Three weeks ago, I was flying from the Dominican Republic to Toronto on the first leg of my journey home. I did a little doodle of a mouse. The doodle provoked a phrase and the phrase provoked a story. I finished polishing the story earlier this week, so I thought I would share it with you. There will be another BC installment soon, but for now, please enjoy…

Thomas and the Angel

High on Hangnail Mesa in the scant shade of a hiccamore tree, Thomas Mouse sat contemplating. His reverie was cut short when an angel appeared, accompanied by the standard blinding glory and sound of a heavenly choir.

The angel spoke thus: ‘FEAR NOT, THOMAS MOUSE!’

‘Okay,’ replied Thomas.

Again, the angel spoke: ‘THOMAS MOUSE, DO NOT BE AFRAID!’

‘Yes,’ said Thomas, ‘I’m definitely not.’

‘You’re not?’ queried the angel.

‘No.’

‘It’s just that usually when I turn up and tell people not to be afraid, they are very afraid.’

‘Sorry to disappoint you.’

‘Only, it’s kind of an angel thing. Are you sure you’re not just a little afraid?’

‘Fully confident.’

‘Right.’ The angel’s forehead was noticeably shinier than when they first appeared; a glisten had joined the glow. ‘Er… BEHOLD! I BRING YOU GREAT TIDINGS OF… TIDINGS that…’ The angel tapered off. ‘The thing is, I’ve never delivered great tidings to anyone who isn’t cowering on the ground. You sitting there calmly is putting me off.’

Thomas Mouse said, ‘Could you try and manage it? You’re cutting into my contemplation time.’

The angel flew a few inches higher, took a deep breath and declared: ‘BEHOLD! I BRING YOU GREAT TIDINGS OF WONDER AND er… wonder and… It’s no good. I can’t do it.’

‘Is it possible for you to simply not deliver the tidings? The couriers around here miss my deliveries all the time. They refuse to climb the mesa. They just throw the parcels up the side – not even very high up the side – and drive off. Usually the coyotes get them. I’m constantly complaining to the delivery companies but nothing ever improves.’

‘It’s not like that with angels. If I go back to heaven with my tidings undelivered, I will be seriously ████ed.’

‘████ed?’

‘I’m an angel. I can’t go around swearing. It’s off-brand. I honestly don’t know what to do. I could call my manager but they won’t believe me. And if they do believe me, I’m going to get put on admin duty because what good is an angel that can’t even scare a mouse?’

‘You could mention that I am a highly composed and confident mouse. It’s an effect of my daily contemplation.’

‘Yeah, I don’t think that’s going to make much difference.’

‘Listen, I need to get this encounter finished. Would it help if I looked like I was afraid? I can do cowering.’

‘It might work. I’ve always gone by appearance. I’ve never asked anyone if they were truly afraid in their heart.’

‘Okay, let’s do this.’ TM curled up with his back to the angel and trembled his whiskers.

‘Thank you,’ said the angel. ‘And could you give a whimper, just a tiny one?’

‘Not happening. I will shiver my tail though.’ And he did.

‘I can work with that.’ With fresh confidence the angel stood tall in the air next to Hangnail Mesa and declared: ‘BEHOLD! I BRING YOU GREAT TIDINGS OF WONDER AND JOY! [Okay, now can you uncurl just a little as if your curiosity is starting to overcome your terror?]’

TM did.

‘( Thank you! This is working really well.) YOUR TIRELESS CARE FOR THE ORPHANED QUAIL OF LIGUERIA HAS NOT GONE UNNOTICED. I HAVE COME TO BESTOW THREE GIFTS FOR YOU AND YOU ALONE. [Now sit up like you’re excited and hopeful.]’

T Mouse sat up and said, ‘Wow! This is incredible! But—‘

‘Let me get to the end, then you can do all the how-can-this-be-true-I’m-so-unworthy stuff. As I was saying, FOR YOU AND YOU ALONE. GIFT ONE: NO MATTER WHAT DIFFICULTIES YOU MAY FACE, YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE POWER TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP FORWARD. GIFT TWO: NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU WORK, YOU SHALL NEVER GROW WEARY. GIFT THREE: NO MATTER HOW LITTLE YOU HAVE, YOU SHALL ALWAYS HAVE ENOUGH FOR YOURSELF AND YOUR GUESTS THOUGH THEY OUTNUMBER THE SANDS OF THE GREAT DESERT. WITH THESE THREE GIFTS YOUR ABILITY TO HELP THOSE IN NEED WITH BE TRULY BOUNDLESS. Okay, that’s it. you can do your unworthy spiel now.’

Thomas Mouse spoke slowly,’ These gifts are incredible and I’m definitely not worthy because they aren’t for me.’

‘What?’

‘They aren’t my gifts.’

‘What are you talking about? Of course they’re yours. It says so right here on the job sheet.’ The angel pulled a piece of parchment from their robe, unrolled it and read, ’“Thomas Mouse, Hangnail Mesa, Puma County.” That’s you.’

‘Can I have a look, please?’

The angel laid the parchment on the ground next to Thomas Mouse.

‘Ah,’ said Thomas, ‘yes, I can what’s happened here.’ Thomas pointed to his name. ‘You see that smudge at the end of Thomas? That was an i-n-a.’

‘i-n-a?’

‘As in Thomasina. Are you still using fountain pens in heaven?’

‘Quills.’

‘Even worse. Quill pens are highly smudgy. And capital letters. Does heaven not approve of capital letters?’

‘No, that’s just Adriel. They’re a cherub. They think capitals are not cute.’

‘Unfortunate. If Adriel had used capital letters, it would have been easier to see that the address isn’t Hangnail Mesa. It’s Nanghail Mesa, which is on the opposite end of the county. Your tidings of wonder and joy are definitely meant for Thomasina Mouse of Nanghail Mesa. I’m pleased for her. She does great work with the little quail orphans.’

The angel slumped in the air. Only their head and shoulders were visible above the edge of the mesa.

’Oh, don’t look so sad. Just think of this as a practice run.’

‘It’s true my opening could have been a little stronger.’

‘Why don’t sit down and talk me through what you want to improve. Give your wings a rest before you fly across the county.’ TM patted the ground in the hiccamore ’s sparse shade.’

The angel flopped to the ground.

‘I’d offer you half my lump of cheese but I ate it before you appeared. It’s just as well that I wasn’t afraid or I’d be full of heartburn right now.’ TM felt his pockets reflexively. ‘Huh! Somehow there are two lumps of cheese in my pockets now.’

‘████!’ said the angel. ‘████ing █████ H ██████ on a ████ing bike! I am utterly ████ed.’