Our hero slowed his chariot to a crawl as he pulled into the clearing and the home came into view. The journey here had been a long one. He'd seen parts of the countryside unknown to him before today. He'd seen many dirt and gravel roads not often traveled. The very path to this dwelling was heavily wooded and not clearly marked from the main road. He had passed it twice and twice turned his chariot back before he finally spotted the break in the thick brush and the narrow trail leading through. The one he had entrusted the navigation of this journey to was certain that they had arrived at their destination, but our hero was not. He slowly surveyed his surroundings. The trees and grass mattered not, nor did the path leading up to the front of the home. So he turned his attention to the house itself. He looked for anything out of place that might indicate that he was needed here, and then his eyes fell upon the windows. Every single one was open. He looked up at the summer sky. The sweltering heat of a midday sun drew the sweat from his brow. He smiled, "This is definitely the place."
Our hero stepped from his chariot with the swagger of a man who knew the day would be his. He shouldered his armament, weapons he had used to vanquish countless foes.. weapons that glinted in the bright sunlight as he made his way up the path toward the front porch.
But before he was halfway up the walk, he was stopped in his tracks. Ferocious barking pierced the calmness of the day. Our hero's hand instinctively tightened around one of the heavier weapons in his arsenal. But the barking had come from inside. Sensing our hero's approach, the beast was only alerting its masters to his presence. From inside he heard someone pull the animal away from the window, and then the tiny voices of children as they soothed and calmed it from its frenzied barking. Our hero loosened his grip on his weapon and slowly continued up the path.
A moment later he was standing at the entrance. His heavy knock was followed by another round of furious barking from somewhere inside. But it quieted quickly this time. When the door finally swung open he was confronted with a mere shadow... the shadow of a man.. the visage of a man.. the remnants of a man beaten down... a man crumbling under.. a man who wore the unmistakable countenance of complete and utter DESPAIR.. a man trapped in a house with his children on a 95 degree day with a broken air conditioner.
But our hero spoke ... and everything changed, "Hi, I'm Andrew and I'm here to fix the a.c."
The man's desperate expression instantly turned to one of hope, as he replied .. "Oh thank God."
