Around the World in 88 Years -E Book - Arthur Burt

I needed to catch the boat that crossed the channel to Rosslare,but I had been delayed when the Lord directed me to minister toa man. The boat was due to leave at 2:15 in the morning, a mostuncomfortable and inconvenient time, and I had to be on it or Iwould miss my speaking engagement the following day.I traveled through South Wales, arriving in Carmarthen close tomidnight, wondering how I would get to Haverfordwest to catchmy boat, when I saw a man come out of a pub and walk to a car.I approached him and asked, “Excuse me, you wouldn’t be goingwest, would you? I need to go to Haverfordwest to catch a boat.”“Oh, yes, Mon,” he replied with a thick Welsh accent. “I be goingwest. Yes, I be able to give you a lift, Mon. Sure.”“Well,” I said, “Thank you very much.”“That’s all right, Boyo. Get in.”“There’s just one thing,” I said. “Wherever you are going, I wouldbe grateful if you would drop me where there are lights. I wouldn’twant, so late at night, to be dropped in the dark.”“Oh sure, Boyo. I’ll drop you where the lights are, Mon, plentyof lights where I drop you. I turn up the mountain, but before Iturn up the mountain, I drop you at the lights, Mon.”“Thank you so much,” I said, and I got in. I smelled whiskey onhim as we swerved along the road, and I realized my chauffeurwas “three sheets to the wind.” I was grateful for the lift, althoughit was certainly a risky lift, and I put my trust in God.Finally, my friend stopped the car. “There you are, Boyo. I go upthe mountain here. I turn left up the mountain. You go straighton farther up the road.”“But... but,” I protested, “but, I asked you to drop me wherethere are lights. There are no lights here. It is pitch black dark!There’s no lights.”“Oh, plenty of lights, Mon, but they all go out at midnight. Plentyof lights here! Sorry, but they all go out at midnight, Boyo. Outyou go. Good-night, Boyo.”He turned and left me in absolute, pitch-black darkness, not aflicker of light anywhere. I thought, “Lord, what can I do?”170