What Did You Say Your Name Was?
\nBy Hal Haralson, Attorney
\nAustin, Texas<\/p>\n
I was signing books in the Rockdale Public Library on November 18. I had told stories from Gentle Mercies: Stories of Faith in Faded Blue Jeans to six different classes of elementary school children that afternoon.<\/p>\n
The children sat in wide-eyed fascination as I told them the "Story of the Double Hearts" and the "Sears and Roebuck Christmas."<\/p>\n
Samantha entered the library tugging on her father`s hand. I recognized the beautiful ten-year-old girl from one of the classes.<\/p>\n
She wanted a book!<\/p>\n
Samantha`s father didn`t look too excited about this transaction. His boots, felt hat and faded jeans indicated that he spent most of his time in a pickup or on a horse. The Rockdale Public Library was not his usual hangout.<\/p>\n
After the book was signed, Samantha went to the desk to talk to the librarian.<\/p>\n
I struck up a conversation with Samantha`s father and told him I grew up on a ranch in West Texas. I told him the story of Jay Nixon (Gentle Mercies, 73) the cowboy whose prayer was laced with profanity.<\/p>\n
He liked that and we both felt comfortable with each other.<\/p>\n
Then he told me a story of his own.<\/p>\n
"I was foreman on a ranch near Houston owned by Wayne Fisher." (Having practiced law in Texas for 30 years I knew Fisher to be one of the top trial lawyers in the nation.)<\/p>\n
"Mr. Fisher was going to a cattle sale to buy a bull and I drove the truck so we could take him back to Fisher`s ranch.<\/p>\n
This cattle sale was really high dollar. There were two big tents filled with food and wealthy ranchers. The other tent held the auction ring where a bull had just sold for over $100,000.<\/p>\n
I wasn`t dressed for the occasion and headed for the barn. A pot-bellied stove knocked the chill off the air, and I stood warming myself.<\/p>\n
A cowboy came up and began warming himself by the fire. His well-worn boots and faded jeans matched the weathered felt hat he was wearing.<\/p>\n
He was friendly and asked where I was from<\/p>\n
I told him I worked for the Fisher ranch and had driven our truck so we could take the bull back that Mr. Fisher intended to buy.<\/p>\n
`How are you?` I replied.<\/p>\n
`You come to buy cattle?`<\/p>\n
`Nope,` was his taciturn reply, `I live here.`<\/p>\n
`Then you must work on this ranch?`<\/p>\n
`Well, I guess you could say that. I own it. I didn`t introduce myself. My name is Nolan Ryan.`<\/p>\n
`Pleased to meet you, Mr. Ryan. I`m Jonathan Muston.`<\/p>\n
We continued talking until it was time to load the truck. Ryan knew his cattle and was obviously a good rancher.<\/p>\n
`How long have you had the ranch?`<\/p>\n
`Bout five years. Bought it after I retired.`<\/p>\n
`What did you do before you retired?`<\/p>\n
`I played a little baseball.` Ryan answered.<\/p>\n
I told Mr. Fisher about meeting the owner of the ranch. `Man`s name is Nolan Ryan.`<\/p>\n
`You don`t know who Nolan Ryan is?`<\/p>\n
`Well, I know he`s a rancher with some pretty expensive cattle. I just met him. He seemed like a pretty good ole boy to me.`<\/p>\n
Mr. Fisher had a look of surprise on his face. `Nolan Ryan is the most famous living professional baseball player in the world.`<\/p>\n
`How about that.` I wasn`t impressed. I`m a cowboy and don`t spend much time reading the sports page. Must have missed him."<\/p>\n
Jesus was at home with common folks. He didn`t spend much time trying to impress people.<\/p>\n
He stood around a fire with some cussin` fishermen. If he had said, "Peter, I wish you wouldn`t use that kind of language around me," I expect Peter`s reply would have been:"This job don`t pay much and there`s no place to stay. I think I`ll go back to fishing."<\/p>\n
Jesus said, "I came to save sinners," so he ran around with tax collectors, prostitutes, and rough talking fishermen.<\/p>\n
There was one group of people who didn`t feel comfortable around Jesus. They were Pharisees. The religious leaders of the day. He called them hypocrites.<\/p>\n
I expect Jesus would have felt right at home backed up to that pot-bellied stove with Samantha`s father and Nolan Ryan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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