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

doesn’t really do much for your image.” I said, “Well, my imagedoesn’t count.”He says, “Listen, I’ll give you...,” (I can’t remember now, I thinkit was either $3,000 or $5,000.) He said, “Don’t tell Normanwho’s given you this. You give it to Norman to get a change ofcars.” So I gave the money to Norman.Well for weeks and weeks and weeks after that, he haggled. Hewent into this place, he went into that place. He hemmed andhawed and if’d and but’d. And I exploded with the fellow! I said,“You’re like a perishing old washer woman! Why don’t you geton with it?! Buy something somewhere!” Saw all sorts....Now on the 2nd of January, I fell sick. And around January 5th,Norman and I landed in Florida at a dear brother’s home. Heand his wife began to care for me.I hobbled in and out, Sandra pumped pills into me and I was inmuch pain. I washed in bed, I cleaned my teeth in bed. Pierreslept in the next bed to me. They put cushions all around the bedto help ease the pain. And the only time I got out of bed was towalk across to the toilet. And I did that in extreme pain. I just hadto wait and let God heal me. I think it took about three weeks.Norman finally said, “Well, there’s nothing I can do for you, Imay as well go home.” And as he walked out the door, he pushedthe money into my hand. And he said, “Take this, you’re a sickman, you need it.”I didn’t have a meeting from the second of January ’till the endof March. And the money just came right. But poor old Normandidn’t have his car.So the end of the story… He’s back home in his old crate. Andhe’s taken his wife and kids out and he stops at the traffic light inAtlanta. And a big city waste-bin vehicle drives up into the backof his car and hits him, gives poor Mary a whiplash. The two kidsare screaming of fright. It’s a hot day, the windows are down.Norman had stopped at the lights. And there’s a police stationright there at the lights.Kids are screaming as the crash from this fellow hits the back. Thepolice come running out, poking their heads through the win-221