No Alibi

I had a story to tell to the young people gathered in the converted warehouse. They were there to listen to loud rock music and to just hang out in a place where they wouldn't be hassled by local law enforcement officers or the manager of McDonalds, who grew tired of chasing them out of his parking lot. Several of us had a vision of a Christian nightclub for the kids to come to on Friday nights; a place where they could be with friends and hear the gospel in non-threatening enviroment. So many had been turned off by churches and organized religion. Earthquake was the place to be if you didn't want to attend the high school football game.

Jeff had asked me weeks ago if I would be willing to talk to the kids but I kept putting him off. I never wanted to be "out front" when it came to ministry. Let me set up chairs, sell sodas, write letters or sort mail but don't ask me to get up and speak. I was even glad to counsel with the kids in the office. That was usually pretty easy. Honor your parents. Stay in school. Obey authority. We never dealt with any major issues. These were just typical kids who needed someone to talk to who wouldn't come down on them in a judgemental way but would speak the truth to them in a loving way.

On this particular night our main speaker had cancelled on us and so Jeff asked me to speak. I said ok but had no idea what I would talk about. I headed into the office for a time of prayer and to see if I could calm my nerves. Vicki joined me for prayer and then left me alone with my thoughts. What could I say to these kids to get their attention? What could they relate to? And suddenly, in my mind, I was 15 and meeting the boy of my dreams.....

I sat on the back steps of the chapel waiting for him to come out of the dining hall at the ranch. Our meeting had been set up by my best friend and her boyfriend. I had been anxious all weekend anticipating seeing this boy whose voice had sounded so sexy on the phone. My cousins and I had gone to Valdosta with the "babysitter" while our parents were attending the Florida/ Florida State game. I was angry because at fifteen I didn't need a babysitter and to have to go shopping with her in Valdosta had really ticked me off. When we finally returned to the ranch it was dinner time which meant I had to wait even longer to meet Jimi. So I sat on the steps enduring the teasing by my cousins and I waited. Suddenly the teasing stopped and I looked up to see the best looking guy I have ever seen. His blond hair blew in the cool December air. His piercing blue eyes held a hint of rebellion in them. My cousin Roth introduced us and it was obvious he was none to happy about it. Jimi laughed at Roth's protectiveness but I appreciated my younger cousin looking out for me. I sent Roth on his way and Jimi and I sat for the next couple of hours getting to know one another. I found myself falling head over heels in love with this rebel. He was everything I wasn't.

Jimi told me how his father had him committed to a mental hospital because he refused to get along with his step-mother. Step-mother number four or five, he couldn't remember which. Social services had stepped in and sent him to the Boys' Ranch where he finally was finding out what it meant to be part of a real family. We spent the remainder of the weekend together, walking by the river, playing basketball, and talking. He promised to call me whenever he came home at Christmas.

For the next six months we talked regularly on the phone and we were so excited that when summer arrived he would be moving home for good. I didn't know his moving home would be the end of our dating relationship. Once he moved home, it seemed all he wanted was sex. That was something I would not compromise on however and after many arguments our relationship ended with me broken hearted.

In January of the following year, I was blown away, when I walked into my band class and there was Jimi with his saxaphone. His father had moved and Jimi would now be attending school with me. At first it was difficult. I still loved him and wanted to be with him but as time went on I began to see him as a friend and we began to talk openly about our beliefs. So many times I talked to him about accepting Christ as his saviour and so many times he told me that he was young and didn't need to worry about that at this point in his life. Little did we know what would come to pass in the next year.

It was July of 1977 and I was preparing to play raquet ball with a friend of mine, when my mom called her house. She asked me if I had read the paper before I left and I told her no. That's when she told me that Jimi had been shot and killed. He was driving a cab to earn money before going into the service and a man he picked up shot him at point blank range, killing him instantly. He wasn't robbed so that wasn't the motive. The man ran into the woods. It turned out he was an escaped convict who had been serving a life sentence for murder. Jimi was dead and to my knowledge had never accepted Christ as his saviour.

As I sat in the office thinking about the rebellious young man i knew from high school, the band on stage began playing a song entitled No Alibi. I knew then what I would say to this group of young people who were so sure they had all the time in the world. I would tell them the story of a boy who also thought he had all the time in the world but on a hot summer's day ended up standing before the throne of God with no alibi.