We were out walking the dogs in the Cain Center Park. It’s our favorite loop trail. It was hot, we had gone an extra long distance and it was time to head back to home and the air-conditioning. The dogs were dragging. Between us and home was an estate sale. The road was filled on both sides with cars. It meant that the road was very narrow and only one car could pass at a time.
I pulled the dogs tight on their leash. The cars, the traffic and the closeness made us all a little nervous. We started down through the car gauntlet. In front of us, a red pick-up was trying to thread the needle. A car was waiting on the other side. The red truck seeing the car started to hug the right side, thinking it might create enough space for the car. There was not enough space. The red truck hit a white truck and then scraped down the side leaving a blood like stain in its wake. Some black trim, set free by the collision, waved happly like a dogs tail.
The occupant of the white truck stepped out, a little stunned, and stared at the damage. The driver of the red truck pulled to the side. He parked and then headed toward the estate sale. The driver of the white truck walk toward him expecting some recognition for what had just happened. He told him that he hit his truck. The red truck driver denied it. We had reached them by this time. I confirmed that he had hit the truck. I followed them back to examine the damage.
About that time, the driver of the car parked behind the white truck stepped up and said, “You also hit my car!” I had not seen it. I was looking down at my dogs and trying to stay out of the way, but the paint gashes where real. I left my phone number as they all began to share insurance cards. I took pictures in case anyone need to ask me what I saw. I felt bad for everyone.
I wondered how the situation might have gone differently if there had been no witnesses. Who do you believe? Who do you trust? When God calls you to stand up in the community and testify to what you have seen - the risen Christ, the forgiving Christ, the righteous Christ, will you? When someone who is likely to be overlooked or who has no voice is in need, will you stand up for them? Acts 1:8 says, “You will be my witnesses.” How good of a witness are you?