I got home the other night and noticed a tire was low. I had run over a screw. My favorite tire place, Joe's Sylvania Tire & Wheel, closes at 5 pm. It's a local business and I not only want to support it for that reason, as opposed to the big chains, but Joe knows tires and he is honest. But the shop hours are inconvenient. I couldn't go yesterday morning because I had a dentist appointment. So I figured I'd go this morning. However, getting around town with a tire that has a slow leak is quite a challenge.
It seems that when you're desperately searching for an air pump, you wind up at gas stations that either don't have a pump or have one that's out of order.
After a few frustrating stops, I finally found an air pump that looked to be in working condition. It took 75 cents in quarters. I only had two quarters on me.
Arrgghh!
I go into the store and ask for change for a dollar so I can use the pump. The guy says "I'll just turn it on for you," and pushes a button.
Voila! Air when you need it. And free.
It made me think about searching for God. So often, we look in all the wrong places. Then when do make a connection, we think we come up short.
But if we only ask him, God is there for us. Free of charge.
That's my sermon for the day.
* * *
I met Kathy Reichs last night and gave her a copy of my book. She's the best-selling author of the novels about forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan and the producer of the "Bones"
TV show on Fox.
Reichs also testified for the defense for Gerald Robinson's murder trial. And, she told me (and Tahree Lane in an interview) that the priest's lawyers never paid her the full amount.
Anyway, Tahree told me she was very interested in my book so I gave her a signed copy and hope she likes it. You never know what will open a door.
Meanwhile, I have a conference call coming up with some movie producers next week about the "movie treatment" I wrote and then revised for Sin, Shame & Secrets.
We'll see how that goes.
* * *
Did you watch American Idol last night? I think Simon got it right, if too bluntly, when he told Jason: "Pack your suitcase." Such a cruel thing to say... but funny in a nasty way.
Simon really had it in for Jason Castro (whom I never liked anyway) last night, telling David Archuletta that he could have whistled his song and sounded better than Jason. Ouch!

Toledo, Ohio
May 7, 2008