from my journal of catastophic performances

September 10, 2007
Lord, my God, my Father, I am curious to know what you have in mind for me. I know your plans are good and not to harm me – to bring me hope and a future.
After all that we have worked on for the past few weeks for Charlotte’s Web, my truck and trailer finally sat quietly in the loading dock of the Shaw Center downtown. The set had been unloaded and half of it sat only a few feet away, waiting to be moved into the space we were preparing.
The father and son team, named Pike, were busily constructing their second project of the day. Conan and I were reconstructing our set pieces on the stage they had assembled earlier.
Speedy, our official Shaw Center “overseer” sat in the corner observing. Melanie and Ashley wandered in and out as they conducted theatre and personal business. The day was progressing just as it should.
I sent Juliette for something from the truck. She came back reporting that the police were doing something with the truck. We have struggled to keep our vehicles ticket-free in that loading zone, so that’s what I expected to encounter.
Instead, I looked out to the street to observe smoke encircling the hood which jutted out onto the sidewalk 25 feet away. I took a step into the loading dock and a policeman poked his head around the corner and informed me that he had called the fire department and to get back.
As I told the others and we tried to find out what was happening the building alarm went off telling the building to evacuate.
We exited another door and stood by as the police tried to subdue the flames with all the fire extinguishers we could find. When the fire truck arrived, they had just used their fifth canister and the fire was becoming more aggressive.
The firemen quickly doused the flaming truck, but it still took about 15 minutes to contain the fire damage to the engine and dash. The interior of the truck was filled with toxic black smoke and the plastic parts were dripping onto the driveway of the loading dock.
The tow truck arrived about two hours later and hauled the now black and red Excursion to the house.
The cruise control had a recall on it from Ford, but no one had the time to sit at Ford and wait for the repair. Now we could find time, but we have no truck.
I don’t know where we will go from here. I have to have some sort of vehicle this week to do the job I have contracted. I know that I will be able to borrow and hitch rides for a little while, but we will have to remedy this.
Father, you know where I am and you know all the details of this event. You know what is behind and what is ahead; You’ve been there every step.
We could have been driving it. It could have exploded in the night up beside the house. As it is, my work is loaded in where it is supposed to be. We are safe. And best of all we have shared life with our coworkers at the Shaw Center – another event to remember.
I pray for wisdom and patience to see this finished in Your way, Father.