The Organ Donor

I was painting the dining room ceiling and rocking out to Teddy Geiger's "Love is a Marathon" yesterday when the phone rang. I ignored it and kept rocking out. (I mean, you've heard him, right? The young Teddy Geiger? Next to kissing Tom Cavanaugh, my dying wish would be to sit outside my barn listening to Teddy Geiger play me Teddy Geiger songs.)

Sigh.

But the phone was persistent. So I climbed down from high atop my ladder perch (darn these 12 foot ceilings!) and answered it. Well, here. Listen in:

"Hello?" (Me.)

"Uh, yeah, hi. Brin? It's Mike Carter." (He's the town plumber and my neighbor's boyfriend.)

"Yeah, hi," I respond. "What can I do for ya?"

"Well," Carter says, "I want to donate an organ to you."

Pause. (Me.) Then, "Oh.... right. Er... um... well, I'm not sure what you've heard, but I'm not sick quite like that," I say, bewildered.

"Well, no matter," Carter says. "Will you be there this afternoon? I'll be over. I really want you to have this organ. It will do you some good," he insists.

"Okay," I reply feebly. "Guess I'll fill the bathtub with ice and find some nice pliers."

Click.

Holy smokes. I'm bewildered. I knew people in this town would give you the clothes off their back, but organs, too?! And what's he planning to do... carve something out himself? I mean, I watch Grey's Anatomy and all, but I don't think even Preston Burke could pull off an organ removal procedure in this house.

About three hours later, I hear the knock at the front door. Carter's standing there grinning. Behind him, two hooligans are unloading an organ. A Wurlitzer organ.

"Where do you want my organ?" Carter asks.

I've never laughed so hard in all my life.

So they get the organ unloaded and into the entry way of Freeman House. Then Carter asks me to play. I sit, mash a few levers and pedals, and it wheezes to life. They stood respectfully as strains of Praise God, From Whom All Blessings Flow filled the house. It seemed appropriate.

After all, it's not every day you get an organ donation.

Praise the Lord, O my soul,

and forget not all His benefits -

Who forgives all your sins

and heals all your diseases,

Who redeems your life from the pit

and crowns you with love and compassion,

Who satisfies your desires for good things....

-Psalm 103:1-5