THE LORD SENT ME AN ANGEL TO HELP ME
Frankie stood in line waiting for his turn to order. He knew what he wanted to eat. Weak from hunger, he swayed on his feet as he attempted to “sign” what he wanted. The girl behind the counter was young and new to the job. She kept saying” make up your mind. Please say what you want! What? What is it?!
Frankie gestured and pointed, but she seemed unable to understand his motions. She waved him to the side and told the next person in line to step forward. The clerk said, I think he is drunk! Frankie went to sit in a booth near the door. He put his head down. Tears came to his eyes, from his hunger and frustration with the situation.
Betty sitting near the window had watched the events unfold. It made her so mad. They had treated her brother the same way. He couldn’t speak or hear. People had the tendency to push him to the side.
Having finished her breakfast, Betty went up to the counter. Remembering what the young man had tried to order she said, I’d like to order a Big Breakfast with sausage, scrambled eggs and pancakes. Give me extra syrup, some catsup and a large orange juice. Make that order to go, please!” When her order had been bagged, she paid for it. Taking the three bags to the table where Frankie sat; she left them with him and quickly walked out the door.
Frankie picked his head up off the table in time to see Betty as she walked out the door. He tried to call her back, but his voice was just an inarticulate grunt in a sea of voices. He opened the bags and to his very pleasant surprise it contains his breakfast order as he had given it to the clerk. With a sincere prayer to God thanking Him for the food and the angel He sent to bring it, Frankie eats his breakfast.
Betty is browsing through the gardening supplies section of the Wellking Drug Store. She needed a new set of digging tools for her garden. It was sort of difficult this season, because her arthritis was getting worse. She hears what seems to be Mr. Watson, the Pharmacist, arguing with himself. Looking down the aisle she sees Mr. Watson talking to the same man from the Mcdonald’s. He is shouting “NO, no, I can’t do that!! The man writes something on a pad of paper and hands Mr. Watson a prescription bottle. I told you, before, it is not in our system. Nothing I can do! This goes on for about ten minutes. Then the man signs “God please help me!!” Then he turns and leaves the drugstore.
Betty comes down the aisle. “Do you have my prescription ready?, she asked. Mr. Watson said, “Not yet. That young man got me off track. He wanted me to fill a prescription that is not in the system and out of date. His doctor is out of state and it does not show in the Wellking system. Give me a minute and I’ll have yours completed.”
“ Could you have suggested a non-prescription over the counter substitute? Betty inquired.
Yes, as a matter of fact, there is a pain reliever that is similar to the Pertakium. It was a small dosage he requested, but it can be abused. I was so upset by his gesturing and his attitude, I didn’t think to suggest something else.”
What would you have suggested? Betty interjected.
“We carry Atrium-D in the headache medicine aisle. It can be as effective as pertakium. Too late now, the young man is gone. I may never see him again. I should have seen he was in pain.” Here is your arthritis medicine, Betty. Will there be anything else?
Betty bought the gardening tools and a package of Atrium-D. As a second thought, she got two bottles of water. Thanks, Mr. Watson. You have a great day!
Frankie was sitting on a bench in the park. His head was killing him. He couldn’t figure out how he was going to make it without his medicine. The headaches were coming more frequently, especially with the trauma of being lost and away from home. Momma said “If you learn to stop yelling and sit quietly it might help.” He felt a bag or something as someone placed it next to him on the bench. His vision had blurred with pain from the headache. He couldn’t see clearly. So he prayed it was the angel from God. What had she brought him, this time?
It was a bag that had a message. “This medicine is similar to your Pertakium. Take one tablet every four hours for pain.” She had brought two bottles of water, too.
After taking the pills and sitting in the park the pain subsided enough for him to become curious, again. How come every time he was in need an angel appeared? Momma told him often that God has lots of Angels. They are like secret agents. When God needs a mission completed He calls on one of them to handle it.
Frankie needed to find the Angel, maybe if he asked her she would help him get home. Walking toward the outer edge of town, he came upon a fairy land of gardens. Surely the angels in town lived here. He walked from house to house asking for help. The first three houses, no one answered the door. Then the next two just looked at him and closed the door in his face. Frankie was getting tired and hungry. The last house sat on a corner lot. A woman sat in the yard. She was trying to plant flowers. Her hands hurt and she could only put out a few plants before the pain stopped her. Just before she got up she said a pray and blessed herself. Frankie was afraid to approach her after the way her neighbors had acted. She looked like the angel he was seeking. This gave him the courage to step up to her gate.
Betty stood up and saw Frankie standing at her gate. She saw the hesitation in his eyes. Signed to Frankie. “Hi! What can I do for you?” She smiled and beckoned him to come closer.
They stood there speaking with their hands
My name is Frankie. I am lost and need some help getting home. Will you help me contact my family?
“Sure, Frankie. My name is Betty. Where do you live?”
“I live with my family in Martinsville, Virginia. I got lost coming home from my sister’s house in Roanoke. She was unable to drive me home with her new baby. So I had to take a bus. I got turned around when the bus stopped in Eden, North Carolina. I fell asleep and traveled 50 miles in the wrong direction.”
Betty said, “Let’s see if we can contact your family. Give me their phone number. Maybe we can get someone to come pick you up.” Betty called the number.
“Hello, this is the Giacomo Company”, the voice on the phone said.
“My name is Betty Johnson. I am trying to assist a Mr. Frankie Giacomo get in touch with his family. Have I reached the right number?”
“Yes! I am Maria Giacomo. Frankie is my brother. We were worried about him. He was supposed to come home last night. Where are you calling from? Is Frankie alright?”
“Frankie is here in Middleton, North Carolina. It seems he was misdirected when he had to change buses. He slept in the bus station over night and through God’s guidance has wound up at my home this afternoon.” Betty explained. “He is in good shape. He is looking forward to getting home soon.”
“God has been watching over Frankie. I don’t think he was ever out of God’s hands”, Mrs. Giacomo said, when she heard about Frankie being found safe and sound. “Call the lady back and tell her we can be there in about four hours.”
Betty got off the phone when Maria called her. “Frankie your mother is coming to get you. They say it will take about four hours to get here. You are welcome to stay here while you wait for them to come.”
“Thanks for all your help! I don’t think I could have made it through this day without you. Will you let me help you in your garden? , Frankie asked.
“I guess we could do that while we wait for your family. Are you sure? I can be so hard on your hands and back.”
“Yes, I like working with the flowers in gardens”, Frankie replied.
Betty couldn’t get down on her knees, again. The pain of working garden was getting to her. So she sat back on her porch and napped as he worked.
Betty awakened to the tapping on her shoulder. Frankie Signed, “Let’s go in Betty. My family seems to be delayed. I think we can eat dinner before they arrive. It’s getting late and I’m tired.” He helped her up and they went into the house. The family didn’t arrive until 8p.m. Betty and Frankie said their good-byes. Frankie and his family promised to keep in touch.
As Frankie rode home with his mother and sister he told them about the angel God had sent to help him. He didn’t see her, but she came when he really needed help. His Mother said, “I told you Frankie God has his Angels that he uses to handle missions of mercy.”
Betty got up the next day. Fixed her breakfast and thought about Frankie. She remembered how good it had felt to be of help to Frankie. She prayed the God would send her an angel to help her.
Betty felt pains in her hands. She knew without God’s help she wouldn’t finish the garden. She went around the corner of the house. All her flowers had been planted. The garden was complete. Betty looked up and said, “Thank you Lord for sending an angel to help me!!”