Sheila's Holiday

[dnalexander]

Sheila's Holiday

The old man looked out his flat on Broadway St. It was a quiet night and the streetlights illuminated the  fog with a diffused glow. He loved this very early time of night. The din of the bars and strip clubs had died down and the streets were quiet. In his younger days he had relished the night life and tourists that populated his San Francisco neighborhood. When he was younger he used to dress in his Armani suit and hit the many night clubs in the area. He remembered all the beautiful women and the fun he used to have. The days of the dot com boom were long gone though, he thought. Now he was just an old, frail, man with insomnia looking out the window at 3 a.m.

As he gazed out the window he saw a young woman in a coat run across the street and go into all night diner down the way. Probably one of the exotic dancers; from Centerfolds, he thought; going to have breakfast after work. He had seen her many times before, while looking out the window, on many of his other sleepless nights. She was a tall redhead. Maybe, 28 or so he thought. As she ran her long, legs kicked open her knee length raincoat. It stirred his memories of his youth. He thought "in the old days I would have been chasing after her not just watching her."

The old man turned up the radio to listen to the news. Same old wars and bad news he thought. Then he heard a story of how no one had died in San Francisco for the last two weeks. Yeah, right he thought. Just another attempt by the media to throw a "feel good story" in at the end just to make everyone feel better. You can't make me feel better, you bastards, I'm dieing and there is nothing I can do about it. I can't sleep, I can't die, and the world is going to hell. He knew this was just his insomnia getting the best of him. He decided he would go down to the diner and have coffee. Maybe, that would help him take his mind off things.

As the old man walked into the diner he saw the young woman sitting at the counter. He sat down beside her and ordered a coffee. Hi, said the woman, my name is Sheila. The old man said " I'm Jack." "You work at the strip club don't you?" "I see you running across the street every night after work". "oh no, Jack, I'm a ER nurse at the hospital, up by Coit Tower." " I just cut through there after coming down the Hayes Street stairs, she said." "You don't remember me do you." " I was your ER nurse when you came in last week after your heart attack." "Don't remind me", he said. "I haven't been able to sleep since then" "Jack are you ok, you look a little pale?" " Just, getting old Sheila" "Maybe I should go home I'm feeling a little tired" "Jack at least let me walk you home"

Sheila got Jack back to the apartment and sat him down on the couch. "Thanks, Sheila, you can go home." "I'll be fine, he said"  "No Jack, I'm here for you, let me help you" She sat down on the couch next to him. Jack noticed a small cross tattooed on her ankle as she sat down. "Nice, tattoo Sheila, you sure you don't work at Centerfolds?'.  "Back in my day women didn't get tatoos" "No, Jack, I really do work at the hospital, she laughed" "How come I didn't see you then when I came back for my check ups the last couple weeks?" "I was on vacation the last couple weeks, visiting my father, she said." "You sure you don't work at the club?, Jack said". "Jack, come on now, you need to get some rest" " I can't Sheila, I just can't go to sleep, too many things for this old man to worry about." "Here, Jack, she said." "Lay you head on my shoulder and try to rest." "I'll stay with you as long as you need."

Jack laid his head on her shoulder. Her soft red hair caressed his cheek. Jack could smell the sweet lilac smell of her perfume. He slowly drifted off to sleep dreaming of happier days. Slowly, his breathing became shallow, his heart slowed. Jack drifted off in a deep, deep sleep. Suddenly, Jack awoke to the sounds of a choir and a bright light. He felt young and refreshed.
Sheila, covered Jack with a blanket and got up to leave. She wished that she was still on vacation. I'll never get used to this part of my job she thought.

David Alexander
© 2009

This is a very rough draft of a story I am writing. You all get to see it first. This is the very condensed version and I am not sure it works well in this short form.  It was hard to shorten it to fit here, but I like showing my writing to you all first.

David

[Ms Bear]

I enjoyed it and hope to read more.

[sixdogsmom]

Hmmm-----, and I always thought that the figure of death wore a shroud like garment and carried a scyth, certainly not a good looking redhead. Interesting David, interesting!

[Wilma]

I hope that I get to read --the rest of the story.  Please finish it, David.

[Judy Harder]

I too, want to read it.
Good luck, David..........can't wait.

[Catwoman]

OK, David...I've been gone too long and missed you putting this on here...Don't leave your audience hanging...What happens next??

[pamsback]

VERY cool

[dnalexander]

Thanks everyone I will let you know when I fill in the story. This is the start and end of the story. In the meantime I will give you something to ponder.

Who is Sheila?

Archangel Michael
Archangel Raphael
St. Francis of Assisi
All of them

I will let you decide for yourself. There is not necessarily a correct answer.

David

[pamsback]

  My first instinct was Raphael cause he's the patron of healers, but then I looked up Michael just to see and he is the bringer of peace so could be either one but Raphael still gets my vote I guess.
  Michael makes me think of the movie with John Travolta I just watched it the other day and I just love that movie lol Micheal is my kind of Angel 



Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.
Francis of Assisi

[pamsback]

  Went back and read it again.....think I'm changin my vote to Micheal.....i don't know......