Conversations-2

"How was your trip?" Dennis asked me as he helped me put my bags in his trunk. Dennis is a friend of mine from church, and he organizes the Ultimate frisbee games that we tend to play on Saturday mornings. He had agreed to pick me up from the airport. I had just flown back from Oakland, where I got to spend some time with Laurel, one of my best friends from college.

"It was good, we had a lot of fun," I replied. "I got to spend some time with one of my best friends from college. She took me to a Sarah MacLachlan concert." I paused for a moment, thinking. "I missed you guys."

Dennis gave me one of those 'you're kidding me right?' looks and I amended my previous statement, "Well, maybe just a little." I showed him how much with my thumb and forefinger.

Dennis was still looking at me, "Just a little bit, huh?"

"Yeah, thanks for picking me up." I said, and settled more comfortably into his passanger seat. "What else did we do..., well, I went to her church and we just did what girls do. You know, stay up real late talking about girl stuff. You know, like a slumber party."

"Girl stuff, huh..." Dennis responded, "I haven't been to a sleep-over in forever."

"So did you have sleep-overs when you were younger?" I asked.

"Oh yeah. But we don't stay up all night talking, its more like we would just mess around." Dennis told me.

"Yeah well, I suppose its different for guys," I stated. "I'll bet there was lots of wrestling, giggling, farting..."

"Yeah," Dennis laughed. "Pranks..." he added.

"Tormenting the first guy who fell asleep..." I also added. "I have brothers, I know what happened.

Dennis laughed again. I laughed a little with him.

I changed the subject, "What did you guys talk about in church? What are we on now, Romans 11?"

Dennis thought about it, "Umm, what did we talk about...Romans 11, uhh...oh yeah, 'saved to works...'" Dennis paused, "You know, we are saved, not by works but for good works."

I shook my head in mock dismay. "Bob, Bob, Bob," I said, "He's always trying to come up with some catchy phrase." Bob is our pastor and is always trying to simplify things for us with catchy phrases. Last week it was 'Gospel in, gospel out.'

Dennis laughed.

"I love how he gets worked up about the gospel," I said, "It's his favorite subject." Bob could preach for hours just about the gospel message. "But he doesn't need to come up with all the catchy phrases."

"Yeah," Dennis added, "The funny thing is that I think he works hard to try and come up with those concepts."

We both laughed. I like Bob. He's a great pastor. He just has his quirks like everyone else.

I changed the subject again. "Did you guys go hiking on Saturday?"

"Yes, we did," Dennis replied. "It was about a 6 and-a-half miler round-trip."

"Where did you guys go?" I asked. "It always bums me out a little when I go away knowing that there was some kind of event planned, like hiking."

"It was almost in the desert off of the 8, but really far. And two people didn't bring any water. It was beautiful, one of those hot summer days, but we were all really thirsty when we were done. We basically ran out of water," Dennis said.

"Oh man, that's a bummer. If I had gone, you probably would have had enough. I usually keep a flat of water in my trunk. And just so you know, I usually have it when we play frisbee too," I informed Dennis. I thought about being thirsty in the desert. "You know," I offered, "It gives new meaning to that verse, 'As the deer panteth for the water so my soul longeth after thee.'" I continued, "I think every Christian needs to have two experiences in order to understand God better...being thirsty in the desert, and then being lost, and found, whether that's by your parents, friends, whatever."

Dennis nodded his head in agreement but didn't say anything.

As we continued driving I pointed to the City Wok, a Chinese restaurant on the left, "Look, Cheri pointed this out...its kind of funny. Get it? City Walk?"

"Oh yeah, that is kind of funny," Dennis replied.

"I love all the neon signs in this part of town," I stated. "Like Hillcrest...Northpark, University Heights...It's unique."

As I continued to point Dennis in the right direction to take me home I told him, "There's a hill coming up that if I were a cross-country runner, I would run up it every day."

Dennis told me, "You're still a cross-country runner."

"No, I'm not," I replied. "I hate running. I only did it to get in shape for soccer and it worked."

I continued to direct him toward the hill. "I refuse to ride my bike down this hill, it's too scary." We started the descent. I told Dennis, "If you drive too fast coming to this hill, you'll bottom out at the bottom."

"Really," he said, "I could see that."

I continued to navigate, "Okay, you are going to turn left after a few blocks."

Dennis said, "I don't think I've come this way before."

"I know," I said. I thought about Dennis and his love of doing unexpected things, 80's music, and high school chemistry, "I decided to take you the wacky route. I figured you'd be down with wacky."

"Yup," he responded.

"Turn here," I said, "My complex is that one right there on the right."

Dennis got out to help me with my bags again. I said, "God bless you brother, thanks for picking me up."

Dennis held out my book bag and put the strap over my head, as if awarding me a medal for an olympic event. In an awkward moment of comraderie he gave me a small shove on the shoulder and said, "Anytime."

We both kind of looked at each other and laughed. I offered him a hug. "Thanks," I said. "I'll see you later."

I walked up the stairs and opened my door, and as I did, I heard a car drive away.

It is good to be home.