If you’re just joining me on this eventful recital of DearSunday: CCF, Brunch and the Blind Man, then catch up on Part 1 here.
Sunday 15th September 2013 continued:
As I embarked on my A Train journey back home I realised that I hadn’t eaten all day! My first thought was to call my room mate to find out if she wanted to see some sites and get something to eat. After minutes of more misplacement, this time in the Subway trying to find the exit *sigh*, guess who I saw? My room mate and the other girls! Where were they heading? TO BRUNCH! The Lord heard my stomach rumble and answered my thoughts!
We ate at Hotel Chantelle, bearing in mind this was an after 2pm Brunch we had to show ID to get in – to eat breakfast? Not that it bothered me, I just thought it interesting. I liked the food, although the girlies weren’t convinced and questioned the stability of our server – the atmosphere was pleasant and I was full by the time we left to go home! Mission accomplished I say!
Hotel Chantelle is a nice rooftop restaurant with live music, when we went I had the pleasure of listening to a 20s era-influenced Jazz band while I sipped on water without a lemon slice as we waited for our table to be made available. It was nice and I’ll definitely go back.
With our bellies full we headed back home, not before a quick caffeine stop (on my part).
So this is where the day got more interesting. We were waiting for our train home where we met a blind man with a guitar, he seemed to be heading to a gig. We had ended up sitting next to him at the station when my room mate noticed that he was fumbling with his guitar case trying to locate the zip. She helped out and that’s how we got talking.
As we spoke, he picked up on our accents asking “You guys tourists?” we all said no – well not anymore. So we explained what is was we were doing in America and he was shocked that we ever considered leaving the UK to come to America on the basis that “Every sport was invented in the UK.” [His words not mine].
He spoke, we responded, at times it did get awkward but we kept the conversation going. He asked us what colour we all were and “corrected” me when I said I was “black”. He said “My guitar case is black.” – so I had to say that I’m dark brown, having me sound like I was picking out crayons from a Crayola box! – America is political about a lot of things, a lot things being race.
After establishing our tones, hues, accents and origins, he pointed out that my room mate was particularly quite. Now understand – he couldn’t see her but he knew she was there and pointed in her direction and asked why she was so quiet. This fascinated me! That God is truly amazing, despite how limited this man seemed to us, God had blessed him with abilities that make him unlimited – if he truly believed he was. I was saddened by the fact that indeed he saw himself as limited when we started talking about travelling. He said he was afraid to travel, he was afraid of the unknown – the things we take for granted! If I could I would fly this guy around the world and be his personal tour guide just so he could travel and not be afraid to do so.
He unsuccessfully mimicked our accents and we laughed, we got on a packed train and I was disheartened that nobody felt it right to offer the man their seat, especially those sitting in priority seating. One of the girls had to ask someone to get up for him! When we had gotten to our stop we said our goodbyes to him and bid him a safe journey. I was impacted by this man, in such a short space of time – I could only pray that God sees him where he is and that the man get’s to know God if he hasn’t already decided to get to know him.
Overall I thank God for the gift of life and being able to experience the day the way I did. I also found it interesting that even though the girls aren’t Christians, God made it his priority that I enjoy my day with them in a genuine way. I really do enjoy their company. After such a fun filled day we went back to my apartment and made apple crumble. The girls liked it, although I thought it was too sweet, next time I’ll do the right thing and use cooking apples.
Praying that God keeps me and blesses me out here and that the people he has placed in my life will experience Christ for themselves [if they haven’t already].
Until next time!
Signed @OlayideM.
And there you have it my esteemed readers, my first time at CCF, Brunch at Hotel Chantelle and the Blind Man.
Dear Layide 