Damascus: Pontiac Chieftain 1954

Saul raged against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest asking for a letter to the synagogues in Damascus for him to bind all the Christians and bring them to Jerusalem, men as well as women.
And as he journeyed, it came to pass that he drew nigh unto Damascus: and suddenly there shone round about him a light out of heaven (ap 9,1-3).
It must have been high summer, for I experienced the same when I was let out of the bus 6 kilometres out of the town. I was brutally awakened and asked to get out in the sharp light.
And he fell upon the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
That's how he was converted: 180 degrees. They who were with him became against him, and they who were against him became with him. But:
And the men that journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but beholding no man (Ap 9,7).
Later Saul, or Paul which he is called too, has said in an interview:
And they that were with me beheld indeed the light, but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me (Ap 22,9).
It's confusing, but it might have been the journalist's fault. And who isn't confused when they are thrown out of the caravan 6 kilometres outside town? "Excuse me, is this Damascus? I have bought ticket for Damascus, but this doesn't look very damascusing to me". But some fellow travellers, who had been fighting about a pair of shoes, helped me to get to the Martyr's Square. I thought about the first Martyr, Stefan, who was stoned with Saul as an enthusiastic witness.