It Started Out as a Rumor

Reva Lachica Moore

It first started out as a rumor five years ago. My co-workers who are fishing and hunting enthusiasts and who also love sports and the great outdoors were excitedly talking about the coming of this giant store called Bass Pro. And since it was getting built outside our subdivision, they asked me what I thought about it.
“The traffic around Range Avenue will be unreal,” a co-worker said. “But I’m happy it’s being built there; I don’t have to drive to Houston anymore.”
“I cannot see it happening,” I told them. “And if it does, it wouldn’t affect me in anyway. There’s nothing going on outside our subdivision because the people would fight every business that tries to come in.”
Because of my disbelief, I could sense them snickering behind my back.
A few months later, residents of my subdivision started talking about the giant store. They didn’t want any big business coming close to our homes, so they voted against it. Three years passed and there was not a single sign of the store’s coming. The street going to our subdivision remained quiet.
Everything seemed tranquil in our little bedroom community when suddenly, hotels and motels started coming up like giant mushrooms popping up almost overnight. Many things were happening and a huge sign – BASS PRO Coming Soon - showed on the site near the interstate. Again, the people fought to stop the building of the store. Then things were quiet again. “It will never happen!” many people said.
On the spring of 2006, the newspaper finally reported the forthcoming of the huge store as big as three and a half football fields. And this time, nobody could stop it. People started talking again.
The traffic of I-12 has increased tremendously after Hurricane Katrina and we worried what will happen when the new store opens.
When the summer of 2006 came, a couple of contractor trailers stood on the construction site and bulldozers started clearing the land. But as soon as the work started, it suddenly stopped again due to more court hearings. A year passed with no signs of continued progress. By this time, the jobsite seemed completely abandoned.
J.R. and I went to the Philippines on the spring of 2007. When we got back home, the site of the proposed giant store seemed neglected. Tall grass had covered the lot. An abandoned trailer stood on the same spot where it first was.
But one day, when we least expected, a convoy of vehicles arrived and parked on the site. A week later, heavy machinery was grading the lot and all I could do was shake my head in disbelief. In two weeks’ time, the frame of the giant store could be seen from the highway. Everyday, the building was getting taller and bigger. Rain or shine, people were working, although we couldn’t see them since we couldn’t get close to it.
It didn’t take long before we could see the massive structure standing straight and tall. And the small pond, which was originally there, had increased in size and changed in shape, yet we never saw anyone working on it.
Four months later, the store looked finished with new galvanized roof and walls on time for the scheduled grand opening. But as days passed, the building started to look different – old-looking. The roof and walls were being covered with “old barn materials” to make it have the rustic look – typical for Southern Louisiana . The newspaper said it’s the first store of its kind with a different look. Then small trees were sprouting in places and parking lots were being paved. A few days before the grand opening, a new traffic light was installed at the entrance street.
Finally, it was grand opening day. Celebrities came to help with the celebration and thousands of people were waiting in their cars as long as 10 hours before the 6:00 p.m. opening time on a Wednesday night. Dozens of police cars with their roving lights were parked in strategic places with cops helping with the traffic.
According to the paper, the waiting people chanted, “Let us in! Let us in!” hours before the doors opened. Some 16,000 people walked into the store’s turnstiles that night. And over 65,000 people came to see the giant store in 3 days.
Since opening night until today, over a month later, the lanes going to our subdivision are jammed with traffic and police cars are still stationed in places; we had to find alternate ways to go to our house.
And new stores and restaurants are popping everywhere. We now have to go to 3 traffic lights when there used to be none before we could enter the interstate.
It was rumored two thousand years ago that a big event is going to happen on this planet earth. Jesus Christ will come again to redeem His people and take them to heaven to live with Him. We have seen signs of His coming and have wondered why it has not happened yet. Many are skeptical whether this event will really happen, so they do not prepare for it. But it will happen when we least expect it! Are you ready for His coming because it will be here before you know it! I’m looking forward to be one of the multitudes who would excitedly say, “Let us in! Let us in!” into the doors of heaven.