Music and Crazy Drivers

When we move into a new ward, it usually doesn't take long before people find out that I can play the piano and organ. I really enjoy playing the piano and I don't mind getting up in front of a group and sharing my talents like some people do. I've found in my experience with music at church that it's not as hard to find someone who can play the piano as someone who wants to. I think that's why my musical talents have been put to so much use in the church.

In this ward, I'm not exactly sure how the word got out, but it was fast. Last week, the bishop was meeting with new families in the ward individually during Sunday school, and we were one such family. While in there, he asked about our previous callings, and I recounted that all my past callings had been musical ones (Ward Organist, chorister, choir pianist, Relief Society pianist, primary pianist, etc.). He seemed happy about this but didn't really say much. 5 minutes later, I sat waiting for Relief Society to start and was asked if I could play the piano. Unless the bishop has a telepathic link with the R.S. presidency, there was no way for her to know of our conversation. But I happily agreed to play for the day. And I played again today. In a short amount of time, I am now accompanying a musical number for next week, I'm playing for a R.S. activity at the end of the month, and I'm the substitute for the ward organist when she needs me. The cat is out of the bag.

On the way home from church, we had a dangerous experience. We were driving on a 4 lane divided highway (2 lanes on each side), with a speed limit of 55 m.p.h., we were traveling about 60 m.p.h. in the right lane. Mckay, being the amazing, cautious driver that he is, noticed in his rear mirror that 2 cars were coming up quickly behind us, one in each lane, side by side. It seemed that the car in our lane was trying to speed up to get in front of the car in the other lane to go around us. The car in the other lane was going just as fast, to block the first car from changing lanes in front of him. I'm not sure what was going on, if these two cars knew each other, if they were messing around, but we were caught in the middle of it. They were coming up pretty quickly behind us, at least 70 m.p.h.. Neither had any intention of slowing and yielding to the other. The one car was just feet behind us and still accelerating, so Mckay swerved onto the shoulder to avoid being hit. They both passed us, still going just as fast, still locked side by side in the two lanes. We were pretty shaken up by the experience. A car almost hit us! The car had to have known we were there. If not, the driver is a very oblivious one and needs to learn a few things. I'm glad that Mckay was paying attention and was able to act quickly and safely to avoid an accident. We were glad to spend the rest of our Sunday peacefully at home instead of at a repair shop, or worse, a hospital.