Still Small Voice

 

My upstairs neighbor, Stephen, I've written about them before he's unique to put a fine point on a description. In some ways Stephen brings out the worst in me and I really have to ride myself not to react to his comments. I'm much better now than I used to be but still I worry.

My new regimen for Thursdays is to rise early and start my weekly wash. I don't know if anyone remembers at one time these to have a coffee hour where folks would get together in the common room drink coffee/chocolate or whatever and just gab for about an hour. I feel that spot, actually all early morning Thursday with washing my clothes. Of course, when I wash my clothes I must pass the common room and I swing in your to see if there are any new treasures on the sharing shelf. I was lucky today there was another bottle of tomato juice – low-sodium of course I can always fix that. My theories it's better to have low-sodium tomato juice and a carton of Morton salt and have no two juice at all. I started by wash came back to fetch the bottle and see what else was on The table when I heard noises over by the fireplace where the other in the room. The common area/room is huge with a big fireplace at one end surrounded by overstuffed chairs and sofas. Can serve as a nice gathering place When Covid is not a threat. The room is rarely lit up so it's dark with just the outside light filtering and through glass doors and high windows. I heard some knocking around again and look closer and I could make out the silhouette of my upstairs neighbor Stephen huddling close to the blue gas flame of the fireplace. I know better than to try to engage in a meaningful conversation with Stephen but hope springs eternal and so I rolled over and see if I might assist Stephen if he needed help. Of course Stephen didn't need any help he was just trying to get close enough to the flame to feel some heat. The kind of broke my heart. It's not like it's that cold the building however. But I think Stevens even told that I am and his frail and bottom line is a kind like the guy. For those interested you can search this blog for “Steve or Stephen” and you should be able to find some other posts.

What's interesting About Stephen is that he has a charismatic Mormon. Like the charismatic Christians who do all kinds of weird things charismatic Mormons like to see about miracles of the church historic and current and personal revelations/discussions with Holy Ghost and other ecclesiastical ringers. I think today we got onto talking about the tragic freezeout in Texas and I made the mistake of sharing with Stephen that I'm just worried what our challenge here Lund Wasatch front would be or will be. I talked about how I've been thinking what would we do if we had whether so inclement that knocked out the power (see blog earlier this week) how would we deal with days of no electricity, heat or even drinkable water that did not have to be treated or boiled. Of course at this point I always bring up the fact that we along the Wasatch front may not have to worry about snow-pocalypse But we will sooner or later have to cope with a major earth shift causing untold destruction along the Wasatch front in Salt Lake Valley. Of course, Stephen let me know about how many times he's heard the Spirit advise him to instantly move on to move immediately and he did. One case was I believe the earthquake in California 1989 he was under an overpass and had promptings to move immediately and he did only to see in the afternoon news that the overpass had “pancaked” right on the area where he had been and often and always his life is driven by the way “still small voice”. This is about the time in our conversation when I split because I know he's just going to get crazier from there. As I hurried to get to my good excuse of checking on my laundry Steve thanked me for allowing him to share his spiritual moment with me and I guess I was glad to hear it up and made Stephen feel better. Didn't do much to help me though the big slip is still coming and you can only so much in the power chair