MEETING MY ALTER EGO

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I met my alter-ego today. (Yeah, I did).

I was at a funeral for a dear lady who attended my church over half a century ago, and who in recent years attended another church where I was a member.

Well, her daughter told me her mother had requested I sing, “I’d Rather Have Jesus,” the music of which was written by George Beverly Shea; which I was glad to do.

The funeral progressed, it was my turn to sing, I sang, sat down, the pastor preached a short message, and the congregation, (the exact combination of souls who would never be in the same place at the same time again on this side of Glory) began to disperse.

As I walked towards the back of the church a man of approximately my own age stopped me, and said,

“Hi, I’m (also) Royce” (and) “I heard you introduced as ‘Royce’ before you sang today.”

Of course, this peaked my interest.

And with this, we began to converse. And the more we conversed the more “strange and wonderful” his story got since his background so closely mirrored my own in various ways.

“I attended this church when another congregation met here half a century ago.”

To which I responded,

“Well, so did I, but I don’t remember you.”

And “comparing notes” we determined that Royce #2 “came on board” around two years after I left. And with this, my newfound namesake revealed “The ace up his sleeve.”

Pt. 2

“Oh, I know about you.”

Of course, I thought, “He knows about me?”

As our conversation continued, I learned that it was only in the past hour that Royce Nadler, (not his actual last name), began to make complete sense of some congregational interactions from over 50 years ago.

“Back in the early 70’s, when I attended here, people would call me by name, and, subsequently, refer to a person or memory which was totally foreign to me. And I began to realize they thought I was a different Royce, who I didn’t know, and who must have attended here a few years earlier.”

Talk about ironic. But there was more to come.

I went on to tell Royce #2 that I and another man had founded a boy’s group at Bartow Assembly. He responded that he had once been a leader of the same “outpost.”

As we continued to “compare notes” I learned that my newfound friend had once lived in Highland City and currently lived in Bartow; both places in which I had also lived at one time or the other.

“Somewhere along the line” I referred to the pastor who had been at the church when I was there so long ago. My alter-ego assured me that he also knew Bro. Anderson, (not his actual name).

“Oh yes, I spent time with him after he was homebound” (and) “Of course, he had developed dementia by then, and he would often say things like, ‘Who are you?’ and ‘Well, whoever you are, it’s time to begin the church service’ and ‘Please pass out the songbooks and be ready to take up the offering in a few minutes.’”

Our conversation was getting “curioser” and “curiouser.”

No doubt, I gave Royce #2 a crooked smile, and replied,

“Well, it seems we have a lot in common, my friend. We’re both named ‘Royce,’ we were both active in the boy’s group here half a century ago, we have both lived in the same two cities in central Florida, and we both knew and spent time with Bro. Anderson after he was homebound, and had developed dementia. Why, I had the exact same experience as you. I remember the dear man telling his wife to lead singing and would I mind taking up the offering.”

I continued.

“How strange that half a century later, you and I would be in the same place at the same time, and be afforded the opportunity to have this conversation!”

I believe the foregoing opportunity to converse with my alter-ego, and multiplied millions of other momentary circumstances with which you and I are confronted were orchestrated by the Almighty; before He breathed the worlds into place. It definitely makes life richer and more interesting, and I believe our Father enjoys such irony as much as we do.

by William McDonald, PhD