Guardian Angels

“So what do you think? Is he up to it?”
“Of course he’s not up to it, that’s why we are here. What I don’t understand is why one of your rank was given guardianship of a little baby? Don’t you normally take on higher profile duties?”
“I don’t question the Father’s wisdom and neither should you. Before taking this assignment, the Father opened the book and let me see a glimpse of what’s to come. They are both really going to need our help. You have been with him for 26 years now, isn’t that right?”
“That’s pretty close, a bit longer. Isn't that a little unusual getting to see what’s to come? Why would the Father do that?”
“Who can understand the Fathers reasons but I can tell you we have our job cut out for us. Listen, you better get your game face on and stay focused because what’s coming Grayquill is going to need every ounce of help you and I can give him. Granted my primary responsibility is B but Grayquill from what I have seen is not ready! I will help you out when I can but I better not catch you slacking off. This little one is just too important.”
“Well you can tell me about that latter but right now look at them. I haven’t seen him this relaxed in a long time and she seems very content.
”Listen, don’t get all sentimental on me, if you drop the ball here, there will be hell to pay.”
“Hey, that’s not funny, don’t use that threat on me, I don’t appreciate it.”
Oh my goodness, I am in more trouble than I thought, “Listen, It was a figure of speech you dim wit. Calm down. I just wanted you to know I will be expecting your best and I am not taking this assignment lightly. I will not put up with any nonsense from you. I have heard the stories down through the ages of your less than stellar past performances.
“This little one, B, the Father has great plans for and the evil one is already plotting against her. So tell me, this Grayquill where are the holes, what’s he lacking?”
“Gee...where to start, we don't have time for a complete list but I will highlight a few. Grayquill is how should I say it? My best description is… he’s of the common type. He lacks courage. He is prone to not face trouble head on but skirt around it sizing it up for hours or even days before taking action. He’s a messy. Some think he is pretty funny but honestly, he has never made me laugh, except for some of the bone head choices he makes.”
“Hmmm….that doesn’t sound good.”
“It’s not! He often sticks his foot in his mouth. He regularly speaks before thinking and that has caused him a goodly amount of pain. His strengths are, he has a good strong conscious but he will rationalize it away whenever it serves him. He is a hard worker but his weakness is, when a duty gets boring or mundane, he will begin to falter, then, his best slips to the side. During these times he will be prone to day dreaming and in his school years he had more than one teacher totally exasperated with his lack of focus and I had to come to the rescue on more than one occasion. He is creative which helps him in problem solving. He is both good and horrible with people but that speaking without thinking is a real weakness. He will hurt another’s feelings without really intending to and I have had to help him repair more than one misspeak. But enough about him, tell me about the little lady. What is she going to be like?”
The older wiser angel smiles, “Where to start? Some of whom and what she is to become will remain to be seen by her choices. But, the strengths the Father gave her in the beginning are quite astounding. B has been gifted to see right and wrong at a high level. This will probably develop her into a no nonsense person. She is creative and her passion for life is strong. Her mind is already inquisitive and she loves learning. You will see as she grows if something is unjust she will work hard to make it just. She will have no trouble telling a person who needs to be set straight what is the straight way. She has been gifted with loyalty to those in her inner circle. She is courageous beyond what one would expect and her compassion for those less fortunate will be demonstrated though out her life. Her expectation of herself and others will probably cause her some pain down the road. My task is to keep drawing her toward the Father and his perfect plan for her. I am looking forward to this assignment.”
“Well we got our work cut out for us, I am glad you are here, maybe you can give me some pointers in helping to direct this sleeper. I am a bit worried about him. I still don’t get why the father would entrust such a highly valuable child to one such as this.”
“Trust…love triumphs over all, he does love her.’’
“What else can I do?”

Cleaning Fish

"Daddy is that the one I caught? No, that one is not mine. Mine had more red on the sides and I think mine was bigger. Why are you cutting off the head? Does it hurt the fish?”
“No, B the fish is dead, it doesn’t have any feelings.”
“It’s kind of gross, cleaning fish.”
“Yes it is but it has to be done. Why don’t you go wash the fish off in that bucket of water?”
No, I think I will just watch you. Are we going to eat these fish for dinner?”
No, these will be smoked.”
“Oh……. What’s smoked?
“It is a way of making the fish good to eat and a lot of smoke is used in the process.”
“Oh….Why is the fishes eye open? Is the fish looking at us?”
“No, B the fish is dead, fish don’t have eye lids. They can’t close their eyes.”
“You mean their eyes are open all the time? How do they sleep?”
“Yip their eyes are open all the time. Hmmm….I don’t know how they sleep but they do.”
“Daddy, I think you are just making that up.”
"Well, B I might be. Well that is the last one. Are you going to help me wash them off?”
“Sure Daddy, but I think I will let you do the washing.”

My Heart Belongs to My Daddy

The little girl’s face doesn’t seem happy, just doing. Because I know where, when and who is in the picture. There is little doubt that is influencing my projecting of the little girl’s feelings.
Where, when and who: Twin lakes, Colville Indian Reservation, a weeklong fishing trip Grayquill, Mrs. Grayquill, and daughter B. Also along are GQ's brother M and wife D, GQ's sister W and husband T. Neither couple had children. It is about 1983, my daughter B is either three or four years old and she was the only child on the trip.
The picture sends a small ring of sadness my way. If the picture could talk I wonder what it might say? The expression seems to say,”I am playing by myself and there is nothing I can do about it. Lunch is over and I have been told to go play. This is a vacation but it is for my parents not me. I have been brought along only because I live in this family. My feelings were not important. I am bored and I wish I had a friend to play with. The adults are enjoying their precious talk time. I am being ignored. I have no idea a picture is being taken of me. I am putting my egg container in my wheelbarrow. There isn’t even a sand box here. I am a little tired as we were in the boat fishing all morning and I still feel that wavy feeling from the boat. I suppose, Daddy is out fishing with Uncle T and has decided to leave me here. When dad is around Uncle T he seems to love fishing way more than me. I guess my sweat shirt says, My Heart Belongs to my Daddy, which is true, but I don’t feel right now like my daddy is thinking too much about me. I am only a little girl and I can’t do anything about my loneliness, so I will play with the few toys that they brought for me and wait.”