Leticia

Stories like the one below that was told to Jackie this week are actually not that uncommon for us to hear. I have actually talked to dozens of people on our driving tests who have had family, friends or both die from things like gunshots.

Just last week a women told Jackie about getting a house on a nice cul-de-sac behind the old Rodgers Department Store that we drive past on our tests. Although not intended for her, one night 9 days after moving in someone emptied the rounds of two automatic guns into her home. They just missed her young niece but a bullet went through one cheek and out the other side of this lady's head requiring seven major surgeries to fix.

The Leticia of this story never had a driver's license or insurance for her car. One day the police pulled her over, she went before a judge and he gave Leticia a month to get her license or she would have to spend 60 days in jail. Of course she comes for her test only 2 days before the end of her month leaving almost no chance to take the test again in case she fails. Jackie asked her why she waited so long and she told Jackie that she was scheduled for a week before but one of her nieces got killed in an auto accident that day leaving her six kids orphans. She had to go and be with the family.

Leticia had rented one of our cars for her test and I remember her walking across the parking lot to our location with a big smile on her face. When Jackie and I stopped for dinner on our way home I told her my story from that day about a woman named Aliyah who kept dating "knuckleheads". They would come over to her house and her Momma didn't like any of them. "She would never even lay a plate of food in front of those boys" said Aliyah. But her current boyfriend was a very shy co-worker with whom she shared a common bus route. He treats her like a queen, does all of Momma's home improvement projects in good cheer, and of course they both love him. Then Jackie tells me Leticia's story.

Leticia

My Momma died in my arms
and I think, there be nothing wrong with Momma,
Why she die?

So I had them do an autopsy,
and they said - cyanide.

Momma's boyfriend was putting rat poison in her food.
They couldn't stick him with it,
but I know he did it.

He may not face a judge here.
but there is a judge he cannot avoid.

One day the video store call me.

They said, Leticia, you kids be running around outside buck naked.
I go home and, sure enough, they be naked.
Momma's boyfriend had kicked them out of the house without any clothes.
I look in the window and he be dragging Momma down the stairs.

You know. his Momma died when he was born.
Maybe that's why he don't know how much it hurts to lose you Momma.

Awhile back I went to a church down in Indianapolis.
They said, you must trust the Man.
I gave my life right then to Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.

When the funeral place fixed up Momma
they finally told me I could go in the other room and look at her.
I walked over, rubbed my hand softly on her head and told her,

Momma, I miss you!
Then I prayed that I could talk with my Momma one last time.

Two nights later I was sleeping and the phone rang.
There was this kind of wind in the background and someone spoke.

Leticia! the voice said.

Is that you Momma? I said,
praise be to Jesus!

Momma, where are you?

I in hell!

Momma, I told you that you needed to change things!

I know Leticia.

Oh oh, someone be coming . . .
click

You know, The Lord is Good!
He let me talk to my Momma one last time.