Entertaining Angels--or Just Strangers?

A bizarre thing happened at our house this past Saturday.

First, Paul comes home from an errand around 11 a.m and says, "There's a sign out there that says 'Wedding [and next door neighbors' address]." I said, "You're kidding. Who's getting married?" I couldn't think how you'd get a wedding party into the backyard of our neighbor's, let alone guests. Besides, wouldn't their daughter have said something to me? I think so. It took awhile to realize it wasn't their daughter getting married, but them. In their fifties, they've been living together for over six years. It's a second marriage for both of them. They're not the church wedding type. There were white balloons on their mailbox and white ribbons on their Ford wagon, which (from here) looked a bit like toilet paper.

I thought it was a shame that their wedding plans coincided with our community yard sale, because there was one right across their driveway. A ski machine, a pair of old lamps, a mish-mash of clothes hanging from a line in the garage. Oh yeh, that's the sight I'd want to my guests to see on my Big Day.

By 3:15 the guests starting clomping down the street toward Cindy's. I was trying to take a nap. We had been working hard to get the house clean from top to bottom in one day. We weren't quite finished but needed a break. I had my cleaning clothes on. Believe it or not, that meant a green top and a brown skirt and two different socks. I hadn't showered. I'd do that after a snooze.

If I could snooze, that is. Every stinkin' car had a remote that had to beep when locked. Every guest had to clip-clop down the street in their heels, bearing gifts for Mitch and Cindy. Sleep seemed only a dream.

Then I see a woman about 60 years old coming down my driveway. She's got on a shiny beige dress and is carrying a big pink gift bag. I'm eyeing her from the bedroom window. I hope Paul answers the door or she realizes her error before ringing our bell.

Paul is in the basement with Joel, TV up loud. He's not a door answerer anyway; what was I thinking? Ben was sound asleep in his room. Stephen and Sarah were in Mexico. I was just going to ignore the door. I did lock it, didn't I?

Ding-dong. I jump out of bed and rush to Ben's room. "Wake up! There's a lady at the door. She's at the wrong house! She thinks the wedding is here! Go tell her it's next door!" Poor Ben was in a stupor, and didn't even roll over.

I was panicked and mildly irritated, because I now saw people following her down the drive. Mob psychology. Then I hear the door open!

"Hello? " and clip-clop of high heels on my foyer floor. I look at myself--hair a mess, clothes not matched, and I'm frozen stiff with fear. "Hello?" she repeats. "Anybody home?"

Next thing I hear is the door closing behind her. I rush to the front window, crouching out of sight, and hear "Hmm. Must be next door."

"Ma, did you just go in that house? The wrong house?"

"Yeh, the door was unlocked but nobody was home."

"Ma, I can't believe you did that!"

Neither can I.

When they were out of sight, I went downstairs to survey what the lady had just seen as she expected to be at a wedding. Some dishes in the sink. The vacuum parked in the hall, mail on the kitchen table, and library returns on the counter. Perfect wedding decor.

Did I just (fail to) entertain a stranger, or an angel unaware?

I think it was just a stranger. She took the gift with her.

I crawled back into bed, having resisted the temptation to shoot secret pictures from a back bedroom. I noticed that the yard sale was over and then I fell asleep in the delicious May afternoon air.

When I awoke, Joel told me he had seen some of the wedding from the deck. "There was a book guy saying a bunch of stuff," he informed me.

"You mean a preacher?"

"Yeh."

And then I saw for myself, pretending to straighten our deck chairs. Silver-haired Mitch in a tux, outgoing Cindy in a breezy silk brown dress, holding ivory roses and mingling with their guests around the pool. It was a lovely ceremony, I'm sure . And lovely decorations outside and in. Probably had no dishes in the sink, vacuum in the hall, or library returns on the counter.