How I Saved John McCain

Last Friday, after a busy day at the Herb Corner, I was sitting in my car and making a few calls before heading out to my Buddhist fellowship. I noticed a man arrive at the bus stop and begin looking over the bus schedule. He called out to me and asked if I knew the name of that particular stop. I didn't and he went back to waiting. After I completed my calls, I started the engine and backed out of the space I was in. At that point, the man at the bus stop waved in my direction. I rolled down the window and he asked if I could take him to the King Center. I said I couldn't take him all the way but I could get him closer than he was at that moment. He declined and decided to wait for the bus. I continued on my way out of the parking lot but as I approached the stop sign to make my turn out onto Babcock Street, I glanced at the clock and noticed I had enough time to give him a ride all the way to the King Center after all. I called him over. He approached readily and carried a very large black duffel bag. He was wearing a long sleeve white cotton t-shirt and grey sweat pants. He also had on white socks and sandals. He got in the passenger seat and we went along our way. I noticed he didn't put on his seat belt and for some reason it disturbed me. I asked him to please put it on and he complied. As we drove along towards US1, he began to tell me he was on a mission from god.

"I've been sent on a mission from god," he said.

"Really, what's your mission," I replied.

"God has told me that man should not kill another.

"That's a good message," I responded while looking at him quizzically.

"He has also told me that those who support the killing of others should be killed."

"Really."

"I see you are a Buddhist," he said as he motioned to my beads and the OM symbol hanging on the mirror. I was also wearing a Brevard County Buddhist Fellowship t-shirt.

"Yes, I practice Shin Buddhism. We certainly believe in the sanctity of life."

"I am on a walking quest. I have been walking since Miami and I will go all the way to New York."

"Wow, where are you from?"

"I'm from Colombia but now I live in Miami with my family. My father works in oil and I told him his money has the blood of innocent people on it and I can no longer work for him. He was disappointed but I must follow my mission," he rambled out.

I didn't say anything but just focused on the drive. I realized he didn't need any promptings from me, I was a captive audience. He went on to tell me how enlightened he had become and that I had a lot of learning yet to do before I would see the world through his new vision. I inwardly hoped I'd never succumb to such a vision. He saw the world as having only two kinds of people. Good and Evil. The good could live and the evil must die. He felt confident that god would tell him which was which and then god's will be done. At that point, I was feeling very uneasy.When we reached the intersection of US1 and Aurora Road, about four cops on motorbikes appeared and halted all traffic in the east/west lanes and those going north. They allowed those coming south to continue and seemed to be trying to clear the southbound lanes while also not allowing anyone to go north either. My passenger continued to ramble about his mission but I was distracted by the cops. He seemed a little uneasy and kept looking at the clock.

"Are you going to make your event," I asked?

"No, it's already over."

Just then we heard a voice on one of the police radios say that they were at Parkway. Other drivers who were waiting beside me began to speculate that the police were chasing someone south on US1. My passenger kept urging me to just go on but I told him we could not go until the police gave us the signal to do so. A driver on his right wondered allowed what could this be.

"It's John McCain," my passenger said to me.

"What's he doing in town," I asked?

"There was a rally at the King Center. I was going there to share my message from god."

I shared the information with the other drivers around me that we were being held up for McCain's entourage but nothing about my passenger. No one around me seemed aware that he was even in town and all were annoyed that we should be held up for him. It was about then that we saw the first flashing lights in the distance and it was at that very moment that I got goose bumps from head-to-toe. This very creepy feeling overcame me and a sense of foreboding was strong. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my passenger step out of the car and I watched him walked calmly around to the back of the vehicle. Everyone around us were concentrating on the coming entourage of cops and limos. Something in me told me to lock all the doors which I did immediately. My passenger attempted to access the rear hatch but was unable to. He seemed perplexed and uncertain. I motioned to him to get back in the car. As he did so, the last of McCain's cars passed us by. For a moment he seemed upset but then he settled back into his seat as we continued on our way. I drove him the rest of the way to the King Center but continued to feel uneasy the whole way. He said he was going to get his bag and just stand in the car's path. I didn't say anything to that. What was there to say? I just wanted him out of my car. After arriving at the King Center, there were tons of cars leaving the area and people milling about. I dropped him off adjacent to the main entrance. I made sure he collected all his belongings and wished him good luck in his mission. As I watched him walk away, my uneasiness did not go away. I began to look around for some type of security personnel but none were to be seen. Once I got back on the road, as I still had to get to my fellowship, I decided to call my friend Maria for her advice and take on the situation. She convinced me to report him to the police just to be on the safe side. Strangely, it was only after making the report that my uneasiness subsided. I don't know whatever happened to my passenger. I never heard anything about him or from the police. I don't know if he was simply disturbed or truly a threat to John McCain. Maybe he was on a mission from god. Maybe he was on his own mission. All I know is what I felt and the signs I read in the situation. May all be well.