Chapter 31 - Bite My Tongue

“Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned

with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer
every man.”

—Colossians 4:6

The winter was a cold one! We were studying

French in Sherbrooke, Canada. We had been
there nearly two months and we were getting heavy
snow. I love snow, but enough is enough, and the
winter was far from over. It was so cold that the tires
of our vehicle froze to the pavement, the door locks
froze up, and it seemed that even we would freeze if
we stayed outside too long.
    One night I parked in the parking lot in front
of a snowbank, and the next morning our car was
missing. The snowbank was gone, so I knew the car
could not be buried in the snow. Maybe someone
had stolen it. I went into the apartment building
office to report my car as stolen. When they asked
me where I had parked it, I said, “In front of a snowbank.”
They informed me that parking your car in
front of a snowbank at night would result in having
your car towed to the police station. I would have to
go there to retrieve it. I thought, Thanks for telling
me this now! but I did not say anything.
    I was a bit distracted by this unexpected event and
decided to walk to the police station. That was my
second mistake. I was given directions to the station
and off I went. It was about two miles, a bit farther
than I had anticipated. Reaching the station, I was
almost frozen to death and wished that I had taken
a taxi. I related my story, provided my address, and
showed them my registration card for the vehicle.
They all had a good laugh at my expense.
    It was no laughing matter to me, but I bit my
tongue because it was my fault for not knowing the
rules at the apartment. Then the woman said the
fine was thirty-five dollars, which I would need to
pay in cash. I almost became unglued, this would
of been my third mistake, but the Lord
gave me grace. I held my tongue, paid the fine, and
headed back to the apartment. For the rest of our
stay in Sherbrooke, Canada, I always made sure I parked in
a proper parking space!

(Copyright by Jay B Ayers)