Stories and Stuff

Stories and Stuff

The Light Timer
by John Schuderer

It was Thursday, May 3rd. My wife, Barbara, was in Washington, D.C. attending an education conference. I had left work a little later than usual that day. I decided to stop at an electronics store on my way home. After shopping, because I knew Barbara wasn't home, I decided to eat dinner out at an Italian fast food restaurant that had just opened near the electronics store. When I arrived home it was about 9:00 PM and it was dark outside. As I pulled my truck up into the driveway I noticed the light was on in Noel's room so I assumed he was home. When I came into the house it was dark and the door to Noel's room was closed. I knocked, called his name... no answer. I went in, I found Noel. He had already died.

What's so unusual, you might ask? Well, it appears that Noel's time of death was probably much earlier in the day, while I was still at work, at a time when he didn't need to have the light on in his room. What's more unusual is that the light is on a timer that we use when we are away from home for extended periods of time. We keep the timer turned off when we are home. Had the light not been turned to the "on" position, and had the timer not been turned on and tripped so that it provided electricity to the light, the room would have been dark when I came home. If the room had been dark, and with the door closed, I would have assumed that Noel was asleep and I wouldn't have gone into his room. I probably would have gone to work the next day not knowing Noel had passed away. To me, this story is related/similar to my Staying Home story. I found Noel exactly when I was supposed to, not hours or days later! Not only that, I believe only I was intended to find him.

THANK GOD for the timer!!!