Father McDyer was
walking down a road in the Mull of Kintyre with Angus McDougal. Ahead of
them they saw a car stopped on the side, the bonnet was up and as they came
along side there was a middle aged man trying to fix something in the
engine. His face, hands and forearms were covered in oil. McDyer stepped
over to the man, "Good evening," he said, "The name's McDyer, what seems to
be the problem?" "Oh," returned the man, "Its John McNeill, happy to meet
you. Well, I don’t really know, it just won't go, I've tried everything."
Angus McDougal, who happened to work at a garage in Cambletown, tried a few
standard tests, but the car was as dead as a doornail. McNeill was
obviously somewhat concerned since it was getting late.
McDyer sensed the case was hopeless and tried to comfort McNeill, "Look
McNeill, just kneel down and pray a little, it will settle your tension
and, why, you never know, might get the car working." He turned and winked
at Angus and they both walked off. "Oh that’s very kind of you father,"
McNeill called after them.
McDyer and McDougal progressed down the darkening road. After about 50
yards, Father McDyer asked McDougal what McNeill was doing. McDougal looked
round and surely enough he could just make out McNeill's outline; he was
kneeling on the road, and he seemed to be praying. McDougal informed McDyer
who shook his head grimly; they both continued into the darkness. They
could hear the car bonnet bang shut, and then the car door. Suddenly there
was a massive roar as the car leapt to life and within seconds, with the
headlights at full beam, the car shot past McDyer and McDougal. McDyer lost
his balance as the car grazed past him and fell into the ditch. He reeled
round, shaking his fist at the rapidly disappearing tail lights, shouting,
"Goddam it McNeill!…Go and have faith like that in the bowels of Hell!!" |