A gift

I wanted to talk about one of my good friends. I call him "Michael the Preacher".

He's done more for me than he'll ever know...

My oldest daughter is 6 years old. She goes to a private school. Last summer, they tested her and moved her forward a grade. She skipped from Kindergarten directly to 2nd grade. This worried me so much I was losing sleep. It ate on me for weeks. I knew she could do the work, what was concerning me was her emotional development. She'd be going to school with kids a year older than she is.

A while later, I mentioned my concern to Michael. He spent a long time talking to me about it. Seems Michael has a Master's Degree in education. I mean no disrespect to the man by saying this, but that fact floored me. He actually has double Master's Degrees (the other is in Theology, hence the "Michael the Preacher" name). The reason I was surprised was that he's just a greasy handed car guy like me. He is humble to a fault and never advertises his knowledge in any obvious way. He had never told me of his schooling. After the talk with him, my fears were rested. He told me how girls develop and how boys develop and that skipping 1st grade is an ideal thing for a bright girl child. It all made sense. I felt like someone had lifted a heavy load off my shoulders. I slept well again. Let me repeat this, I literally felt like I had been carrying a heavy backpack on my shoulders for weeks. I don't think I have ever, in my life, felt such a sense of relief.

A few weeks ago, Michael brought his engine over to my shop and I put a rear main seal in it. I could tell he felt indebted to me for this. Changing a main seal is nothing for me. I'm good at that kind of stuff. It took maybe 45 minutes. But, never-the-less I could tell he felt a sense of debt over it. I wish I could have expressed to him my gratitude over the advice he gave me about my daughter. I'm the one that owes the favor.

Yesterday he stopped by the fire station and visited me. He brought me something.

A pair of original, never been used, 63 farm truck license plates. If you don't know, in Texas you are allowed to run original plates on any vehicle over 25 years old, if you can find a set ! Somewhere, some how, he found them for me and they are nice ones.



I will run them proudly on the 63 truck.

Michael, I really appreciate everything you have done for me. Sorry I can't ever seem to say it in person.