“I need some help.” the man called through the glass.
 
Jim quickly turned the car on so that he could roll down the window slightly. 

“Sorry to bother you, but my car won’t start.  Do you think you could give me a hand?” the man called out rubbing his hands together to keep them warm.

“Oh…um…yeah.”  Jim muttered. He pushed open the door and stepped out into the cold.

“My car stalled and I just need some help pushing it down to the coffee shop on the corner.  Do you think you could help me?”

Jim looked around and could make out the faint outline of an old car stopped in the road.  The snow was falling heavier now and Jim shivered slightly.  He’d rather just go inside, drink a beer and fall asleep, but his life was already pretty crappy and he didn’t want to risk the added bad karma by not helping.

“Yeah, it’s no problem.”

“Thanks a lot.  I’m Ed by the way.” the man said sticking out his hand.  He was an older gentleman with thick white hair and a deep voice.

“Nice to meet you Ed.” Jim said shaking it quickly.

“Nice to meet you too, Jim.” Ed said before turning and heading towards the car.

Jim furrowed his brow for a moment. “I didn’t tell him my name did I?” he thought to himself as he trudged through the snow towards the car.  As he drew closer to the car he became even more confused.  There in the middle of the road was the oldest car he’d ever seen. “No wonder it stalled.  It has to be at least fifty years old.” he thought to himself pushing his now dampened hair off his forehead.

“1949 Ford Coup.” Ed’s voice broke through Jim’s thoughts.  “Just got her. Paid a pretty penny…but she‘s a beauty.”

“I think you got ripped off.” Jim thought to himself, but managed to say “Looks nice.”

“I’ll steer and push from the front if you don’t mind pushing from the back.” Ed said wrenching open the drivers side door.  “It doesn’t look too far down the road.”

Jim pulled his gloves from his coat pocket and put them on before bracing himself behind the car.  Even with the thick snow that was falling and the slush that had built up on the road the car easily rolled the quarter mile or so to the parking lot of the coffee shop.  Ed pulled the parking brake on and then slammed the door shut.

“I can’t thank you enough for helping me,” he said to Jim.

“It’s no problem.  Have a good night.”  Jim turned to head back to his apartment.

“Jim…” Ed called out.

“Again with the name?” Jim muttered softly as he turned back around.

“Now let me help you out.”

“What do you mean?” Jim asked.

“Well for starters let me buy you a cup of coffee.” Ed said tilting his head towards the coffee shop.

“Oh…thanks…but I should really be getting home.”

“Come on.  You look like you could use it.”

He was right.  Jim was freezing and it wasn’t like he had anything better waiting for him at home, so he shrugged his shoulders and followed Ed inside.  He waited until Ed had slid into one side of a corner booth before shedding his wet coat and sitting down across from him.  A couple moments later a heavyset woman with big blonde hair and a nametag that read Alice came up to their table to with a notepad. 

“What’ll it be tonight boys?” she asked, popping her gum.

“Just coffee for me thanks.” Jim said pulling off his wet gloves and setting them on the seat by his coat.

“A large hot chocolate…with extra whipped cream, please.” Ed said smiling at the waitress as she walked away. He then proceeded to unwrap the long, knitted scarf from around his neck.

“My wife knitted this for me on my last birthday.  I hope it dries out soon.” he said. 
Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out what appeared to be an old book. “I hope Tom Sawyer dries out too.”  He smoothed a hand over the cover and then set it on the table. 

“So, what do you think happened to your car?” Jim asked, trying to make small talk.

“Oh, I don’t think its anything big.  In all reality, it’s probably just more of a way for me to help you.”

“What’s that?” Jim asked not sure that he had heard him correctly.

“Let me ask you something.  What’s a guy like you doing sitting in his car, alone, four days before Christmas?”

Jim paused as Alice set the beverages down on the table.  He took of sip of the steaming coffee and then said, “Well…I just got home from work…”

“It looked to me that you were deep in thought.”

Jim wasn’t sure how to answer that.  Here he was in an empty coffee shop, drinking coffee that was way too strong, talking to an old man that just might be a little off his rocker.

“Just thinking about life I guess. Wondering where it all went wrong.”

“Good thing I came along when I did then, isn’t it?”

“What do you mean?” Jim asked.

“Well Jim, the thing is that you would try to help me, and so that‘s how I am now able to help you.”

“Okay, how do you know my name?” Jim asked feeling his shoulders tense a little.

“I know lots of things about you, Jim.  I know you’re sad and I know you're lonely.  I know you miss someone a great deal.” Ed said with a sympathetic smile.

“What are you a mind reader or something?”

“No, no…” Ed chuckled.  “I’m your guardian angel.”

Jim almost dropped the coffee mug from his hand causing some of the hot liquid to spill over onto his hand.  “What the hell is in this coffee?” he muttered pushing the cup away from him.

“Ridiculous idea…” Ed continued. “Thinking that people would just be better off with out you.”

“Now, wait just a minute.  How do you know stuff like that?  This is some sort of elaborate prank isn‘t it?  Did Tom put you up to this?”  Jim asked incredulously.

“No one put me up to it.  I told you.  I’m your guardian angel.” Ed said calmly.

Jim scoffed slightly.  As if things couldn’t get any more depressing for him he was now quite possibly losing his mind.  He shook his head in disbelief and then asked, “Well if you’re an angel…how come you don’t have any wings?”

“I haven’t earned them yet.” Ed said matter-of-factly, as Alice came over to the table and handed him the check.  He pulled a few dollar bills out of his wallet and as he did so, a plain white business card fluttered down onto the table. 

“Of course you haven’t.”  Jim said sarcastically. “Well, I don’t know how I feel about being seen with an angel that doesn’t have any wings.”

“Well, I’ve got to earn them.  And you can help me.“

“Oh really?  And how can I do that?”

“By letting me help you.” Ed said with a warm smile.

“You can’t help me.” Jim said sharply.  “No one can help me.”

“Well we won’t get anywhere with that attitude.” Ed said wrapping his scarf around his neck.  “You don’t know half of the stuff that you’ve done. If it hadn‘t of been for you…”

“Yeah right,” Jim interrupted.  “If it hadn’t of been for me, there would be plenty of people who would be a lot better off.  My family, co-workers…Pam.” He paused for a moment, angry at the aching that just the mention of her name put into his heart. “Look, I can‘t deal with this right now.  Why don‘t you go haunt someone else?” 

“Oh I can’t do that.  I’m with you.”

“I really think that you should just leave me alone.”

“Hmmm….” Ed muttered, more to himself than anyone. “This isn’t going to be easy.” He paused for a moment and then said, “So you really think that people would have been better off without you?”

Jim shook his head and replied, “You know, sometimes I think it might have just been better if I’d never been born at all.” 

"Hmmm…I think that might do the trick.” Ed said standing up and pulling on his coat. “Well you’ve got your wish.”

“What’s that?” Jim asked staring up at him.

Ed just winked at him and turned to walk away.  Jim stood up hurriedly to follow after him.  As he was putting on his coat he caught glimpse of the small white business card Ed had left lying on the table.  It was blank except for three small words.

Ed Truck
A-S-2