Skip to main content

September 11, 2008

Driving from north Oklahoma City to Norman daily, you begin to notice things.

The guys on the road. New construction. New buildings.

Stuff like that.

But Thursday, Sept. 11, was different.

The road was slick with rain and the sky, dull and gray.

I drove alone, listening to Simon and Garfunkle.

It was at the 23rd Street overpass, that my trip became more than just the daily trek to Norman.

There, standing alone on the overpass was an elderly man.

He looked, say, about 60.

Jeans. Large checked shirt. Ball cap.

He stood silently. In the rain. Holding a large American Flag.

It was obvious that for him, this date had some importance.

I reached over and turned off the radio — the silence of the car broken only by the slap of the windshield wipers against the glass.

I slowed and, acknowledged him with a sort of salute-wave.

He saw me and, in return, nodded his head.

I'm still not sure how I felt, but I know the day somehow seemed better because of that brief exchange.

Someone else had given image to the emotions I felt that day.

Standing there, silently.

On an overpass.

Holding an American flag.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ex-pastor suing Moore's First Baptist Church

MOORE — A former official with Moore’s First Baptist Church is suing the church for his termination, and for “spreading false rumors about his mental health throughout the community,” court documents show. Jimmie D. Lady, the church’s associate pastor, filed the suit in Cleveland County District Court last week seeking $10,000 in actual damages and $10,000 in punitive damages for “severe emotional distress and mental anguish as a result of statements made about him when his job was terminated.” Lady’s attorney, Andrew Hicks of Houston, claimed church officials terminated Lady for being bi-polar, then spread rumors about Lady in the community. “Although a man of God, Dr. Lady cannot ignore the dramatic, adverse effects these untrue and unfair accusations have had on him and his family,” Hicks said. “First Baptist Moore’s efforts to tarnish Dr. Lady’s reputation have threatened his family’s livelihood. Through this suit, we hope to restore Dr. Lady’s good name.” Church officials denied...
5 comments
Read more

Pink Toes

Zachary has pink toes. Thursday, that horrific, difficult, awful day, is over. And here, in the stillness of my home, the quiet is my benediction. My youngest son – the smallest, most fragile of a large, blended family – has stood at the edge of oblivion and returned. The weeks building to this day brought tension, anxiety, stress and fear. Overwhelmed by nature of Zachary’s needs, we, his parents, had no real plan, no other process in place. We simply turned our faces toward the storm and prayed. For the third time in our lives, Karen and I made the long, long walk down the yellowish-tan colored hallway to the operating theater. This time, Karen went in with Zach as they put him under. She walked out the doors sobbing. We returned to the third floor of Children’s Hospital and started out long vigil. The clock seemed to move backward. Once again, we huddled inside the waiting room with friends and family and made mindless conversation. We talked about politics and God and life. ...
1 comment
Read more

The more things change, the more they stay the same

So I’m standing in a large darkened gym, watching a bunch of middle school kids fake like they are dancing — and for the record they’re not very good. I’m here, because in a moment of weakness, I told my school teacher-wife I’d help chaperone. The music is loud. Between 40 and 50 kids line the walls — boys on one side, girls on the other. The dance floor is empty. I’ve been here before. About 30 years ago. Over to the left, there’s the arrogant little twit who is sure he’s the perfect specimen of masculinity. He thinks he’s immortal and he honestly believes that every girl here is dying to hook-up with him. He struts around like a rooster, high-fives his buds, and practices that same look Rod Steward made famous in 1975. Rod’s version was way better. Thirty years ago this kid’s name was Jimmy; he started on the eighth grade football team and his Dad bought him a real motorcycle. He was just sure he had qualified as the Alpha Male of the eighth grade. Superjock is talking to the standar...
Post a Comment
Read more