Another Day at the Church Office

Me: Good morning, Suburban Progressive Baptist Church, this is JWD.

Neighbor: Hello, this is B, your neighbor up the road. I was just calling about the bit of excitement at the church this morning.

Me: (cautiously) Excitement? I hadn't heard about our excitement yet.

Neighbor: Oh! You haven't heard! Well, there was a mountain lion spotted roaming around your parking lot this morning.

So our neighbor goes on to explain how the lion was seen walking around through the cars, that animal control had been notified, etc. Together we marvelled and wondered what would bring the mountain lion to the church. Then our neighbor speculated: "You know, it was 118 degrees here yesterday. I think the mountain lion was looking for water."

I immediately thought of our little fountain that has recently been running again for the first time in two years. I have been tending it lovingly these past two weeks, skimming out leaves and dropped blossoms, and refilling it regularly as the water evaporated. This is how I have started each morning here--then I place my fingers in the water where it burbles up and touch them to my forehead, a baptist woman clumsily remembering her baptism.

Now I imagine a mountain lion lapping from the very same fountain.

I love it.