When I woke up this morning, I didn’t know it, but today was going to be a blessed day.
Let me give a little background first. Last week, my purse was stolen out of my car while I was inside my church daycare picking up my children. I was one of several cars in the daycare line, and mine was chosen. Let me also say that I understand that “you should never leave your doors unlocked.” I’m so sick of hearing that, I cannot even tell you. I lock my car everywhere I go, I promise - well, everywhere but daycare, where I’m usually completely drained of energy and my mind is downloading the workday and uploading plans for dinner at the same time. I run in and run out, and I don’t lock my doors. So, I guess it’s my fault that I’ve become a victim. I know a few people who want to make me feel this way. I’m definitely paying for my mistakes, if it makes the haters feel any better.
I digress; back to my blessed day.
As I have done every day since this very unfortunate event, I took time out of my work day this morning for the inherent footwork that comes with being a victim of crime, and I went to the Memphis Police Department to file a report on the checks that have been spent in the past couple of days. I have to say that I was hating on Memphis this morning. I know that there are bad people and crime everywhere, but there is definitely a much higher concentration of it in a metro area; and while I’ve been praying all over this situation (and the thieves) and trying to keep a Christian attitude, I was not feeling it this morning.
Once back to work, I decided that instead of driving to my next client appointment on the north side of Downtown, I would take the trolley from our South Main office. I chose a seat near the middle of the trolley next to an open window.
When the trolley started on its way, the breeze began to blow through the window, and I noticed what a beautiful day it was. I thanked God for that, and I thought to myself “today is going to be a blessed day.”
I watched as we passed the beautiful old buildings of downtown Memphis and the many different people walking in the streets. I noted the eclectic mix of downtown residents, tourists and business people, all out enjoying the pretty weather. People were popping in and out of the shops, restaurants and office buildings along the way, and Downtown’s usual loiterers were conversing with each other (and themselves). I was beginning to remember how many good people and beautiful things there are in Memphis.
For as many people as there were on the streets, there were only a few of us on this particular trolley. A small group of women at the front of trolley were heading to have lunch together and there were a couple of condo residents who were obviously headed for errands with unlimited trolley passes in hand. They, too, sat at the front of the trolley. All the seats behind me were empty, and I was alone in the middle – until Mr. Adell Smith got on board.
I didn’t know Adell. I had never laid eyes on him before in my life, but he bee-lined to me like he knew exactly who I was and was going to sit right next to me – as in on the same small double seat I was on. Okaaaay, so hello stranger!
I didn’t know Adell. I had never laid eyes on him before in my life, but he bee-lined to me like he knew exactly who I was and was going to sit right next to me – as in on the same small double seat I was on. Okaaaay, so hello stranger!
I have to stop and explain something extremely valid to this part of the story, although it didn’t occur to me to be related to this encounter before it happened, obviously. In almost continuously praying my way through being a victim of crime over the past seven days, I have been constantly proclaiming my faith to God, saying “Dear Lord, I know you are my Savior! I believe in you and your power over all things. I know that through you, all things are possible. You will help me overcome this. I believe in you.” I say this in the whispers of my prayers when my kids are in the car, and I shout it out to myself when I’m all alone in my car. No, passerbys and onlookers, I’m not crazy - I’m proclaiming!
So, below is my conversation with Adell, who for your visualization looks a lot like Morgan Freeman on Shawshank Redemption – a movie that Joey happens to be watching right now. He was dressed in worn black pants, a similarly worn black shirt and a baby blue buttoned blazer, slightly less worn-looking. His eyes were friendly, and he had a very comforting aura about him. He was very comfortable sitting side-by-side with me, a stranger.
Me, feeling pressured to start the conversation: “Hi! How are you today?”
Adell: “Good. How are you?”
Me, nervously continuing the conversation: “Good… So, what are you doing downtown today?”
Adell, keeping direct, but not uncomfortable, eye contact with me: “I just had breakfast at The Arcade, and I’m headed to run some errands.”
Me: “Oh, that’s nice.”
Adell: “Are you headed to have lunch downtown?”
Me: “No, I’m going to a meeting. I thought I’d take the trolley today. It’s such a pretty day.”
Adell: “Yes, it is… Do you live in Memphis?”
Me: “No. I live in Southaven. Are you from Memphis?”
Adell: “Not really. I’m from Mississippi. Nesbit, Mississippi.”
Me: “Ok. Well, that’s not far from me.”
Silence for several seconds, as we stare ahead and I catch him glancing back at me a couple of times until he finally turns to me with this question.
Adell: “Who is your Lord?”
Me, a little caught off guard but quick to answer: “Well, Jesus. And, thank you for sitting next to me and asking me that.”
Adell: “Well, I was worried about you. You are such a pretty lady.”
Me, filled with a sense of the presence of God on this small seat with us: “That’s very sweet of you.”
More silence, as I suddenly shared his feeling of being very comfortable sitting side-by-side with him.
Me, continuing the conversation: “I hear it’s going to be a very windy day – 40 to 50 mile per hour winds.”
Adell: “Well, I hope it is still a pretty windy day.”
Me, chuckling: “Yeah, I guess as long as there isn’t any rain in that wind, we are ok.”
Adell: “What’s your name?”
Me: “Kerri. What’s your name?”
Adell: “Adell Smith… And, this is my stop.”
He got up pretty quickly and exited the trolley, as I called out to him “Have a nice day!”
I continued onto the next stop, which was my exit.
What seemed like an entire afternoon’s conversation only happened in probably three minutes, and I was no longer hating on Memphis.
Thank you, God, for the opportunity to proclaim my faith out loud to one of your children, who wanted to hear it and was hopefully blessed by it. I know I was. It was a blessed day.
Of course, now, the story doesn’t actually end there, as that’s not how Kerri Guyton’s stories end. On the way back to my office after my meeting, the trolley system shut down, and I had to walk about 10 blocks in high heels. Looks like my decision to ride the trolley only had one purpose, and once it was done, so was my time on the trolley. Maybe I’ll drive next time… Maybe not.
