Saving an Angel

Debbie pulled her car against the curb and turned it off. Pausing a moment before getting out and slipping her car keys into her pocket. She walked around the car and took in the deep fresh salty air. She started down the slight incline to the beach before the sun rose.

         Debbie hadn’t been to the beach in two years or more and as she walked through the sand with her cane she wished she had more opportunities to have been here. “I love watching the sunrise. The ocean is so beautiful and peaceful this time of day.” She said aloud. She glanced along the miles of beach in both directions. Few people scattered the beach this early. Many with pets, others power walking, and the rest just casually enjoying their walks. She began hers heading North along the East Coast of Maine.

         She didn’t get far before she tired and stopped to rest a moment. One of the many things she had hated about herself since her accident six years ago. She thought through many of those things as she began walking again. Living alone, dating was not a simple task when you were disabled. Financially, she was as strapped down as strap could be. She had lost contact with many acquaintances because she couldn’t just hang out. Who wants their friends knowing they are broke, yet she wasn’t broke enough for any supplemental assistance, not that she wanted to go that route anyway.

         Well, at least she had time off. All the time in the world. She had her photography, it’s just shame she wasn’t selling any of it. She didn’t have a plan and she had come here today to clear her head of these thoughts. As she paused again she heard a faint cry from the ocean. It wasn’t far out and she shielded her eyes from the rising sun to look. She glanced up and down the coast as the pink and purple clouds rose over the horizon, nearly blinding her vision. She heard the cry again. “Mom, help help!” She followed the sound to a young child just up shore from her. They seemed to be quite a distance out, but with the tide in she thought it was walking distance to the young child. She hurried toward the water looking up and down the shore for parents to come running. She saw none moving toward the child. A couple sat down from her and just laying back. Maybe they hadn’t heard the cries.

         With her cane and her limp she did not hesitate to go toward the child. Before she could realize it she had let go of her cane and was swimming hard to get to the child. It seemed now further out that they had appeared. The cries of help continued as she realized the voice was that of a young boy. She glanced back at the shore to see a crowd gathering, but no one entering the frigid morning waters to help her. She thought to herself. Hadn’t these people seen I needed a cane to walk, why won’t they come help her save this boy. She was stunned by the lack of humanity in them all.  She wished she herself didn’t have such high standards at times and this was now becoming one of them. She should be back standing on the beach as someone else swam to save the boy. She was closer as she looked up from her swimming. Hi voice was just as weak, but she could see much more than a silhouette in the sun now. She could make out the frail young figure his hair wet and stuck to his head and his lips appearing blue in tone, the poor thing was freezing. What parent would let a child wander off into the ocean alone, ever. Let alone at this time of the morning, with few others on the beach and lifeguards not even on duty yet. She wondered what time they came on duty. She had never noticed  that, out of all the years she had come here, they were here when she arrived if she came to spend time swimming.
           
              She finally reached the boy. Hold on, I have you. She reached out to him and missed as he went under the water and bobbled up again. She could swear the child was laughing now. She reached for him again and missed. “Hi Mom”. She heard him say. It’s OK sweetie, I’ll help you.” She said as she grabbed hold of his tiny hand. She pulled him closer to him and he came with ease, as if there were no water, no tide to fight. He looked into her eyes and she looked back at him. It was Bobby, her son who had passed away 25 years earlier of walking pneumonia was she hallucinating thinking it was him. “Come with me Mom, it’s pretty in heaven, you’ll like it “ She started treading water but found her self tired from the swim. “Bobby?” she asked out loud. “Yes Mom, I came to see if you were ready to come be with me. I know how much you are hurting and all I can do is watch you in pain.”

            She looked back at the shore. The crowd had grown larger, but there were two figures heading toward her. “Bobby, I love you very much and miss you with all my heart, but I can’t go to heaven, not yet. I have to stay here for grandma.” “Are you sure Mom.” She blinked and he was gone.
She felt a hand on her shoulder, a strong arm came around her neck and under her arm. Another man asked if she was all right. “Yeah, I am now.” “Just you miss just you, but we’ll get you back in safely.” The lifeguards had to hold onto her, she was tired. Once they reached lower water the three stood and walked side by side to the shore, Debbie in the middle. When they reached the shore someone handed her the cane and she took it, but the lifeguards walked her to a nearby gurney. An ambulance had arrived in all of the confusion and they sat her on the gurney  “They are going to take you to the hospital to check you out. Is anyone with you or is there someone we can call?” “No, I’m alone and no need to alarm any of my family.” They wheeled her to the ambulance and took her away.

          The doctors and nurses in the emergency room were waiting for her when they heard how long I had been in the water they expected worse. They moved her to a room and she removed her wet clothing and put on two hospital gowns and lay under a blanket. The Doctor came in and asked her a number of questions, Including why had she gone in the water and what she was doing out so far. Debbie explained that she thought she had seen someone out there in need of help, and that it must have been a piece of driftwood or something. He nodded and then made note of what she said. He ordered her to rest and said he had given her a mild sedative and someone would be back after to talk to her when she woke.

            When she woke there sat a middle-aged man, patiently waiting. “Hi, Debbie My name is Ian. I am a Social Worker here at the hospital. Can we talk for a while?” “Sure, but I am feeling fine.” “That’s great. May I ask who Bobby is?” Before she could decide the tears were streaming down her face and she was shaking. She realized what had happened. Somehow, at some point she had a hidden desire to kill herself, and realized it was the wrong choice, just in time. Everything that had bothered her came pouring out to Ian as though she had been best friends with him for her entire life. He sympathized with her and held her hand as she talked. “They are going to be releasing you this afternoon. Will you be all right?” 
       
          She only nodded through the tears. Ian squeezed her hand and then leaned forward. “Then would you let me take you to lunch?” Debbie agreed and at lunch Ian and her talked more and he told her he was more than interested in getting to know her better. She explained that she lived out of state and he asked where. “Upstate NY” “Great I’ll find a job out there then.”
 
          Debbie went home and a good friendship developed with Ian. Through talking on the phone, over the Internet, and visits back and forth. After about six months of applying and interviewing Ian found a job that met his needs near Debbie and moved in with her.