Applelovely

Why applelovely? Here's why:

I was supposed to be in church at 3.30pm. Already running late, but I had this sudden urge to buy apples for Dom 7th. It's crazy, I thought, already late and still buying apples?

Whatever, it's not every day I do something crazy.

So I went where my legs took me reaching the nearest supermarket in less than 10 minutes. I bought 20 apples. I would have gotten more, but that was about as much as I could carry. Since I was already running late, I thought I'd catch a cab to church. 2 empty cabs zoomed past me. Humph...Maybe they didn't like me. Finally a 3rd cab stopped.

The cab driver was about 50+ yrs old. I got on the cab. No greeting, no smile, no asking me where I wanted to go. After a short uncomfortable silence, I gave him my destination. He didn't utter a single word the entire journey. Plus, he wasn't smiling. In fact, he looked troubled with a deep frown plastered on his forehead.

I was all ready to conclude that maybe he was a mute or something. But then again, maybe he just had a bad day. I very much wanted to ask him what was bothering him but decided to mind my own business in case he was bent on giving me a tongue-lashing.

When I was about midway through the journey, I thought I might share the gospel with him. But truly, I was a coward. Should I? Should I not? Should I? Should I not? Playing this tick-tock game in the head wasn't fun at all. It's tormenting. What if he decided to boot me off the cab? Maybe he just wasn't in the mood.

All the excuses. All so familiar.

With each second ticking by, I was getting closer to my destination. There must be something I can do!

Just at the junction before my church, I thought, maybe I'll give him one of my apples. Maybe I shouldn't. It's just so...out of step.

It was then that I realised, it takes so much courage to be nice to a stranger. A coward like me won't make it.

The cab drew to a stop and the meter registered $4.70. I paid the exact fare. And before I bolted out of the cab, I don't know where I had the courage or the strength to do it, I reached down into my shopping bag, grabbed a big red apple and said to the uncle in Mandarin: This is for you and Jesus loves you.

He turned his head and his frown broke into a smile, maybe for the 1st time that day. He looked at me in the eye, said thank you and that I was very kind.

As I was getting out of the cab, I finally understood the insanity of buying the apples when I was running late.

Between smiles and tears, I whispered a prayer of thanks. Isn't He wonderful?

I penned this 050507 anecdote for the church editorial some time back. I thought of sharing it here again so that we may realise that we're touching lives one at a time, one small act at a time!

Let's pray that we all have the courage to reach out to others, no matter when and where.