Keep Your Eyes On The Road

A Slice of Life

     Bill Lites

In the fall of 1954, I was going to school, working part-time as a checker in a super market, and riding a lightweight Harley Davidson 165cc motorcycle all over town.  I was tall and lightweight myself at the time, so the motorcycle suited me real fine.

One day, after school, I was on my way down town to the Harley Davidson shop, when I saw my sister up ahead, walking home from her school with some friends.  Hoping to show off my shiny red motorcycle and get a little attention from the girls, I honked my horn and waved as I passed them.

With my attention on the girls, I hadn’t noticed the dump truck and workmen stopped in the middle of the street making pothole repairs.  There were no caution signs of any kind or flagmen warning traffic of the roadwork being done.  So, the first time I was aware of a problem was, when I looked from the girls and back to the road.  There was the bed of the dump truck right ahead of me.  I didn’t have time to think.  I just reacted.  I threw my weight and the motorcycle to the left, my left foot hit the pavement with a slap, and then I pushed myself and the motorcycle back up with my left leg.  This all happened in a split second as the motion carried me and the motorcycle down, under the corner to the bed of the dump truck, and back up on two wheels.

I pulled over to the curb, slowed to a stop and just sat there trying to stop shaking and catch my breath.  I couldn’t believe what had just happened.  If I had held my attention on the girls for one second longer, I would have run right into the bed of that dump truck and that would not have been a pretty sight, and I wouldn’t be here today telling this story.

I believe that Someone bigger than you and me has my life and breath in His hands and has been guiding me and watching over me from the day I was born.  I don’t know why He has been so good to me but, I thank Him,  God of the Angel Armies.

John 10:28

Tags: Faith, God, Teen males