The Tire Man...

I met a man today. I had to go and get new tires put on my car. I ended up at this little shack out in the middle of what seemed like nowhere. While Zack put the tires on my car I sat in side their air-conditioned office they sent me towards.


Inside was a very large old man in overalls. He was missing some teeth and liked to use cuss words in his sentences. He never told me his name but he shared with me his life. He is 60, retired, and the father of three. He has loved two women in his life. The first he got pregnant when they were "dumb teenagers." Sharon was 15 and 3 months when Shelly Ann was born. They went their separate ways and lost touch for a while. His daughter was in her 20's before he reconnected with her. It was real obvious this had been a regret of his. Not the daughter, he was very proud of her, but he was ashamed he was away so long. Sharon seems to have trouble with men, being she is on her sixth husband and has publicly voiced she would love to again be with my friend the tire man.


This kindof pisses my friend off because he loves his wife of 43 years very much. He and Ann have two children, Elizabeth Ann and a son in his forties whose name was never shared. At times I thought he was going to cry as he shared the joys of his life and the struggles of his life. I don't really know why he chose to share any of this with me. I know about his daughter getting beat up by her boyfriend and a father's revenge. I know that his wife and Shelly Ann's mom get along, and Shelly gets along with his wife Ann.


I know that this man enjoys telling the stories of his life. He doesn't care who he tells; he wants all to know he has loved and still loves. He wants the world to know that the women of his life - his daughters and their mothers - mean the world to him.


I wondered if it was gossip to listen to him talk about the others. I wondered if I was supposed to respond. I just listened and smiled and nodded and set "uh huh," and "I bet" a lot. I doubt I will ever see him again, but I wonder if I ministered to him in some way. I want to help shed the grace of Christ into the lives of others, I wonder if I was faithful today. I know that soon my friend will be with his wife camping in their RV and fishing, and while they sit on the boat I hope he will sit and reflect on the love of Christ and the blessings of family he has been afforded.


I don't know if he knows Christ. He mentioned that he usually leaves to camp on Thursday and returns home on Sunday, somedays he comes home early in the morning so that he can go to church. I don't have any idea if he loves Jesus, but I know that Jesus loves him and therefore I am called to love him too.


I love my new friend the tire man. I hope I was a blessing to him, because he sure was a blessing to me.