The busboy started to clear the tables and it was painfully obvious that he was trying to avoid us…

“How ya doin’? I greeted.

He gave a begrudging nod and averted his eyes while clearing a table adjacent to ours at Seafood Port Restaurant. My friend Dennis asked, “Is this going to be an E-vangie Tale?”

Being an astute student of human nature I answered sadly, “No. Did you see his body language? He was half-turned. If he had turned fully around and looked at us, then I could have talked to him. Sometimes the timing just isn’t right.”

Dennis listened intently and nodded his head as I continued, “Yesterday, I was at Adventure Theme Park with my family and I stood next to the Ferris Wheel operator for five minutes while my kids rode. I felt I should’ve said something but didn’t. Again, the time didn’t seem right. Besides, did you see the weird look he gave us? I’ll bet he thinks we’re gay.”

We both chuckled, then the busboy suddenly reappeared. Now was my chance. “Excuse me, what’s your name?”

He looked at me reluctantly and answered in a thick accent, “Fernando.”

“Can I ask you a question?” Fernando backed up a step and started clearing another table. “If you were to die today would you go to Heaven or Hell?”

“I don’t know,” he said with a shrug.

“You want to know?”

“Yes.”

After I gave Fernando the gospel he replied, “I’m a Christian.”

“Really? You’re a Christian and you didn’t know you were going to Heaven?” I asked in disbelief. Then he said something I didn’t quite understand so I turned to Dennis to see if he knew what Fernando said.

“I don’t think he understands English,” Dennis said.

I had to find out conclusively. “Excuse me what did you say?”

Fernando gave me another weird -actually, rather shy- look. “I don’t understand English so good.”