The Johnsons tell a story about a certain relative, exiled from the privilege of driving, puttering into town on a lawn mower, drunk, reaching down with oblivious intent into the whirring blades and coming out a few digits shy of a primate. Wounded, he was driven to the emergency room, still drunk, bled white, loosely bandaged, harrowed, he stares off into the headlit darkness before, waves his missing fingers in the air and declares, over and over; "The road goes on and on. First your money, then your clothes." These words repeat like a mantra of cool acceptance of a neutral universe which would just as soon take a finger than let you win the lottery.
I thought about these words all the way back to Virginia. I took them to heart. I drove in only my underwear. "First your money, then your clothes." What did it mean? I believe in my soul that if you cannot find guidance in the ramblings that take place during a drunken blood-letting, you are way beyond instruction.
I am the first (sometimes a short second) to admit that I am a man shadowed by faults. Occasionally, even my best traits will become flaws in the wake of my excesses. At best, I am a man prone to the carelessness that engenders metaphorical and emotional lawnmower accidents. However, this weekend served as reminder of all those people in the world who would, without obligation, pack me up and drive me to help. The long road of life may be waiting for my money, or my clothes, but I have friends, and some of them would doubtless put their hands deep into the blades in exchange for my worthless digits. I would do the same. And it is good to be reminded of this.
Matt and Jackie, may you both keep the road from tugging at each other's money and clothes. May you keep your metaphorical fingers out of metaphorical blades. Your presence here, and a few other people as well, will serve as a reminder for me, on those occasions when I've had too much moonlight, to stay off of the heavy equipment and instead, settle down to bed, comforted in old friends and the potential of new ones.
