The hand of God is with us

Sometimes God puts you in the right place at the right time. And do it was I met Vernon James practicing his saxophone next to a decrepit nursing home, bringing beauty in the face of loss.

There is something symbolic about hearing a man tell about being guided from deep, dark places in front of a trashed building desperately needing some love. Vernon scored a victory over the dark forces in his life even as he fights cancer. The building still needs help.

It was too cold for the tourists Saturday morning but I still showed up to be their guide for a 10 a.m. walk only no one bought tickets. There was frost on the bikepaths. I have moved to the first level of cold weather bicycle gear, a hat and gloves.

Long underwear, a neck buff and a hat with earflaps come next. I wasn’t disappointed because hey, even if I can’t get paid, 4 hours on a Saturday are valuable.

I let Beth know I’d be home in a bit and pedaled down Whirlpool Street rather than the bikepath for no apparent reason. As I passed Bellevue Avenue at speed, about 23 mph, I heard a saxophone. I glanced up and saw a man in the street with a sax.

A quick u-turn led me to observe the tail end of the Star Spangled banner. He never noticed me but looked up as he finished.

Vernon James is a Niagara University custodian. He said he was practicing to play at a Purple Eagles’ game Saturday afternoon. On his break time from work he sneaks off to practice on a regular basis. That was all good until one day, when he looked up and saw a coach standing there who had heard the sax in the distance and sought the source.

I asked him how he learned to play the sax and he shared his story and ended with another rendition of our anthem.

James said he was addicted to crack, living under a bridge in Richmond, Va. with no sense of reality.

“I said ‘Jesus, I have nothing’ please come and help me,” a lesson he learned from his parents. Jesus will be there when you most need him.

Suddenly, Jesus appeared before him and asked for his crack pipe. He handed it to the apparition only to watch it crash on the ground.

The message that day led him to a music store to get a horn. He had no money and did not know how to play. The proprietor rejected him but as he turned to leave, a man walked in carrying two raggedy saxes he wanted to sell for parts.

The store owner looked at the customer and told him Vernon was looking for a sax. Somehow, in serendipity, $35 appeared, a sax got fixed and Vernon started blowing a single note on the white keys up top. That continued for days until he moved to the black keys down low.

He never touched crack again, and now plays anything he hears by ear. The only lessons he has received come from a higher power.

He also stands in amazement of his ability to play because he said his body is wracked with cancer.

As we parted, he explained God meant for us to meet Saturday because that is how the Lord provides.

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