Friday, February 20, 2009

"Fried Fridays: Cross words..."

Time to sit back and relax as I tell you the tale of this week's "Fried Fridays" winner, a news story that is strange, whacked, and/or bizarre enough to wear the laurels...

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As always, plenty of fish in the barrel to shoot today. Since I highlighted a situation in India last Friday, I did not pick the Indian infant that was ceremoniously married to their neighbor's dog so that the boy would be protected from tigers as he grew up...besides, to those villagers it was a rather understandable thing to do...

(could it be I hear those crickets chirping again?...)

We need to raise the bar, here, friends. So clap your hands, get on your feet, and sing along with the choir 'cause the Gospel Train is pullin' in to the Blah-Blah Blog Station!!!!!!!!!!!

DATELINE: CHATANOOGA, TENNESSEE

February 11 began as any other weekday, and for one gospel artist it meant a performance that evening at the Harmony Baptist Church. I searched a dozen news links and never could find his name, but he was famous enough that he often performed at "local churches and fast food restaurants". That should have narrowed the list a bit...

In smart business style, the singer's wife acts as his agent, handling the financial and logistical details while her husband focuses on his artistry. And so that evening's performance went according to plan and all was hunky-dory. Peachy-keen. Copasetic.

That is until the preacher opened his big mouth. (ED: actually, I don't know how big his mouth is; just starting to add in a bit of sardonic wit for what follows...)

He did what any kind preacher would do and offered them overnight accomodations. As they broke down the equipment after the show, the preacher observed that neither person was wearing a wedding band and simply asked them if they were married.

Oh, you done did it now, Pulpit Man. The cat claws are out. Hell hath no fury like a questioned woman. There was yet another raisin' of that congregational roof that night, and it wasn't the good kind.

Let's just say the argument got heated and the couple did not partake of the overnight accommodations. Fair enough.

Sometime later that night an alarm came in to the fire department from the same church, and according to department spokesperson Bruce Garner, firefighters arrived to the strong smell of propane gas coming from the kitchen area. 10 of the eyes on the commercial propane stove were turned full on, with a roll of paper towels placed nearby.

Luckily there was no fire or damage. The following day the 'wife' was arrested for attempted arson and then released from jail on bond, claiming her innocence all the while.

Kinda gives a whole new meaning to being on fire for the Lord, eh?

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