The veteran continues his quiz, apparently appeased on the prior point “You read the whole Bible?”
“I’ve read through it once, but Its been a while.”
“You should read it again.”
Steven nods his head. The old man pushes off from the wall. “I’m gonna head back over to the gate”
“Yeah” says Steven who decides to follow along side, “So where are you headed?”
“I’m going home” the man says as though it’s been a long time and much anticipated.
Steven wonders where “Home” might be. Heaven? Earth? He still can’t shake the feeling that this man might be an angel. The veteran has a powerful presence. As the two again take seats at the end of the terminal, Steven feels that his time is coming to an end with this special individual.
“Can I have a hug?” he says appealing for some fatherly affection that he has desperately longed for over the course of his young life.
“Sure” says the man placing an arm around Steven and giving a squeeze.
“Thanks”
A line begins to form at the gate. Steven takes a place behind the veteran. The attendant checks passes. When the old man nears the kiosk he turns to Steven “This isn’t your flight.”
“What?”
“You aren’t on this flight, yours is over there.”
“Oh” Steven says. He looks up at the LED display. It reads “college park”. Steven’s final destination is in Harrisburg. He checks around and notices a gate not far off that tells him that his flight is still delayed. He turns back to try and catch a last glance at the veteran, but he has already gone through the tunnel to the plane. Steven wonders if he is now on the plane or if he somehow disappeared. He looks at the plane half expecting it to give some sign that it isn’t ordinary. Perhaps it will vanish or levitate or something, but after the ramp is detached it simply taxies out of sight. Steven waits, but nothing else out of the ordinary happens.
He thinks back on his time with the veteran and quickly pulls out his sketchbook to take notes, afraid to forget any of his lessons. Steven makes a quick crude drawing of the man, noting his Vietnam hat, tattoo, and tourist shirt. The man was like an older version of his own dad down to the way he sometimes lifts one eye brow and lowers the other. It’s a trick that not everyone can do. Steven considers this a family trait; he has no problem doing it and even his son Zander can do it with a little effort. When Steven gets to the place in his notes about the 10 commandments he shoots up to go call his wife.
”Lynnette! Hey, could you do me a favor?”
“Uh, O.K.”
“Write a check to my parents for $100 and get it in the mail.” Steven considers the hour. “I mean, not right now exactly, but soon.”
The woman on the other end of the line is unsure what to make of this request. She had been restlessly asleep in their rarely so empty bed. “Alright, I can do that. Is it for something particular?”
“Well, I haven’t been honoring my mother and father, and they are in some kind of pinch right now. It would be O.K. with you if we sent them a little money to help out, right?”
“Yes, that would be fine” she says.
“Good. Did I wake you?”
“Yeah, but that’s ok.”
“I’ll let you get back to sleep; I still have a little while before my plane boards. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Are you ok?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Steven says “I love you.”
“Love you too” the line goes dead in her hand and she Is left wondering what is going on. She says a prayer for him, for God to protect him and give her and the kids comfort and peace.
