Another Angel of Love

by Henry K. Ripplinger

  Julean nodded.

  “Do you have any questions?”

  Julean thought for a moment. “I can’t think of anything right now, Mrs. Saunders, but if I do, I’ll call you. Well, Hank, I suppose we should be going. We have a long drive back to Regina.”

  “Yeah,” Henry said, “we’d better get going. Nice meeting you, Mrs. Saunders.”

  “It was nice meeting you, too, Hank.” For the first time, her stern look melted into a pleasant smile, instantly lifting the cold chill in the room.

  When they got into the car, Julean said, “I’m sure glad she smiled before we left. I was beginning to think I had made a mistake.”

  “Yeah,” Henry said. “Mr. and Mrs. Temperance, for sure. I’m certain they named the street after them.”

  Julean laughed and hit him on the knee. “Oh, Hank, you’re cruel.”

  It was July 6th.My anniversary with Jenny. It was the first thought that entered his mind as soon as he awoke. His love for Jenny was tucked deep into a corner of his heart and perhaps always would be. As much as he loved Julean, Henry’s memories of his first love just would not leave him. He had to admit that his feelings had subsided somewhat, the ache and the longing were more tolerable, but that special connection when he’d first looked into Jenny’s eyes Henry knew would forever be a part of his life.

  He was sad that Mr. Engelmann was leaving for seminary today and yet at the same time glad that he had this major distraction to keep him from slipping into the past. Henry quickly got dressed and made his way out to the kitchen.

  “’Morning, Mom. Dad already gone?”

  “Yes, he just left a few minutes ago. He said for you to say goodbye to David and wish him well. You can say the same for me too.”

  “Yeah sure, Mom. It’ll sure be different without him around.”

  “Yes, life is changing all the time. Soon you’ll be gone to university and then married someday. That’s life.”

  Henry could sense his mother’s anxiety over his departure and how quiet the house would be, especially with his absence at suppertime. But his mom and dad were getting along so well now, their renewed love for each other clearly evident to him. And he loved that they were still saying the rosary every night together after supper. He was so proud of his dad for showing leadership and starting that practice. It just seemed to wrap the house in a powerful safety blanket, uniting the family under the warmth and cover of the Creator of the universe.

  After Henry finished his breakfast, he got up and kissed his mom on the cheek. She hadn’t said much and was quiet as she slowly washed dishes she and his dad had used earlier.

  “Give David a big hug for me, I’ll surely miss not having him over for supper on Sunday.”

  “Yeah, I know—it’ll take some getting used to for all of us. Have a nice day, Mom. Perhaps you’ll work a bit in the garden?”

  “Yes, that’s what I thought I’d do.”

  “Boy, I’m sure going to miss you, Mr. Engelmann,” Henry said, as they stood in front of the church rectory. Father Connelly was behind the wheel of the Buick at the curb.

  “I will miss you, too, Henry. Well, we should all be back home for Christmas, the good Lord willing. You’re getting all set to go to university in a few weeks?”

  “Yes.”

  “Well, they will soon know that a Pederson is there.”

  “Yeah, I’m anxious to get started. The summer will go fast, I’m sure. I’ll be working for the city next week until the end of August.”

  “It was kind of Mr. Mahoney to get you to work in his office.”

  “There’s a lot of clerical work he wants done so it should be okay for a few weeks…” Henry’s words trailed off.

  They stood there somewhat awkwardly, not knowing what to say, but a feeling of love surrounded them like an electrifying cloud, conveying much more than words ever could, making this parting bittersweet.

  Mr. Engelmann opened his arms and Henry walked into them for a warm, lengthy hug. Mr. Engelmann patted his back.

  “You’re a good boy, Henry. You will do very well. You have all the tools. And speaking of tools, Henry, there is one more I would like to give you.”

  Mr. Engelmann opened the passenger door of Father Connelly’s car and grabbed something lying on the seat. He turned back to Henry, a brown paper bag in his hands.

  Henry knew what it was; Mr. Engelmann’s Bible.

  He wasn’t sure his teacher would be able to part with it. He wasn’t sure he should take it if Mr. Engelmann could.

  “Here, Henry,” Mr. Engelmann said, handing him the bag. “The most important tool for living your life.”

  Unbidden tears came to Henry’s eyes. He couldn’t speak. If there was any material thing Mr. Engelmann loved, it was his Bible. For Mr. Engelmann to give away that Bible was like the richest man in the world giving away everything he owned.

  “Are you sure?” Henry managed.

  Mr. Engelmann gazed tenderly into his adopted son’s eyes. “Yes, I am sure, Henry. Even though this is God’s Word, our love for Jesus should be greater than our most valued treasure. The more we can let go of them, the freer we become to love like Him. People fear poverty, giving up or losing their possessions, and so we play into the evil one’s hands. When we realize we really have nothing, that it all belongs to God and that the only thing of value is Jesus in our lives, it is then we become the richest people in the universe.”

  Henry thought he understood. People need to be free of all attachments to really know Jesus and make Him Master of their lives. It touched Henry’s heart profoundly.

  “One thing’s for sure,” he said now, “you’ll be the best priest that the seminary will ever produce.”

  Mr. Engelmann only smiled. “I’m not one for writing letters, Henry, but if you have the time, send me one. I will do my best to write back. Perhaps that will ease the pain of withdrawal from our usual chats at the store. I have missed them already.”

  Henry hugged his teacher again and whispered, “Thank you, Mr. Engelmann, for your Bible. I will treasure this gift more than anything.”

  Mr. Engelmann clapped Henry’s shoulder and slid into the passenger seat of Father Connelly’s black Buick.

  They stared at one another, unwilling to say goodbye. Henry reached out and rested a hand on the door ledge of the open window. Mr. Engelmann put his on top of Henry’s.

  Their gazes locked as the love between them flowed freely into each other’s hearts.

  Father Connelly broke the silent farewell. “Well, Henry, I’ll see you at church on Sunday morning,”

  Henry nodded as Father Connelly slowly drove away; Mr. Engelmann’s hand sliding away beneath his. But Henry knew that no one could ever separate the spiritual bond between them.

  Exhaust fumes lingered in the air as the car rolled down the street, reminding Henry of another sad departure.

  It had been nearly four years since Jenny left.

  He waved until the car disappeared into the distance, a void growing rapidly in his heart. He felt alone and insecure. Mr. Engelmann had always been there, ready to help, comfort and guide him. Proverbs 17:17 slipped into his mind, soothing his spirit. “A friend loves at all times.”

  Mr. Engelmann was his truest friend and because of his lessons and example, Henry knew he had it in him to be a good teacher himself. He was full of ideas and anxious to impart what he had learned and make the world a better place. And yet as he stood there in the middle of the street, his heart and mind so full of idealism, feelings of insecurity besieged him.

  At that moment, a young barn swallow zoomed down and perched itself on the branch directly in front of him. Its tail flicked, its head pivoted in all directions, then it looked right at him, its gaze carrying a message of wisdom. As Henry stared at the tiny bird, he thought of how a mother bird would encourage and finally push her young out of the
nest to fly and fend for themselves. Wasn’t that what life was all about? Growing up with the support of family and friends, but finally leaving to face the challenges of life?

  Mr. Engelmann’s parting words said it all: “You will do very well, Henry. You have all the tools.”

  Of course. He had everything he needed and now he needed to test his wings, be pushed out of the nest and learn to fend for himself on his own. To put into practice what he had learned.

  Henry opened the bag and pulled out Mr. Engelmann’s Bible. He could scarcely believe the treasure he was holding. His mentor’s warmth surged through him with a mighty power. He was not alone. He would never be alone. He held the wisdom and love of the greatest Teacher and Comforter in his hand. This was the most important lesson that Mr. Engelmann had taught and instilled in him. This was what his teacher was reminding him of through this beautiful gift.

  “It’s all there, Henry,” he had so often said. “It’s very important to read the Bible every day, so you stay focused on what is really important in life. All the psychologists, philosophers and psychiatrists in the world have not really discovered anything new. They are simply relating what has already been taught from the beginning when our good Lord walked the earth and showed us the way, the truth and the light.”

  His teacher’s words stung his heart as he stood in the empty street. Henry took a deep breath of the warm summer air. There was already a tinge of fall in it. Some of the leaves had begun to change colour. The swallow took off and flitted away into the sky without a single doubt of its ability to fly. Confidence surged through Henry’s body as he realized that he, too, was ready. He had all the tools and more. He squeezed the greatest and most important one of all in his hand.

  His teacher would be forever at his side.

  As he headed back to his Chevy, he felt light and sure-footed. He felt as if he could fly like the swallow or a hawk, soaring on the updrafts of the vast prairie sky. He closed the door with a louder thunk than usual. His key was right on target as it entered the ignition. The engine roared to life, echoing the fire he felt inside. He hit the gas and let out the clutch, but instead of zipping away like a barn swallow, the car jerked forward and conked out. He had let the clutch out too fast.

  Embarrassment flooded his cheeks and he hoped nobody had witnessed his mistake. He pressed the starter and pumped the gas pedal, hoping to recover quickly. The engine turned over and over; it would not start. The odour of gas told him that he’d flooded it. He sank low into his seat and stared straight ahead.

  In the blink of an eye, he had gone from a soaring hawk to a deflated balloon.

  “Life always has its ups and downs,” Mr. Engelmann would say. Henry pictured himself sitting there, the wind gone from his sails, dead in the water. Then he remembered another very important piece of advice Mr. Engelmann had tried to instill in him: “Don’t take yourself too seriously.”

  It started with a little chuckle and grew. Before he knew it, he was laughing at himself.

  Mr. Engelmann would be proud of him.

  After settling down and putting things into their proper perspective, Henry tried the starter again and the engine sprang to life. He pushed in the clutch and then shifted into low, let out the clutch and slowly pressed the gas. The car rolled smoothly ahead. He still felt ready to conquer the world—but with a somewhat more humble attitude.

  Chapter Forty-Seven

  A week after Mr. Engelmann left, Henry was driving to work at City Hall when he noticed Eddy waiting for the trolley. Henry pulled over to the curb and Eddy hopped in.

  “Where you headed, Eddy?”

  “Downtown. I got a job at Richardson Greenshields, it’s a brokerage firm downtown.”

  “Hop in, I’ll give you a ride. So how’d you land that job and what do you do?” Henry asked in quick succession.

  “My uncle’s one of the brokers there and Pop asked him if he could get me on. I went back for a second interview a week and a half ago and they gave me a job. I started the next day.”

  “That’s cool, Eddy. so what do you do?”

  “Not too much yet—run errands, do some filing, get coffee for their breaks and I’m always watching how they trade. It’s interesting.”

  “So is this just a summer job? Are you going to university in the fall?”

  “Naw, folks can’t afford that and I’m not really interested in going. I kinda like what I’m doing now. There’s a lot of turnover of cash. People making money and others losing. It’s quite the game. I like the action, I guess. I’m getting a handle on it. The boss can see I’m pretty good with numbers. He says they might send me on a course in the fall.”

  “That would be great, Eddy! Maybe when I make my millions as a teacher I’ll come to you to make investments for me.”

  “For sure, Hank, just look me up. You can let me off at the corner here, I can walk the rest of the way; I wanna have a smoke before I get to work.”

  Henry pulled over to the curb and Eddy got out. Just before he closed the door, he asked, “Wanna shoot some pool at the Royal sometime?”

  “Geez, I haven’t shot a game in months, Eddy. But, yeah, maybe tomorrow night. I’ve got a date with Julean.”

  “Sounds cool, Hank. Gimme a call if you can make it.”

  Henry watched Eddy walk away. No more then five steps and he pulled out his weeds and lit one up. There was a cool confidence about Eddy as he walked along, like he owned the world. He wore a white shirt but the top two buttons were open and his tie was loose. Eddy was comfortable with himself in the total sense. Didn’t pay too much attention to what others thought and played pretty much by his own rules. Henry liked that about Eddy and wished he had more of this indescribable quality. It had to do with not seeking others’ approval or being overly concerned by what they thought. It had been abundantly evident even in high school.

  Henry watched his friend until he disappeared around the corner. I’ve got a feeling Eddy’s gonna make it big.

  When Tammy and her baby went home she was surprised to find that her father had fixed up a beautiful suite for her in the basement. It was completely self-contained with a washroom, kitchenette and living room. There was a large bedroom for her and a smaller one for the baby. The upstairs door had a lock on Tammy’s side. She was free to lock it or to come up anytime to visit with her parents. She could be as private as she wanted to be but was always welcome upstairs.

  Tammy was thrilled and thanked her parents profusely.Once settled in her new little apartment, Tammy called her best friend to tell her all about it.

  “That’s great, Tammy! I’m looking forward to seeing it. We’ve sure missed you and Chloe since you went home.”

  “We miss you too. But wait, it gets better; guess who phoned?” But it was Tammy who couldn’t wait. “Robbie!” she burst out. “He phoned over a week ago and asked to come over to see Chloe!”

  “So that’s why I haven’t heard from you! See, your wish on the shooting star is already starting to come true.”

  “Maybe so far. But marriage is an entirely different matter.”

  “Well, you never know what the heavens can do.”

  “Anyway, Jen, the first time he came over it was very awkward—I was still furious with him for not being there for me and Chloe and acting like he didn’t care.

  “He said he was ashamed to come visit and that he had a lot of thinking to do. He promised me that he hasn’t been out with other girls and that he still cares for me. He wanted to kiss me before he left but I would have nothing to do with it.”

  “Has he come back since?”

  “Yes, every night. Oh, Jen, he says he’s falling in love with Chloe and is glad she has my brown eyes and hair instead of his hazel eyes and red hair.”

  “Chloe would be adorable either way.”

  “Well, I was phoning to see if you would like to go with me to a mov
ie tomorrow night? The Apartment is starting and I hear it’s supposed to be good. It’s got Shirley McLean and Jack Lemmon and I can’t remember who else.”

  “That sounds great, but what about Chloe? Is your mom watching her?”

  “Actually, I asked Robbie to babysit. He knows how to hold her, change her and feed her if he needs to. But she’ll be in bed and asleep by the time we leave. I’m sure he’ll be fine. So come for supper and we’ll leave right after.”

  “Sounds great, I can’t wait to see Chloe. I’ll be there shortly after four.”

  “Tammy, I can hardly wait to see Chloe, where is she?”

  “What about me, Jen? I’m the mom who created that little bundle, don’t I count for something?”

  “Yeah, it’s good to see you too, Tammy.” Jenny walked over and gave her friend a hug.

  “Chloe’s in her room, I heard her a few minutes ago. Why don’t you get her and bring her out.”

  Jenny tip-toed into the baby‘s room and saw two dark little eyes staring up at a plastic white angel dangling from a string.

  “Who’s a baby angel? Are you ready to fly? Hi, sweetie, it’s Auntie Jenny.” Jenny uncovered Chloe and began tickling her tummy. “How’s my precious little angel, huh? Come on, give Auntie a big smile, come on…that’s it…oh I love you. Let’s see if you need to be changed…”

  Jenny checked Chloe’s diaper and after changing it, carried her out to the kitchen. “Look who’s here, Mommy!”

  “Is that my little darling?” Tammy poked Chloe’s tummy, making the baby giggle. “Are you getting hungry? Should Mommy fix you something? And we better have dinner ourselves too; Robbie will be along in twenty minutes or so.”

  “This is a real nice place your dad fixed up for you.”

  “Yeah, it’s good, isn’t it? We’re separate from the rest of the house when we want to be, yet we can still be connected when we want to be. Anyway, it gives them and us some privacy.”