The man was ordering a beer from the bartender when I noticed him staring in my direction.
“You’re that writer, ain’t you?” he said.
That depends.
“On what?”
On whether you’re with the IRS.
“Brother, have I got an angel story for you. It’s divine providence that I’m running into you like this. I’ve been wanting to tell this story to you, but ain’t had the courage to email.”
Does that pickup line work on all the other girls?
“Tell me something, Mister Writer. When you was a little bitty kid, what was the scariest thing you could think of?”
That’s easy. My fifth-grade teacher.
“No, I mean something much, much scarier than that.”
My fifth-grade teacher holding a King James Bible.
“Losing your home, man. That’s the scariest thing that can happen to a boy. Home is everything, man. That’s where your life is. You ain’t got no home, ain’t got no life. And, well, that’s what happened to my family. I was ten years old when we were evicted.”
Wow, that must’ve been hard.
“More than hard. Was like watching life fall apart. I mean, think about it. In normal life you wake up, you eat your Cornflakes, take a shower, get dressed, right? None of these things can be done when you’re living in your car. And that’s where my family was living, in our car.”
You’re kidding.
“Wish I was. After my dad lost his job, me and my two sisters and my mom and my dad were living in our ‘77 Ford for one whole year.
“Dad drove from place to place, slept in whatever parking lots we could. My mom had leg problems from polio, and couldn’t work regular jobs, so it was up to my dad. Poor man couldn’t find a job to save his life.”
So what happened to your family?
“What happened is my dad took gigs doing crapola work for a few bucks here and there. One time he got a job moving cinderblocks. No truck, no forklift. Dad just carried blocks one at a time across a workyard. The pile was as big as a mountain. My dad only made five bucks to move them all.”
Five bucks? That’s horrible.
“Dad bought us a pizza for supper that night.”
I’ll never complain again.
“Another time, Dad got a gig picking tomatoes at big farm outside Quincy. He gave us kids tomatoes at the end of each day. That was our big treat. Sometimes those tomatoes were all we got to eat for the day.”
Have mercy.
“You’re telling me. Eventually we started to get sick a lot, ‘cause we wasn’t eating so good. Especially Mom, she was always sick.
“The final straw came when my dad wrecked our car. All the money he’d been saving went to repairs. We were back to Square One.
“He and my mom had a big fight one night, ‘cause she was afraid social workers was gonna take her kids away. My dad cried so hard. Never seen a grown man cry like that.”
That poor guy.
“Don’t I know it. Well, one day, my dad was working with a bunch of immigrant workers. It was an empty construction site, new office buildings. And Dad said he heard someone singing upstairs.
“My dad started looking throughout the building and he finally found this young man who was hiding out. Homeless guy, big brown beard. Long hair. Like one of the apostles or something. Just a’singing.
“See, Dad knew that this homeless man had even less than we did. So he gave him, like, ten bucks or something like that. The man took the money, smiled, and put a big hand on Dad’s shoulder, and my dad felt a shock go through him.
“Said the man’s eyes were like looking into the eyes of one of those old Jesus paintings you used to see.
“The bearded guy said, ‘It’s cold tonight, Carl, take your family to a motel.’ He called him Carl. You coulda knocked my dad over with a stick. Somehow this guy knew my dad’s name.”
Hmmm.
“What, you don’t believe me, do you?”
Well, it’s not that. It’s just—
“Listen, it’s okay if you don’t. Even my mom didn’t believe my dad’s story. But anyway, that same night, my dad took us to a motel. Soon as we got inside, the man at the front desk told us they needed a hotel maintenance man, and did my dad want the job?
“My dad said heck yes he’d do it. Next thing I know, we’re living in a motel room with a color TV and everything. We’re eating real food again, Dad was earning real money. In a few months, we had a rental house with a backyard, swing set. Pretty soon, I was back in school, and my dad was on his feet again.”
So let me get this straight, you’re telling me you really think an angel appeared to your father?
He shook his head. “I don’t think.”
22 comments
Norma+Den🇿🇦 - January 30, 2022 8:37 am
God sent me two angels, both named Sarah. They are 24/7 carers who help us cope with my aging husband in final stages of Alzheimer’s. The thought of having him out into a home has kept me awake for nights on end. These angels help keep him occupied & active, he has all the home comforts & he can enjoy his final days & I can enjoy being with him in out home with our family. Anyone who doesn’t think angels exist & are sent by God has a big surprise coming when they least expect it.
Becky - January 30, 2022 11:03 am
Wonderful Sunday morning message. “Angels unaware” Hebrews 3:2
Laura W. - January 30, 2022 11:07 am
Over 40 years ago I had a horrible collision/car accident. It was 11:30 at night, I was alone, crying, freaking out, someone that lived near where it happened took me to a house so I could call my roommate. I knew she was at her boyfriend’s house but I didn’t know his phone number and it was unlisted. I still picked up the phone and dialed a number, my roommate answered. To this day I have no idea what the number was that I dialed or how it came to me. Had to be someone watching over me.
Bud McLaughlin - January 30, 2022 12:37 pm
There are angels among us
Karen Snyder - January 30, 2022 1:02 pm
Amen. ❤️
patp - January 30, 2022 1:14 pm
I know!
Paul McCutchen - January 30, 2022 1:18 pm
Way to start my Sunday. Have a good day. Looks as though you get a lot of your stories from bars.
Jan - January 30, 2022 1:37 pm
Great story for a Sunday morning! Thank you!
Shelton A. - January 30, 2022 2:45 pm
I don’t think either. Prayers, especially those borne out of desperation, get answers. I believe Carl’s son. I believe in angels, too. God bless, and God’s peace to you and all your family.
Ruth Mitchell - January 30, 2022 2:59 pm
Thank you for the beautiful story that was shared with you. Sometimes those angels pop up when we need them most.
Richard Owen - January 30, 2022 3:15 pm
My oldest son was 19 when he was killed in a single car accident on his way to his job at a Pizza Hut. He fell asleep at the wheel and never woke up. After the funeral, I was putting away some of the Pizza Hut shirts of his we had washed when I suddenly had an overwhelming smell of fresh pizza dough in my nostrils. Say what you want, I think my son was telling me he was alright and not to worry.
Tawanah Fagan Bagwell - January 30, 2022 4:13 pm
I’m convinced that the man was an angel too. Keep them coming.
CHARALEEN WRIGHT - January 30, 2022 4:15 pm
❤
Cynthia Russell - January 30, 2022 4:43 pm
ALWAYS BELIEVE!!
DAVID A WILSON - January 30, 2022 4:55 pm
God writing; wonderful story!
Susie Flick - January 30, 2022 6:12 pm
It shows we never know what form an angel will appear as – a person, a thought, an opportunity – wonderful message today.
Stacey Wallace - January 30, 2022 6:33 pm
Yes, he was an angel. The Bible tells us that angels are sent to help us. They are quite real. Thanks, Sean.
Linda Moon - January 30, 2022 7:15 pm
My mother worried about losing our home. But her sister moved in with us to help with the mortgage…so we stayed. I was a kid then. Years later “Hey Baby” worked for this girl. I got a Guy with a Corvette, and soon thereafter a home and a mortgage. “Heck Yeah” usually works for me now…it’s so sarcastically funny from the Guy in hard times. And, I don’t THINK — I KNOW Sean of the South’s stories are Heaven-Sent!
MAM - January 30, 2022 10:10 pm
I agree with Linda Moon. Sean’s stories ARE heaven-sent. God leads you, Sean, every tap of the keyboard! And I love these angel stories. Keep ’em coming!
Diana - January 31, 2022 1:35 am
This is so beautiful I can hardly stand it. I’ve had stuff like this happen to me. Not just once. Please give us more angel stories, Sean! God bless that family… and God bless you, Sean!
suzi - February 1, 2022 2:01 am
Eyes wide open always for big and small miracles
Sue Ellen - February 10, 2022 11:32 pm
I love this, as I do all your stories, Sean. Thank you.