“So, Jerry. I hear you’re looking to leave us?” Machines had gone quiet in a rare printing lull. My colleague, Frankie, stepped to my work area. He was referring to the notice I had given our company the day before. I nodded his way, “Yeah.” “We’ll miss you around here.” I smiled a thank you. “Well, with you going off to San Antonio— Bible school, right? — I’m sure you’ve got a job waiting down there?” “Actually, Frankie no. I don’t. Not yet.” “Really. . . no job? Wow.” His forehead formed wrinkles as he took up his place again next to his machine. Soon he was back, “Uh, Jerry, no job yet? Uh. . . what will you do about food and stuff?” My own thoughts drifted more seriously to the matter of provision once in Texas. “Well, things will come together,” I offered at last. Another pause. “Mm, Jerry.” “Yeah?” “How about the payments on your car? How do you plan to make those?” With a good job and my wife’s work as a keypunch operator for an oil company, we had traded the Karmann Ghia clunker for a sweet blue Pontiac Tempest. “Well, I’m not really sure. But I believe God will provide.” In a tone less assuring than mine, Frankie muttered, “Looks like he’ll sure have to.” The exchange ended. Or, so I thought. Frankie returned to his equipment, but in moments stepped back to my work area. His words gave me pause, “So now, Jerry, can I ask you this. . . what does your wife think of starving to death?”

©2019 Jerry Lout Speaker-Writer Jerry Lout grew up in Okmulgee County. A graduate of Preston High, he completed media training at O.S.U. Okmulgee prior to his San Antonio college years. He and his wife served twenty years as missionaries in Africa. Twice visited by polio, Jerry authored “Living With A Limp”. His “Giants in the Rough” memoir highlights the Louts' overseas years. His works are available on Amazon.com and www.jerrylout.comcarries his blog posts. Inquiries and comments to jerrylout@gmail.com.