Son,

I ate breakfast at a truck stop today. My lady friend and I went to breakfast and we talked about Perkins and Denny’s and other franchise places. Then we decided to go to the local truck stop – you know, greasy spoons, heaping hash browns, sausage gravy, that stuff. The clientèle was what I remembered from my last visit – good ode boys having coffee, bantering with the waitress.

I went to the restroom and while meandering back to our booth I noticed a book on a patron’s table. Always interested in books I slowed to catch a glimpse of what the ode boy was reading. It was something like ‘Mood Swings’ with a subtitle of ‘how to live in a difficult world.’ Something like that – I did not hang around to make him uncomfortable.

Modernity has caught up with the rural Missouri rednecks! I sat in my booth, quietly observing the man with the book. He was alone, sipping his coffee, a sadness about him. Was there sadness – or did I imagine it because of the book? It was like sadness – I have seen sadness many times – but there was a sense of hope. He had that book – it was saying to him “Do not despair – for there is hope.”

There was evidence of faith. If he had no faith the book would not have been there. He does not understand the world of psychology – and he does not need to. He only needs to have faith that if he listens and tries, life will be better.

I felt inspired by the faith of a common man – sitting alone in a truck stop, drinking coffee, pondering life.

Dad