Years ago I sat in my living room visiting with Grandma when I saw someone walk
by. “Ugh! I can’t stand her I said. You
know grandma one time that girl...”
“Shh” Grandma interrupted “God makes all kinds doesn’t he!” Yeah! Grandma I guess you are right.” I said
Every
town I have lived in we have had a crazy lady, a church lady, a mean old man,
etc etc. You know the one who everyone talks about and has a different story for
how they became what they are. When the kids go by their house they go as fast
as they can, looking back at the house every step of the way. When the
neighborhood kids become teenagers that is the first house to be egged or
toilet papered.
In
Grant 2 houses down from where I grew up we had a lady that lived down the road
with her mother. She began making a tomb for her after she passed. I remember the big hole she had dug and
filled the sides with bricks when they caught her and made her give her mom a
proper burial. Mom explained that she
was just really sad that her mom died and did not want to let go of her.
We
had a man who lived in our town that wore a helmet everywhere and rode on a
bicycle. Everyone called him Crash. I still to this day do not know his name. He later got a truck and added a topper to it
that he made out of plywood. He added a real
topper to the top of it drove it around and supposedly lived in it later. I
remember going to his house type shack to take a T.V. for him to repair for us.
My parents had pictures of him playing in his band in their wedding so he had
to be somewhat sane at some point. He
stopped by to visit once in a while to our house and was a little off the wall.
I would stare at him like he was an alien while peeking from behind my parents.
When he looked at me I would step back behind them. I finally got the guts to
ask him to take his helmet off once while in our drive way Out of a dare I
think and he had grey shoulder length hair with big thick curls. It was more of silver really and not that
dirty. I Do remember him wearing a
polyester brown suit for most of the time I seen him. It was more the color burnt sienna from a
color crayon. At some point He stopped
by wearing a new Polyester baby blue suit and he had turned his helmet in for a
cowboy hat. I heard a rumor that a lady who I began seeing around town was his
wife but that was after I left the neighborhood so I never knew. Years later which seems not so long ago
someone said that he was found dead in a snow bank at his house on the corner he had moved to with that
woman. That woman was much like him and I am sure someone has a story about her
like this one.
Then
there is a woman that went around town putting little book marks in bibles and
books everywhere in town. She is still
around spreading the word. She will stop you at any given point and try to make
you pray with her to ask Jesus into your heart.
I have found myself on a sidewalk in front of a business on a few
occasions saying her prayer with her. Even
though I tell her I have done it before she wants me to do it again. People
stare at her and ridicule her. They
laugh at her. I stopped to get balloons,
candy and flowers to take to Megan’s school for her birthday a few weeks ago. I have to admit that I felt somewhat uncomfortable
standing in front of family dollar praying the prayer out loud with her. She
caught me on the way in and I said hello to her and exchanged address’s. You
see she used to baby sit me when I was very little. I think I was only 3 or
4. Yes, I have memories that go back
that far.
I
loved going to her house as she would play records with bible stories on
them. She taught me bible verses and
took me to church. The last time my
parents took me to be babysat she was
upset with them for drinking as she did not think it was Christian for them to
drink. My mom told her she would not be having her babysit if she could not
mind her own business and that was the end of it.
So
as I went inside the store and went about my shopping Betty continued speaking
to me catching up and reading me verses. She gave me book marks for all the
kids and even followed me when I checked out. She said” I used to baby sit
missy when she was little” The cashiers gave her and I a funny look like they
felt sorry for me with her bugging me as if she could not tell. She said “I’m
sorry I did not mean to embarrass you.” I said “Oh I am fine I have 8 kids
remember I get to embarrass them in the store”
“Yeah that’s right you do” she said and smiled. I said “good bye nice seeing you, I have to
get this to Meg before the day is over.”
I went on my way.
I
sometimes wonder what the real story was with “crash and the crazy lady.” They were different than most but they were
human. Like Grandma said “God makes all kinds!” The thing is when the crazy
lady moved out of that house I remember visiting her down the road and it
seemed like she was a nice lady. When I heard that Crash had been found dead in
a snow bank I felt very bad for him. I don’t know how long he laid there or any
details but had heard something about him freezing. He was a human being like
everyone else and he was made by god and I do not wish that on anyone. How awful to freeze to death if that was the
truth.
There
is one last thing. Betty Davis is her
name. You still see her around town.
When I was reading the new testament for church (which we are behind on
by the way) something reminded me of her. It was Matthew 5: 11 "Blessed are you when
people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you
because of me. “Betty Davis no matter what they say
about you and even if I feel awkward at times on the sidewalks. I appreciate
you! People do need god rather they want
to believe it or not. Thank you, for taking the time all those years ago to
plant a seed.”
LUKE 8:11 NKJ
11 "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
11 "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
Matthew 5:
1 Now when he
saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came
to him, 2 and he began to teach them, saying: 3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are
those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are
the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of
God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of
righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you
and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven,
for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
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