The one who keeps me in touch and connected the most is my cousin Marie, and because of her dedication and devotion to her father, Bob Kellar, I wanted to write a brief, and probably not so eloquent story about his recent passing. As my cousins and I get older, we sadly face the reality that our parents are not going to be with us much longer. Some have gone before him, and many will go after him. Their love will endure the test of time, however, and it's up to us to carry that forward.
My apologies to the great writers, my apologies to those who can come up with really good titles, this is my work of fiction titled
A Story for Marie
St. Peter walked pensively into the room, trying to figure out what to say. He thought to himself, what will He say? What will He do? He can be such an angry God, I just don't want to catch Him on a bad day, but He has to be told!
"Um, God, can we talk?"
"Peter, come in, what seems to be troubling you?"
"We're having a, well a bit of a problem with the stars God. We can't seem to keep them lit."
"Peter, that shouldn't be an issue, we have so many bright minds you can call upon, have you talked to Ben Franklin? What about Tom Edison? I'm sure one of them can figure it out," God said dismissively.
St. Peter let out a big sigh, "I've consulted them both, but, but all they know is theory, Sir! If I hear one more time how to make a lightbulb for God's sake.... um, I'm sorry Sir."
God shook his head, "Peter, we've been around for ages of course, and it's not like a few flickering stars is the end of the world, I'm sure someone will figure it out, just let time take its course."
St. Peter got up some nerve and said, "But God, it's Christmas and all, and people really want to see the star. I know it's not nearly as important as when your Son was born, but still, people really look forward to it each year. It may not be that important to all of us, but it is to all of them."
God sighed again, "I know, Peter, you're right, we have to do something. Are you sure Franklin or Edison can't help?"
St. Peter raised his arms to the sky, "They treat me like I'm an idiot God, if I hear one more theory on how electricity works.... I mean I'm St. Peter, I think I know!"
"OK, OK, we need to find someone else. Is there anyone you can think of Peter?"
"Well, God, there is this one guy. He's really good, one of the best. There's just one problem."
"And?"
"He's still alive."
God got furious, "Peter! What kind of insanity is this? You know that this is against all the rules!"
"God, I know, but ... he's led a good life, he doesn't have a lot longer, can we at least approach him, talk to him, run the idea past him?"
God sat back, tapped his forehead, and thought for a few moments. "Who is he, Peter?"
St. Peter quickly replied, "Bob Kellar, Sir!"
God fell back in his chair, "Peter, Bob's a fighter, he's endured hardships throughout his life, I'm sure he has a lot of years left."
"God, please, just let me talk to him, he's a good man, I'm sure he'd be willing to help if he knew the severity of the problem."
God sighed yet again, "OK, give it a shot, but do not mislead him, do not tell him he doesn't have a choice, remember, free will, we want to ensure they have free will, no matter what!"
St. Peter quickly scurried off to talk to Bob Kellar to see if he could fix this nasty lighting problem with the stars. He was sure that it could be solved, all he needed was the right person on the job.
As St. Peter approached Bob, he could see that Bob was tired. All the years of working so hard had left a toll on Bob. Could this be the one that can help me, St. Peter thought? He looks so worn. St. Peter approached quietly and cautiously, and said, "Mr. Kellar?"
Bob raised his eyes up underneath his hat, "Yeah, who are you?"
"St. Peter"
Bob beamed at him, "Really? Is it time? I thought I had a few more years in me!"
"Well, a no, it's not time yet, but we have a, well a bit of a problem up in Heaven".
Bob shifted in his chair, sat up a little straighter, and said, "What kind of problem? And why are you telling me?"
"Well, the fact of the matter is, we can't seem to keep the stars from flickering, and it's getting to be Christmas season, and people really want to see the star, you know, the star, and we can't seem to keep them lit."
"Come on St. Peter, I'm sure you have some great minds up there in Heaven, what can I do? Can't one of those famous guys fix it? What about God himself, can't He do it?"
"Well, God doesn't like to deal with these 'small issues', you know, He's quite busy. And the famous guys, my word, if I hear one more time how Franklin flew the kite and got struck by lightning, I think I'm going to scream."
"St. Peter, I'm just a normal electrician, a simple man. How in the world could I help?"
"Mr. Kellar, you're supposed to be the best, and you're one of the hardest workers the world has ever seen. But, I'm just a little worried, you seem a bit more, um, tired, than I imagined. I'm not entirely sure you're up for the job."
Bob Kellar sat up straight and glared at St. Peter, "Worn? Come a little closer Pete, and let me show you how worn I am!"
St. Peter quickly backed off and apologized, "I'm so sorry Mr. Kellar, I didn't mean to offend you, I just wasn't sure you were up to the task."
"OK, tell me the deal, what do you need?"
"Well, the difficult part of it all of course, is that you would need to, well, ah, leave this world. Then you would have to figure out why in the world the stars aren't working."
"Leave this world huh? That's a tough one. I got six great kids. 13 grandchildren. Just had my first great grandchild. Be tough to leave all that, I don't know St. Peter."
"I understand Mr. Kellar, I understand. We'll get by I'm sure. Maybe that insufferable Ben Franklin will figure something out, I don't know, but I do understand." St. Peter lowered his head and started to leave.
"Wait, hold on a second, St. Peter. You know, I do have six great kids, and really, there's really not a whole lot more I can do to make their lives better. But I'll bet I can do a lot up in Heaven to help things out. If you need me, I'm there for you."
St. Peter was elated, "Mr. Kellar, thank you so much, you can't imagine what this means to me and to God, I'm sure. Mr. Kellar, I'm sure you won't regret this."
"Well, I will miss seeing my kids. And those grand kids. And that sweet little great grandchild. But it's time, I have so much left to give, and I'll be able to see them every day and touch their lives somehow. I may be gone, but I'll still be there."
As God was sitting admiring his creation the one day, St. Peter walked in proudly, beaming from ear to ear. "Peter, what are you so happy about?"
"The stars are fixed Sir! Even the Christmas star!"
"Fantastic Peter, how did you manage that? Franklin? Edison?"
St. Peter laughed, "Oh my God, oops, sorry Sir, no. They only know theory. I brought in someone who can make things happen. Bob Kellar fixed the problem for us!"
"I told you that you should get Bob Kellar, I knew he could do it. He's a worker, a doer."
St. Peter looked surprised, "You told me... ah, yes Sir, yes, You had a great idea, I should have listened to You sooner."
"Peter, that shouldn't be an issue, we have so many bright minds you can call upon, have you talked to Ben Franklin? What about Tom Edison? I'm sure one of them can figure it out," God said dismissively.
St. Peter let out a big sigh, "I've consulted them both, but, but all they know is theory, Sir! If I hear one more time how to make a lightbulb for God's sake.... um, I'm sorry Sir."
God shook his head, "Peter, we've been around for ages of course, and it's not like a few flickering stars is the end of the world, I'm sure someone will figure it out, just let time take its course."
St. Peter got up some nerve and said, "But God, it's Christmas and all, and people really want to see the star. I know it's not nearly as important as when your Son was born, but still, people really look forward to it each year. It may not be that important to all of us, but it is to all of them."
God sighed again, "I know, Peter, you're right, we have to do something. Are you sure Franklin or Edison can't help?"
St. Peter raised his arms to the sky, "They treat me like I'm an idiot God, if I hear one more theory on how electricity works.... I mean I'm St. Peter, I think I know!"
"OK, OK, we need to find someone else. Is there anyone you can think of Peter?"
"Well, God, there is this one guy. He's really good, one of the best. There's just one problem."
"And?"
"He's still alive."
God got furious, "Peter! What kind of insanity is this? You know that this is against all the rules!"
"God, I know, but ... he's led a good life, he doesn't have a lot longer, can we at least approach him, talk to him, run the idea past him?"
God sat back, tapped his forehead, and thought for a few moments. "Who is he, Peter?"
St. Peter quickly replied, "Bob Kellar, Sir!"
God fell back in his chair, "Peter, Bob's a fighter, he's endured hardships throughout his life, I'm sure he has a lot of years left."
"God, please, just let me talk to him, he's a good man, I'm sure he'd be willing to help if he knew the severity of the problem."
God sighed yet again, "OK, give it a shot, but do not mislead him, do not tell him he doesn't have a choice, remember, free will, we want to ensure they have free will, no matter what!"
St. Peter quickly scurried off to talk to Bob Kellar to see if he could fix this nasty lighting problem with the stars. He was sure that it could be solved, all he needed was the right person on the job.
As St. Peter approached Bob, he could see that Bob was tired. All the years of working so hard had left a toll on Bob. Could this be the one that can help me, St. Peter thought? He looks so worn. St. Peter approached quietly and cautiously, and said, "Mr. Kellar?"
Bob raised his eyes up underneath his hat, "Yeah, who are you?"
"St. Peter"
Bob beamed at him, "Really? Is it time? I thought I had a few more years in me!"
"Well, a no, it's not time yet, but we have a, well a bit of a problem up in Heaven".
Bob shifted in his chair, sat up a little straighter, and said, "What kind of problem? And why are you telling me?"
"Well, the fact of the matter is, we can't seem to keep the stars from flickering, and it's getting to be Christmas season, and people really want to see the star, you know, the star, and we can't seem to keep them lit."
"Come on St. Peter, I'm sure you have some great minds up there in Heaven, what can I do? Can't one of those famous guys fix it? What about God himself, can't He do it?"
"Well, God doesn't like to deal with these 'small issues', you know, He's quite busy. And the famous guys, my word, if I hear one more time how Franklin flew the kite and got struck by lightning, I think I'm going to scream."
"St. Peter, I'm just a normal electrician, a simple man. How in the world could I help?"
"Mr. Kellar, you're supposed to be the best, and you're one of the hardest workers the world has ever seen. But, I'm just a little worried, you seem a bit more, um, tired, than I imagined. I'm not entirely sure you're up for the job."
Bob Kellar sat up straight and glared at St. Peter, "Worn? Come a little closer Pete, and let me show you how worn I am!"
St. Peter quickly backed off and apologized, "I'm so sorry Mr. Kellar, I didn't mean to offend you, I just wasn't sure you were up to the task."
"OK, tell me the deal, what do you need?"
"Well, the difficult part of it all of course, is that you would need to, well, ah, leave this world. Then you would have to figure out why in the world the stars aren't working."
"Leave this world huh? That's a tough one. I got six great kids. 13 grandchildren. Just had my first great grandchild. Be tough to leave all that, I don't know St. Peter."
"I understand Mr. Kellar, I understand. We'll get by I'm sure. Maybe that insufferable Ben Franklin will figure something out, I don't know, but I do understand." St. Peter lowered his head and started to leave.
"Wait, hold on a second, St. Peter. You know, I do have six great kids, and really, there's really not a whole lot more I can do to make their lives better. But I'll bet I can do a lot up in Heaven to help things out. If you need me, I'm there for you."
St. Peter was elated, "Mr. Kellar, thank you so much, you can't imagine what this means to me and to God, I'm sure. Mr. Kellar, I'm sure you won't regret this."
"Well, I will miss seeing my kids. And those grand kids. And that sweet little great grandchild. But it's time, I have so much left to give, and I'll be able to see them every day and touch their lives somehow. I may be gone, but I'll still be there."
As God was sitting admiring his creation the one day, St. Peter walked in proudly, beaming from ear to ear. "Peter, what are you so happy about?"
"The stars are fixed Sir! Even the Christmas star!"
"Fantastic Peter, how did you manage that? Franklin? Edison?"
St. Peter laughed, "Oh my God, oops, sorry Sir, no. They only know theory. I brought in someone who can make things happen. Bob Kellar fixed the problem for us!"
"I told you that you should get Bob Kellar, I knew he could do it. He's a worker, a doer."
St. Peter looked surprised, "You told me... ah, yes Sir, yes, You had a great idea, I should have listened to You sooner."
