I stopped this morning and talked to the gentleman pictured in the previous post. His name is Dwayne Murphy and this is pretty much his job, he told me. I talked to him for about 2o minutes on the way to work this morning and I didn’t really know what to expect. I walked up to him and he grabbed my hand as if to shake it and it was then that I realized that he was using my hand to pull me in for a hug! He hugged me and said, “It’s so nice to finally meet you, brother!” And was it. He’s just as kind and good-spirited in conversation as he is when I pass him at 40mph.
He shared some of his story and intimated to me the story of a near-death experience a few years back where he was shot 5 times and couldn’t work as a result of the lingering pain and physical ailments. He pointed to the parking lot and showed me the bright, shiny truck that a very kind passerby/stranger/local business owner had given him a few weeks back upon hearing that his minivan was out of service. That’s right… A stranger just gave him a truck. A nice Dodge Dakota. Only a couple years old, too. He has a family – been with his wife for 13 years now. Five kids, the oldest of which is currently in college and the youngest of which just turned 10. He told me of the time he walked to Florida from Lawrenceville about 7 years ago. (We didn’t have time to get to that one, but we will!) He gave me some papers that contained messages with scriptural references. He also gave me his number and invited me to said local business owner’s store on Saturday morning, where said business owner has opened his store up for a gathering of local men (all of whom Dwayne met while on said street corner) for general fellowship and maintaining good spiritual health. I think that’s amazing. A gathering of strangers – men from all different walks of life who wouldn’t normally come together under normal circumstances – for nothing but to lift one another up in brotherhood to face life’s everyday ins and outs. To pray for each other. To help one another and to provide insight and understanding. This gathering of 12 men as a result of God’s call for Dwayne’s heart. I felt privileged to have shared that little bit of time with him on the sidewalk this morning, amid ALL the honks of his passing fans. There were a ton of them. I found myself waving at all of them too! =) Kinda fun!
Needless to say, I’m glad I stopped. I say humbly that we all have a chance to “stop” everyday.
We’re always better as a result of it, I’m finding.
You are too much, Lewie. I mean that in a very good way. Not in the “throwing pennies at Vicky and me” way.
LMAO!!!!!
XOXOXO
*LMAO* Oh my…Lew was really angry that time. He actually threw pennies AT ME from the loft. Hard. And with feeling, too. I love you, Lew. You are an amazing guy. You still make me laugh like a loon….God bless you.
I have chills! I was so excited when Marti told me that you did stop that morning… I think I searched the internet for an hour trying to find out more about Dwayne. Everyone needs to know about him and his story and mission! I can’t believe I couldn’t find anything… I’m the queen of stalking.
When he’s on Today or Oprah, I’ll be able to say I know all about him.
Keep us posted on your new friendship.
Will do, Dale! He was absent from his post each of the last two mornings, so I called him this morning to ask what was wrong. He said that yesterday he had a speaking engagement at a local church over a men’s prayer breakfast. (Through someone he met out on the corner)
And this morning, he said he let his daughter’s ferret out to let it walk the yard, but it got lost and was gone for over an hour or so, so he was late getting out there. =) True story!
Vicky/Rhonda: Now as for that penny-throwing incident… WHAT was I throwing pennies at you for? I cannot remember for the life of me! I was ticked, though! I DO remember that much!
I recalled an incident the other day that was so *rich* that I had to share it with Marti and she giggled about it too. Rhonda and I had gotten into an argument at the gas station right around the corner from the loft apartment and I just had the car washed. Okay… Well I don’t remember what in the heck we were arguing about, but I do recall it being so heated that a certain someone felt the need to *walk* the 2 blocks back home. In my attempt to get “them” back into the car, I drove alongside them the entire way – on the shoulder/sidewalk of the road. THEN, just as we were a few feet from the entrance to the complex, in a last ditch attempt to get her back into the car, I crossed her path on the sidewalk (bad move) causing her to stop, spit on the windshield, then grab and throw one BIG, two-handed scoopful of dirt on my windshield in utter
angerdelight. You DO remember just how much I loved a clean car, inside and out, right? I turned the wipers on and watched as this smeared stuff just streaked across my once pristine windshield. I was such a *jerk* – all I could think about was my car being dirty!I’m giggling hard just thinking about it now. =)
Lewis,
I have to say this is one of the most moving stories that I have ever read! Not everyone would do what you have done! God is glorious is all things!
I am speechless and blessed at the same time!
I am so proud to call you a brother in Christ!
Carolyn