August 29 – “Movie star”

So now I’m a movie star.  The line for autographs forms just outside my front door and to the left.  Well, maybe not an actual movie star.  Unless you talk to the lady who was taking water therapy at the same time as me yesterday. 

See, there were three of us at the side of the pool faithfully executing the individualized exercises designed to strengthen us where we need it most.  The man to my left I have talked with briefly before.  He is quite proud to proclaim himself a Bible teacher at his church.  I’ll be he is a good one, too.  He is recovering from a stroke.  There was a lady to my right I had not yet met, but she arrived later than us gents. 

I usually try to stay as focused as I can once I actually start an exercise.  Strictly because I’m such a good patient, you understand.  We’ll, that and I don’t want to lose count of how many times I have done each thing.  Such was the case yesterday.  I didn’t even see the lady ease up to the side bar at first.  But as I counted my way through lifting each leg (with weights attached, mind you), I began to feel someone staring at me.  I snuck a few glances her way, and sure enough, she was peering my direction every time.  I finally lost count completely, so I switched legs and made eye contact with her.  And that’s the moment she had been waiting for.  She pointed a finger at me and excitedly (and definitively) exclaimed, “Alan Alda.”  I looked around behind me, wondering if Galveston was playing host to a reunion show of M.A.S.H., but no one else was there.  I glanced back and she said, “That’s it.  Alan Alda.”  Now my curiosity got the best of me, so I managed to stumble out a rather feeble, “Excuse me?”  and she continued, “You’re Alan Alda.  I knew it.  Well, not Alan Alda really.  But you look just like him.  I can’t believe it.  Can I have your autograph?”  And my Bible teacher cohort on the other side chimed in, “We got M.A.S.H. goin’ on right over here now.  M.A.S.H. in the pool.  M.A.S.H. in the pool.”  She noticed my consternation, so she finally changed the subject a bit, asking where I was from.  I answered, “A little town called Galveston, near Texas.”  And that set her off again.  She was not born here, but she had family that was and she came every chance she could growing up.  About then one of the therapists brought a new client over and positioned himself between us.  Guess that was a silent reprimand for communicating without permission or something.  I slid down a bit further away from my adoring fan, but not before tossing out, “Oh, and you can sure have my autograph.”  The therapist turned toward me, trying to appear nonchalant.  But the questioning look on his face was priceless.  Just who has he been strapping weights on these last few weeks?  Why, it’s Hawkeye Pierce.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 says, “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”

Father, thank you for new friends, even when they think you are someone else.  Amen.