The Angel and the Train

Answers to prayers come in many forms. Mine was an old Rolex-wearing bartender at a chain restaurant.

My name is Kyle Gilbert. I’m in my mid-forties and have rocked a pretty amazing career so far. But on that day, I was just afraid. Plain frightened. And that fear had me paralyzed.  So that afternoon, I found myself sitting in a suburban Chili’s that looked like just about any other suburban Chili’s in the United States.  I didn’t have the courage to go home. Or  the courage to stay put.  I was just restless.  And I needed a miracle. Now.

“What can I get you?”

The bartender was about 5′ 8″, graying and losing his hair on top. He had a neat appearance and was surprisingly sporting a Rolex Submariner watch.

“A beer would be fine. Whatcha got on draft?”

“Blue Moon, Bud, Bud Light, Miller Light, Heineken.”

Really, drinking alcohol was the worst thing I could do at the moment, but I had been making bad choices so far, so why not one more?

He brought me a Blue Moon and said, “Not that it’s my business, but you look like a man who’s got every trouble in the world.”

My mouth opened and my troubles spewed all over him.  I told him how I had an amazing career but my industry was cutting back. I told him how I feared for my job and how unfair the whole thing was.  I threw a pity party, invited a total stranger and forced him to provide the refreshments.

He just smiled as he listened. There was a sense that he knew EXACTLY what I was talking about. But he didn’t say a word. He just allowed me to ramble on and on and on.

I finally ran out of gas and took a sip of my beer. I slid it away and ordered an iced tea.

“Guess you are about sick of hearing me whine?”

“Would you like cheese with your whine?” He joked. He then said, “Let me tell you a little story.”

I groaned.  I really wasn’t in mood for a story. But he seemed friendly enough, so I reluctantly nodded and he began.

“Imagine you are walking down a railroad track. It’s in the middle of the woods and the sky is a deep cobalt blue. The temperature is a lovely 70 degrees. The track runs directly to where you are going and you couldn’t be happier.  Suddenly, you hear a train. You feel the ground vibrate from its three diesel locomotives.  The horn blasts and you can tell it is coming closer. What do you do? Do you fear it? Do you complain about how unfair it is that a train is coming? Do you gossip with your co-worker about the train? Do you make jokes about how the train will run you over? Do you mourn the fact that your walk is being disrupted. Do you long for the good old days. Do you choose to stay put because you’re afraid of what you may find in the woods?

“Um, no, I get out of  the train’s way.” I said sarcastically.

“Exactly! You get the heck off the tracks as fast as you can!  Don’t fear the unknown, son. FEAR he train.  Use your energy to change your life, not be afraid of the change.  Look,  you know the a train’s coming in your career. Don’t just sit there; do something about it! Ever talked to someone who has been hit by a train?”

I said, “no.”

“Of course not. You don’t want to be hit by a train. I know first hand. Ever hear of the department store Montgomery Ward?  Not the online site, the old department store. It used to be the biggest thing around.  Well, I was an executive for them.  I watched as the number of empty desks in my department multiplied. I watched as Walmart changed the game. Until one day, I got laid off.  I got hit by the train. I saw it coming but I froze in my tracks. I did nothing. I held on to my comfort zone as tightly as I could. I didn’t want to give up my dream job.”

He fumbled around with his Rolex.

“My dream job gave up on me. I should have seen the handwriting on the wall and gotten out of there. Listen son, the only thing you should be loyal to is your family.” He noted my ring. “Have kids?”

“Yes.” I showed him a picture on my phone.

“They need Daddy to avoid the train.”

I paid my tab and asked, “So now you work here…”

“I own it. I’m just helping out while the regular bartender is on vacation. And besides, I like to come check out my properties first hand.  I invested in my first Chili’s after I was laid off.  Now I own 10. I normally live in Palm Beach.  I guess it is pure chance I met you today.”

I heard a train off the distance and told him, “Gotta go.”

He smiled,” I serve the beer and you get the tip. Seems fair to me.

Answers to prayers come in many forms.  And angels can be a Rolex-wearing bartender in a suburban Chili’s.