Angels Among Us

Although Bobby had only been to college for one month, he was already loving life. He had made new friends and joined many campus clubs. Whenever he had time, he would go to the football games or watch MythBusters with his suitemates. He was a major fan of his university's team, the Quakers. He knew where the best restaurants were. At the same time, he also made sure that he never fell behind in his classes.

However, one October morning, Bobby suddenly changed. He was having trouble paying attention to the chemistry lecture. He kept fidgeting with his pencil and twitching uncomfortably. Something did not seem right, but Bobby could not figure out what. He thought that this was an evil omen of some type.

When class was over, he slowly sulked out of the lecture hall. Since Bobby kept staring at the ground, he was not really paying attention to where he was going. He eventually ran into Jason, almost knocking over.

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry!" Bobby apologized frantically.

Jason looked puzzled. "Bobby, are you all right?"

"Nah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You don't look too happy."

Bobby didn't really feel comfortable telling Jason about his feelings. "Yeah, I'm fine. I guess I'm just a bit nervous about the upcoming midterm." In fact, Bobby started to feel that perhaps it was really the exam that was giving him stress.

"That's OK, I'm feeling the same way. I'm sure you'll do fine."

"All right, take care, Jay."

"See ya, Bob."

* * *

When Bobby returned to his dormitory, he noticed that his mother had called him on his cell phone while he was at class. Since he was not there, her mother left him a message. His heart sank as his worst fears were confirmed. It was about Joe, his grandfather on his father's side. His blood cancer had returned from remission and he had become very ill. Joe was sent to the hospital in an emergency. Since Joe lived in England, there was little Bobby could do to help him. The news hit him deeply.

When Bobby was younger, Joe often visited his family in South Carolina. Joe was the only relative who truly understood Bobby's love of fireworks. Whenever Joe stopped by, he and Bobby they would often light fireworks together. But now, Joe was very sick and Bobby wondered whether they would ever have the chance to get together again.

Bobby immediately called home.

"Hi, Bobby! How are you doing, honey?" His mother tried to hide her grief, but Bobby could tell how she really felt.

"I'm sorry about Joe..."

"Don't worry, Bobby, he'll be fine in no time."

"Yeah, but he's my grandfather. I still worry about him."

His mother seemed to lighten up. "Bobby, I think that your studies are more important for you right now. We can worry about Joe later. Like I said, he'll be just fine."

Of course, Bobby was still worried about Joe, and he felt that he needed to do something. When the weekdays were over, Bobby immediately flew back to his home in South Carolina. He went to his local fireworks club and sold most of his stash, leaving nothing except for some shells and fountains. After counting, he found out that he had obtained over $10,000 in cash. Without hesitation, he wired the money over to Joe's family in England.

Bobby didn't feel the need to tell his parents yet, but they figured out when they noticed that most of his fireworks were suddenly gone.

"Bobby, you really didn't have to do that," said his mother. "Those were your fireworks. You earned them."

"Yeah, but my grandfather's health is far more important than my hobby," replied Bobby.

"That was very sweet of you, but it wasn't necessary."

"It was something that should have been left to us," his father added.

"I know, but Joe was so kind to me when I was young. I felt that I had to repay his kindness."

With that, his parents hugged him, and his mother burst into tears. "Bobby," she said, choked with sobs, "I'm sure God will reserve a special place in Heaven just for you." Bobby handed some tissue to his mother.

* * *

Bobby wasn't very religious when compared to his parents, who were devout Christians. However, he was willing to pray for Joe at the local church. Bobby even considered withdrawing from his university and going to England to take care of Joe, but his parents managed to convince that him that his academic matters were more important. When the weekend was over, he reluctantly flew back to Pennsylvania.

When Bobby returned to the university, things were difficult for him, and his feelings often affected his studies. However, he eventually accepted the facts. His roommate Jonathan sometimes asked him what was wrong, but Bobby always told him that he was fine. Three weeks later, Bobby received word that Joe had passed away.

"I'm sorry, Dad," said Bobby, trying to stifle his sobs. "I did the best I could."

His father started to sound stern on the phone. "Bobby, you don't know how much you've done for him. If it weren't for the money you sent, Joe would not have lived as long."

"I tried my best, but I guess I was too late. I hope God will forgive me."

"I understand that these days will be hard on you, Bobby, but you should stay strong. In difficult times, your mental strength will always pull you through."

The conversation ended just as Jonathan came back from class. Although Jonathan didn't hear the conversation, he could tell by Bobby's looks that something very serious had occured. "Bobby, did something bad happen? You don't look too fine."

Bobby realized that he could not hide his feelings forever. "Yeah, unfortunately. My grandfather Joe just died to cancer today."

"Oh man, I'm so sorry about that. I hope your family's all right."

"Yeah, they're fine. I'm just sad about Joe, though."

"I can understand. If there's anything I could do for you, just let me know!"

"All right, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, Jon."

That night, Bobby dreamed that he was walking alone at night when an apparition appeared in the sky and landed in front of him. Bobby was scared at first, but his fears calmed when he realized that the apparition was an angel. It said to Bobby, "Those who make sacrifices for worthy causes shall receive incredible rewards." With that, the angel flew off and disappeared. When Bobby woke up the next morning, he felt a great sense of spiritual happiness.

* * *

Back at home, Bobby's mother wrote an article about Bobby's kindness, and local newspapers quickly picked up on the story. It spread like a wildfire, and Bobby was soon the center of attention. He was mentioned on the local radio. His parents got many phone calls each day. Charities wanted to interview his family. When Bobby came home for Thanksgiving, he noticed that there were many letters for him.

He found one from the American Cancer Society. It read:

Dear Bobby:

We have read of your story of kindness and are truly touched. May your life be filled with blessings. Together, we can cure this disease with love.

Sincerely,

Thomas Gordon
American Cancer Society

One of them was from his local church:

Dear Bobby,

God always knows when humans show kindness, and He rewards those who do so.

Rev. Joshua Millers

Some were for his parents:

Dear Mr. & Mrs. Henderson:

You are extremely lucky to have such a child. Bobby is truly an angel.

Sarah Law
slaw8923@yahoo.com

However, the one from the New York City Council caught his eye:

Dear Mr. Bobby Henderson:

I am writing on behalf of the citizens of New York City. We have heard about your story and we are deeply moved. The New York City Council would like to commend you for the sacrifices you have made for your family. We would like to offer you the honor of initiating the fireworks at midnight on New Year's Eve. We can also cover the costs of transportation for your family. Please write back if you are interested.

Best regards,

Gary Jackson
Office of the Mayor
New York City Council

Bobby could not believe what he was reading. He read the letter over and over again to make sure that he was not hallucinating. It simply seemed too good to be real. Bobby had his doubts, but he wrote back anyways. Within two weeks, he received instructions on how to claim the plane tickets. He was scheduled to leave for New York City on December 29th.

Bobby had become well known at his university, too. Every so often, he would be interviewed by students working for his school's newspapers. The anticipation pushed Bobby to work harder, and he ended up with fairly good grades for the semester. When Christmas break finally came, Bobby was more than just excited. He was ecstatic. During the break, he met some children with the Make-a-Wish Foundation who wanted to light fireworks, and Bobby was more than happy to show them the ropes - not without giving them safety lessons, of course.

* * *

On the day of the departure, Bobby was overjoyed. He only slept for three hours the night before. He quickly helped his family pack up, and they were ready for the trip in no time.

At the airport, some of the security personel recognized him. One of the officers jokingly asked him, "You're not carrying any fireworks, are you?"

"Nah, I'm pretty familiar with the TSA rules," smiled Bobby. "Well, I hope!"

When Bobby's family arrived at New York City, they were greeted by a small cheering crowd near the airport gates. They stayed at a luxury hotel, and they got around the Big Apple on a private limousine. On New Year's Eve, Bobby arrived at Times Square with the mayor. On the way there, Bobby saw entire lots filled with professional fireworks.

Bobby shook hands with Gary, and the crowed roared. Bobby followed him to the podium, which was filled with microphones. The crowd quieted down, although some revelers were still cheering for Bobby and Gary. There were five minutes until midnight, and Bobby estimated that there were aroud two million party-goers there.

Gary began his speech. "Good evening, my fellow Americans. Time comes and goes, and this year is soon to be a thing of the past. We look forward to a brand new year. The past cannot be changed, but the future is always ours."

The crowd cheered again, and Gary went on: "With that, we shall look forward to a glorious new 2015. I, on behalf of all of New York, would like to wish you all a happy New Year. You are the start of a new generation. You are those who drive society to success. You are those who will always be successful in their goals, however large they may be."

The crowed screamed with approval, and Gary continued his speech: "I now wish to present our guest of honor, Bobby Stevens Henderson. This young man from South Carolina sacrificed his fireworks hobby so he could make money for his ailing grandfather. However, he will now have the honor of starting the largest fireworks display on Earth."

The crowded cheered louder than ever. Bobby wasn't sure if his ears would survive this trip. Gary turned to him. "Would you like to say a few words before we start?"

Bobby walked up to the podium. He paused for a few seconds, and the crowd quieted down again. Bobby wasn't sure what to say, but he finally spoke. "I would like to dedicate this event to my grandfather Joe. I know that you're no longer with me in this world. But I know that you're up there watching me. And I know that you're proud of me, Joe. Thank you."

The crowd cheered again, and Bobby hoped that he didn't make himself look stupid in front of two million revelers. Some of the people closest to him blew him kisses. Some women shouted, "We love you, Bobby! You're our hero!" Bobby waved back.

When it was one minute to midnight, a technician handed him the controls and taught him how to operate it. At the stroke of midnight, Bobby pushed the red button with determination.

* * *

Silver comets immediately shot high into the air. They turned into red willows, whose branches then crackled into giant blue burts. Titanium salutes nearly burst his eardrums. He saw golden fountains that shot higher than the Statue of Liberty. He saw countless mines burst from the ground like powerful volcanoes. Palm trees made of sparks grew into the sky, turning into beautiful breaks. Soon, the sky became filled with so many fireworks that Bobby could no longer keep track of them. He dropped his jaw in awe.

At the same time, television reporters crowded around Bobby, trying to take pictures of him. Some of the revelers also came up to him, trying to get him to autograph their napkins and t-shirts.

When Bobby's family was leaving for the airport three days later, they were given another limousine drive. Since many people still wanted to meet Bobby, the limousine was followed by many cars. Bobby's family had to be escorted by bodyguards to their flight.

On the plane, Bobby reflected on his experience. "I'll never forget that night. It's just so... unreal."

"Yeah, Bobby, but it looks like that we'll be famous now!" his father replied.

"But that means we'll get more telemarketers, though," his mother complained.

The entire family burst into laughter.

* * *

Back at home, Bobby had just entered the front door when the phone rang. It showed on the caller ID as a phone number that he didn't recognize. He normally didn't answer these calls, as they were normally telemarketers. However, he felt the urge to pick up the phone.

"Hello."

A woman's voice sounded back. "Hello, is this Bobby Henderson?"

"Yes, that's me."

"I'm Donna Williams, and I'm one of the public relations managers at Disneyland."

"I'm listening."

"We're looking for someone to help design our new nightly fireworks show..."


THE END