Death wears blue

I deal with death a good deal. Today I was walking through a floor with two other chaplain and one chaplain said to me, "I wonder what people think happened that three chaplains are together on one floor." I had never been to a hospital with a chaplain before I started working at one as a chaplain, but people know us here, they know our color and they know our faces. We walk hand in hand with death and stand at the chasm between now and evermore for many people. You have never lived until you walk a hallway with a family that has been waiting to identify a loved one for an hour while the body is cleaned, or seen the look of hope in the eyes of old men when you know the truth but aren't allowed to tell them. Well maybe you have lived, and maybe its ok to never experience these things. These are the things I hate about my job. I had to answer a call at Methodist North one night and when I got out of my car in my blue coat a man on the side of the road asked, "Who died." To those who do not know and are still filled with hope we can be banshees, to those who know and don't have the strength angels... And if we aren't careful... we become calloused and cold. We deal with death so much we were asked to write letters to death and then we gathered together in one place and read them to one another. My letter is personal but nothing I am ashamed of so I post it for any who are interested, blanking out no names and making no apologies.

God Bless
Justin

Dear Death,
It is because of you I keep from wasting away. I could sit in my chair and rot, I could do nothing, never reaching out, and never living in my community. I think without you I would never love and without you I would never know love. I stood in the room with you one night waiting. Waiting for the moment of expiration. As his breath became thin, as his blood pressure dropped you stood their waiting, ever so patiently, thinking if not now, later.
Death, I know that you will have your way with us, I know that you will come for my family one by one and then one day you will come for me. But in that instant while you stood their and waited I watched a wife and mother hold her lovers hand and it made me see where I stand, and that I stand alone. You drive me death to desire to act yet I stand ever watching ever waiting, you hang over my shoulder warning me of some inevitable time when we shall walk hand in hand to the boatman at the River Styx.
When you come Death I hope to be able to sing my history, when I was seventeen, when I was 21 and so on, and I hope like the singer sung to have no regret but to know that I truly lived. More than you I fear regret, to stand before God and regret the chances I didn’t take and the love I never found.
But that doesn’t mean you don’t take. I remember when I was young you took my Uncle Jim then later you took my Uncle Bud. I cried for both men, I cried because there was no longer a place in my life to talk with them, never again would I ride through the hills of West Virginia in Jim’s Jeep, or talk theology with my Uncle Bud. I wish I knew your response when I cried, and your facial expressions during my sobs.
After a night of visiting your sites over and over again, I am weary. I am physically weary but more of the soul. I am tired and restless. My heart sleeps but my body lies awake with the faces of the dead, the slack jaw and the half open eyes. Sometimes it is like any moment their chest will spasm and their lungs cry out for Oxygen. I still have burned in my mind the girl who died by the train. Her face still and silent her body cocooned in a bag. The walk for identification was an eerie sound, the sound of heels hitting the floor in a silent building. The long walk lead by the man in blue…
I tried to approach a woman on my hall and she fled from me like we all flee from you, as if I were death myself. Sometimes it feels as if I carry your scythe and wear your mask. I am associated to you, yet I don’t take life. I am full of holes, holes of the men in my life who have gone before, holes of the ones I have seen. I don’t hate you, but I feel a little emptier every time I see your work. When I am gone you will still walk the Earth, long after even. Eternity is in the hearts of men, but death is eternal.
Sincerely
Justin

Hail to the beeper

I never thought I would be important enough to wear a beeper, it is funny two days ago I had three on. Tonight, I have two. I have one pager that is specific to me, and the other is a general pager that the on-call chaplain carries. So when people need a chaplain at any hour of the night, they can page one, we have a chaplain on duty 24 hours a day at Methodist Hospital in Memphis. The exiciting part about being on call is that I never know what is comming, they tell us, "Eat when your hungry , sleep when you can, because you might get called at any time."
Last time I was on-call there were three death notifications, and various other things that weren't incredibly fun to help with. We see a lot of death working in the hospital, go figure, right... To help deal with this, we have been directed to write a letter to Death. The chaplains will all get together on Friday and read each other the letters. Thing is, I don't know what to say.
Dear Death,
How are you, how's your mom, remember years ago when we used to hang out, you know before they called you Death and you were just Communicable Disease?
I am curious, how do you hold your head when you deal with crossing the river styx?

Theology and Fire

I have a few minutes so I figured I would post again.

I am a chaplain on call until 5:00 it is 20 after 4. I am hoping that nothing happens between now and then, the thing is we never know. A chaplain gets called at every death in the methodist hospitals, we arrive and say, "hello I am the chaplain and I am here to help you in anyway I can." I have only been on one actual death call but have been called to three. The other two were during the day when another chaplain took the call (I know it is confusing but just trust me). The one I did go to I wasn't actually on call, just riding along for the experience, it was the hardest thing I have ever done.

I think alot on what it means to be a hospital chaplain but more who I am as a hospital chaplain. I have been here three weeks and talked to over 150 people. Some of them are in great moods, some of them pretend to be in great moods, and some are in horrible moods. I remember standing in a tragety once thinking, "there is nothing to say right now, there is no word I can give to give meaning to this occurance." I wonder at those times if the seminary training was all bullshit. Currently I don't think so. The seminary training gave me an underlying theology to consider life through, now my theology, ever changing is being tested in fire. Now that I think about it, it doesn't shock me that people who just lost a daughter, sister, grandaughter, niece, cousin, or friend care nothing about the exegesis of Romans 8:28. More than that they may be weeping and wailing to God, "Why, God oh why," but they really aren't looking for an answer, at least not in this case. Fire... hmm...

quick note

Just a real quick note:

I am sorry to have let my blogging slip so much, I have a lot to tell everyone but I have been so busy I just don't have time. I love my job, it is so great to enjoy getting up in the morning because I know I will be going to work. I am currently a hospital chaplain if anyone is curious or haven't read it somewhere else. It is a neat job sometimes and a horrible job others, depending on what is going on.

Chapel to Chaplain

So I no longer go to chapel five days a week (which is sad, because I liked chapel) however five days a week and sometimes Sunday I will work as a Hospital Chaplain at Methodist Lebonner in Memphis. The neat thing is I get a cool blue labcoat, I will post a picture when I get my coat, I have seen though that it will be very difficult work. Everyone tells me the first month is the worst, I asked the chaplain on call last night if it ever gets easier, she said, "easier no, but better."

The newest leg of my journey should be exciting. Keep me in your prayers.

God Bless

Justin

Movin on up...

So I moved most of my worldly belongings to an apartment in Midtown on Wednesday. Now it is Friday and I am moving the little things (which really add up) you know the things I need to actually live there because I have still been living at my apartment at the graduate school. For days I have been telling myself Friday night I will begin to sleep at the new apartment. Well it is Friday and I am experiencing some sadness over this. My apartment on campus has provided me a community of people whom I can always find someone to talk to or go to eat with. It is a Christian place, for the most part, and comfortable. I am used to it and it has been a stable part of my life for four years. What is funny is that I have been a stable part of this campus for four years, I tend to stick out anyway. It is major transition for me.

On Tuesday I will enter into orientation at Methodist Hospitial in Memphis. I will be a hospital chaplin, for at least a year. So from Graduation to this point I have been taking a bit of a break.

Anyway God speed.

You scored as Christianity. Your views are most similar to those of Christianity. Do more research on Christianity and possibly consider being baptized and accepting Jesus, if you aren't already Christian. Christianity is the second of the Abrahamic faiths; it follows Judaism and is followed by Islam. It differs in its belief of Jesus, as not a prophet nor historical figure, but as God in human form. The Holy Trinity is the concept that God takes three forms: the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Ghost (sometimes called Holy Spirit). Jesus taught the idea of instead of seeking revenge, one should love his or her neighbors and enemies. Christians believe that Jesus died on the cross to save humankind and forgive people's sins. Christianity 88% Buddhism 58% Judaism 42% Paganism 38% Islam 38% agnosticism 33% Hinduism 25% Satanism 0% atheism 0% Which religion is the right one for you? (new version) created with QuizFarm.com

Check this out, things like these are intersting, what is most intersting is the set of questions they use to pick out certain things. What is also interesting is where I fall right under Christianity, Buddhism. Ha, that is so cool.

Last to leave

For the last 9 years I have been living in a school setting, four and half for college and four and a half for my MDiv (I know that sounds long but it is 84 hours). One neat thing about this setting is meeting Christians from all over the country and often the world. The bad thing about it is that at some point everyone leaves. And while I revel in the folks that are going to stay in Memphis like me and the friends I have made who are not associated to my school there is still the problem of saying goodbye.

I am not very good at it, of course who is? I have a special goodbye I have to do today and I have been putting it off as long as I can. Mostly because I don't know what to say to the friend who has been here almost as long as I have and has helped carry me through many hard times. The thing that really sucks is that as much as I like to think that I will probably see them again it will never be what it is now again. That was the hard thing about graduating from Harding Undergrad and that is the hard thing here.

From this point where people leave I would like to believe they will always be the same people they were when they left. Yet, the world does not revolve around me, and they will change they will grow, as will I. The next time I see them they will probably resemble the people I knew, and after that they will be different people who for moments I will recognize and talk about the old days. But that is the problem with whole people who change... they will be good ole days that we discuss, but they will have many more with many different friends. Whole people never stop racking up good ole days because not only are the old days good but often so is the present and such will be the future. Oh yes, times will be difficult but how long then will it be to be reminded that time makes those days not just old but also good. I look back on the days and months I stuggled and refer to them as good ole days, not beacuse I enjoyed them, but because of the benefits I reaped in relation to them.

My feeling are epitomized not only by these words (for words can only point to emotions) but also by the tune that carries them. In this song by Arlo Guthree there are many words that don't yet match my story in that time I rely on the music. The music then carries the emotion, but still just points to it, the emotion is within us. If you have ever been an avid reader of my blog and have never heard this song I recomend you use whatever MP3, I-tunes, buyable music site to download, because you will never understand unless you hear the song behind the words.

Last to Leave
By Arlo Guthrie

Lonely sunshine, days come easy,
Spend my time alone at rest,
And if I were the last to leave here,
Now would these roads be any less?

Oh, I'm the last to leave.
Now would these ribbon highway roads
Be less wonderful to me?
Why must I always be so slow?

Many friends come and go,
You know there's a lot of feelings that I've left behind,
And it's a lonely world, I know,
When your friends are hard to find.

But take the time, my memory fails,
And soak my eyes in the morning rain,
Like a sailor, sailing over Jordan,
On the road back home again.

Oh, I'm the last to leave.
Would these ribbon highway roads
Be less wonderful to me?
Why must I always be so slow?

God Bless, and God speed.

What a long strange trip its been

I suppose it would be nice to put up some pics from Graduation but I just haven't gotten around to it yet. I have been very busy, oh btw I have a Masters of Divinity. I think I also had the loudest cheering section at graduation.

My Dad, Mom, bother, sister in law, and niece "Anna" came for the graduation. Anna didn't work well with Memphis weather first off so actually on the day of graduation she and her mother stayed at the hotel.

My parents left for home less than two hours ago, I was so glad they were here, I actually had tears in my eyes when they left. Maybe it is because I am more emotionally stable or because I have just grown up a bit, but I don't know if I would mind living in the same town as my parents any more. I used to try and stay as far away from my family as possible, but now... it took me forever to see how much they cared and continue to care about me.

I came here, to memphis four and a half years ago because I didn't feel that a Bible degree from Harding University undergraduate prepared me for anything. Now I am waiting to hear back from a place in town for a job. I felt that seminary prepared me better for ministry and introduced me to many more options. I don't regret the time I spent here and the money I had to borrow to do it. God moved me here. I had to be here, now I can go unto all the world

God Bless everyone who reads my stuff
Justin McCreary M.Div.

... and ...done!

You'll all be happy to know, I passed my Bible knowledge exam, it is this test we have to take to graduate seminary. It is basically this test that covers all the stuff seminary professors this we should know about the Bible.

And I turned in my last final yesterday, finished it the day before.

And Sunday morning at 1:00 AM to the song "so long farewell goodbye," by the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, I finished editing my last research paper, "Alexander Campbell's View on Slavery during the Period of the Millennial Harbinger." Emailed it with a final Sunday afternoon.

I will graduate with my Masters of Divinity on Saturday!!!

Now if I just hear one more bit of news I will consider my life on track.

Knockdown Society

Last night, a buddy called me and said "hey Justin, you remember when you told me to tell you when Jimbo is playing in town?"
I said "Yes."
My buddy said, "He's playing tonight at Newby's."
I was like, "dude, I'm there."

What sucked about it was that I had gotten my wires crossed on another social engagement I thought was supposed to be the next day but it was that same night. I felt bad but I ended up going to see Jimbo, the venue was closer and it was music I really wanted to hear.

If you wonder who Jimbo Mathus is, he started a band many some years ago called "The Squirrel Nut Zippers," they are no longer together but they were amazing, so I have been wondering what his stuff was like now.
Jimbo has switched from the 20's and 30's style throwback swing to blues, which makes sense, because he moved to Clarksdale Mississippi (think Delta Blues). I couldn't stay the whole night, I had forgotten my earplugs so my ears were ringing and he didn't start twill 12:30 or 1:00 in the morning. The part of the show I saw kicked... well you know that part of the body that gets kicked when things are awesome.

So I walked away from the night in awe that I had met Jimbo Mathus.

GI Jesus

I try not to often judge the military. For you to really understand my point on this take into account that I am a democrat and oppose voted the non-military direction in the last presidential election (does everyone understand my aloofness?) The reason I try to keep from making moral and ethical decisions on how and to what length a governement can defend iteself is because I don't think Jesus made that distinction with the military. I pull that from his interaction with the Roman centurian, I once heard a military chaplin say that Jesus redily helped a man who was an officer of a millitary that was occupying another country. Jesus' goal was not to comment on the for or against of the military in that instance.

THE PRIOR STATEMENT WAS NOT MY POINT JUST A PATH I HAD TO TAKE TO GET TO MY POINT. So for eveyrone who is on either side of why I am wrong just relax for a minute, I really want to talk about millitary chaplency.

I don't understand the millitary I don't have the stomach or the will to do the things enlisted and officers have to do, but that doesn't mean there isn't work that needs to be done there. On a very small level I might have an iota of understanding what a soldier goes through here or abroad, and those aren't situations I feel like I can minister to.

My friend Josh got swore in today as an officer in the Air Force, planning on going into service as a chaplin. I got to watch him take his oath. I was proud to be there, because I know Josh and understand that he is walking into a different world and am proud of him and all the men who choose to try and be instruments of calm in chaos. Something that always gets me about military chaplins is that they don't carry guns, yet they aren't affraid to step onto the battle field. God Bless and God speed.

Take into account all ye nay sayers before you respond about my either too conservative or libral view on the millitary, I am talking about chaplins, and I would take issue with anyone who has a problem with military chaplency.

The dead shall rise

Easter is a wonderful time. The flowers are blossoming the grass is turning green, even Jesus is rising from the dead. My faith tradition has never been that big into Easter, and with their anabaptist roots I understand why, but I am a big fan of Easter. To me it resembles hope, and it is set in the season of rebirth.

The most wonderful thing about this season, other than Jesus I mean come he is just a given, the reeses peanut butter egg. The funny thing is that the reeses peanut butter egg is better than normal reeses cups. I don't know how that works but it is fact, just like the three main facts about ninja's. So good tidings of comfort and joy comfort and joy, and have an egg, and if you want to send me an Easter gift that isn't money, reeses peanut butter eggs.

Contra?

Anyone who reads my blog avidly knows that about six months ago I started swing dancing. I really enjoy swing, I dance every Wednesday night with a group in Memphis called the Redhotlindyhop, the webpage link is on my links section.

Last night I went to try Contra Dancing. I know what you are thinking:up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, b, a, b, a, select, start; but no not the video game the dance. I was cool, there was this band playing Celtic Music, and everyone got into two lines, and we danced. The style of the dance involves a caller, so there are do-si-do's, Promenade's, and swing's, I heard it once describes as barn dancing on crack. I think I agree, though I don't really know barn dancing nor have I ever done crack. After swing dancing my body is physically tired and sore, but after and during contra I am out of breath, so I figure that the contra dancing is more of an aerobic workout where the swing dancing works the muscles more, regardless it is one of those things where you have to accept that you are going to be covered in sweat and dancing with other people covered in sweat.

As I do more research I will post more on the history of contra, but if you are interested check out the memphis contra dancer's page.

This is just a test, a vanity test

I am just curious about how many people check or read my blog. If you are reading this I would appriciate it if you left a responce, and said something really really rediculous.

St Patrick

In honor of the day, a word from the man himself:

"The Breast-plate of St. Patrick"

I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
through belief in the Threeness,
through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.

I arise today through the strength of Christ with His Baptism,
through the strength of His Crucifixion with His Burial
through the strength of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
through the strength of His descent for the Judgment of Doom.

I arise today through the strength of the love of Cherubim in obedience of Angels,
in the service of the Archangels,
in hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
in prayers of Patriarchs, in predictions of Prophets,
in preachings of Apostles,
in faiths of Confessors,
in innocence of Holy Virgins,
in deeds of righteous men.

I arise today, through the strength of Heaven:
light of Sun, brilliance of Moon, splendour of Fire, speed of Lightning, swiftness of Wind, depth of Sea, stability of Earth, firmness of Rock.

I arise today, through God's strength to pilot me:
God's might to uphold me,
God's wisdom to guide me,
God's eye to look before me,
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to speak for me,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to protect me,
God's host to secure me:against snares of devils, against temptations of vices,against inclinations of nature, against everyone who shall wish me ill, afar and anear, alone and in a crowd.

I summon today all these powers between me (and these evils):
against every cruel and merciless power that may oppose my body and my soul,
against incantations of false prophets,
against black laws of heathenry,
against false laws of heretics,
against craft of idolatry,against spells of women [any witch] and smiths and wizards,
against every knowledge that endangers man's body and soul.

Christ to protect me today against poison, against burning, against drowning, against wounding, so that there may come abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ in breadth, Christ in length, Christ in height, Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity, through belief in the Threeness, through confession of the Oneness of the Creator of creation.
Salvation is of the Lord.
Salvation is of the Lord. Salvation is of Christ.
May Thy Salvation, O Lord, be ever with us

Time for a breakdown

Hey hey hey, back again in full force (as long as full is half full, or half empty depending on how you look at it.

Last week man.. whew it was crazy, I hopped along for a ride from the reformation to the modern church. We studied Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, Schleiermacher, Barth, and many many more. It was like a greatest hits album of refomation history. It was exausting but on the bright side I got free coffee out of it all week, a fella brought some starbucks brew and we tosted every class with a "cup a joe" (though through parts of it I wish I had a "shot a jack" [oh no, did he just say that, I think he did, what is wrong with him]) Anyway it was a good class. The picture is from my favorite seat in class, the closest one to the door. In the picture you can see the back of Bobby Valentines head, the profile of John Pittman, and "bringin it" up front DR. Mark Powell.

Saturday evening after a week of class I went to my buddy Nick's wedding, it was cool man, he had cheesecake and all the punch came in moonshine bottles. So I have to say to Nick and Jessie, Heath and Rebecca, Mary and Mike... Congrats...

Sunday all my church brotha's and sista's rolled up inta my crib to for a sunday morning praise party (or church whatever you call it), it was a good time, John Pittman just came back from South Africa so he was talking about his trip and showing us slides, it was a good time.

Well not much humor today just keepin it real yo.

You know there is a lot about me ya'll probably don't know.

1. Did you know how funky I really am?
2. Can you believe I only wear a size 8 shoe
3. A stands for awesome and that is me
4. I made Rainbow Bright, I knew her back in her vigialante days when she was Crossbow Bright.
5. If you'll check your awesome radar I show up, where ever you are
6. I don't have six toes
7. Close only counts in horse shoes and handgredades.
8. If you look up awesome in the dictionary you find this picture.

Starbucks,

i like Starbucks, it is a good enviroment for me to study in teh afternoons, mostly because I don't stay well awake in the afternoons trying to study. I usually am so exhausted that if I try to study in the library after lunch I fall asleep. The morning is different, I do well in the library in the morning, but as the day goes on my mind wonders and is harder to keep on tract.

I was reading a book for my world evangelism class, the book is written by a guy called Heibert, who is an anthropologist. It is neat because he uses a lot of anthropological catagories. It was also really neat to be reading about these catagories while sitting in starbucks.

At this point I don't know if Starbucks is a coffee shop in the same sense as to what coffee shops were before Starbucks. I think Starbucks is Starbucks and coffee shops are coffee shops. I am also working from a very personal definition of what a coffee shop is. two years ago I loved this place in Midtown called the Republic. I love it no more because it is no more, the shop had pool tables art on teh walls which gave it this really cool atmosphere. Currently there is a place I go to like that in downtown Memphis called Qetzal. The thing is neither are Starbucks and Starbucks is like neither.

There are a few things Starbucks does well:
its not linear, there isn't as much consistancy within itself, the pictures are simple but very inconsistant
It has a small amout of area, people will cram themselves into tiny areas around tiny tables and feel completely at home to discuss very personal subjects, the noise of the people around actually drown out the conversations around them.
Drive throughs, I think these are very important drive throughs are where the rubber meets the road they can move a high volume of product without people having to take up space. People can then stop for coffee without stopping for coffee so they are not relegated to the coffee that has been on the warmer all day at Wendy's they can get their Grande half caff low fat vanilla latte.

Because of the lack of space people who want to hang out get very territorial when they come in, to get a table at Starbucks, one needs a marker. A marker can be a bag, a book, or a coat. Once this is put on the table, the table itself becomes taken. And most decent people will respect that.
I have never seen someone disregard a marker in Starbucks but I think it would be awesome to watch.

Starbucks is also a place where mulit generation white middle class and higher people all feel comfortable. There is no generational gap at Starbucks, from 15-70 people are comfortable sitting at a table no more than two feet away from another table. And most people at Starbucks tend to be respectful with regard to space, they take their allotted space if that is all they have and when more space is avalable will move their things if the space is needed for someone else.

Non-Starbucks coffee shops work with a different philosphy, Acedemics, Hippies, Musicians. Most of them are College age to early 30's. Starbucks generally has about four comfortable chairs, these places will be mostly old couches with sheets over them and other chairs of the coushined type. There are often bands playing and the walls are covered with complicated art work. There is generally more space created with a different feel. The Republic often had art on the walls by local costomers and Qetzel (as you might could tell from the name) sells South American clothing. They also roast all their own coffee on site. There used to be a place in Memphis called the Ugly Mug. That was a neet place because it was owned and operated by a church and all the workers were volunteer, it was considered a haven type ministry so cost was very low. But I also must note, that the Ugly Mug and the Republic are no longer around, they didn't make it.

I think High Point on Poplar and Perkins makes it because it has a drive through and funtions as a cheap Starbucks (not to be confused with the Christian High Point Coffee people).

I don't mind Starbucks though I am by no means a coffee shop purist, whatever serve the local coffee community best, but I would encourage people to look into coffee shops of the non-Starbucks variety, it is a different experience, and it is a different coffee.

I also wonder about this, why is there no Starbucks in North Memphis, Raleigh, Frayser. I have my opinions, what do you think?

Did you know there was a "swing dancing" culture in Memphis, if you read my blog you should because I say it enough. Anyway one of my friends is in this Jazz Combo. Last night they were playing at this coffee shop called Qetzel. The band was awesome and it was only the second time that I had been to that coffee shop, the place rocks, it is pretty close to Sun Studio's on Union, the parking is in the back.

The dude I knew in the band and I (Paul) went to IHOP after the show, where he told me that he knew Jimbo Mathus. So I figure, that most of you don't know who Jimbo Mathus is. He is the dude who started the band "squirrel nut zippers." When I got into swing dancing I got ahold of two of their albums, Inevitable, and Perrenial Favorites. The albums were amazing. They don't take the modern route of swing bands like the Cherry Poppin Daddies and the Big Bad Voodoo Daddies, actually one guy I know described them well by saying, "their stuff is good to Charleston too." Though the band is no longer together I think they are worth checking out.

It is funny Paul and I got into this conversation because we were discussing the Robert Johnson and the crossroads. The story is actually a bastardization of two different people. There is a hoodoo story about a guy named Tommy Johnson who went to the crossroads a little before midnight. They told Tommy to take a guitar and a start playing whatever he was working on at the time. At midnight a man in black walks up to him, takes his guitar, tunes it, and shows him how to play it better.
The Robert Johnson version of this story is much more Faustian. Basically, based on many of his songs like the song crossroad:

I went down to the crossroad
fell down on my knees
I went down to the crossroad
fell down on my knees
Asked the lord above "Have mercy now
save poor Bob if you please"
Yeeooo, standin at the crossroad
tried to flag a ride

Though realistically the song is about needing a ride is has caused many to wonder.
There is this one though:

I gotta keep movin
I gotta keep movin...
Blues fallin down like hail
Blues fallin down like hail
And the days keeps on worryin me
theres a hellhound on my trail

then he sings...

You sprinkled hot foot powder mmmm
mmm around my door
all around my door

hot foot powder is a hoodoo (not voodoo) thing, it is more than just foot powder, the powder sprikled in a place where someone was going to walk often would cause bad luck.
There are a little more obsious points though
Early this mornin'
when you knocked upon my door
Early this mornin', ooh
when you knocked upon my door
And I said, "Hello, Satan,"
I believe it's time to go."

One webpage says this:
In southern black communities it was a well-known notion that one could go to the crossroads and sell one's soul to the devil. The concept dates back to African Folklore. The diety Esu was believed to be the guardian of the crossroads, and was an intermediate between gods and humans. When Christianity was brought to African Culture, these pagan gods were labeled as being similar to the devil. Hence, the concept that one could find the devil at a crossroad. In celtic tradition, the bodies of the unholy were buried outside of town near crossroads to preserve consecrated ground.

Anyway there are plenty of places you can check out the story of Robert or Tommy Johnson via google.