If we look for it, every day can be a new and memorable one to where we’ll continue to look for the next. I had several memorable events starting with this morning. At likely the last moment, I decided to drive to another town not so terribly far away and attend a church service. I made it there about two minutes before the tower bell tolled. Being a stranger in their midst, I found it interesting to see them paying more attention to me than the presider. I noticed more than one watching me from the corner of my eye. The musicians were up at the front which consisted of a male electric piano player and a female singer. I know I’m really going to have to get over being critical of the attire people wear when attending a Sunday church service. There were likely 75 people and at least half of the males were wearing shorts and loose tops being either t-shirts or polo shirts. Even the male piano player was wearing shorts and a short sleeved shirt that wasn’t tucked in. The females were also casually dressed in various styles. And there yours truly sat with a white cotton long sleeved shirt with navy slacks and dress shoes.
I’m glad I decided not to don a tie this morning when dressing or I’d have certainly been considered an alien. Another thing I noticed was the female vocalist drinking from a plastic water bottle too many distracting times. The music was good but I noticed something very interesting about their electric piano. Whenever there was a more difficult piece to be played, the pianist would push a button and it would play itself. About a quarter way through the piece, he started playing, or appeared to be doing so. I’ve heard of lip syncing, but not finger syncing music. All in all I was glad I went and may someday revisit the church and be sure to dress down for the occasion. Just as I was walking to my car I heard a woman’s voice behind me. I turned and looked to find someone I remembered seeing some months ago in Mason City. She knew who I was and was curious as to why I was there. I told her I’d just decided to pay her town and church a visit on such a beautiful Sunday morning and was glad I did. She seemed happy with my response as I waved at her while getting into my car. There’s no doubt I was going to be the subject of later conversations.
Just as I walked back into my office I noticed an ambulance on the street out front. I walked up to the window and noticed two of them there just as a police car was pulling up. It appeared they were walking into the Kirk Apartment building which is located just across. Since I know the police officer that was in the car, I walked out and asked, “What’s going on?” “Someone in the Kirk said they could smell gas and it sounds like a pilot light must have gone out.” He replied. Just as he was speaking, I noticed a huge fire truck pulling into view which must have been parked just out of my field of vision. I walked away thinking, “Yup. Whenever someone calls 911 about smelling gas in a building, everyone’s on it with lightening speed.” I’m still not quite sure why two of the paramedics were escorting a 40ish pudgy woman into one of the ambulances. Maybe she was asking to be taken to the Emergency Room to be checked for gas. It was quite the morning with two unusual events and it wasn’t even 10:00 am. Without a doubt, I certainly did have a memorable day.
