Night with a Perfect Stranger: The Conversation That Changes Everything
“Mr. Gregory introduces much to ponder in Night with a Perfect Stranger. Very moving, this story addresses some interesting questions and no matter the reader’s religion, this book will touch the heart.”
Nick Cominsky, husband and father living in Cincinnati, Ohio thinks an invitation to dinner at Milano’s Restaurant by Jesus Christ is a gag. Nevertheless, he goes out of curiosity, only to realize the man he meets and dines with is not a gag.
After spending several hours talking, love for this man fills Nick, and he dedicates his life to becoming a Christian. Not only does he encounter Christ, but Nick’s wife Mattie also finds Jesus while traveling on a plane.
The two, consumed with God, want to spread the good news, and so search for a church where they can engage in fellowship. When they mention their encounters with Christ, they receive skeptical looks and feel like outcasts.
Six years pass and Nick is at a crossroads. He wonders whatever happened to the all-consuming joy he once held and realizes he is not following the Christian path. He does not consider himself a good husband, has no patience with his children, and understands his life is lacking.
On a summons from his parents, Nick flies to Chicago to attain some furniture from them now that they are downsizing. Nick does not want to go, but with Mattie’s urging, he does. From past experiences, he is aware he and his father will butt heads. Nick thinks he is a disappointment to his dad, who always questions him about his job, his life, and his goals.
Nick is not surprised when the night before he is due to return home with a fully packed U-Haul that his dad questions him about his life. Thinking he is being chastised, Nick storms off in a huff, leaving without a parting word to his father, letting his anger stir as he hits the deserted highway.
When Nick runs out of gas, his frustrations build. No one is on the road, and he realizes he will have to trek several miles to a service station. Distraught and irritated, he sees a man in front of the truck with a full can of gas. It is not just any man . . . it is Jesus! Nick is flabbergasted, but once he fills the tank, Jesus hops in the passenger seat for the long ride home.
Nick questions Jesus as to his “abandonment” of the past six years and questions how to become a better man. In their travels, they encounter another man in dire need of Jesus’ help. They stop for something to eat, and Jesus astounds both by answering their questions, helping them see “the light.”
Mr. Gregory introduces much to ponder in Night with a Perfect Stranger. Very moving, this story addresses some interesting questions and no matter the reader’s religion, this book will touch the heart.