This story was inspired by the 1946 film, "It's a Wonderful Life". http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038650/

Here it was almost a month before Christmas and I had no spirit at all. Christ, I had always had great Christmas spirit loved to give rather than receive. This year I had nothing, all my children were scattered, me and the wife had parted ways not in a good way, though we were still married. I figured what the hell, without them it just wasn't Christmas or hell for that matter a life, I just wanted to end it, life to me didn't feel worth living anymore, true I might be reading more into it than there was. I looked around the office was I a coward? Was I really that weak? Huh guess I was, walking out I still hadn't decided how to end it. Laughing a moment I really was a coward, not a gun, too loud, car? No too painful and might not work too many survived.

I had called all my children but of course they had their own lives so were far to busy to be bothered with

their old man. Hell, I just wanted to wish them well, hoped they had a good holiday with their families. The last part I left, I apologized for bothering them as I knew that they were busy and I really didn't want to take up all their time. Hell, I'd even tried to see my grandson to no avail. So I left the office having already fallen into a deep depression.

I walked maybe a mile, had turned off the beaten path finally coming to stop on an old metal bridge. I knew

the water would sweep my body away as fast and heavy as it was flowing. Looking around I started to climb up the railing when there was a splash, looking down I saw a man flailing in the water.

"Help! HELP!" The man shouted, jumping in I swam to him bringing him to the shore. A couple of police officers appeared a few minutes later and took us to a local shelter. There they began to question the man, then just left as suddenly they just left slapping me on the back calling me a hero. Ok, that was odd they never left that fast without investigating a lot more than they had.

Looking over at the 50-55 year old man stooped over the bed I had to ask, "you ok there uh ... fellow?"

"It's Clarence," He replied. "Yes, I am fine." I stared at the old really old underwear that the man was putting

back on his body.

"You're lucky he jumped in to save you after you fell in." Another shelter man who'd heard the story said.

"Oh, I didn't fall in I jumped in, to save George here, stopping him from committing suicide" Clarence said a huge smile on his face.

The shelter man stopped a moment shock on his face, then opened his mouth to say, "Oh but it's against the law to commit suicide here."

"I know it's against the law where I'm from," Clarence said.

"Oh? Where's that?" I said looking up, finally I wasn't cold.

"Oh, ah heaven! I'm his guardian angel." Clarence said.

The shelter man fell out of his chair a look of shock and disbelief on his face as he quickly fled the scene.

"Now wait," I said, "you jumped in to save me? Seems like it'd be easier to just step up and say hey don't

do it! Don't you think?"

"True, true," Clarence replied, "but then again would you really have listened? Besides it saved you now didn't it?"

Laughing I said, "say uh ... Clarence you got anywhere to go or stay?"

"No George, I'm fine." He chuckled.

"That's another thing how the hell do you know my name?" I looked at him suspiciously. "You some kind of stalker or something?"

"No, I'm nothing like that," Clarence cheekily said, "I'm an angel specifically YOUR guardian angel."

Nodding my head this was a bit much to take from a man I'd just saved from drowning, "Uh huh yeah, you sure you're ok? You didn't bump your head did you? You need a doctor?"

"No," Clarence chuckled, "I am Clarence Oleman, AS2 at you service."

"AS2? Huh," I said. "Just what exactly is an AS2?"

"Ah! Angel second class, I don't have me wings yet, I have to earn them. You my good man, are going to help me." Clarence replied happily.

"ME? Oh no, no, no I think you got the wrong man. I'm just a broken down, used up, old man, ain't good for nothing much now a days. If anything I'd get you an express trip to the other place. "Bout the only thing I'm good for anymore is screwing up. Besides it might be embarrassing for you to be seen with me." I told Clarence believing every word.

"Oh, you don't believe that your wife, your children or your Grandchild would be better off if you were dead do you?" Clarence said a look of horror on his face.

"Ah!" I said, "you're right it'd probably be better if I was never born."

"Oh, you mustn't say..." Clarence started, then looking up, "say that's not a bad idea what do you think? Hmmm yeah alright, that ought to do it. Ok George, ya got your wish, you've never been born." At those words a huge wind blew the door open stirring everything up creating a mess. "Show off!" Clarence shouted.

Getting up I helped Clarence pick up the mess, "Well I said, I best be going I have a business to run."

"I wouldn't be so sure George," Clarence said. "Mind if I tag along?"

"Sure," I said, "they might be able to get you set up with something at the store." I told him.

We walked for a while then entered the building I had my business in. Something was off where were all the offices? Why was there just a huge room with tiny cubicles in it.

A woman walked up to me, "I'm sorry sir but you do not belong here, you'll have to leave."

I looked at the woman, "just who are you? I own this building and I don't remember hiring you."

"That's funny," the woman smirked, "John Thompson owns this building and you most definitely don't look like him. I am building security, now you'll have to leave, this is a porn editing house and your presence here is disturbing everyone. I suggest you leave before I throw your ass out!" The woman shouted.

"What?!" I said in disbelief standing there in shock as several large men walked up and literally threw us out the door! Lying on the side walk I brushed my clothes off, stood and walked back in the door only to come flying back out a second later.

I started to enter a third time when the woman walked out, "I suggest that you leave, your actions have already alerted the local authorities they should be here in a few minutes, if you're still here then, you're going to jail." With that she shut the door in my face and locked it.

"That's my building," I said.

"No it isn't," Clarence said, "you were never here to buy it or to force the porn industry out on the outskirts of

the city."

"What!?" I yelled as we started to walk away down the street. "No I was there, I saw them all pack up and move."

"No George you weren't." Clarence repeated. "You weren't here to start the petition, or carry the fight to the city council George, because you weren't born!"

Looking at Clarence I must have been dense 'cause I didn't hear a single word he was saying.

"No," I said, "It just some kind of trick, look here comes Burt one of my best friends."

Waving down the cabbie he stopped, "Yeah pal where ya going?"

"Come on Burt stop playing you know I live at 21 Sycamore, come on take me home."

"Yeah, yeah right keep your shirt on!" We pulled out and the cabbie passed a police car drawing the officer's attention and waving at me then doing a crazy sign.

The cab with the 3 of them stopped in front of a broken down condemned house, George ran from the cab in the front broken door. "Kids? Jane? Jr?" They could hear him shouting through out the building. A moment later the police officer pulled up.

"They aren't here," Clarence said, "cause you were never born to have them." I just stared at him like he was crazy.

"Yeah, what you got Burt?" the officer said.