FROG, Part 2
Periodontal Providence

This year closes with a frigid bang in America. As for us deep Southerners, we soak up the sun with a shake of Canadian chill that will dip temperatures to the 20's tonight. The chill feels right for this season, the nip of frost a good excuse for donning jackets over long sleeve shirts.

This year not only did Buddy receive a frog that "ribbets" Jingle Bells, on Christmas he grinned over a reversible, full zip jacket. This was no mere reversible zippered jacket. It was an official NFL reversible, inside, a sweatshirt gray with Puma on the prowl and, on the outer side, a weatherproof black with a distinctive, yet diminutive seal embroidered on the upper left chest and a brilliant yellow stripe down each sleeve with the letters, STEELERS.

To think Buddy's mom got it for a song while in pain at the periodontal office. I just had year's worth of stress-induced plaque scrapped from my teeth. Hurrying to the desk to pay the bill and exit, I noticed another patient.

"Excuse me, but where did you get that jacket?" I asked the man who wore it.

"I got this on E-bay," he answered. "My wife and I always hunt on E-bay or trawl around garage sales."

Though he had just undergone major bridgework, he chatted away about his find and how little it cost. He sounded like my mother. Or like me whenever I snagged a great bargain.

"It's reversible," he said as he took it off to show me the Puma inside.

"Wow, that's great, two jackets in one," I remarked. "My family lived in Pittsburgh for many years. It would be neat to get one for my son."

"I got it for five, a real deal," he said.

My face reflected an inner frown, thinking how much time and money would be wasted to find to such a Steelers jacket for Buddy.

"I got it for five," he repeated, "But I'll let you have ... for three."

"I couldn't," I protested, but I did after paying my bill. We found we had diverse backgrounds, he a Floridian, computer engineer with eight kids, I an inspirational writer with a special son who loved the Steelers. As we stood there with our mouths both in numbed pain, providential serendipity shined on us.

"Now you can write a story about this," he said as I draped the jacket over my arm and exited.

As this year exits to give way to 2009, my prayer is that this rough draft of a tale nudges you to see Providence in the pain, serendipity in daily encounters, and deep joy as you F.R.O.G.

Remember, FROG stands for "Fully Rely On G. . ."