A CHRISTIAN WEBSITE BY BILLY BOOTH

MY JOURNEY WITH JESUS TO A CASINO FIRE IN MONTREUX

CLICK ON CHAPTER LINKS

1 - EGG IN MY TANK

I was looking out the window of my upstairs apartment bedroom searching the darkness outside. It was early December of 1971 and I was 15 years old. I had my hands up against the window. I was silently speaking to God. I thought, "Where are you God? Where do you live? Are you on another planet? Are you everywhere? Are you close to me? I need you to be close to me."

Then I noticed movement outside of my window on the ground below. Lori, a very beautiful former girlfriend was walking towards my motorcycle. I saw her open my gas cap and put an egg in my tank. I fell onto my bed in tears.

The next day I had to clean out my tank. I didn't know what to do with the gas that was in it. I poured it onto the grass next to my motorcycle. I remove the petcock then I got a water hose and washed out all of the shell. After that I cleaned the in-line filter. Then I put the tank back on my motorcycle. I pushed it to the gas station and filled it up then drove it back home.

My step dad was very angry when he discovered the gas spot in the ground. He asked me if I was responsible for it and started yelling about how it would kill the grass and how the dirt would have to be replaced. I told him I was the one who did it.

He yelled, "Why did you do that?"

I started to cry and I yelled back: "Because the girl I'm in love with put an egg in my tank and I didn't know what to do. I didn't know it would kill the grass. I'm Sorry."

Then I ran upstairs and collapsed onto my bed and started crying, "God help me" over and over again until I was spent.

My dad came up and apologized for yelling and told me he was sorry about what happened with my girlfriend. Then he told me he loved me and left me to sleep off my heartache.

I resumed asking God for help. I continued to pray softly until I fell asleep.

I woke up in the back seat of a muscle car in a place that I had never been before. If I remember correctly the car was a blue GTO with nice looking wheels and a 'tuck n roll' leather interior. I got out of the car and looked it over. It was a nice automobile!

Then I started looking around at the scenery. The car was parked on a round piece of land that was surrounded on 3 sides by water.

While I was looking at the water I felt a hand on my shoulder. That hand surprised me because I didn't see him approach.

He looked to be about 40 years old.

He asked me: "What do you think of this place?"

I said: "Well the water and this round area of land look good, but how did I get here?" He pointed to the car.

I said, "I don't remember anything."

He said: "Well you slept the whole way."

Then I replied: "Yeah, but I don't even remember getting in the car. What happened? Did you carry me from my bed to the car while I was asleep?"

He said, "Yes!"

I asked him: "How did you get into my house? Do you know my parents?"

He said, "Yes, I know them well."

I asked: "Why did you bring me here? I don't even know you."

He said: "Don't you remember the other day? You told me about all the places your family had gone to while on vacation. I told you I know a place that I think you would like to visit. I asked you if you would like me to take you there and you told me you would so here we are."

I said: "I remember we talked briefly and you said you were going to take me somewhere but I didn't think you were serious since I don't even know you."

Then he pointed towards the mountains and the city and said: "Well were here so what do you think?"

I said: "Well the mountains look beautiful. I like how green and steep they are. The city looks a little old."

3 - JEWS THAT BELIEVE IN JESUS

I noticed that the locks of hair in front of his ears were long and hanging down several inches over his beard so I pointed to them and asked him, "What are those?"

He replied: "Those are required by the law of my people."

I asked him, "Who are your people?"

He said, "The Jews."

I responded: "I've seen several Jews before but I don't ever remember any of them having those. How come you have them if most Jews don't have them?"

He said: "I'm a leader among my people so I should set an example."

I said: "I guess I don't know a whole lot about the Jews. I learned a little bit about them from the Bible, and I know about the Holocaust (He corrected my pronunciation of the word Holocaust); and, I read Anna Frank's Diary."

He said: "What did you think of her Diary?"

I responded: "I think it's terrible what happened to them."

After thinking on it for a moment I said: "I think we should all get along with each other better. We ought to be able to put up with each other's differences, for now; then when the Lord comes we'll find out who's right, or wrong. Don't get me wrong; I wish we didn't have differences."

Then I thought to myself: "I wish more Jews believed in Jesus. I wish you believed in Jesus."

Just then he said, "I believe in Jesus."

I got excited and said, "You do! Wow! That's great!"

Then I said: "You're the only Jew I know personally that believes in Jesus."

He said: "No, I'm not the only one. What about your dad?"

I said: "You mean my step dad? I know he's a Christian."

He said: "Yes, he's a Christian by religion; and he's a Jew by race."

I said: "He is? I didn't know that."

He said: "Yes, Rosenthal is a Jewish name."

I said: "good! That makes 2 Jews I know personally that believe in Jesus."

Then he asked, "Isn't there another?"

I said, "Who's that?"

He said, "What about Anne Frank?"

I replied: "I don't remember her saying anything about Jesus in her Diary. I think in the movie she told Peter that she wished he believed in something, or anything; but I don't know if that meant she believed in Jesus."

He said: "I'm not talking about something that was written in her Diary, or the movie. Didn't you learn something from somewhere else?"

I said: "I don't know. I don't remember."

He said, "Well keep trying to remember."

Then I asked him, "What's your name?"

He replied, "J'shua!"

I tried to pronounce it back slowly saying, "YES'-SHOO-WAH."

He shook his head at my mis-pronunciation and pronounced it, "YUH-SHOO'-WAH"

Then I said: "There's a Shoe in your name."

He acknowledged saying: "There's a shoe in my name."

I said: "That's an unusual name. How do you spell it?"

He told me how to spell his name. I can't remember the first letter, but I'm sure about the apostrophe after the first letter. I'm also sure about the "s-h-u-a" after the apostrophy. I spell it J'shua, but I could be mistaken about the "J" because it's been 37 years since this happened."

I was surprised at the apostrophy in his name so I asked him: "Do you mean to tell me there's an apostrophe in your name?"

He said: "In English, there's an apostrophy. In Hebrew, it's a yod."

While trying to figure out how to remember his name, I said: "Well, I've never heard that name before. It's going to be hard to remember. The 'shu' part, I can associate with a shoe; but there's more to it than that. Let me think; What can I use to remember it? Oh; I know!" Then, I started to sneeze his name and laugh.

J'shua chuckled and said, "Come on; let's walk." He turned around and started walking towards a large building.

I followed beside him; laughing and affectionately grabbing his arm; to let him know that I liked him, and that I was just being silly.

As we walked; I continued to sneeze his name, and laugh.

When we got close to the building, he stopped walking.

While still laughing I said: "I'm sorry. I can't help it. It was there. What can I do?"

J'shua said: "It's ok. I understand. You don't! In fact in your wildest imagination you can't possibly fathom how funny you are right now."

I thought to myself: "What's he talking about? I know how funny I am. I'm laughing hysterically at myself!"

I didn't understand what he meant; because, I didn't know at that time that J'shua is Hebrew for Jesus. I was sneezing the name above all names, and I didn't even realize it!

5 - IT WAS TOO LATE FOR RESTORATION

J'shua said: "Let's walk around the side of the building."

When we got around to the side of the building J'shua asked me what I thought of the building.

I replied: "Not much; It just looks like an old building to me."

J'shua said: "You're going to have a good time there.

I said: "How can I have a good time there? It's just an old building."

J'shua said: "This is going to be interesting for you."

Then J'shua said: "Now I'm going to take you inside and then I'm going to leave you here while I go somewhere for a couple of hours."

I got upset and replied: "You're going to leave me here by myself? I can't believe that! You brought me here and now you're not staying! I want to go with you."

J'shua said: "No! I don't want you to go with me. I have some things to do. Don't worry! I'll be back in about 2 hours; maybe less; maybe an hour, and a half. You'll be all right, here. Trust me! You're going to have fun here."

I saw that there were platforms stacked on the sides of the building, so I asked J'shua, "What are those?"

He replied: "Those are scaffolds. They're re-finishing the walls."

I said: "Oh; Good! It should look much better when they're done."

J'shua said: "Actually, it's going to be a big waste."

I said: "Why do you say that? Don't you believe in restoration?"

J'shua replied: "Oh yes! I believe in restoration; but there is a time for it, and a time when it's just too late. In this case it's too late. Before the sun has set today, it will all have been a waste, except the workers will be paid for it."

Then J'shua walked toward a side door; and said, "Let's go in here."

I said: "Are you sure this is ok? Do we have permission?"

J'shua replied: "It's ok! I'm one of the owners."

I thought to myself: "If he's an owner then why is he restoring the building while thinking it's a waste?"

He opened the door, and I heard the lock click; but he didn't turn the handle, and he did not use a key.

He went inside, and held the door for me.

As I entered the building, I grabbed the door handle and tried to turn it but It did not turn, so I was qurious as to how he unlocked the door.

I asked: "Did you have some kind of magnetic device or something?"

He said, "Something!"

6 - I THOUGHT THE CASINO WAS AN ARCADE

I walked down the hallway and came to a big room with a bunch of machines inside of it. They were slot machines but I didn't know what a slot machine was when I was 15 years old.

I had seen penny arcades before and so that's what I thought it was. I said,"Great! It's an arcade. I love arcades. You were right.

I think I will have fun here except I don't have any money. What do these machines take? Nickels, Dimes, Quarters?"

J'shua replied, "For these machines you'll use these tokens." He then handed me a handful of tokens but they looked like foreign coins.

J'shua said, "I'm going now. I'll be back in about an hour and a half."

I said, "Are you sure I have enough tokens to last until you return?"

He said, "You have enough. You'll win some and loose some but I'm sure that you won't run out."

Then J'shua left and I started to play the machines.

It was the first time I had seen machines with a lever. I figured them out quickly and I enjoyed playing them. They were easier to play than pinball machines. These machines were more about luck than skill.

After I had been playing for about 15 minutes a well-dressed man came walking towards me. He looked like he was the manager.

Then he said, "You look too young to be here. Why are you here?"

I replied, "I'm only 15 but I'm old enough. I've been in arcades before.

He said, "You think this is an Arcade! What do you think an arcade is?"

I said, "It's a place where there are a bunch of machines that you put money in and if you're lucky you win more plays or prizes."

Then he asked, "How did you get in here?"

I said, "I was let in the side door by a man who said that he is one of the owners."

He said, "Owner! What is his name?"

I said, "I don't remember. It's 'shu' something."

He said, "I don't know any owners with a 'shu' in their name."

Then he pointed to the tokens in my hands and asked, "How did you get those?"

I said, "He gave me these tokens before he left and said he would be back in an hour and a half."

He replied, "So those are just tokens and this is just an arcade. Interesting." He began to chuckle.

Next the manager asked me, "Don't you think there's a difference between the machines in an arcade and the machines in this place?"

I said, "Yeah! I like these machines much better. They're easier and I can use the plays I win on other machines."

The manager said, "Yes, but these machines are very different. I mean you can win money on these machines."

I dropped my mouth and opened my eyes wide. I was shocked and said, "You can win money on these machines! Are you serious? I didn't know that. How can I win money on them? I didn't see the section of the machines where you go to and win money. Will you show me how to win money on them?" I didn't know I was in a casino and I seriously wanted him to show me how to win money on the machines.

The manager started to laugh and turned around and walked back to the middle of the room where 2 other men were standing. I'm sure he started to tell them about me but he was speaking in French so I didn't understand what he was saying except the word "wee." They all started laughing and the manager must have decided to let me stay because he made no further attempts to get me to leave.

I began playing the machines and looking for a section where you could win money. I didn't realize the tokens were money.

After about an hour, one of the men who heard the manager tell about me walked up to me and said, "How are you doing on tokens?" He emphasized the word tokens.

I showed him that I still had about 10 in my hand.

Then he asked, "What do you think those tokens are worth?"

I replied, "I don't know. I guess they're worth about a nickel or a dime maybe even a quarter."

He started to chuckle and I asked him, "Do you know what they're worth?"

He said, "Yes!"

I asked, "How much?"

He laughed and replied, "Don't worry about it."

After talking with him I finally thought that the tokens could be redeemed for money. They looked like coins and had a head on one side and a year written on them. Knowing they were valuable didn't help me win any more of them.

I walked to an entrance of the building and there I saw a sign that I thought was written in a foreign language. I think the sign said, "Montreux Festival De Jazz." I asked the worker behind the desk why the sign was written in a foreign language because I didn't know I was in a foreign country. He said, "Yes, we have many foreigners visit here." He must not have understood my question because the sign wasn't written in a foreign language. I was the foreigner!

While I was looking at the sign I was mispronouncing Montreux in my head. I was pronouncing it as if it were an English city. I was thinking (MAWN-TREE-UCKS) but the proper pronunciation is (MAWN-TRO).

Then the worker asked me for my identification card but as he did the manager walked into the room and started to whisper to him. Then the worker told me I could stay but that I was not allowed to go through this door he showed me which went to the other side of the building.

I went back to the side of the building where I was allowed and went to the basement. I began playing on the machines in the basement for a while then I came back upstairs and kept playing.

Just as I was getting low on tokens J'shua walked up to me and asked, "How's it going?" I told him I was having a great time but that I was running out of tokens. He gave me another handful of them. I wanted to show him around but he told me he was leaving again. He told me not to worry and that he would be back after a while. Then he left the building and I resumed playing the machines.

Somebody walked up to me and pointed to another man and told me that he was Charlie Chaplin.

I watched Charlie for a while, and as he was leaving I started clowning around with the machine. I pretended to be stuffing money in my pockets and down my pants. Then I pretended to stuff coins in my mouth and choke on them. He watched me for a few seconds and smiled then tipped his hat to me.

7 - THE BAND IN THE AUDIENCE

The manager came up to me and asked me if I wanted to see the show. I told him that I wanted to see it and he took me to the other side of the casino through the door I was told not to go through earlier. We went into a huge room with 2 big arched entry ways at each end and I saw a bunch of tables.

I asked the manager, "What are all those felt covered tables with the lines and numbers on them?"

He said, "Those are not for you."

I saw a roulette wheel and I had seen one before so I said, "I know what that is. It's a roulette wheel."

I asked the manager if the concert cost anything. He asked me how much I had and I showed him 2 small tokens. He took them and put them down on a table for me.

After quickly losing both tokens he came back and took me through an arched door to a room behind the auditorium. He said, "Wait here or go into the auditorium. The show will start in about 10 minutes."

I began to stand around the room and wait with the other people who were gathering there.

I saw a group of 5 young men with long hair standing in the room by a small door that led outside the building.

They all had on white t-shirts, I saw "Deep Blue Sea" printed on their t-shirts.

I figured they might be in a band because of how they were all dressed and their long hair. I walked up to them and asked, "Are ya'll in a band?" They all looked surprised and one of them said, "Ya'll!" Where are you from?"

I said, "Dallas."

He said, "You mean like where Kennedy was killed?"

I said, "That's the place."

He said, "Yes, we're a band."

I asked, "Is that your band's name on your shirts?" He said, "Yes, we just had these made."

I would realize 37 years later that what I saw, heard and felt on that day was not the same experiences of everybody else who was there. I would realize later that the band's real name is Deep Purple.

I don't think God wanted me to know the band's real name, at that time, so I think he made me see Deep Blue Sea printed on their shirts.

Also, I would see and hear a future event (Frank Zappa being thrown off the stage) occur that day.

I asked the Band's members, "What are some of your songs?" One of them mentioned a song, but I can't remember its name.

I said, "I've never heard it."

He then said, "Space Truckin?"

I said, "No, I've never heard it."

Then he said, "Highway Star?" Right away all the other band's members started chiming in. One asked saying, "How about 'Highway Star?'" Then another said, "Yeah kid, what about 'Highway Star?'" Then another said, "Yeah, have you heard 'Highway Star?'"

It was obvious that "Highway Star" was their personal favorite but I had never heard it.

I shrugged my shoulders and apologized saying, "Sorry, I've never heard it."

Then I asked, "What album is it on so I can get it?"

One of them answered and said, "Well that's why you've never heard it. Unless you heard it live you couldn't have heard it. It's not on an album yet. In fact that's why we’re here. We came here to record an album."

I asked, "How are you going to do that?"

He said, "Well, first we'll have to wait for this group to finish. Then once we get the stage we'll record it there. Then we'll take the tape recording out to the mobile to mix it."

I said, "Mobile! What's a mobile?"

He asked one of the other band members to take me out to the mobile and show it to me.

The other band member waved for me to come on and we went outside to the mobile. On the outside it looked like a truck and on the inside it looked like a studio. On the inside it had a lot of equipment including mixers and reel-to-reel tape decks.

There were 2 men (roadies) in the truck who were with the band.

We went back outside and were walking around it when the band member told me that the Rolling Stones owned it.

I jokingly said, "Yeah, I think I've heard of them before."

He also said they were renting it for $300 or $400 a day if I remember the amount correctly. It was a lot of money back in 1971.

I was amazed and puzzled, but I was having an interesting time.

I remember thinking, "What am I doing here? I don't even know where I am. I don't even know how I got here, and now I'm looking at a Rolling Stones mobile studio."

I asked the band member for his name and he told me his name is Jon Lord.

Jon explained how the recorders had 16 tracks, and told they could add music to music already recorded by selecting which tracks were recording and which tracks were just playing.

Jon told me that by over-dubbing they could make it sound like 2 guitars even though they only have one guitar player in the band.

I went back inside and saw the manager and 2 employees with chains and locks in their hands. It looked like they were going to lock some doors.

I sat down in the middle of the auditorium where a band member came up and sat behind me.

I asked him for his name.

He said, "Ian."

I said, "Like on the James bond movies?"

He said, "Yeah, only the guy who writes the James Bond stories is Ian Fleming and I'm Ian Gillan.

I said, "I'm Gary Imhoff. It's nice to meet you."

I asked Ian, "What part do you play in the band?"

He replied, "I'm the singer."

I asked Ian what songs he had recorded that I may have heard.

Ian told me that he sang the part of Jesus on the album "Jesus Christ Superstar."

I told him that I had that album, and he started singing part of the "What's the buzz" song. He sounded just like he did on the album.

Ian also told me that before he was in the band they did a song called "Hush" in 1968.

I said, "Is it the song that goes...(I started to sing the chorus of a song I knew that had the word hush in it's lyrics)?"

Ian confirmed that I was singing the correct song when he joined in singing the rest of the chorus with me.

The song was a huge hit.

I asked Ian if he knew who was about to perform.

He said, "Frank Zappa."

I said, "That's a wild name. Well, his name sounds kind of like a Zippo lighter so that's what I'll use to remember it. I've never heard of him before."

Ian said, "Its Frank Zappa and the Mothers."

I said, "Mothers! What are they a bunch of Nuns? Are they Mother Superiors? What kind of mothers? Not mother f-ers I hope."

Ian laughed and said, "No, they're the 'mothers of invention.'"

I said, "Invention! What do they invent?"

Ian replied, "I don't know. Music, I guess."

Ian asked me how I got there. I told him I was driven there but I couldn't remember the driver's (J'shua) name so I didn't tell Ian his name.

I described J'shua's locks of hair that were in front of his ears. Ian told me that it reminded him of the man who made the t-shirts for them.

Ian left and came back with the rest of the band who all set down in the row behind me to watch the show.

The show started right after they sat down.

I didn't have much appreciation for Zappa's strange laid back style of music at that time.

After a few songs Frank Zappa announced that he was going to do the song "King Kong."

I noticed that the lights dimmed and I saw some movement that made the stage look different. At the time I thought they were moving around scenery.

Then when Frank Zappa and the Mothers started playing again I heard them performing the Beatles song "I Want to Hold Your Hand."

I thought that I must have fallen asleep through the song "King Kong." It seemed strange to me that I missed it but I liked the Beatles song and I wasn't into Zappa's kind of music anyway.

8 - SOMEBODY FIRED A FLARE

While I was enjoying the Beatles song I heard a loud pop and a shiver ran down my spine. I turned around and saw a white flare burning in the ceiling. I saw a man in the back holding a Roman candle upside down against the floor. In the crack between the floor and the Roman candle I saw a second flare start to shine through but it only had the oxygen that was in the tube and once that was gone it suffocated and it burned out. I think the second flare was green. I was relieved to see that it had been put out successfully.

I continued to listen to the Beatles song for a little while but then I saw some people rush the stage and I saw someone grab Frank Zappa and throw him off the stage. I was shocked by it and thought he might be hurt because he fell sideways and more toward his head for a long way until he disappeared in front of the stage.

I turned to Ian behind me and said, "Someone just threw Frank Zappa off the stage." Ian was surprised and said, "Someone just threw Frank off the stage? Are you sure? I didn't see that!" I said, "Yeah, I'm sure. I think he may have been hurt."

I turned back around toward the stage and Frank was already on the stage and began making an evacuation announcement so I thought to myself, "How did he get back on stage so fast? Oh well, I guess he didn't get hurt."

I got up and turned toward the band and started complaining about how some stupid spoiled things just as I was beginning to enjoy the show. I said, "He would have to ruin it right when they were playing the only song I liked this whole concert. I love the Beatles."

Then I got into an argument with one of the band members (I think it was Ritchie Blackmore) because he said, "What do you mean Beatles? That wasn't a Beatles song." I argued back saying, "Yes it was. How can you not know that?" He said, "'King Kong,' That's a Frank Zappa song." I said, "No! I'm talking about the song after that." He just shook his head and waved me off as he was turning to start leaving out of the seating area.

I thought to myself, how could anyone let alone a professional musician not know that "I Want to Hold Your Hand" is a Beatles song?

Every once in a while I would look at the ceiling to see how far the fire was spreading. It was a circle of fire with ripple like waves of fire. It was about 8 feet in diameter when I started walking down the row. The fire had spread to about 10 feet in diameter by the time I reach the isle.

While waiting in the slow moving line I thought of a joke. I yelled, "Well I guess Zippo lit this place on fire!" Everybody in the auditorium laughed at my joke.

When I finally got out of the auditorium into a hall there were steps leading down to the basement. I went down into the basement to find another way around. A man told me not to go down there. I told him I would double back if I couldn't find a way around. In the basement I came to 2 doors that had chains and padlocks. I decided to double back and leave the way I came.

While on the way to the stairs I found a room in the basement with about 8 people inside of it. I said, "Ya'll need to come with me. The building is on fire! You all need to get out of here! The building is on fire!" They all looked at me funny so I waved for them to follow me. They just kept talking. I tried to get them to come several times but I finally gave up and went up the stairs.

There was a man directing traffic in the hallway at the top of the stairs. I ran up to him and said, "There are a bunch of people down in the basement that will not come up with me. I told them there was a fire but they didn't understand me. I don't think they speak English." The man said, "I'll get them out" and ran down the stairs. I yelled after him saying, "Do you want me to show you where they're at?" He said, "No, just leave the building. I'm going to check everywhere."

I thought to myself, "Great! I just saved a bunch of people's lives and he's going to get all the credit. I never get any recognition." I was disgusted. I shook my head while I was walking down the hall to the exit door around the corner.

9 - CONFUSION AND WORRY OUTSIDE THE BUILDING

I left out the same door that Y'shua had let me in a few hours earlier and it was beautiful weather outside. The sky was clear and the temperature was in the low 70's. The stream of smoke from the fire was about 4 feet wide.

I saw a man with a super 8mm movie camera filming the fire and I started talking to him. I walked up to him and said, "Do you think they will be able to put out the fire? He said, "It depends on whether or not they can get a ladder and fire extinguishers quick enough." I said, "My family had a super 8mm movie camera just like yours." He said, "Does your camera record sound." I said, "No!" He told me his camera records sound.

While we were talking the sirens began to slowly wind up to a very loud volume. They sounded incredible! The sound was bouncing off the mountains and rifling through the streets. I told the man that it was a good thing that his camera records sound.

I saw several police cars whip around the corner then dart into parking spaces. The policemen jumped out of their cars and ran into the building. I thought it was strange that their uniforms looked like those worn by police overseas in Europe. I saw a fire truck pull up and I decided to get out of the way so I left the area.

I saw the mobile unit parked away from the building so I went over to talk with the roadies. There was only one roadie there and he was trying to tape a 2nd microphone to the door of the mobile. He waved for me to come on up and help him so I held the microphone to the door while he taped it. After we finished we walked away from the mobile about 20 feet and we began to whisper to each other.

We talked about how the sound of the siren was incredible. I said, "I hope you get a good recording. It sure sounds amazing." He said, "Yeah, the acoustics are fantastic. The sound is loud and it's reverberating off the mountains and rolling down the streets. It's perfect and so is the equipment I'm recording it with."

After about 5 minutes he said, "That ought to be enough." Then he went inside and shut off the recorder. I saw him put the tape reel with the siren recording in an unmarked box. There was a whole shelf row of about 30 blank unrecorded tapes. He counted about 6 spaces from the end and slipped the siren recording in with the blanks. I asked him why he didn't mark it and he told me that he didn't want anybody else to take it.

The roadie was sitting on the steps of the mobile entrance when he said, "I can't wait to change out of these clothes." I said, "Why do you want to change clothes?" He said, "Because it rained a little while ago. I'm wet and I also got mud on my shoes when I ran across this field to move the mobile after the fire started." I was confused because I looked up at the sky and it was blue and I didn't see any clouds. I also did not see any wet roads. I said, "Well, whatever rain there was is gone now. I don't see any mud on your shoes" He lifted his feet and showed me both sides of his shoes as though they were caked with it. I didn't see any mud on his shoes and his clothes looked dry. I just shook my head and I don't remember saying anything more about the weather.

He told me that they had locked the keys in the mobile earlier and had to break into it in order to move it away from the building when the fire started. I looked at the mobile and I didn't see a broken window. I went around to the other side and I didn't see any broken windows on that side. I said, "I don't see any broken window." He pointed to the window but I didn't see a break there. I was very confused and I said, "I guess I'll be going now."

As I was walking away I went over by the grass and tested it with my foot to see if it was soggy. It was dry as a bone to me. I walked out in it and started jumping up and down in it. The roadie dropped his mouth and looked at me like I was crazy. I walked away thinking he was a little off his rocking chair.

As I walked back toward the building I noticed that the stream of smoke was much bigger. It was about 20 feet across.

I saw Ian standing alone so I went up to him and started talking. I said, "The fire sure has grown. Do you think the firemen will be able to put it out?" He said, "No, they told me that it would be hopeless and too dangerous to even try and they are just going to let it burn."

I debated Ian about what started the fire. He said it was a flare gun. I knew that it was a Roman candle.

Ian look very worried and he said, "I don't know what we're going to do now. We have everything invested in this. All of us saved up and pitched in money and some of our families also pitched in. I don't know what we're going to do now. We'll have to find somewhere else to record it and we're running out of time. It costs a lot of money to rent the mobile and rooms to stay in and it costs a lot for food."

I felt sorry for Ian and I didn't know what to say so I said, "I'll pray for ya'll." Ian said, "Do you believe in God?" I thought about it for a few seconds then I said, "Might as well, because if there's no God then we're all screwed and it won't matter what happens here." Ian nodded his head in acknowledgement of what I said. After that he walked away and started talking with someone else.

As I was looking at a very beautiful young woman she walked up to me and started talking. She said, "Wow, this is really something isn't it?" I said, "Yeah, it sure is. I hate to admit it but I'm kind of enjoying it. I guess it's interesting to me." She said, "Well, it's not every day that a big building catches on fire."

I said, "The weather sure is nice for this." She said, "Oh, I don't think so. Actually, I think it's very cold." I said, "Really, you think it's cold? I think it's perfect. It must be about 70 degrees." She said, "No, I think it's more like about 35 degrees." I said, "No, come on! You're putting me on. It's not that cold. She said, "Yes it is. I can see a little fog from your breath." I said, "Really! I don't see fog from anyone's breath." She said, "Are you sure? Look!" She puckered and blew while I was watching closely. I said, "I don't see your breath." She said, "That's strange!"

All of a sudden an ambulance flew around a corner then whipped around another corner and came to a screeching halt right in front of us. We both burst out in laughter. I said, "Well, that doesn't happen every day." She said, "No, it doesn't."

While looking at the ambulance I noticed that the writing on it was not in English. I figured that the city must have purchased a used ambulance from overseas. I said, "It looks like they bought this ambulance from overseas." She said, "Yeah, it's a Ford."

I said, "I can understand them needing to buy a used ambulance, but you would think that they could at least afford to paint it." She said, "It is painted." I said, "Yeah, but I mean they should paint over the writing. It's in a foreign language." She said, "What do you mean 'foreign language?' Are you talking about some small writing on it?" I said, "No, I'm talking about big letters right there."

I pointed to the only writing on the ambulance. It was not in English. She shrugged her shoulders and said, "I'm sorry! I don't understand!" She frowned and shook her head and gave me a very confused look as she walked away.

10 - REFLECTING ON MY RECENT CONFUSION WITH GIRLS

I was very upset about what happened, even to the point of tears. It wasn't just what happened with the woman at the ambulance that was troubling me, but I had experienced a buildup of confusion and frustration recently. My confusion with the woman at the ambulance reminded me of my recent heartache over 2 girls that lived in my apartment complex. I remember thinking to myself, "I'll never understand girls. I just don't get them. I never will understand them. One minute it seems like we're getting along great and then all of a sudden everything goes wrong"

A whole crowd of people noticed me crying as I walked away from the ambulance. I started to walk all the way around the building to get away from the crowd for a while. As I walked I reflected back on my frustration with Ginger and Lori. I began thinking about what happened with them while I tried to figure things out.

Ginger and I talked with each other for about a year and although we were friends I didn't think she was interested in me. She was good looking and I was interested in her but she didn't give any hints that she wanted me. Once she was trying to get me to dance and I tried and she laughed at me. I didn't think she was very impressed with me.

One night we were talking on Ginger's patio and she seemed more friendly than usual so I tried to kiss her. She let me kiss her, but she didn't seem real into it and when I tried to French kiss her she pulled away. I backed off and just talked to her for a little while. I kissed her goodnight (without tongue) just before I left her that night.

The next day I was riding my motorcycle around the apartment complex when a boy who was 2 years older than me stopped me and asked if I would let him ride it. I handed him the helmet and told him to stay in the apartment complex.

While watching him ride near Ginger's apartment I saw her dad grab a trash can and throw it at the boy who was on my motorcycle. The trash can hit him and he flew off the motorcycle, which crashed, on the ground. I ran down there and as I got close I heard Ginger's dad say, "I'm sorry. I thought you were ...(My real name)" I picked my motorcycle up off the ground and started pushing it back up the hill. The boy handed me my helmet.

As I passed Ginger's dad he gave me the most hateful look I had ever seen and yelled, "You better stop riding through here so fast. You're going to hurt one of these kids one of these days." I could tell that in spite of what he said this was not about danger to kids. I didn't know why he hated me so much but the way he looked at me really scared me. I was extremely shaken up and afraid of him.

While I pushed my bike up the hill Lori came running up to me to find out what happened. I told her and we began talking with each other. The incident provided an occasion for us to get together and we hit it off.

The following evening Lori and I were making out while sitting on the hood of a car when Ginger came walking by. Ginger burst into tears when she saw us French kissing. I was surprised because I didn't think that Ginger cared about me that much. I stood up and felt like saying something to her but I was with Lori and it was hopeless for me and Ginger to be friends because her dad didn't like me and tried to hurt me.

I made out with Lori several times over the next few days. I really thought that we had something going on and I was very happy and I had my hopes up higher than they had ever been. I was crazy about her and I thought she felt the same way.

After we had been together for about a week I tried to have sex with Lori. She was watching a neighbor's apartment and I was making out with her on the sofa. I unsnapped her jeans and she got up and snapped them and left out of the apartment to the backyard where a crowd of teenagers was gathered. She did not seem angry and in fact she smirked a little when she got up.

I stayed in the apartment and thought about what had happened. At first I thought that maybe she didn't like me that much. Then I thought about how sex can lead to pregnancy and I realized that she was just being smart and careful and that her refusal probably didn't have anything to do with how she felt about me. I realized that I should not have tried to go so far with her. I decided that I would go apologize and tell her that I shouldn't have tried to go so far with her. I planned to tell her that I loved her and that I was willing to wait on sex. I also planned to tell her that I thought she was smart for not letting me go too far.

On my way to apologize to Lori I overheard her talking to my good friend Ken and what I heard caused me to retreat back into the apartment. I heard Ken say, "So I guess you and ... (My real name) are together now?" Lori said, "No, we're just friends." Ken said, "Oh come on, it's more than that? Ya'll are an item! Admit it?" Lori said, "No, I like him, but we're just friends." Ken said, "Come on! Ya'll are in love! Ya'll are hot for each other. Admit it?" Lori said, "No, it's not like that. We're just friends. That's all!"

After hearing Lori's denials about being in love with me I staggered back into the living room and began groaning. It felt like my heart fell into my stomach. I had never felt so hurt in my whole life up to that point in time. I was so disappointed. I had thought that we were an "item." I had thought we were "in love." I had thought we were "hot for each other." I did not think that we were "just friends" until I heard her talk with Ken.

There were about 15 kids behind the apartment with Lori so I left out the front door and went to my apartment. I didn't want anybody to see me crying and I was embarrassed because everybody in the neighborhood was there when she was talking to Ken. I assume that everyone heard her denials. I felt very embarrassed for thinking that I could get a girl like her to begin with. I was skinny and bow legged and she was the most beautiful girl in the neighborhood. I figured that she must be embarrassed about me. I assumed that it must be my looks. It was clear to me that she didn't feel the same way about me as I did about her. I was proud of her and I would never have denied wanting her or being in love with her.

For several days I avoided everyone in the neighborhood. I didn't want Lori to know that I had overheard her talking to Ken. I didn't think it would be dignified to confront her with it. I also did not think it would change anything. As far as I was concerned it was hopeless and I would just have to get over her.

In hindsight I wish that I had gone ahead with my apology because my failure to do so probably led to a misunderstanding. Lori may have thought that I stopped seeing her because she refused to put out. That's not why I stopped seeing her. I understood her refusal to have sex and I would have been willing to wait on that as long as needed. It was her denial of me that broke my heart. I couldn't face her because I was hurt by what she said.

I can only speculate on why Lori was angry enough with me to put an egg in my gas tank. Since she didn't look angry when she got up and snapped her jeans I think that she thinks that I dumped her for refusing to put out. Even so, I still don't understand her anger with me. If she did not love me and we're "just friends" then why is she angry with me? I may have misinterpreted her conversation with Ken. It may be that she was just trying to defend her honor. Ken may have insinuated that we were having sex and she may have just been denying sex and not love. At the time I took it as a denial of love, but I did not hear their whole conversation in context. Her denial didn't seem to fit with how she acted when we made out together. Her anger didn't seem to fit with someone who doesn't care all that much.

While I was walking around the building I regretted trying anything with Lori and Ginger. Maybe Ginger's dad saw me try to French kiss Ginger and then was upset with me for it. Maybe Lori was mad at me for trying to go too far. All I knew was that if I had not tried to break God's commandment not to fornicate then Lori would not have put an egg in my tank.

I don't think that things would have worked out with Lori and me anyway, but if I had not tried to have sex with her then I wouldn't have been bothered by my own responsibility for what happened. It would have been easier to deal with. It was hard enough just to find out that she didn't love me like I loved her. Her anger at me compounded the hurt. That egg really hurt. My confusion over what happened was another hard part. I was racking my brain trying to figure things out.

It seemed like my understanding had been backwards. The girl who I thought didn't care about me had cared enough to cry over me. The girl who I thought had cared about me denied loving me and put an egg in my tank.

11 - AN EXPLOSION, FLAMES AND MORE REFLECTIONS

While walking around the building an explosion occurred just 12 feet from me. I saw 2 young men blown out through a window onto the lawn. At first it looked like they had cuts and burns but as they rolled their faces were turned away from me. I ran up and laid my hands on their shoulders and asked them if they were hurt. They turned around and this time their faces looked ok. They brushed themselves off then told me they were all right and then left the area.

I resumed walking around the building and I began thinking about Lori's mom. Lori's mom fixed me breakfast many times. She would see me drive up on my motorcycle after I finished my paper route for the Dallas Morning News. She would give me breakfast and I would give her my extra newspaper.

She would always ask me if I wanted hot chocolate. I would always want it and ask her to use 2 packets. Then she would say, "I think I know by now that you want 2 packets." I knew I didn't have to keep telling her to use 2 packets, but that was the routine. She didn't have to keep asking me if I wanted hot chocolate, but that was the drill.

It seemed like she always had something to talk about. She would often read to me from the newspaper then talk about what she read. Sometimes she would talk about her kids. It was always interesting having breakfast with her.

One morning while having breakfast she showed me her charm bracelet. She had a charm bracelet exactly like the one my mother had except her bracelet had 1 boy head and 3 girl heads. My mom's bracelet had 3 boy heads and 1 girl head. I thought it was interesting that it was the exact opposite. Also, the second children in each family are the opposite sex of the other siblings. Lori and I were the 3rd children in each family. The names of the kids were engraved on the heads of both bracelets.

It cheered me up to think about Lori's mom. Just thinking about her simple charm and caring seemed to ease the frustration and confusion I was going through.

While I was on the backside of the building I began to see flames through the windows. I ran around the front side of the building and I could see flames through all the windows. It began to occur to me that this really was going to be quite a spectacle. This was the biggest fire I had ever seen and it just kept growing.

When I got back around to where all the people were standing I walked away from them toward the water and I sat down. I didn't want to confront the woman I had talked to about the ambulance. I was alone by myself to begin with until people began to come over to where I was sitting.

Ian Gillan came over to me and I pointed out the reflection of the fire in the water to him. I said, "Look at the reflection of the building on fire in the water."

Then I said, "Look how beautiful the water is. It looks like it's glowing. Isn't that the most beautiful blue water you've ever seen?" Ian said, "Yeah, I see what you mean. It really is glowing. It's beautiful, but actually, I think it looks purple. Yeah, it looks purple to me." I said, "Purple! No, I don't think so. No, that's blue. It's a beautiful blue. It's a beautiful deep blue sea." Ian said, "No, it's purple alright. It's deep purple."

I was puzzled by Ian's insistence on the color purple. At the time I couldn't understand why he would not want it to be blue to match his band's name that was printed on their t-shirts. I now realize that Deep Purple was printed on their t-shirts and that God must have wanted me to see Deep Blue Sea printed on them.

I began to notice that smoke was sweeping down over the water and was covering up the reflection in the water of the building on fire. I spoke to Ian saying, "At first I was thinking that it was too bad that the smoke was covering the reflection of the fire but now I'm thinking it may be a sign." Ian said, "what do you mean?" I said, "This fire is history. There's nothing that's going to change that now, but maybe God will cover the bad effects of it like that smoke is covering the reflection of it so that your band isn't burned by it. Maybe you'll be like those 3 guys in the fire in The Bible." Ian said, "Do you mean the fiery furnace?" I said, " Yeah, Shadrach, Meshach and" I had to stop speaking because I couldn't remember the name of the third man in the Bible story about the fiery furnace. Ian knew it and said, "Abednego" I said, "Yeah, that's right! Abednego!"

Ian then told me that he had to go as he and the other band members were about to leave. He told me that they were going to go back to their hotel rooms across the lake and he pointed to it.

I told him it was nice meeting him and said, "I hope things work out for ya'll and maybe this fire will turn out to be a good thing." Ian said, "How's that?" I thought about it a few seconds then I said, "I know. Maybe you can write a song about it. Yeah, that's it. Write a song about it! Ian said, "You know, I just might do that."

Ian walked over to where the other band members were gathered and I started walking towards the police cars.

12 - J'SHUA CAME BACK FOR ME

As I got closer to the police cars I noticed that it was not the English word police on the side of the cars. I suddenly realized that I was not in the United States. I thought, "That's why the woman at the ambulance didn't understand me. Where am I?" At first I thought that I might be in Mexico but the people didn't look like Mexicans. Then I figured that I must be in Canada. That would explain the French word "wee" that I heard earlier, but how could I have traveled in a car all the way from Dallas to Canada without waking up?

I was frightened and I began thinking about the man who had brought me there. I wondered if he was going to come back for me. I thought, "Where are you? I need for you to come back right now!"

Just as I started thinking that I wanted him to come back for me I heard the low roll of an engine in the distance getting closer. After a few seconds I saw J'shua drive around the corner then drive down the street towards me. I began cheering. He made another turn and stopped with the passenger door right in front of me. I thought, "Wow, this guy has incredible timing!"

I opened the door and jumped in the car and exclaimed, "Wow! You're not going to believe what happened. The building caught on fire. It's going to burn to the ground!" J'shua said, "I can see that."

I said, "I can't wait to tell you all about what happened. It was incredible." J'shua said, "Be patient! There's no need to rush. We'll have plenty of time to talk about it later. Right now I think you need to get some rest. Why don't you climb into the back and get some sleep." I said, "Sleep! How can I sleep at a time like this? I don't feel" I stopped mid-sentence and began to yawn. Then I said, "Well, I guess I am getting sleepy." I crawled into the back of the car.

J'shua told me that he was going to put on some music while I slept and he told me he would keep the volume down.

I saw a type of tape case in his hand that I had never seen before so I said, "What's that?" He said, "It's an 8-track tape. It's a new type of player they just started making. It has 4 channels and 2 tracks per channel for stereo sound. It's looped around to run continuous. You never have to rewind it."

He handed me the tape case and I looked at it and said, "My family have super 8-movies in cases like these."

J'shua showed me the button on the player that you push to change channels. J'shua said, "See how the song list has the songs listed in 4 sections." I looked at the song list and it had the songs listed in 4 sections.

The cover label on the tape case was titled "Machine Head" but I don't think it had the name of the band. I think I would have been alarmed if I had seen Deep Purple or Deep Blue Sea on that label but I'm fairly certain that the band's name was not there.

I asked J'shua what a machine head was and he explained that it was the part of the musical instrument that has the pegs or pins and gears for adjusting the string tension.

I put my arms around the seat and J'shua and patted him on the chest. While hugging him I said, "Thanks for bringing me here. I needed to get away for a while." I felt sad about my situation and told him that things were not going very well around my neighborhood.

J'shua told me that someday he could take me to somewhere that was much better. I know now that he was talking about taking me to heaven.

J'shua began to drive slowly away as I watched the reflections of fire in the car windows get smaller and closer together. The slow roll of the engine and the flickering images of the fire dancing in the car windows were very relaxing and soothing. I felt at peace. I fell asleep quickly.

J'shua started to play the music after I fell asleep. At moments I would wake for a few seconds and hear the music. It was the first time I had ever heard real fast heavy metal music. I can remember hearing brief parts of several songs. I liked the music.

13 - I WOKE UP IN BED

I woke up in bed saying to myself, "I can't believe that was a dream. It seemed so real." I concluded that it must have been a dream because I woke up in bed.

I looked at the clock and it said 04:30, which meant it was time to throw my paper route. I got out of bed and grabbed my helmet and saddlebags and left to go throw my route. I didn't need to get dressed because I had gone to sleep in my clothes and shoes.

When I finished my paper route Lori's mom came out her back door while I was parking my motorcycle and said, "Are you coming?" I said, "Yeah!" I reached into the saddlebag and grabbed the extra newspaper and went inside her apartment.

When I went inside Lori's mom introduced me to a male friend and while introducing me she told him that I was Lori's boyfriend.

I told her about our break up and my trying to go to far with Lori.

Lori's mom said I should just apologize.

I told her that I was on my way to apologize to Lori when I overheard her deny loving me and that I couldn't face her after that.

Lori's mom asked me if I wanted her to talk to Lori and explain things but I told her no because I didn't think it would be dignified to confront Lori with what I had overheard and I didn't think it would change things.

I was embarrassed because I thought Lori was embarrassed of me and I told Lori's mom that Lori is out of my league and that I shouldn't have thought I could get such a good looking girl to begin with.

While having breakfast I noticed that the man Lori's mom introduced me to began filming us with a super 8mm movie camera just like the one my family owned. I said, "This makes the second time I've seen a camera like that recently. The man at the fire yesterday had a camera just like it."

Lori's mom said, "What fire?" I said, "I was at a fire somewhere. I don't remember where." She said, "What was on fire?" I said, "It was a big building. It was a concert. No, it was an arcade. I don't remember."

Lori's mom said, "Maybe there's an article about it in the newspaper." She picked up the paper and said, "There's an article about a fire right here on the front page. This was in Switzerland." I said, "Switzerland! That can't be the one that I was at." She said, "It was during a Frank Zappa concert." I said, "That sounds familiar." She said, "There was a band in the audience." I said, "There was a band in the audience of the concert I was at." She said, "The band's name is 'Deep Purple.'" I said, "I don't remember 'Deep Purple.' The 'Deep' part sounds familiar, but not the 'Purple' part."

I said, "It has to be coincidence. I couldn't have been in Switzerland." She said, "I don't know about that. There may be something to this."

I finished my breakfast and as I was leaving I looked out the window and saw a muscle car parked in my apartment space. Just then the engine started and J'shua backed out of the space. I said, "That's him! That's the guy that took me to the fire." I opened the door as he drove forward and stopped the car and got out.

While standing inside the apartment with the door opened J'shua began to signal me. He pointed his thumb at himself. Then he put his fingers together to form an (A). Then he waved his hand over his head. He brought his hands together at his waist then opened them and there was a brilliant light in his hands. I could see a round core of the most brilliant light I had ever seen. After a couple of seconds he got back in the car and drove off.

The light was so bright that I jerked and shielded my eyes from it. I said, "What was that?" Lori's mom said, "I don't know, but I saw a fire above your head." Then her boyfriend said to her, "I saw light in the shape of an Angel at your window and it looked liked the Angel's hands were on your shoulders."

I said, "He signaled something to me. I don't know what it was. Then I think I saw a camera's flash, but I don't know what it was. It was so bright. Maybe he took a picture and I just couldn’t see the camera. I think the light's just playing tricks on you." I demonstrated his hand signals to them, but I didn't know what he was signaling at that time.

Lori's mom said, "This is too much to be coincidence. The Lord is doing something here." I said, "Do you believe in God?" She said, "I believe in Jesus and I think he's doing something here.

I didn't know what to believe, but I had not seen any wires and the brilliant light lasted longer than a normal flash.

I thought he might be an Angel but I just couldn't figure out or accept what had happened. I figured it out 37 years later when I finally realized it was Jesus and that he had showed me a star.

The man told me he was filming during the flash. I asked him to make me a copy of the film. I never got a copy and I never saw him again. I went over to check on it and Lori's mom told me that she had broken up with him. I didn't ask about the film.

I never talked with Lori's mom about what had happened ever again. Jeep told me his mother had died when I saw him in about 1980. I cried my eyes out that night.

14 - TWO YEARS AFTER THE JOURNEY

I got on with my life and did not think about what happened except for 2 years after my journey when I first heard "Smoke on the Water" and had purchased the "Machine Head" 8-track. Even then it didn't bring back enough memories for me to realize I had actually been there.

One night in the summer of 1973 I popped a wheelie on my motorcycle in the rear parking lot of a pizza place. The pizza place was located on the north side of Love Field Airport in Dallas. A jet flew over just 100 feet up from where I was showing off for a Christian friend name Weldon. I let off the throttle and when the front wheel was back on the ground I slid into the parking space next to Weldon.

I looked at Weldon and said, "What do you think of that?" He said, "I'm not impressed." I said, "Oh, come on! I shifted to third gear while my wheel was in the air. A plane flew over at the same time. That was a perfect slide. Please tell me you were a little impressed." Weldon said, "After the things I've seen it's hard to impress me." I said, "What things?" He said, "I don't have time to tell you now. We need to go inside."

I followed Weldon into the Pizza place and we began to work. Later, while I was going out to clear tables of dishes, I met Weldon who was going to get ingredients.

Weldon said, "Have you received the Holy Ghost yet?" I said, "No, I haven't." He said, "Have you asked God for it?" I said, "Yes, I've asked God for it several times." Weldon grinned and said, "Keep asking for it!"

Weldon asked me if I had ever called the 700 Club. He had been trying to get me to call many times. I said, "No, I haven't called them and I'm not going to call them." He said, "Why not?" I said, "Because I would be embarrassed and I wouldn't know what to say." Weldon said, "Tell them you need help." I said, "Help with what?" He said, "Help with quitting cigarettes' I told Weldon that I would ask God for the Holy Spirit, but that I was not going to call the 700 Club.

As I began to clear a table I prayed, "Lord, please give me the Holy Spirit, but I'm not going to call the 700 club. I wouldn't know what to say."

Just after I finished praying the lead singer of the live band at the pizza place began to announce a song. He said that it was based on the true story of a fire that the band Deep Purple experienced.

The band began to play the song "Smoke on the Water." I listened to it and became puzzled by it.

At the end of the evening while the band was gathering up their equipment I went up and asked one of them about the song. I said, "I think I may have been at that fire. I remember smoke covering the reflection on the water of a building on fire. Where was that located?" He said, "The song says that they all went out to Montreux so it was in Montreux." I said, "Where is Montreux?" He said, "The song says that Swiss time was running out so I think it's in Switzerland." I said, "I must have dreamed about something similar because I've never been to Switzerland."

Then I asked him how to get the album. He told me that it was the "Machine Head" album by Deep Purple. I wrote the information down. He nudged me and said, "You're really going to like this album. It's special. It's really good."

The next day I went to the store and the lady there asked me if I wanted an album or 8-track. I had just been given an 8-track player in the Electrophonic Stereo my parents bought for me so I told her I wanted an 8-track. It was my first 8-track tape.

I went home and played it and got very excited over it. It was fast and hard driving music and I loved it. I understood why the singer at Papa's Pizza had nudged me and thought it was special.

I especially liked the song "Highway Star." Near the end of the song I had flashback memories of the band's members asking me if I had heard it before. I thought, "I don't remember hearing this song before now, but the name sounds so familiar. Where have I heard this song's name?" The flashbacks were too brief for me to remember the context of them and figure it out.

I also looked at the label and thought, "I think I've seen this label before now. Who was it that showed me an 8-track and explained what it was?" I tried but I couldn't remember him or the context of his showing it to me.

I was only getting little bits and pieces of memories. I was not connecting the pieces together.

In 1974 Lori's brother who is nicknamed Jeep asked me about what had happened with his mom 2 years earlier. I told him that I thought it was some sort of camera flash but that I couldn't remember much about it.

15 - THE REALIZATION CAME AFTER 37 YEARS

In December of 2008 I heard the song "Highway Star" while at work as a security guard. It puzzled me because I sensed that there was something I needed to remember about it.

A few days later I prayed asking God to heal me and help me remember things. I felt that there were things that I had forgotten. I felt that there were important things that I needed to remember, but they were just out of my grasp.

A few days later I heard the song "Smoke on the Water" while I was working as a security guard. As I was patrolling a building I went through the cafeteria and stopped to listen to the song. I had not heard it in a long time. I knew it was based on a true story so I decided that I would research it on the internet once I got back to the office.

I did a search on Google and found a super 8mm film, pictures and stories that revived my memories and revealed to me that I had actually been to these places. I found many pictures on montreuxmusic.com that revived my memories. I read stories on Deep Purple and Frank Zappa websites. This is a list of some of the things I saw that I remembered:

• Round shaped area of land that downtown Montreux is located on
• Large arched room entry ways in the building
• Hexagonal shaped section of the building
• Unique roadway on the edge of the land
• Scaffolds
• Casino and several surrounding buildings
• Twin steep mountains
• Bridge between the mountains
• Super 8mm movie film - I was standing by the man as he was filming it.
• Pictures of Deep Purple band members

• I read that Deep Purple was there to record the Machine Head album the next day after Frank Zappa finished. They told me they were there to record and showed me the mobile.
• I read that there were 2 roadies. The roadies were in the mobile when the band member showed it to me.
• I read that they chained and locked the doors to the casino to keep too many people from getting in. I saw the manager and 2 casino employees with the chains and locks in their hands on their way to lock those doors.
• I read that Ian Gillan sang the part of Jesus on the "Jesus Christ Superstar" album. He told me abou it.
• I read that 1 week after the casino fire Frank Zappa was thrown off the stage and broke a leg while performing the Beatle's song "I want to hold your hand" during a concert in London. I saw Frank Zappa thrown off the stage during that same song but I was at Montreux a week before it happened in London.
• I read that somebody yelled, "Well' I guess Zippo lit this place on fire." I was the one who yelled that!
• I read that after the fire started some people were lowered through an open window to a garden area. I saw them through a basement window.
• I read that the man who started the Montreux jazz festival who is named Claude Nobs went to the basement to search for young people and saved their lives. I saw his picture and I'm fairly certain that Claude Nobs is the man I met at the top of the basement's stairs who I notified about the people in the basement.
• I read that the roadies ran across a muddy field then broke into the mobile in order to move it away from the fire. The roadie told me about it though I could not see the broken window, water on the pavement or mud on his shoes.
• I read that Deep Purple was pressed for time and money because of the fire. Ian told me about his worries and financial problems caused by the fire.
• I read that an explosion blew some young men out through a window. I was right there when it happened.
• I read that Deep Purple's base guitarist Roger Glover came up with the title of the song "Smoke on the Water" and that Ian wrote the lyrics. I was surprised to find out that Roger thought up the title. When I first remembered this journey I assumed Ian came up with the title because I pointed out the smoke on the water to him. I suggested to Ian a comparison between the smoke covering the reflection of the fire and God covering the bad effects of the fire on the band.

After 37 years I remember the conversation I had with J'shua about a week or two before the journey.

I was telling somebody my own age about all the places my family had traveled to while on vacation. When I finished talking to him a man sitting near there said, "I couldn't help but hear you talking about all the places you've been. Sounds like you like to travel." I said, "Yeah, I do."

The man said, "I think I know a place you would like to visit. Have you ever been to the French Riviera?" I said, "No, that's a long way away." He said, "Would you like to go there?" I said, "Sure, why not?"

The man said, "Ok! I'll take you there." I said, "Oh come on. You're not going to take me there. You're pulling my leg." He said, No, I'm serious. I'll arrange it." I said, "Get out of here. You're not really going to take me to the French Riviera.

The man looked at me like he was determined and said, "Oh yes I will" as he was walking away. I was amazed that he actually looked like he was serious about it.

At Montreuz I was wondering if I was in Canada because I had forgotten that he said, "French Riviera" but J'shua did take me there just like he said he would.

16 - CONCLUSIONS

I finally figured out what J'shua had signaled me. It was the last line of the song. He signaled, "I'm a highway star."

It was a star that he showed me. The duration was too long to be just a flash and I didn't see any wires. I remembered that he pointed at himself. Then he made an (A) shape with his fingers. Then he waved his hand over his head. That must have been his signal for highway. I'll never forget what I saw in his hands after that!

I believe that J'shua gave me 2 visions of the future in addition to taking me on a super-natural journey. I saw Frank Zappa get tossed off stage 1 week before it happened. I saw and heard the Machine Head tape before it was even recorded.

I now realize that while I was listening to the Beatles song "I want to hold your hand" everybody else in the casino was listening to Zappa's song "King Kong." My assumption that I had fallen asleep during King Kong was wrong. When I argued with the Deep Purple band member we were both right about what song was playing from our own perspectives.

I now remember what J'shua asked me to keep trying to remember. I had a super-natural journey back in time to Amsterdam where I heard Anne Frank confess that she believed the New Testament.

When J'shua told me that he planned on taking me to a place that was even better (than Montreux) he was obviously referring to heaven.

I can conceive of several reasons why J'shua took me on this journey but I don't know his reasons for certain. Here is a list of reasons he may have for doing it:

• J'shua may have taken me on this journey because he felt sympathy for me - When I was 13 years old I stopped going to church when a church class meeting at a home turned into a kissing party and I felt humiliated because I was the only person who didn't have anyone to kiss - Church is the one place a person should never be left out - J'shua may have felt sympathy for my break up with Lori - There are several other things in my life that may have caused him to feel sympathetic
• To save the lives of those people in the basement - Claude Nobs may not have gone down there if I had not told him about those people
• To boost my faith - I know this really happened even if nobody else believes it
• To help support a ministry he may use me in - He may accompany a ministry with signs and wonders to draw attention to it - There is the potential of evidence if Ian remembers that I told him Frank Zappa was thrown off stage or if any of the band's members remember the argument over what song was playing or if the super 8mm movie turns up.
• To reinforce the lesson that there is a time coming when it will be too late for salvation - When J'shua told me that there was a time that restoration could work and a time that it would be too late I don't think he was referring to just the casino - I believe this is the same lesson as my trip to Amsterdam where a woman was sorry but it was too late for her.

We are saved and given new life by grace. The grace that saves us is the atonement that J'shua made for us on the cross at Calvary. Ephesians 2:8-9 states, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” I believe we receive new life through the in dwelling of the Holy Spirit, which happens to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and savior.