Mr. Levy was a Vice president of Polychrome, and the head man at our new
location. His secretary was Sara, young and attractive, as most of us once
were, at least young that is. Her office was next to his, and it seems her door
was always open, and she was strategically placed to see what went on. All
comings and goings went by her office, even trips to the men’s room, and it was
rumored she kept notes on all of us. I had a rule, never date anyone you work
with, and although attractive, I had little interest in her. She came from an
old Italian, very Catholic family, and dressed like it. Quite a difference from
the rest of us in our wide lapels, open shirt look just before the disco era.
She was always pleasant, and asked a lot of questions. Which somehow you felt
compelled to answer....We got to be friends, at work, and when I bought my
custom van, the 1973 Chevy that Garry Brown had customized for his final project
before graduating from Bucknell, she took interest in it. I was living with my
parents at the time due to budget constraints, no money, and she lived with her
multi-generational family at home, like I said a very old family. She had let
the word get around she would like a ride in it, and somehow we agreed to go out
to dinner, the van as the transportation. Good girls didn’t ride on
motorcycles...but did they in vans?
Picking her up I met a different Sara than the one I knew at work. Her
family was nice, invited me in for a beer, I graciously declined, and as formal
as she was at work, she was now attractive and vivacious. She had gone from
professional to attractive. Did she have a sister I didn’t know about? So off
we went, her asking many questions, mostly about the van, and most of my talking
was answers, not questions, or even statements. Mostly replies. Dinner at
Charlie Brown’s went well, we were actually having a good time, the sun still up
on this summer night, and I asked her what she wanted to do. Too early to go
home, both living with our parents, but I did have the van, and she really liked
it...so we went cruising in it, which is what she wanted to do. To be seen in
the van, while others jealously looked at her with envy. Driving Miss Sara if
you would. So off through North Plainfield we went, taking the long way to her
house. No traffic, just cruising when the red lights appeared. And I was
pulled over...for going too slow. I had a list of ready excuses for going too
fast, but none for excessive slowness. After being told how I was impeding
traffic, no cars passed while being detained, and how speed kills....death due
to insufficient speed, I can see the headlines now, and left me off with a
verbal warning for going 25 in a 30 zone. But for this innocent girl, this
really made me the bad boy she had been warned about, she had never been stopped
and it scared her. She was shaken, and she later settled down, but my
reputation as a bad boy now exceeded my riding a motorcycle...I was a law
breaker.. a felon at 25 mph. My ride and prejudice were about to be exploited
at work the next day....
Now her girlfriends at work could hardly wait to hear about her date, and
when her opening line was the police pulled us over...the imaginations and
gossip ran wild. Instantly a chorus of “I told you he was bad” echoed, some
warning her, others wanting a ride. Tell me more... What is it about good girls
and bad boys? But she never got much further than the being stopped part of the
date, and later told me she really had a good time. Never mentioning her brush
with the law. The last time I ever dated anyone I worked with. True story, but
without the details, it was just another night with police intervention. And to
Sara, I would always be the felon at 25 mph, the slowest man in the van. Her
purity lost for going too slow...go figure.
Today we live in a world of sound bytes, but being misquoted, or not
telling the whole story is nothing new. Started in the Garden, Satan twisting
God’s warning to Eve around. Look at the consequences of a lie. How many have
been told or told others money is the root of all evil? Not in the Bible,
scripture tells us “the love of money is the root of all evil.” Big difference,
money is a form of barter, not evil.. Worshipping it is. How many have been led
astray by asking God for desires, then quoting Philipians 4:13, “I can do all
things in Christ who strengthens me.” Read the verses, Paul was bragging about
how no matter the situation, Christ would take him through it. Rich or poor.
In my case slow or fast. Not a genie in the lamp as some desire, or aspire to.
The most conveniently misinterpreted verse about judging, usually brought up by
people caught in sin, who don’t wish to be judged, but it is OK if they judge
your words. But really here Jesus is telling us to be alert, and discern people
and their words and actions. Good advice. If only the cop had known to “not
judge by appearance, but by my fruits,” as scripture tells us, John 7:24 and
Matthew 7:16. What an outcome difference to Sara’s recollection of our date.
And for her audience.
And of course this Good Friday let’s remember Pilate making a sign to hang
over Jesus as he hung on the cross. “The King of the Jews.” And when the Jews
argued, admitting he may have been a king, but not the king, Pilate says “I have
written what I have written.” Not knowing the truth in his statement. So we do
damage to others and ourselves by misquoting scripture. A good rule of thumb is
the 20/20 rule. Read 20 verses before, and 20 verses after the one you quote,
get the whole story. Don’t base a theology or relationship on just one verse.
Or statement. Truth be told, I was not a felon, and now laugh about being
stopped for going too slow. Maybe the fact I didn’t get a ticket is the
repercussions the cop would have gotten. “Writing a ticket for too slow?
Breaking speed laws by not going as fast as the sign said? Impeding traffic when
no other cars are present?” Thankfully God is always present, and sees all.
And forgives all. Cops too.
Just another date for me, but an eye opener for Sara. She knew the truth,
yet her interpretation led her to her opening line. Seeking a thrill, being
with a bad boy, but never becoming a bad girl. But almost, escaping the annals
of crime by the skin of her teeth. Her purity intact. A heroine, how would you
have told the story? How did you hear it?
Remember that when you share Jesus. Tell the truth, inspired by the
spirit. Too many wanting to hear a lie, or twisting your words. Let God be God
and all men liars. Even on a first and only date, at 25 mph. Study to be
approved, seek the truth,let it set you free. And never date anyone you work
with. The walls have ears, and eyes. And sadly mouths. Later my boss called
me aside, hoping for steamy details of a date in my van. “Honest Walter, we had
a good time. She is a nice girl. We got stopped for 25 in a 30 zone.” I could
have said. But I let him off easy, “that’s the kind of answer a gentleman would
never tell about a lady.” Both our reputations protected. Only Sara and I will
know the truth. Only the stories have been changed to indict the
innocent.
love with compassion,
Mike
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com