Some people think being an angel is all white light and wing-flapping. I'm here to tell you it's not like that at all. Whites are very hard to keep white. Now, what kind of child is going to listen to an angel with dirt on her dress? Maybe a near-sighted one. Anyway, at least I've figured out how to kind of bunch up my gown perfectly.
We all have those days and this was one of them. It was one of those days when I wish I could have slept in but couldn't. No time for coffee, barely enough time for the quickest of showers, and off I flew. Fly time. Sky time. Angel times. One-of-those-days times.
Almost immediately, I crashed and broke the heel of my shoe, turning my ankle. No biggie. As an angel, I don't even need shoes anyway, but I do need composure, compassion, and most of all, I need to have all my jelly beans in a row. Or is that ducks? Coffee beans? I can't remember all those earthly details. After all, when there is a life to save, a child to rescue, or a sleeping adult in peril, you don't have time to pull up a baggy stocking or refresh your lipstick. But I'm one of those angels who wants to do it all.
Being an aspiring perspiring angel, I also require balance in my after-life to pull it all off. So...I had asked for one day off. I was exhausted, and well, earthly in my own selfish need to re-charge my heaven-spent batteries. I thought of asking for a stress leave of absence but just wanted one day. "No way!" I swear that Angel Superior just sits up there pushing her pencil and saying "No" all day long. She called mine "an earthly request" and I am not even of this earth.
I knew she did not "get" where I was at, and, that it was going to be one of those days. To make matters worse, I lost the only ring I wear. And my aforementioned Angel Superior came down to check on me only to find me on bended knee hunched over a sewer manhole where it had landed. I was not a pretty sight - my gown all dirty and my halo off center. I'm sure this will not reflect well on my next angel evaluation day.
"Stay on your heavenly course," I kept repeating. I started analyzing and dissecting the merits of being an angel. I do love it. But everyone gets tired now and again. I don't know whether it's angel nature, but it's certainly human nature. I, again, mentioned the concept of "over-work" and she just frowned. I'm still pretty new at "angeling" and I just wanted ONE DAY off!
Credibility is part of my job. Kind of like a cop's. Anyway, I was telling you about today being one of those days. A precious three-year-old ran into the street to fetch his ball. I saw a car coming, and my angel beeper went off. Time to go into action. I swooped down to save the kid from running in the street. I threw him back onto his front lawn and sort of missed. And children are supposed to be my specialty!
The ball made the grass but the little boy, poor thing, landed on the cement landing of his front porch. He was alive all right, but slightly rattled. But not as rattled as I was. I left the scene quickly. His mother didn't know what hit him. At least it wasn't the car!
I had hoped my next assignment might prove to be slightly more accurate. A woman driver was being distracted by her four-year-old and was about to drive off the road. I swooped in and wouldn't you know that I turned the steering wheel the wrong way! A dyslexic angel? I realized my mistake in time and we got right back into the proper lane but not without my wishing I could stop for tea or a session of yoga or deep breathing.
My schedule was back to back. I had places to go, people to save. I decided to stop at a "burger joint" just for old times sake. Angels don't need food, but the smell was enough to make my wings grow. I think about things I miss... then I think about what I'm doing and the feeling of the reward of saving lives kicks in and I'm fine...but I'm still tired.
I thought of slipping into a movie house for a French romance film with sub-titles. But the way that Angel Superior has eyes everywhere, I knew I would get in trouble. No, best to do my best and hope for the best, which at this point, would be to simply stay awake.
I think I've got it under control now. A hot bath would be nice but I don't have time to think about that right now. My angel beeper just chimed and I'm off on another mission. I have the best job in the world - it just doesn't lend itself to allow time for strolls through parks these days. Ciao for now.
By the way, how was your day?
Last updated on 12/24/06 2:35 AM
