My "Father with a Cane" Miracle

I would like to share with you a miracle that I experienced yesterday right here in NYC. My daughter is visiting from Toronto, and this is the first time she has been able to cross the border in over 2 years due to all the Covid complications. I wanted to take her to a Broadway play or musical, and she told me that her first choice was Book of Mormon. So, yesterday I went to the half-price TKTS booth in Times Square to try to get tickets. When I arrived, I realized that the line was very long for the matinees, probably at least an hour - maybe more. But I was intent on getting tickets so just went to the end of the line and was prepared to wait. I was wearing my clerical collar, which I often do when I am out and about in NYC, because (1) it reminds me of my personal commitment I have made to extend compassion to all living beings, and (2) people often ask me what "church" I belong to and this gives me an opportunity to proselytize a bit about the Compassion Consortium, without being overbearing. Anyway, I digress. I had been standing in line for less than 1 minute when a young man wearing a TKTS jacket approached me and asked "Father, what show do you want to see today"? I just went with the flow and told him Book of Mormon, and he responded that they had great seats for this show. Then he said "Since you have a cane, I can take you to the front of the line". I was very surprised at this, but I am not one to turn down a miracle when it is offered. As he escorted me through the immense crowd of tourists waiting in line, he asked me "where are you from?" I responded that I had come to Times Square from the "Land called Harlem", which he thought was pretty funny. Anyway, he actually took me to the very front of the line and told me that I would be the next person to purchase tickets. I thanked and blessed him profusely. So, we had our tickets and when we arrived at the Eugene O'Neil theater I purchased a bottle of water, and since I was kind of on a roll, I sat quietly in my seat, closed my eyes and imagined the bottle of water turning into red wine. Alas, I opened my eyes and it was still a bottle of water. So, take aways from this experience. (1) the "Father with a Cane " experience will get me moved to the front of the line, but (2) I only get one miracle per day.

Rev. William