"I don't know, Hunny." Julio held his head in his hands, elbows on the little formica dining table as he spoke to his wife. "It almost seems like showing him the people at Broad street and the rehab clinic made him want to do more drugs."
Diana thought for a moment and said, "What if you take him to see someone who is really successful? Maybe he needs the opposite to motivate him."
Julio thought for a moment and looked up. He nodded.
"What about Mr. Jiminez." She added. "That's the guy with the big house in Mineral Heights isn't it? Maybe Charles would listen to him."
"Yeah, that's not a bad idea." Julio pulled out his phone to look up his number. He texted him, "Hey Pablito! Hey, I have a favor to ask of you. My kid is making some bad decisions and I'd love to give him a glimpse of what a good life looks like. Could I bring him by sometime to meet you?"
He looked up and before they started talking again his phone buzzed. He looked down and read, "Julio! My friend. Great to hear from you. Yes, I'd truly love to meet your son. Is he free tomorrow? Do you think he'd be up for a tour of the office/lab? I'd love to show him what we're working on here. Would that help?"
A large grin crept across Julio's face and when he looked up tears were in Diana's eyes. He shook his eyes and said, "And he's just such a good guy."
***
The next day Julio pulled up and he and Charles got out. The first thing Charles did was peak into the Tesla in the driveway.
A voice startled him "Wanna drive it?"
Charles looked up and saw a 50 year old Mexican man with salt and pepper hair and a wry smile. Charles stuttered, "Uh," he looked to his dad, who tried to play it cool as he nodded. "Yeah, I guess so."
Pablo tossed him the key and said, "Let's go." He turned to Julio and said, "We got it from here, Mr. Gomez. We'll be back in an hour or two."
The wide-eyed Charles opened the driver's side door and got in as Julio and Pablo exchanged a look. Julio mouthed a huge-eyed "Gracias."
Pablo winked and said, loud enough for Charles to hear in the car, "Yeah, after I got sober at age 28 I was able to start my own business. Let's drive to my office. I have all sorts of stuff I'd love to show you, if you're curious."
---
God doesn't just want to remove our sin. He wants to remove our sin because that is much of what holds us back from becoming the strong and beautiful creatures he made us to be.
댓글