Day 6   A day of distractions.....

If I would have HAD ... A*D*D medicine I would have taken it....

Ze 'evve / The Comedian ....brings up the hill to the eastern side of Jerusalem past the Hebrew University and past Mt. Scopus to the Mt. of Olives.  From there he proceeds to point out the walking route of Jesus when he came in and hid and slept and where he was arrested and where they took him to Ponticus Pilot and what we were going to see later today and the east side of the Temple Wall and the 8 gates, and the closed gate the Muslims believe will keep Jesus out because old the cemeteries he can't walk through and the Temple Mt.

 

 

 

All of this information was being given to us with Ze 'evve's microphone going in and out because his batteries were low as he gets so passionate in his story telling with his hands he hits his microphone.  Me looking at the Jerusalem map upside down to get the correct view from the east. Behind us a guy for some reason decides to start giving the Japanese contingency that has suddenly bunched in against us and walked up behind us rides on a camel taxi.  Vendors attempting to sell stuff trying to get up into the middle of us and beggars asking for change!

 

 

 

My wife Lisa was close to having her Dr. in Ed.  Every time she did a new research paper or attended a seminar she would come back with some new testing criteria...

 

" Here..Bruce take THIS test. I am going to prove to you that you are A*D*D! " Lisa, I am not A*D*D..I DO get excited, I DO get fired up when I am having fun...but I am not A*D*D.  I can sit still in class all my life in school and take notes and concentrate on the lesson.  Every test you have ever given me I have blown it away and out of the water and passed it with flying colors. " You are A*D*D...you just know HOW to live with it! You don't let it defeat you most of time...why are YOU the only one that takes notes like you do to be able to listen? Most of America can sit still, listen and retain it...but NO..not you, you have to WRITE it down to be able to retain it....so see, admit it...you just know how to live with it!  I'm right. I know I'm right! "

 

 

So after Ziggy finishes his history lesson and Bro French adds his insight and knowledge...I barely have any notes worth compiling.  I walk over to the Sr. Partner @ Smart Engineering, must have had some glassy eyed look...to which he asks " Got all of this Bruce? " NO....I answer emphatically!!   To which he gives his best smile and laugh and says ... " Ok, here's Jesus path"...and gives me a play by play.

 

What was I thinking...why did I wait so long to get the coaching?

What I learned from my Australian Cattle Dogs.... by Bruce Cotharn

Along about the age of 12-13 I was walking a busy street with my Mother and was to the inside on the sidewalk.  She proceeded to grab my arm and pinch it (that would ALWAYS get my attention) and spin me to her outside..." Young MAN, a lady is to NEVER walk to the street side! "  Yes Ma'am. " Now get a hold of my arm so that I do not fall and I am protected."

Coming down from the Mount of Olives along the steep downhill slope of Glory Road walking to the Church of Gethsemane...there were Police cars whizing past us...small cars...honking...dirty old men staring, just a bunch of " look out " and " car coming "chaos! 

 

My female red healer that I named after the water color of the Atchafalaya River - Chaffie...spent her entire life intensely paying attention to any and all possible danger. She herded my children, she herded me coming out of football locker rooms in inner city New Orleans, she herded Jeff Gould at church loading orange cones for the Christmas Trees, she herded cows, she herded her puppies from Lisa flying up the driveway in her suburban after school.  She had a kind of high pitch yip of a bark...different than what she would normally sound like...when she was stressed out trying to communicate danger.

Boy, was I yipping and looking to and fro every five steps!

I have nick named Patricia Cabral... " Downhill Pat " ...so I grabbed her arm and strolled down the hill with her...because Miss Yvonne Fowler, I know as a surprise to many, wasn't going to listen. lol :) Then I grabbed a hold of Aunt Linda from Atlanta, Dr. Penton's sister...but now, wait...I got two beautiful ladies by the arm to walk down the slope and I'm NOT to the inside!  Am I in trouble from my Mother?

 

Then I look up and somehow Sue French has strolled away from Bro French who was explaining Jesus path or a historical significance to someone...so she is happily laughing and telling a story on a beautiful morning to Judy Lee about to walk right around a blind turn with a car coming up the hill...do I drop " Downhill Pat " and "Aunt Linda" to cross the street? So I yip! Then yip again!

I think my yips were only outdone by the deep baritone voice of the Fire and Safety Director of Stewart Brain Trust and Biblical Counseling coming from high above us in the back and the " Fearless One " Laura Brown in her best Chicago " Maahhmm...pay attention! "

 

 

Finally making it to the bottom of the hill...I take a deep breath to maybe think chaos is over...but was I ever wrong.  A dirty old man taxi cab driver proceeds to stare down " Sissy " ,udy Lee's sister Robbye...so I step street side in front if her, and stare back at him yipping like I'm feeding cows " Get on OUT of HE-Uh! "