the ladies’ room and emptied my purse on the counter…still no keys. I then went to the main reception desk to inquire whether a set of keys had been turned in…still no keys.

Now I’m outside and thinking I must have dropped them somewhere between leaving the car parked and entering the medical office. I looked all around and even zig-zagged between cars and looked as far as I could under some of them…still no keys.

Out of the blue, a man appeared and offered to help. He checked and could not see anything in the ignition. He got binoculars from his car and still could not determine if there was anything in the ignition. (He made a comment that if anyone could see him peeking in my car with binoculars they’d say he was a weirdo). Of course, all along I have been skeptical of the situation.

At this point, I called Premiere Triple A, and they said a tow truck would be there in thirty minutes, if not sooner.

That gave me and the guy who appeared out of the blue the opportunity to get acquainted (he said he would stay until the tow truck appeared and I was safely on my way). I was appreciative of that, but still “on guard.”

He told me his name was Jim, that he was a Christian, and said I had the aura or fragrance of The Rose of Sharon (that alone was serendipitous to me). I then explained that my name is Sharon and it is Biblical, and thanked him for the compliment that ends all compliments.

He told me he was married, had been for 47 years, and the reason he had the binoculars in his car is because he and his wife are bird watchers, and now that he is retired, they travel all around the U.S. to enjoy their pastime.

He said he dedicated his life to the Lord at the age of fifteen, went to seminary school in the south, and was a pastor for many years in several of the states in the U.S. We exchanged our present situations and, of course, I consented when he asked if he could pray with me.

Now the tow truck drives up, gets my car door open, and…still no keys! While I talked to the driver and gave him my identification, Jim looked through my car and came up with keys he found on the floor of the back seat where I keep my cane. He brought them to me, in the presence of the tow truck driver, and we all sorta chuckled…like uh huh…told you so!

Jim then got into his car, told me he would wait until the car started up and I was safely on my way. I got into my car, and as he was driving off, he said to me: “I won’t forget you, Sharon. I will pray for you and, if I don’t see you again down here, I’ll see you in Heaven!”

Now that’s what you call a serendipitous day.