Angels Among Us

It's on and I'm ready:  the Papal conclave is set to begin on Tuesday.  I don't know why a bunch of unmarried mostly old guys in black robes and red hats fascinate me so much but they do. Holing up in the Sistine Chapel until they agree on a new Pope makes it even more fascinating to me.  I read where they have to be in there except for eating and sleeping.  What about bathroom breaks and what do they sit on?  Can you bring a pillow in with you and maybe a blanket?  I'm thinking its liable to get mighty cold and drafty in there.  I sure hope somebody blabs after this deal is over and answers some of my questions.  I don't need to know the gossip: who got shot down, who was a brown noser, etc.  Just tell me the important stuff.

Since we are on the downhill side headed for the weekend, I thought I'd share a day brightener I read last night regarding airlines.  It seems a man got "the call" from family that he needed to hop the first plane home and that his mom wouldn't last through the night.  He got tickets, got on the first flight of two, only to be delayed on take off, but finally took off.  As a result, it appeared there was no way he'd make his connection to get home in time to be with his mom before she died.  The connection was his only chance as it was the last flight out until the next morning.  As he sat on the plane, tears streaming down his face, a flight attendant handed him some napkins to wipe his eyes and asked what was wrong and if she could help.  The man told her the story, she said how sorry she was, got his name and disappeared.  Before landing, she told the man he would be deplaning first, and to run like blazes to the gate for the next flight.  She never said why--just to do it.

Meanwhile the guy does, rounds the corner by the gate only to hear the gate attendant yell asking if he was Mr. Somebody.  He yelled "YES", jumped on board, the door was shut and off the next flight went.  What Mr. Somebody later found out was, the flight attendant went to the Captain and told him what was going on with this guy, and asked if they could somehow help.  The Captain radioed ahead requesting the connecting flight hold up 15 minutes for this guy, and he'd get him there.  Then he radioed the baggage guys that upon landing they needed to find this guys bag, and get it on board the departing flight, and they'd only have a few minutes in which to do it.  Cue the Mission Impossible music.  Dunh, Dunh, Dunh..da duh Dunh Dunh Dunh...

The man made it to his mom's bedside prior to her death and was able to spend precious hours with her, and his family, before she died.  In the event you think there aren't angels among us, think again.  There are.  Some you can see, some you can't.  Some are in the air, some are on the ground.  But they are here.  Are you one???