Angel in the City

From: Gene Skala (Gskala01@aol.com)
Story type: Angel
Location: Chicago
Source: Form Submission

I recently converted to Catholicism. During my RCIA period, I wore a little silver crucifix as protection because I felt like something did not want me to convert. Call it the devil at work or whatever, I just felt I needed to wear it. Last summer I had broken the chain and could not wear it. So I traced the crucifix on a Post-it note and stuck it in my wallet so I would still feel protected and secure.

A couple of days later I was out for a walk and I had shorts on that did not have pockets. For some reason, and this is something I've never done before, I stuck my wallet in my waist band. Either I will put it in a pocket , backpack or just leave it at home.

On my way home I cross an intersection near my home that was a dangerous gang area. Since I moved into the neighborhood several young black men have been killed and gun shootings on that corner were very common. Many men were wounded there.

As I cross the intersection I was attacked by 5 black and mexican street gangs members and they shouted "Faggot! faggot"!. I remember feeling like the world had gone into slow motion and I was in an extremely dangerous situation. I just saw all these fists coming towards me and they rained down punches on my head and back. I did the only thing I could and ran as fast as I could. Luckily my gym membership paid off and I thought I had outrun them.

The reason they had outrun me was because my wallet fell out of my waistband and they went after the that. I only had $8 in. When the police had recovered it, it still had the Post-It note with the crucifix in it. That piece of paper did not save my life, rather I think of it as an angel leaving his (or her) business card tucked in it.

Of course a story can't illustrate the experience of when an angel intercedes because I think it's a deeply intuitive thing in a form of knowledge that's very hard to communicate. I know they are real. I know God is real. I just don't understand what it's all about. There's something deeply mysterious and spooky (in a good way) going on in the world.

If you're in Chicago, beware of the Rogers Park neighborhood. It's dangerous.