“So Make-Funable!”

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I hope it is okay to tell a funny story about a funeral because I’m about to do just that. Miss Lynne was fun. I believe she would like to hear my story about what happened to me on Wednesday morning.

I’ll have to take a running start to lead into my story, which you will understand by and by. Several weeks ago Ray encouraged me to enter a photo contest sponsored by our local telephone company. While we were in Urbana a few weeks ago, much to my surprise I opened an email telling me that I had won a prize. I had two firsts: the first time I had entered a photo contest and the first time I had won! The email instructed me to come to the telephone office to sign a release form and pick up my prize.

Well, I have been on the road to conventions a lot since I got that email. I am ashamed to say that in the meantime I have received several phone calls, texts, and emails to remind me to go by the phone company. I fully intended to do it this week, but up until Wednesday the “Go to Twin Lakes Monday” note in big letters between my keyboard and my monitor has remained un-obeyed. On Wednesday morning, I left home with the determination to go there after the graveside service for Miss Lynne.

As I pulled into the cemetery, I watched as car after car pulled into the grass beside the one-lane road that circles through the cemetery. As I parked, I remembered the time our car alarm went off on just such an occasion. I parked carefully and tried to be as quiet and dignified as the occasion required. I walked down the lane in my black outfit. I stood quietly and incognito during the beautiful service in the beautiful setting. I spoke to other members of our ladies Bible class and to some friends from our town and walked back toward my car.

As I passed an acquaintance who is close to a friend of mine, she told me: “Don’t forget to go by the telephone company to pick up your prize.” I didn’t even know she worked at the telephone company!

When I got close to my car, I noticed that there was plenty of room between the car in front and the car in back and was relieved that I could get out easily. I put the key in the ignition and began to pull out. Grind. Whirr. Grind. Whirr. My wheels were turning, but the car wouldn’t budge. I was stuck. Under that pretty green grass was wet mud and I was stuck in it. I looked in the trunk to see if I had anything to put in front of the front right tire that was now a few inches below the ground level. I tried one of the reusable grocery bags. That was no help.

I noticed a shorter man and a taller man, neither of whom I knew, who had strolled away from the others who had attended the service. I went to them and told them my predicament. The shorter man got into the car and tried to get it out, but he couldn’t get traction either. These two knights in shining armor said that a couple of men could push me out. I thought of everyone in their nice suits and dress pants and of the mud that sprayed back from the tires when I had watched the shorter man try to get me out. I protested that they would get dirty.

The shorter man hurried down the long road to the people who were still talking after the memorial, while the taller man and I chatted and walked slowly toward them. As it turned out, he was the minister at the shorter man’s church and the shorter man was Miss Lynne’s oldest son from out of town. “Oh, great! I have bothered one of her children! Oh, me.”

Soon I looked up to see EIGHT men in nice clothes walking toward us, including, of course, another son and a son-in-law of Miss Lynne! The first son I had talked to earlier told me that his minister had mentioned to him someone he knows who homeschools and (you guessed it!) uses Notgrass curriculum.

Miss Lynne’s son-in-law got in the driver’s seat and the others pushed with all their might. Soon the car was plunging forward into the road, missing the car parked in front of me, by, oh, about three inches!! Of course, I screamed to watch out! So much for quiet, dignified, and incognito.

The son-in-law asked me if I would like him to back my car to the front of the cemetery. I eagerly said, “Yes.”

After all that, I hurried away to try to get to the phone company before lunch time, which has at least three locations. Naturally, I went to the wrong one. It was a service center and the door was locked. Seeing a man sitting in a telephone truck, I went over to his window. He finished a cell phone call and then rolled down the window. He said, “Are you Mrs. Notgrass?” I said, “Yes. I thought you looked familiar” (he’s one of the phone company repairmen who keep our Internet working!). I asked him where you go if you have won a prize in the photo contest. He directed me to the right place. I signed my release and headed home with my new Roku.

I told Ray, “You just can’t let me out of the house!” Once when we were newlyweds, he told me, “You are so make-funable.” I keep proving him right — like on Wednesday morning when I posted that there are eight teaspoons in a cup. Thank you to the two of you who reminded me that there are, in fact, SIXTEEN tablespoons in a cup! I knew that!

On the way home from my Wednesday morning adventures, I gave myself a present — permission to stop and take pictures of the beautiful day. Can you find the white butterfly?

O Lord, how many are Your works!
In wisdom You have made them all;
The earth is full of Your possessions.
Psalm 104:24

 

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