DIVINE IRONY (Or, HOW I FOUND GOD IN L.A.)

.

I spent years telling people "There is no God in Los Angeles!" And in 1992, when I couldn't stand the place any longer, I moved to Prescott, a small town in Arizona (as seen in the 1971 movie 'Billy Jack'). I told all my friends that if I ever moved back to L.A., they were to put a gun to my head and end my misery. I still remember driving east on the 10 freeway, pulling a U-Haul trailer behind my car and flipping "the bird" at downtown L.A. as I drove past it. Ha!

.

I experienced *massive* culture shock in Prescott, and after about a year and a half... I moved back to L.A. I had NO IDEA why I was going back, and I was doggone angry at myself for doing so. Logic dictated that I probably should have moved to Phoenix or Tucson but... no. I recall getting gas at a station just outside of Palm Springs, and while the gas was pumping, I kept asking myself: WHY am I doing this?! WHY am I going back to helL.A.?! I had no desire to do any more acting in Hollyweird, so I couldn't understand why I was returning, and I was truly upset with myself. Thankfully, none of my old friends put a gun to my head. 😌

.

On April 6, 1994, one month to the day after having moved back, I was alone one afternoon in my girlfriend's L.A. apartment when I inexplicably had a heart-altering 'Saul-On-The-Road-To-Damascus' Spiritual experience which permanently changed me. To put it another way: Jesus baptized me and I found God in Los Angeles! (Wow! He hears, He directs, He has a sense of humor!) The irony was unmistakable. When I think back on that day, I'm always reminded of the 'Frasier' episode 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart', in which Frasier Crane said, "Well played, God!"

.

Downtown Los Angeles, circa 1984.

.

STMcC (a.k.a. D-FensDogG) circa 1984.

.

~ Stephen T. McCarthy