By Tony Piazza

I can’t remember the quote verbatim, but I can paraphrase; “Be courteous, because who knows, you might be entertaining an angel.” I’m not sure it was an angel who appeared that summer day many years back; but if it wasn’t, it was surely the closest thing.
I was sickly as a child. Just one of those spins of life’s wheel. Some kids could play in the pouring rain with no effect, and others, like myself, got into a small draft, and ended up with the sniffles. It was hard on my mother. I weathered it, but being her only child, she worried constantly.
I had a high fever and if things didn’t improve I’d have to go to the hospital. Around noon the doorbell rang. I slipped out of bed and approached undetected as mother answered the door. Standing there was the loveliest lady I’d ever seen. She was in her early twenties, over 5’ in height, with shiny, golden hair and flawless fair skin. But what struck me then, and even now as I gaze back in time, were her eyes. I have yet to see eyes that were so deeply blue; and when she looked at me, it was as if she wasn’t focusing on me, but something beyond. Otherworldly may be the best description.
“Hello,” she greeted. “I’m…” She stopped and stared keenly at my mother. “Something’s troubling you.”
“Yes,” my mother responded, “My son’s developed a high fever, and I’ve tried everything to get it back to normal, but nothing seems to work.”
My mother’s frankness surprised and alarmed me, and even more so, when she started to cry openly. The lady looked upon her gently and replied in a soothing manner: “Don’t worry, your son’s fever will leave him.”
Uncharacteristically, my mother invited this stranger in.
“May I get you something?” My mother asked, as the woman sat down at our kitchen table.
“No,” the stranger replied.
My mother poured herself a cup of coffee, and joined her at the table. I hid around the corner and watched with curiosity as the conversation continued.
“I’ve never been able to enjoy my child like other mothers,” my mom bemoaned. “The boy’s always sick… and now this fever!”
“He will be well,” the woman repeated with such authority and confidence that her answer stunned us both. She then asked, “Have you ever read the bible?”
“I’ve tried,” my mother responded. No longer tearful, but studying the stranger with acute interest. “But I find it difficult to understand.”
“Read it,” she replied, with the same measure of confidence that she’d demonstrated earlier. “Do you have one?”
“Yes.”
“Get it.”
My mother did as the woman directed, and randomly opened the book. She landed on Luke 7:11 which detailed the miraculous delivery of a widow’s son from death.
In reading, my mother’s countenance softened, and she suddenly looked serene. A glow seemed to radiate from her face, as she closed the book, and raised her eyes toward the stranger.
“My son?” She asked, her voice full of hope.
In reply, the woman nodded and confirmed, “The fever has left him.”
At this, the woman excused herself, and left by our front door. I ran to the window to catch another glimpse of this unusual stranger, but searching the street she was nowhere to be found. She simply vanished.
I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusion regarding this visit.  All I know is that the instant she left, I felt better and when my mother next took my temperature, it was normal. In fact, my health improved overall from then on.
And my mother did return to reading scripture, living its tenets to her dying day.

Tony Piazza is a mystery writer, film historian, and veteran storyteller renowned for his passion for writing and movies. Actor and stand-in for movies and television, Piazza has appeared in such notable films as Magnum Force and The Streets of San Francisco. He is also a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and the SLO NightWriters organizations.