Monday, August 06, 2007

Today a man brought his wife into my Center. "I'm Angelo," he said and this is my wife, Helen. I am 80 and she is 90. Helen is demented."

Helen was raw boned and tall, with obviously dyed red hair and blue eyes that could see only Angelo. She did not look her age nor did Angelo look his. He was muscular, with a waist length silver pony tail tied in a piece of blue cloth. His face was unlined copper, his hairline withdrawn a little and his eyes were deep brown. I extended my hand and he took it in both of his. Warm.

For some reason, at that time unknown to me, I did not say, "Hello Angelo. Hello Helen. It's nice to meet you." Instead, I asked, "Are you Yaqui?"

He answered, "I am Yaqui and I recognize you too."

We sat for over an hour and he told me of their life.

"I met Helen on the street in Santa Monica," he said. "She passed me and I suddenly thought, 'Maybe she's the one.' I stopped her and asked, 'Are you the one?' She said she thought so and we have been together since."

"She changed my life. I lied to her once but she didn't say a word. Months later I asked her if she knew I had lied. She said yes and told me she had not said anything because she loved me. I never lied again. I learned unconditional love from Helen."

"You see this?" he said, extending his right forearm. There was a blue mark that looked like a chicken track on his arm. "When I was only 13 I thought to tattoo myself with a needle and India ink. I was going to put my girlfriend Esther's name on my arm. But even as I began something stopped me. I saw a girl with red hair walking in blue flowers to her knees. It was not Esther."

Helen said nothing but did not take her eyes from Angelo. She was smiling. Unconditionally.

"Was Helen's hair naturally red?" I asked.

He smiled.

"I was very ill three years ago," he said. "I died twice and both times my spirit guide 'Grandfather Turtle' sent me back. He said it was time to care for Helen. I have been happy caring for her. This is not my first time with Helen. You know that, don't you?"

I nodded. I did know that. It was obvious in the way she smiled at him, the way they breathed in unison.

"Do you know why you asked me if I am Yaqui?" he asked.

I nodded. I did know.

"This is not our first time either," he said. "I know who you are. I will trust my Helen to you. Sometimes things happen like this."

I nodded.

Angelo took his Helen and was gone. They will be back tomorrow and I am anxious to see them. Theirs is the real ending to a love story.