Last Call

Last call in Heaven morphs into First call on Earth.

The departure platform bustled with passengers. Nobody was the same age. Some were old, some were younger. They wore all sorts of outfits. Heavenly robes were popular; some wore skins, like they hadn’t taken a trip in a very long time. Some even wore three-piece suits.  Some hadn’t had haircuts in a long time. Sparkly tickets shimmered as people clutched them tightly.

Cirrus: I heard them call out Last Call. Are you ready?

Nimbus: Yes, I think so. I’ve rented out my space, so somebody can use it while I’m gone.

Cirrus: I didn’t rent mine out. I’m going to the city, so there might be trouble sooner rather than later.

Nimbus: Do you miss the good old days when things went a lot smoother?

Cirrus: Depends on where you’re heading, no matter what time it is. Who do you figure you’ll be this time around?

Nimbus: I’m thinking a boy type. I’m hoping on a farm. I had a lot of fun that one life I had. It was a hard life in the 1800s, but then most everything was hard then.

Cirrus: If you think about it, life is hard anywhere, anytime.

Nimbus: That’s true. What are you going to do?

Cirrus: I’m going to New York. I want to be a psychic.

Nimbus: No, get out!

Cirrus: No, I’m not kidding. I think it will be fun.

Nimbus: Well, the witch hunts have died down, so maybe it will work out okay. I’ve never been a psychic before. Will you be born as one, or will you have an accident and cause something to happen?

Cirrus: Everybody is already psychic when they are born. Most everybody gets it taught out of them by the time they go to school. But there are lots of people who get the idea they’d like to be one after they’re all grown up. I’m going to be that kind.

Nimbus: Will you work with the police?

Cirrus: I doubt it.

Nimbus: Well, what kind of psychic will you be?

Cirrus: I think I’d like to talk to dead people.

Nimbus: Like us?

Cirrus: Yes, just like us.

Nimbus: Nobody ever talked to me.

Cirrus: Well, they probably didn’t know they could. Lots of people just grieve when you die, and then they get used to it and go on with their lives. Sometimes, they think of us, but their job is to live. Ours is here in Heaven to be Heavenly Bodies.

Nimbus: Well, you’ve got a body that’s for sure.

Cirrus: Always with the jokes. Don’t you ever stop?

Nimbus: No, I like it when people laugh. They lighten up some.

Cirrus: Maybe we can meet up once we get there. Do you want to get married or something?

Nimbus: Who knows? A lot can happen between now and then.

Cirrus: Well, we could be friends. That might be nice.

Nimbus: Or I could be your boss and get to boss you around. Ha! Ha!

Cirrus: Funny. You know what else I’d like to do?

Nimbus: No, what?

Cirrus: I’d like to be a writer. I think that would be nice.

Nimbus: Would you need to go to school? I think it’s a requirement.

Cirrus: No, I don’t think so. I mean, if you can, it’s nice. I think you need to read a lot. You’ve also got to write a lot.

Nimbus: Why?

Cirrus: Well, that’s how you get better at writing. Even if it isn’t any good, you still have to write. Maybe people throw tomatoes at you and things like that for a while, but someday, after a lot of writing, I think you can get good at it.

Nimbus: Really? Sometimes people throw tomatoes at me when I’m doing a comedy routine.

Cirrus: Who knew we’d have tomatoes in Heaven?

Nimbus: I suppose it depends on where you go. I’ve heard there are hot spots in Heaven too.

Cirrus: Do you know anybody there?

Nimbus: A couple of politicians, but they say they’ve turned their lives around.

Cirrus: Here’s hoping they really did.

Nimbus: Hey, they’re calling Last Call again. I think we should go get in line.

Cirrus: Have you got your ticket ready? They’re boarding. We’ve got to go. In about nine months we’ll be there. Have a good trip.

Nimbus: You too. Maybe we can meet up.

Cirrus: Maybe. Hey, watch out, there’s a herd of elephants trying to get in the car behind us.

Nimbus: Maybe they’ll have peanuts.

Somewhere, a horn blew. Probably Gabriel.

And two clouds drifted along into their new lives.