I didn’t want to admit that I’ve never driven a Harley before. I’d driven a few motorbikes when I was a kid, but I didn’t think I could handle a full-size Harley the first time out.
"Who said anything about you driving?" Gabby teased me. She was reading my thoughts again. "You’ll do fine," she added.
"I’ll give it a try." She had wounded my masculine pride so I was determined to rise to the challenge. I jumped onto the bike, propped it upright, and steadied it off the kickstand. Instinctively, I reached for the handgrip, rolled it to quarter throttle and pushed my thumb on the starter button. The bike roared to a deep-throated rumble. I pulled back racing the engine, "Hop on!"
Gabby climbed on the back and sat really close to me on the small seat. She reached her arms around my waist and hugged, laying her head sideways, her cheek to my back. I kicked the gear lever down and heard the tranny knock into place. I operated on instinct and figured it was one down and five up on the gears. Things were coming easier to me. I became convinced that I could drive this hog.
"Hold on," I hollered back, even though she was already holding tight. I gave it some gas, released the clutch, and gave her a half throttle twist as we roared into the street. Barely four seconds into the ride and I had already been through three of the gears. "This is a blast!" I shouted.
"You don’t need to yell, Bo." Gabby switched to talking in my head because of the noise from the motorcycle.
"Oh, sorry." I felt a little bad about yelling. Presumably angels have great hearing.
"You’ll get used to me. Do you really think I’m the prettiest girl you’ve ever seen, Bo?" I could feel her cheek move against my back as she smiled.
"You’re so beautiful my heart is shivering. Even in my dreams I’ve never seen anything so amazing. In all my life I never imagined anyone or anything could be as beautiful as you."
"You’re very certain Bo. Tell me, how many angels have you seen?’
"Just you, but I know beautiful when I see it." My absolute conviction about that came through in my voice.
"Is that so?" Gabby sounded amused. I was feeling curious. "Gabby, I’ve been thinking about what you’ve said, it’s hard to believe there are angels guarding the outer edges of the earth."
"Didn’t you pay attention in science class – you remember the earth is spinning at a thousand miles an hour and traveling through space at eighteen miles per second, but angels protecting it is the part you find too amazing to believe?"
"Well, when you put it like that."
"Every morning you wake to a glowing red fireball in the sky and it doesn’t make you think, who put it there?" Gabby seemed to be in full instructional-angel mode.
"It seems ridiculous when you put it like that. The idea that there could be such powerful and awe-inspiring phenomenon in the universe with no Creator behind them seems absurd. Here I am riding down route one, on a Harley I didn’t even know how to drive – having the deepest metaphysical conversation of my life – with the most gorgeous woman ever – and it’s a telepathic conversation at that! I better not wake up and realize this is a dream!"
A few silky strands of Gabby’s hair were blown by the wind to caress my cheek. "Don’t worry, you’re not dreaming – in fact this is probably the most real experience you’ve ever had."
I realized she was right. "That’s true! I feel more awake and alive than I’ve ever been. I feel stronger than I’ve ever felt. I love being with you."
"Don’t get too attached." Gabby warned me. "I’m only here for two weeks in Earth time, Bo. That’s all the time I have and then I have to leave."
"You’re my dream come true Gabby. Isn’t there any way that you can stay longer?"
"That’s not up to me Bo. That decision was made long before you were born. Let’s just enjoy each other while I’m here, okay?" Gabby sounded a little sad.
"Okay, I want to spend every moment I can with you."
"There is one thing that you could do for me if we are going to spend this time together." Gabby sounded cautious.
"Anything."
"I want to be a girl, you know, in between our assignments. I want to have some fun."
I was a little confused. "You said you were a girl. What do you mean, Gabby?"
"I said I’m a female angel. There is a difference. I want to live as a girl, a human girl, try it out – to see what it’s like, okay?
No comments :
Post a Comment