Broken Promises

“Can I count on you?” asked Angela with her penetrating blues eyes staring deeply into his puppy dog brown eyes. 1

He feigned innocence as he replied, “You know you can.”2

“I know no such thing. You've been swearing to quit now for months. The most you have made it, was only a few days, maybe a week or so. I'm not sure you can quit.”3

“Angie babe, you just got to have a little faith.”4

“It's going to kill you, Tony, if you don't stop.”5

“I promise I quit. I won't have another drop.”6

“If you don't keep your word this time, I won't be able to go on.”7

“Angie, all you have to do is believe in me,” he said brushing her blonde hair from her cheek, kissing her. “I won't let you down.”8

For a week Tony kept his word to Angela. He loved her as much as he loved anything. Passing one of his regular watering holes at the end of a week, he told himself that just one drink wouldn't hurt. He went inside and ordered a shot of whiskey. 9

“Haven't seen you for a while,” said the bartender. “You been visiting the competition?”10

“Nah, I told my girlfriend I'd quit.”11

“Well, are you going to tell her you blew it?”12

“No, I don't see that it would do any good,” said Tony. “Besides, I believe in living life to the fullest. Can't do that on soft drinks and tea.”13

“It may be wiser to live life cautiously, you wouldn't want to lose it.”14

“Use too much caution,” replied Tony. “And you have no life to lose.”15

“What do you do when she finds out?”16

“I guess she'll just have to take me as I am. Give me another shot.”17

Tony drank a couple more shots and got in his car and drove to a liquor store. If he was going to drink, he might as well do it well. He bought a pint of Kentucky Deluxe.18

He drove to the lake and drank the bottle of whiskey. He enjoyed the cool night air and the peacefulness of the water gently lapping against the shore. He finished the bottle and began the twenty minute drive home.19

Tony had no idea when he drove off the road and didn't feel it when he plowed into the tree. He became aware of a bright light and an angel appeared to him.20

He was surrounded by the bright white light, aware of only that and the angel who stood before him.21

“Am I dead?” asked Tony.22

“Could be,” she said. “Do you want to be dead?”23

“No,” he answered. “Not yet.” He was trembling with fear.24

“You promised you wouldn't drink. Your drinking has brought you to this point.”25

“Where am I?” he asked.26

“Limbo. Purgatory. You can go back and finish your life or you can go to eternal sleep. At this time, those are your choices.”27

“What about paradise?”28

“At this time, it is not an option for you, but if you go back, you might earn paradise. For you that would mean keeping your promise to Angela and keeping your promise to me.”29

“So, if I promise never to drink again, I can go back to my life and when I die find paradise.”30

The angel smiled at him and said, “That's the situation.”31

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,” said Tony falling on his knees. I promise I'll never touch another drop.”32

Tony awoke in the car, blood at his forehead, but he remembered the angel clearly. He managed to find a convenience store with a pay phone and called a cab to take him home. For the next several months his conviction not to drink was strong, but daily his remembrance of the angel waned. Soon he'd forgotten why he had quit alcohol.33

Quitting had never been hard for Tony, but staying quit was. Angela was very pleased that Tony had quit, she even told herself that this time he would make it. Destiny would prove Angela wrong.34

Tony found himself drawn to his old haunt. He walked into the bar and planned to have just one. The memory of the angel was gone. He drank himself silly and had to take a cab home, the bartender insisted he not drive. That began a habit of daily drinking, drinking as much as he ever had.35

The angel was furious. She had given him another chance at life to turn things around and again he'd thrown it away for a moment's gratification.36

Angela broke up with Tony. “I can't watch you kill yourself,” she had said. Tony went back a few days later, drunk as a skunk. In his illogical inebriated state, he imagined erroneously that he could reason with her.37

“But honey dear, I need you,” he begged. 38

“You don't need anything, but liquor.”39

“I need you more than you know.”40

“If you needed me,” argued Angela. “You would have never started drinking again.”41

“But I can't make it without you.”42

“You'll have to.”43

Tony went to his car. 44

“You're too drunk to drive,” said Angela.45

“Oh, leave me alone, you bitch,” said Tony becoming unreasonably angry.46

“Come inside, you can sleep it off here.”47

“Get out of my way,” he shouted at her.48

“I'm not going to let you drive,” she said, moving in front of his car.49

Intending to put the car in neutral, he accidentally put it in drive. Revving the accelerator the car lurched forward crushing Angela underneath. She screamed as the life was squeezed out of her.50

Tony stumbled out of the car and hovered over Angela's broken, lifeless body. He was too drunk to do more than stand next to her and cry futilely, helplessly. 51

A motorist came upon the scene and called 911. When the police arrived they arrested Tony. Tony passed out in the drunk tank at the county jail. He fell into a deep sleep and the angel appeared.52

“You betrayed Angela, me, and yourself for the pleasure of alcohol. Now you've lost everything.”53

“Please forgive me,” he repeated over and over again.54

The angel disappeared.55