The Night Bus

Several weeks ago I took the driving portion of the test for a CDL (Commercial Driver’s License).  I needed one to drive the church 25 passenger bus up to Canada for a camp we were attending.  Passed the written test no problem, and had to take the last part which is a pre-inspection test and the driving test itself.

The night before the test I had a rather vivid nightmare.  In the dream I had just come from taking the test and had failed.  I was particularly frustrated and needed to pass this test.  Just then a black bus pulled up and opened the back/side door to the bus.  A guy inside said if you need a CDL come with us, we will get you one.  I got on the bus despite the dark nature of the beast and those on board.  It was late at night, and sort of dark glow came from the interior.  Several men and women were aboard the bus.  One particular woman talked to me, and I asked her where she was from.  She said Memphis.  I never did see the driver of the bus even though I was near the front.  That was the end of the dream.

Day came and I went with a friend up to Indianapolis at a professional truck driving school to take the test.  Pulling in I didn’t have the best of feelings, but I had studied well, and driving a number of miles in the bus.  Felt like I was very well prepared. 

For the test itself this rather older gentlemen with a checklist asked me to do the walk around inspection.  I pointed out all of what I thought were the necessities, and spent a particularly long time doing it.  We then moved to the interior and I showed everything there is to show.  Upon finishing he told me I had failed.  He mentioned I didn’t point to the water pump, the reflective tape on the bumper, and a few other ridiculous items of such nature.  Just purely absurd. 

Not realizing it at the time, but my initial part of the nightmare had come true.  I believe the rest was a forewarning.   

For this past week Sunday school lesson I had been teaching on the Lord’s Prayer.  This particular part was on Matthew 6:13 “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one”.  Having prepared a lesson on this, I completely scrapped it, and related my story instead.  I also used Josh Turner’s song and video “The Long Black Train” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZtwxc423jg.  

That particular song relates well to both the passage, and my nightmare.  You can also read how that song came to Josh here: http://www1.cbn.com/700club/story-behind-josh-turners-long-black-train.

Moral of the story, be careful what you want, and how far you will go to get it.  Nothing, repeat nothing is worth a ride on the Long Black Train, or the Dark Night Bus.  I’m not feeling any too good about Memphis either …