Dora the Explorer and Bar Evangelism

We were sitting in our regular spot at "The Spot." (That's what we call it...) No really, it's our spot--we even have a sign, but I digress...

Several tables down a woman sat by herself. She ordered a margarita and took one sip. Now here's where the truth is which isn't very flattering. My friend and I were making fun of her. I'd like to say in a nice way, and I suppose if you can make fun of someone in a nice way, we were. We just kept saying, "How can she not drink that? What is wrong with her? She's pretty lame." I get it not the nicest of people we were being. She ordered some food and the margarita just sat there. Periodically her phone would ring and she'd shout into it, "I AM NOT COMING HOME!" and then hang up. It was entertaining, or maybe not entertaining so much as we were curious, and laughing--again, not my proudest moment.

A few minutes later she called Javier (yes we know all the servers) over and started shouting at him to get her server. "This is the worst margarita I've ever had and I've had lots of margaritas. And do you call these tacos? Get my server that other guy." Now she definitely had our attention. Javier kept trying to calm her down and she kept screaming for her server. What we knew (because we're there all the time) was her server, Marlo, speaks NO English. And not only that, he is our favorite and no one was going to yell at him whether he could understand what they were saying or not!

I stood up to go to the bathroom (I had had more than one sip of my drink) and stopped as I was passing her table. "M'am," I said, "It sounds like you're having a really bad day. Why don't I just pay for your drink and meal? There's no reason to yell at the servers." She turned her fury on me, "Why in the world would you do that?" I responded, "I can just tell you've had a bad day. We're regulars here and really like these people so I'd like to do it." Honestly, I have no idea what she was thinking, but she turned back to Javier and said, "Get this stuff off my table." Javier scooped up the plate and margarita and we rounded the corner. 

As he headed for the kitchen and me towards the bathroom, I took that margarita right out of his hand. I mean come on, I was paying for it! She'd only taken one sip, and we could get new straws...

I passed the margarita through the slot, went to the bathroom, and returned to our table. It wasn't over.

The woman came to our table and said in a somewhat hostile tone, "I want to know why you would do that." I was beginning to soften towards her--I think this is probably where the Holy Spirit nudged me into realizing this wasn't just a funny encounter--"I just wanted to help you out. We weren't eavesdropping" (a small white lie for the greater good) "but heard you on the phone" (She was very loud.) "and it just seems like it's been a bad day." Now her eyes softened and she said, "Well, if you consider not getting unemployment for 3 months, losing your house, and totaling your car a bad day. You're right. But I still don't get it. Is this like where I'm supposed to pay it forward?" "You can do that if you want," I told her, "but that's not why I did it. I just hope your day gets better. May I ask your name?"

I might have lied to her a tad bit, but I won't lie here--this is where it got a bit funny again...

"Dora," she said, "Like the explorer." My friend turned to the wall she was laughing so hard. For the record, she turned to the wall several times...

"Well, Dora," I said, "I'd like to add you to my prayer list."

My friend composed herself and said, "She's an Episcopal priest. She does that."

Dora reared back and shouted, "ME TOO!!!" (Friend again faces the wall) "Oh, not the priest part," she corrected, "I'm Episcopalian." The Holy Spirit just wouldn't leave me alone....

"Tomorrow night we're having a Blue Christmas service at St. Thomas across the street. It's for people struggling during this time of year or wanting to be a support to others struggling. I'd love for you to come."

Dora looked at me wide-eyed and said, "St. Thomas across the street? That's my church!" (you guessed it, friend again faces the wall. I mean she's been a member her entire life and I've been the priest for almost six years and neither of us has ever seen Dora...). 

"Please join us," I said, "And I'll definitely be praying for you."

Dora looked at us a little teary and said, "Well, thank you. I'll see you tomorrow night." And she walked out.

She didn't come the next night, but I have prayed for her, and I have told this story many times. The thing is, we never really know what people are going through, and we never really know when or where the Holy Spirit is going to nudge us. We have to be ready. 

Oh, and that margarita, we got two new straws and split it--and The Spot comped the meal...