Deliverance

I woke up and went to the Christmas tree, and there was my bike.

I was ten years old, and I got a beautiful green bike with a white basket attached. It was cold outside, but I wanted to ride my new bicycle.

That’s when I looked at the back tire. It was flat. I asked my uncle (who was my guardian at the time), “When are you going to the store?” “Later,” he replied.

I decided I would take my bicycle to the Junior Market four blocks over myself and see if I could get air in the tire. I was hoping there wasn’t a hole in the inner tube. I dressed in my coat, shoes, hat, and scarf and went out the door.

I told my aunt I was going to the store to get my tire inflated. She asked if I had told my uncle. “He’s not going anywhere for a while,” I responded.

It was cold, but I persevered and made it to the store.

My hands were frozen because I had no gloves.

I could see the tire gauge in front of me, but my hands were no use.

I parked the bicycle and went and looked through the glass window, but I did not see anyone. Now I was faced with the decision to either go home without getting air in my tire or continue to the boulevard, where there were two service stations across from each other. Something made me look at the front door.

To my surprise, a man came outside wearing a service shirt and a hat.

He came to where I was standing and seemed to know what was wrong. He was very nice and put air in my tire. I thanked him and went back home.

Later that day, my sister asked me, “Where did you go to get my tire inflated?” “Junior Market,” I told her. She looked at me in disbelief.

“It was closed, and no one was there when I went.” I won’t know until I get to heaven, but I just might meet an angel who knows how to put air in the tires of little girls’ bikes and one day helped a determined little girl at the Junior Market.

I will give him a big hug.

Sharon Denise Smith