Day 80: A clear head

At some point, the sickness eventually will clear away, and today it started to do that for me. It was like a fog lifting out of my head, and I started thinking more clearly and getting my motivation back. Since Friday, I've been practically sleep-walking through life. Today, it got better, and it was a wonderful feeling. I'd been having all sorts of negative feelings, wanting to quit this project and everything else I'm doing. I finally seemed to snap out of it.

So I walked through Old Town on a cool night and ran into a guy wearing a sweater that had a company name, Airgas, on it. He was in his 60s, with white hair, and he struck me as maybe an executive.

He immediately said I could pray for him right there in the street, and so I did. Then he pulled his hand out of his pocket and shook mine, smiling broadly and thanking me.

Day 79: The poll worker

I did my constitutional duty today and was surprised by the long lines for the voting machines. I could have been in and out of there in 15 minutes if I'd gone for the paper ballots. But the voting machines, to me, are still kind of novel. So I wanted to wait.

I also wanted to pray for the guy who logged me into the machine. So I waited, wondering which one I'd get and hoping it would be out of earshot of other voters. You never know what the response will be. 

On my turn, I was directed to a machine in the far corner, surrounded by three others. I thought at first this was probably a pretty good spot for my project. But as I was back there with the poll worker, I was struck by how silent it was. A woman was voting right next to me, and on the other side was an entire family, kids and all.

The poll worker was a friendly guy in his 50s who joked about how busy it was and how little help he seemed to have. He quickly recited a list of instructions to make sure I knew what I was doing, and then he started to walk away. I stopped him with my question.

He just looked at me once and said matter-of-factly, "You can do whatever you want." Then I was staring at his back as he walked back across the gymnasium to pick up another voter. So I prayed for him at roughly the same time as I dutifully voted against all the judges on the ballot.

Day 78: Soul patch

He was pulling a pallet through Walmart. I'm not sure what was on it, but it took him a few paces to slow it to a stop when I greeted him. He stepped to the side, and I asked him my question.

He seemed interested by it. He was a younger guy, no older than 25. He had longer hair and a soul patch. He said I could pray for him, and so I did. Then he pulled off his glove and shook my hand, asking me my name. 

We chatted for a moment longer, and I asked if he had anything specific he'd like me to pray about. He thought about it for a little while but couldn't really think of anything. But he thanked me again as I left.

Day 77: The smile

It's been a struggle these last three days. A nasty head cold has made itself at home. It was perhaps at its worst tonight. I've noticed illness drags away your motivation -- to do anything. But here I was, needing to do something.

We were coming back from Mary's dad's house, not having eaten anything. It was late. I wasn't hungry, but I insisted we stop. I had to stop.

So I was standing at the counter of Taco Bell, ordering two tacos. The thing I remember most was the smile when I asked the cashier if I could pray for him. It was a big, jovial, slightly confused smile. He wasn't turned off. Just curious. 

"Pray for me?" he asked. He was about 25 and of Asian descent. I never really got an answer out of him. I clarified when he asked me why I wanted to do such a thing, and politely told him he could decline. He didn't decline, but he didn't say yes either. So I told him I would pray for him after I left, asking for God's blessing. The smile remained, and he said OK.

So I took my tacos and left.

Day 76: Hybrid

He fairly glided into the gas stall next to mine. I could barely hear his car, one of those Toyota hybrids. But he needed gas, and that was good for me.

I was out for ice cream with Isabella, our 4-year-old, and had decided to fill up. The tank still was half full, but this project has made even that a solid reason to stop. So there I was, standing next to our minivan and talking to they guy next to his eco-friendly car.

He was about 50, wearing jeans and a leather jacket. I asked if I could pray for him. He laughed a little and said that I could. So I did.

Day 75: Camo

He was wearing camouflage pretty much from head to foot. I might have thought he was on his way to some field somewhere but for the slippers. They were camo, too, but they definitely weren't boots. I ran into him at the gas station. He was walking out of the store toward his old blue pickup as I was stepping out of my car. We exchanged glances and then there was a pump between us.

The silence didn't last long. He actually started the conversation, asking jovially how I was doing. "Great," I said, "Never been better." That wasn't exactly true. I've had some kind of a cold all day, but my stock response to such questions recently has been to be exuberantly over-the-top happy, hoping it rubs off.

He just smiled and said I must have gotten a promotion that day, or a bonus. No, I acknowledged. In light of that, I could have been better. But we talked for a few minutes. He had big plans for Saturday, intending to go duck hunting. He was hoping there would be plenty to shoot at, but he hadn't seen many ducks this season. He was probably 50 or 55 years old and a very friendly, outgoing guy.

As he was getting back in his truck, I asked him my question. He didn't hesitate, agreeing so long as I prayed for the ducks to come flying in tomorrow. So that's what I prayed for.

Day 74: Moving chairs

He was rearranging patio chairs outside the Warren Theatre in Old Town. He was an employee there, a big guy with dreadlocks. I saw him as I came out of the parking garage.

I stopped by the fence surrounding the patio. No one was sitting in there. It was kind of a cool evening. I got his attention. He was 10 feet from me, and he didn’t step any closer. But he barely hesitated when I asked my question. “Sure!” he said. I clarified that I wanted to pray for him right then. I got another, “Sure!” So I prayed.

His name tag said James. We shook hands before I walked away.