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The cool night air was quietly giving way to the warmth of the morning sun. On Main Street, Hollister, New Mexico, the rush hour crowd was moving swiftly and silently toward its destination. Another workday in the beautiful mountain town had begun.
Each individual was lost in his and her thoughts and hardly noticed the dashing young man walking amongst them. Every so often, one of the young maidens would blush as he smiled at them with his glistening white teeth.
The man came to an abrupt stop when he recognized the creature standing at the newsstand. His smile broadened as he approached.
“My, my. Gabe, my old friend, slash, adversary,” laughed the young man.
“Luce, what are you doing in this town?” asked Gabe. “These don’t seem like your kind of people.”
“Oh, people are people,” reflected Luce. “I’m here strictly on vacation.”
“Yeah? Well, I just came from your last vacation spot,” observed Gabe. “The Molligari System is just now getting back to normal.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” protested Luce. “I just stirred things up a little bit. Nothing much.”
“A little bit?” smirked Gabe. “You’ve never done just a little. It’s always something big that takes the rest of us years to straighten out.”
“Oh, Gabe, don’t overreact,” smiled Luce. “I’m just having fun, that’s all. Oh, I’m sorry! I forgot you heavenly creatures don’t know about ‘fun’.”
“Don’t know about fun?!?” reacted a shocked Gabe. “Only us heavenly Ones know what it’s like to be in His presence. There are no words to describe the joy. Do you even remember what it was like?”
“Yeah, seems like I remember a little something about it,” mused Luce. “But I’m talking fun! Good old ‘rollicking in the mud’ kind of fun.”
“We know all about fun,” observed Gabe. It’s just we don’t care for your type!”
“But that’s your problem, old buddy,” laughed Luce. “Most creatures enjoy my kind of entertainment.”
“Not when they really get to know you,” offered Gabe. “They could never imagine what a sinister animal you are.”
“Well, I can’t help it,” mused Luce. “I was made that way.”
“He did not make you,” objected Gabe. “He could never make anything as evil as you. You took it upon yourself to abandon Him and everything He stands for. You made yourself!”
“Oh, you’re oh so wrong, brother,” laughed Luce. “He made me as much as he made you.”
“That is absolutely not true,” protested Gabe. “You are the total opposite of Him. Just like without light there is darkness. Darkness is not made. It is just the absence of light.”
“So, He didn’t make me?” mused Luce.
“In no way, shape, or form,” declared Gabe.
“But He did make a universe where evil can exist, did He not?” pondered Luce.
“Yes, He did make the universe,” offered Gabe. “But He didn’t make what you’ve become!”
“Then why didn’t He make things different?” questioned Luce. “He could have made a universe where no evil would exist. Why didn’t He?”
“Now, you’re not going to get me wrapped up in your warped thinking,” declared Gabe. “That’s the way you always try to do. You get people all twisted until they can only think like you.”
“Hey, I’m innocent. I tell you I’m innocent,” protested Luce. “I just offer a little guidance. That’s all I do.”
“And, pray tell, what kind of guidance are you planning to offer the good people of this town?” smirked Gabe.
“Oh, I don’t know,” mused Luce. “I’m way overdue for some down time. I’ll probably just kick back and relax.”
“You know, Luce,” reflected Gabe. “This is the planet where you first started lying. I see you haven’t stopped yet.”
“Why, these people are too good,” offered Luce. “I could never have an effect on them.”
“The people here do lead a good and simple life,” observed Gabe. “And they are God fearing.”
“Just look at that health magazine there,” reflected Luce as he pointed to the newsstand. “It says Hollister is the healthiest city in America.”
“That is true,” agreed Gabe. “The people here eat right, get the proper amount of exercise, and lead a moral life. You’d have a difficult time convincing them to be any different.”
“And I haven’t planned on doing anything like that,” offered Luce. “I just came here to see what good, decent folks look like. That’s all.”
“Of course, you know I don’t believe you. But if you’re, . . .”
Gabe stopped in mid-sentence and turned his gaze skyward. After a few moments he closed his eyes and sighed.
“Did you by any chance stop at Alpha Centauri on your way here?” asked a somewhat distraught Gabe.
“Just briefly.”
“Just briefly, huh?” mocked Gabe. “Well, now I get to go and straighten out another fine mess that you’ve made. Why He keeps putting up with your shenanigans, I’ll never understand!”
“But, Gabe,” protested Luce. “Without me, you wouldn’t have anything to do.”
“Oh, I’d find something,” offered Gabe as he lifted into the sky. “I’d gladly find something else.”
Luce smiled through his glistening white teeth as he watched Gabe ascend into the distance and finally out of sight. He turned his attention to the crowd of people marching by. A lovely young lady smiled at him as she strolled along.
At the end of the block hang a sign that read, “Welcome, one and all, to Hollister, New Mexico.”
“Hollister, New Mexico,” breathed Luce. “Welcome to my world.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Grandpa, it’s starting to look pretty bleak,” offered Mitch. “I just don’t know how much longer we can hold our heads above water.”
“You know I started ‘Grandpa’s Pastry Shoppe’ when I was about your age,” mused Grandpa. “I didn’t think I would live to see the day when we had to closed the doors.”
“Well, times are different,” reflected Mitch. “People are so health conscious now. They avoid pastries like the plague.”
“Look at me,” laughed Grandpa. “I’ll be eighty at the next birthday, and I’ve eaten pastries all my life.”
“Well, unfortunately for us, not everybody’s like you,” offered Mitch. “We’d probably be better off to convert the store to a gym, or a health store, or something.”
“What good would it do?” pondered Grandpa. “There’s one of them on every corner in this town. You know they all can’t stay in business. There’s too many of them.”
“Look here,” declared Mitch. “Even the yogurt’s not selling.”
“Well, that’s because nobody’s coming through the front door,” reflected Grandpa. “We’ve got to get people in here before we can sell them anything.”
The bell at the front of the shop jiggled as the stranger came through the door. Grandpa and Mitch welcomed the man with the glistening white teeth.
“I was going to walk by, but I detected the sweet aroma of freshly baked pastries,” declared the man.
“Well, we have all kinds,” declared Mitch. “What’s your favorite?”
“Hmmm, I like strawberries,” offered the man. “But do you have any cakes?”
“We have several different kinds,” replied Grandpa. “Which you prefer?”
“Well, I’ll tell you,” smiled the man. “I really love Devil’s Food cake. I just can’t get enough.”
“We have a freshly baked one,” mused Mitch. “Let me cut you a piece.”
“Why, thank you,” offered the man. “How about me buying you two a piece? It would be my pleasure.”
“That is very nice of you,” reflected Grandpa. “This is my place. Everybody just calls me ‘Grandpa.’ This is my grandson, Mitch.”
“It is indeed a thrill to meet you Grandpa, and you, Mitch,” smiled the man. “My name is Luce.”
“Well, Luce, what brings you to our small community?” asked Mitch.
“Oh, I’m just passing through on vacation,” offered Luce. “I was hoping to do some hiking up in the Rockies.”
“Well, you don’t want to fill up too much on that cake, Luce,” smiled Grandpa. “All those calories will slow your hiking down.”
“Grandpa, instead of trying to talk him out of eating, we’re supposed to be trying to sell pastries,” laughed Mitch.
“No problem,” smiled Luce. “I’ve always got room for good food, especially Devil’s Food.”
“If you don’t mind me asking,” questioned Grandpa. “What kind of work do you do?”
“Oh, most of my life I’ve been trying to motivate people,” replied Luce.
“So, you’re one of them ‘motivational speakers’?” asked Mitch.
“Yeah, something like that,” offered Luce. “You know this cake is quite delicious. But may I be honest with you?”
“Please do,” replied Grandpa.
“There just seems to be something missing,” observed Luce.
“Something missing?” pondered Mitch.
“Yes, there’s something,” mused Luce. “Please, I didn’t mean to offend you. The cake is quite tasty.”
“Oh, no offense at all, Luce,” offered Grandpa. “Anything we can do to make our product better, well then, we’re all ears.”
“Yeah, the way business is down here, we’re open to any ideas,” reflected Mitch.
“Hmmm, well, I do have this bag with a special herb that might help,” offered Luce.
Luce brought the bag out of his pocket and sprinkled the herb onto the cake. Mitch and Grandpa tasted their slice.
“My goodness, Luce,” reflected Grandpa. “That’s got to be the best tasting cake I have ever eaten! And I’ve eaten lots of cake!”
“It’s also quite tasty on apples,” mused Luce. “Or at least, that’s what a fair maiden told me a long time ago.”
“I have never tasted anything like this,” offered Mitch.
“It does add just the right touch, doesn’t it?” smiled Luce.
“It sure does!” spewed Mitch through a full mouth of cake. “What kind of herb is that?”
“Oh, it just an herb that grows naturally in my home country,” replied Luce.
“Can we grow it here?” asked a jubilant Grandpa.
“No, unfortunately, you can’t,” answered Luce. “My home country is far, far away. And the climate is much warmer than here. It’s the only place known where this herb can grow.”
“That’s too bad,” reflected Mitch. “If we could make our pastries with that herb, the whole town would be knocking our doors down to buy them.”
“It definitely could save us from shutting this place down,” offered Grandpa.
“You were fixing to close this fine little shop?” asked Luce.
“Yeah, we were going to have to,” revealed Grandpa. “All the health nuts around here don’t eat pastries anymore. They’re too busy dieting and eating all that healthy junk.”
“Well, that just doesn’t seem right,” declared Luce. “Some big Hollywood health guru warps everyone’s mind, and the little businessman has to suffer.”
“That’s the long and short of it,” reflected Mitch.
“I tell you what, I have an idea,” offered Luce. “Instead of me going hiking, why don’t I stay around here, and we make some pastries with my herb thrown in?”
“Oh, we appreciate the kind thought,” replied Grandpa. “But this is really our problem and not yours.”
“Besides, you’re on vacation,” protested Mitch. “Cooking can be a chore.”
“Believe me, I’m used to cooking,” smiled Luce. “I want to help you. I’ll have it no other way.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mitch wiped his brow with his apron as he closed the front door to Grandpa’s Pastry Shoppe. He turned the “Open” sign around so that it showed “Closed.”
“Whew! What a day!” mused Mitch. “That’s the busiest yet.”
“I have never made so many pastries in all my days,” offered Grandpa. “And to think, that not long ago we were thinking about closing the shop.”
“Now, we’re the busiest and most profitable business in town,” reflected Mitch. “We owe it all to Luce.”
“Absolutely,” confirmed Grandpa. “We owe this business to him and his secret herb.”
Their conversation was interrupted by a knocking at the front entrance. Mitch walked to the door.
“I’m sorry, but we’ve closed for the day,” yelled Mitch.
“It’s me, Luce,” came the reply.
Mitch opened the door and in walked Luce carrying a box and smiling with his glistening white teeth.
“Luce, it sure is good to see you,” offered Grandpa. “Is it possible that we could get some more of that herb from you?”
“We have made so many pastries that we’re almost out,” reflected Mitch.
“That’s why I came by,” replied Luce. “Here’s a fresh box that I just received.”
“Thank you very much,” offered Mitch as he took the herbs to the kitchen.
“So, business has improved,” reflected Luce.
“You’d be surprised at how much,” smiled Grandpa. “I have never seen anything like it.”
“Well, if I must say so myself, I do know people,” offered Luce. “I thought your pastries was just what this town needed.”
“Luce, it’s time we paid you for your herbs,” reflected Mitch as he returned from the kitchen.
“Oh, no,” protested Luce. “I’m not in this for money.”
“We’re not looking for charity,” bristled Grandpa. “We always pay our way.”
“Well, if you need to pay someone,” smiled Luce. “Why don’t you give my share to the local church? I’m sure they can put it to good use.”
“If that’s what you’d like us to do,” offered Mitch.
“Yeah, but it doesn’t seem right,” mused Grandpa. “Surely you want to get something out of this.”
“Oh, I get plenty,” offered Luce. “If nothing else, just the satisfaction of seeing people enjoy themselves. I mean truly enjoy themselves the way it was meant to be.”
“Well, that they are doing,” reflected Mitch. “Why, we’ve had the same people come back three or four times in a day.”
“That is remarkable,” mused Luce. “Are you able to keep up with the demand?”
“So far,” replied Grandpa. “We have had to hire a cleaning lady, and it’s not going to be long before we’ll have to get someone to help in the kitchen.”
“Well, it certainly warms the heart,” reflected Luce. “That is what this great country is built on: The success of small businesses like yours. I’m just honored to be a part of it.”
While the men were talking, an elderly lady of Mexican origin entered the room to clean. When she noticed Luce, she came to a sudden stop. Slowly, she started cleaning, all the while, making side glances at him.
“As good as these pastries are,” mused Grandpa. “They’re not good for the waistline. I think I’ve gained ten pounds over the last week.”
“Oh, really?” smiled Luce.
“You bet,” offered Mitch. “I’m ashamed to say it, but I’ve put on twenty since we started the new recipe two weeks ago.”
“And did you see Mr. Miller today?” pondered Grandpa. “I’ve never seen him that heavy. He’s always prided himself on keeping the weight off.”
“And that’s not mentioning Mrs. Jeffries,” offered Mitch. “She’s put on so much weight that I hardly recognized her today.”
“That’s amazing,” mused Luce. “I’ve read where this town has always been proud of its healthy ways.”
“You’re right, Luce,” reflected Grandpa. “It always has. That’s why we were struggling to make ends meet before you helped us with our recipe.”
“Well, I think it’s a little bit of sweet revenge,” offered Mitch. “They didn’t support our shop before, so let them put on some pounds now that they can’t stay away from here.”
“Now, now, my son,” corrected Grandpa. “We’re not to think that way. After all, revenge is of the Devil. Don’t you agree, Luce?”
“Well, uh, it’s really not up to me to say,” replied Luce. “But I’m sure the Lord has no problem with you two being successful businessmen.”
The cleaning lady stopped and looked at Luce. She made the sign of the cross on her chest and muttered under her breath, “Diablo.”
“I’m sorry, Marie,” apologized Grandpa. “I haven’t introduced you to our new partner.”
“That’s right,” offered Mitch. “Luce, this is Marie. We hired her to help with the domestic chores around here.”
“It is my pleasure to meet you, Marie,” smiled Luce as he flashed his white glistening teeth.
“Diablo!” shouted Marie as she once again crossed herself. With her face pale white, she turned and ran out the back of the shop.
“My goodness,” reflected a shocked Grandpa. “I never have understood that Mexican gibberish. What was that all about?”
“Who knows?” replied Mitch. “It seems the less educated sure act funny sometimes.”
“Sometimes they do,” offered Luce. “But my experience with them is that often, they see what regular people can’t.”
“Well, I wonder what she saw?” pondered Grandpa.
“She’s the only one that can answer that, my friend,” replied Luce.
The men were interrupted by the ringing of the telephone. Grandpa answered the phone while Mitch and Luce went to the kitchen to unpack the new box of herbs. Shortly, they were joined by Grandpa.
“Mitch, that was your Grandma on the phone,” offered a concerned looking Grandpa.
“Is everything all right?” asked Mitch.
“Yeah, she’s fine,” replied Grandpa. “But she just heard some disturbing news.”
“What’s happened?”
“Old man Collins has passed away,” answered Grandpa. “Why, he was five years younger than me.”
“Mr. Collins?!?” asked a surprised Mitch. “He was just in here earlier today. What happened to him?”
“A heart attack, according to your Grandma,” replied Grandpa. “He was dead by the time they got him to the hospital.”
“A heart attack?!? Why, he was the picture of good health,” mused Mitch. “Every morning you would always see him out jogging down the street.”
“Yeah, except for the last week or two,” offered Grandpa. “He was in here buying pastries.”
“I know,” reflected Mitch. “He even bought them for all the people in the office where he used to work.”
“Well, I guess it just goes to show that when it’s your time to go, you’re gonna go,” mused Grandpa.
“I know at a time like this that words are not enough,” offered Luce. “Is there anything I can do?”
“No, I guess not, Luce,” replied Grandpa. “It’s just kind of a shock to see a friend die. Especially one that you’ve known for years.”
“I can imagine,” reflected Luce. “I’ve seen it happen many times over the years.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The elderly ladies in the restaurant were busy discussing the events of the day when the older man walked in. They stopped talking when he turned and smiled at them with his glistening white teeth. The gentleman made his way to a table near the smiling women.
“Would you like some coffee?” asked the waitress.
“Yes, please,” replied the man. “And may I have three eggs, scrambled with country ham and potatoes? Oh, also, a couple of your tasty biscuits, too, please.”
“My, there’s one man who’s not afraid to eat a hearty breakfast,” mused Katherine.
“And look at him,” offered Sylvia. “There’s not a gram of fat on him.”
“My apologies for intruding,” smiled the man. “I could not but help overhear your pleasant conversation.”
“Oh, we’re just sitting here talking nonsense,” offered a somewhat embarrassed Katherine. “Please overlook us silly old women.”
“I beg to differ,” protested the man. “I only see pleasant ladies who are in the prime of their lives.”
“Oh, you are the smooth talker,” giggled Sylvia. “My name is Sylvia and this is my mother, Katherine.”
“Your mother?!?” shouted a laughing Katherine. “You just don’t want him to know that you’re the oldest one here!”
“It is a delight to meet such charming ladies,” offered the man. “My name is Zee. That is Zee Bubb.”
“Well, that’s a different name,” mused Sylvia. “You’re not from these parts, are you?”
“Not at all, madam,” replied Zee. “I come from a simple place. My mother always liked the name Zee. I never knew why. Her name was Belle.”
“Well, you chose to come to this town when there’s a many strange things going on,” offered Katherine. “Sylvia and I were just talking about it.”
“Why, what do you mean?” asked a bewildered Zee. “I came here for vacation because it’s such a nice quiet town. I’ve only met the nicest people since I’ve been here.”
“Well, if it keeps going, there ain’t gonna be many left,” mused Sylvia. “The last couple of weeks, folks have been dropping like flies.”
“I have never seen so many heart attacks in my life,” offered Katherine. “The hospital is full of sick people.”
“My, I am shocked,” reflected Zee. “When I first arrived here it seemed everyone was in such good health. I never knew so many people were sick.”
“It’s just happened over the last few weeks,” offered Katherine. “People were healthy. Now they’re getting sick.”
“You used to see people out jogging and running,” reflected Sylvia. “The city park was always full of people doing their early morning exercises.”
“Not anymore,” mused Katherine. “Everybody just stopped. It was like they didn’t have the time and energy for it anymore.”
“I tell you, it’s one of them government conspiracies,” offered Sylvia. “They done sprayed something in the air.”
“Or put it in our drinking water,” reflected Katherine. “They just couldn’t stand for us to be the healthiest city in the country.”
“I tell you; they’re up to no good,” interjected Sylvia.
“I just never imagined such things happening here,” reflected Zee. “You would think the town leaders would do something.”
“I guess they would if they weren’t sick, too,” offered Sylvia. “The mayor’s the only one not in the hospital.”
“And he didn’t look all that great when I saw him yesterday,” mused Katherine.
“Well, it’s all very perplexing,” reflected Zee. “By the way, I stopped at Grandpa’s Pastry Shoppe on the way over here. Would you two like a doughnut?”
“Why, thank you, Zee,” declared Sylvia as she handed Katherine a doughnut and took one for herself. “These are delicious. I don’t believe I’ve ever eaten anything from the Pastry Shoppe.”
“And that’s not all that’s happening,” offered Katherine as she finished her doughnut.
“You’re telling me, sister?” reflected Sylvia. “Why this town is quickly becoming a city of degenerates!”
“Well, one thing leads to another,” declared Katherine. “People can’t control their appetite, and then they’re going to develop an appetite for other things, if you know what I mean?”
“It’s just like the Good Book says,” preached Sylvia. “The Lord says, ‘For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty!’”
“It’s the truth, it’s the truth,” agreed Zee. “Please have another doughnut.”
“People just eating all the time now,” offered Katherine as she chewed on her doughnut. “Why they’ve got too lazy to work!”
“I hear the drapery plant had to close for the week,” declared Sylvia. “It seems there’s not enough healthy people left to keep it up and running.”
“Well, let me tell you, not everybody’s down and sick,” reflected Katherine.
“Oh, I know where you’re going with that,” observed Sylvia. “It’s just sinful. It’s just shameful.”
“You’d have to be a blind man not see what’s going on,” offered Katherine. “Them old lazy fat men sneaking next door and having a fling with their neighbor’s wife.”
“I’m telling you, it’s just plain sinful,” declared Sylvia as she shook her head.
“There again, it’s like the Good Book says, ‘Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?’” preached Katherine. “They’re playing with fire!”
“People should never play with fire,” offered Zee. “Please have another doughnut.”
“Well, that’s exactly what they’re doing,” declared Sylvia as she reached for another doughnut. “As the Good Book says, ‘So he that goeth in to his neighbor’s wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.’”
“Hallelujah! Sister, you have said a mouthful,” offered Katherine. “They’re too lazy to work anymore. Just eating all the time and now they can’t keep themselves ‘spotless’ in front of the Lord!”
“And now I have to keep my doors locked all the time,” declared Sylvia. “It’s got to the point you can hardly trust anyone anymore.”
“You are so right, sister,” agreed Katherine. “I’m telling you, they’re too lazy to work, and now they’ve started stealing!”
“I just would never have believed it,” reflected Sylvia. “I didn’t think I would ever live to see the day when such things are allowed to happen in this town.”
“Well, it just the way of the modern world,” observed Katherine. “People today just have no self-control.”
“You are so right again, sister,” agreed Sylvia. “No self-control and no morals. It’s a wonder the Lord doesn’t strike this whole world for such things.”
“He will, sister, He will,” declared Katherine. “The Lord is not to be trifled with. He will take care of things in His own time and His own way!”
“I’m sure He’s watching right now,” offered Zee. “Please have another doughnut.”
While the two women enjoyed the doughnuts a familiar face to Zee came into the restaurant. It was Marie, the cleaning lady from the pastry shop. At first, she did not seem to notice the elderly man sitting with the two women. Suddenly, she stopped, and turned and looked directly at Zee. He smiled at her with his white glistening teeth.
“Dios mio!” muttered Marie as she made the sign of the cross over her chest. She slowly backed herself to the door.
“Marie!” yelled Zee. “Why don’t you come over here and join us?”
“Diablo!” shouted Marie as she turned and ran from the restaurant.
“Whoever that was, she sure is afraid of you, Zee,” observed Katherine.
“Ah, el pobrecillo,” offered Zee. “She works at the pastry shop.”
“Zee, she called you the ‘Devil’,” reflected Sylvia.
“Yes, I’m sure she did,” confessed Zee. “I’m afraid, if the truth be known, she’s one who’s afraid of her own shadow.”
“Maybe we should watch you a little more careful,” smiled Katherine. “After all, you could be the ‘Great Tempter’.”
“Me?!? Little old me?” laughed Zee. “I know not what you speak of. Please, ladies, here have another doughnut. There’s only two left.”
“Oh, I don’t know if I should,” pondered Katherine.
“O, go ahead,” laughed Sylvia. “If anyone says anything, just tell them ‘The Devil made you do it.’”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The dashing young man strolled down Main Street in Hollister, New Mexico. He paused at the newsstand as the sound of sirens filled the air. The ambulance sped by racing against time to deliver it’s precious cargo to the emergency room at the local hospital. With glistening white teeth, the young man smiled as he watched the heavenly being descend from the clouds.
“Was that another one of your heart attack victims?” smirked Gabe as his feet came to rest on the sidewalk.
“No, I don’t think so,” pondered Luce. “I believe that was a stroke victim.”
“Luce, what have you done to this town?” demanded an angry Gabe.
“Why, I haven’t done anything,” protested Luce. “I’m just here on vacation.”
“Vacation?!? O, come on,” declared Gabe. “This town had good, decent, and honest people here. Now look at it!”
“I’m sorry, but they were just a little too healthy for me,” offered Luce. “Besides, all I did was to make a few simple suggestions. No one forced them to listen to me.”
“A few suggestions?!?” declared Gabe as he shook his head. “Luce, if you hadn’t been here, none of this would have happened.”
“It’s not my fault,” protested Luce. “You should have been here watching me.”
“Now Luce, I couldn’t be here and in Alpha Centauri at the same time,” smirked Gabe. “I still haven’t straightened that mess out!”
“Well, you had your little helper, Marie, here,” offered Luce. “She should have stopped me.”
“She’s new, Luce. She doesn’t know how to handle someone like you,” reflected Gabe. “Every time she sees you she panics and runs away.”
“I wasn’t trying to hurt her,” protested Luce.
“Well, she’ll learn in time how to treat beings like you,” offered Gabe. “In the meantime, I’ve got to go back to Centauri. It’s going to take me years to get things back to normal.”
“Yeah, well, I think I’ll just mosey on somewhere else,” reflected Luce.
“I don’t think so,” smiled Gabe.
“What do you mean?”
“He’s finally fed up with your deeds,” declared Gabe. “He said you have to stay in this town until I can get back to watch over you.”
“Now, wait a minute,” declared a stunned Luce. “I’m not going to stay here. It’s no telling how long you’re going to be gone.”
“Yes, you are,” laughed Gabe. “He said to tell you not to leave this town.”
“Well, I’m not going to stay here,” declared Luce.
“Yes, you are.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Well, if you insist on leaving, He’s going to send Michael after you,” revealed Gabe.
“Michael?!? The archangel?!?” pondered Luce.
“That’s right,” smiled Gabe. “You know Michael’s wanted to get his hands on you for centuries.”
“The Michael?” reflected Luce.
“The one and only,” laughed Gabe. “And you know he’s still itching to finish the business you started way back in Daniel’s time.”
“Daniel?!?”
“Yeah, Daniel. Don’t try and act so naïve,” smiled Gabe. “You remember how He sent me to answer Daniel’s prayer and how you did your best to stop me.”
“Oh, yeah!” reflected Luce. “The prince of Persia and me were having a little fun with you.”
“Well, He didn’t think it was so funny,” smirked Gabe. “He sent Michael and before long you took off running for your dear life.”
“Yeah, well, what’d you expect,” explained Luce. “Archangels have no sense of humor.”
“And if you try to leave Hollister, he’s not going to find any humor in that either,” smiled Gabe. “In fact, I believe Michael would like for you to try and leave. It would give him just enough reason to come and lock you up and throw away the key!”
“Lock me up?!?”
“That’s right! He’ll put you in the abyss,” laughed Gabe. “And you’ll not be able to do anything for a thousand years!”
“A thousand years?!?”
“That’s right, old buddy slash adversary,” continued Gabe. “A glorious thousand years!”
“Well, that’s just not fair,” offered Luce. “That’s not fair at all!”
“You should have thought of that before you decided to take your little vacation here,” declared Gabe as he started ascending into the sky.
“Gabe don’t leave me,” begged Luce. “Please.”
“But I have to,” replied Gabe. “You’ve given me no choice. I must help get Alpha Centauri back to normal.”
“But what can I do here?” pondered Luce. “There’s nothing to do.”
“Why don’t you take that vacation you’re always talking about,” offered Gabe.
“I don’t want no vacation,” yelled Luce as Gabe continued to ascend. “I’m gonna be bored. I going to be totally bored.”
“Then find something to do.”
“Like what?”
“Well, after what you’ve done to this town,” offered Gabe. “Maybe you could open a health store.”
“Funny, Gabe! Real funny!!”
THE END
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