A Run-in With Mr.D.

Cherrylaine MacBride had fallen fast asleep at the kitchen table,
her head resting upon her hands, listening as her mind filled to the
brim with words which were a symphonic poem, harmonizing with her views
and ideas about love..too bad they had never materialized into a
concrete reality.

So you think my soul is a brighted golden one
The angel within me lifts up her shining countenance
Smiles in ringing tones of laughter and love
Thanking God for this simple fated chance
An artistic masterpiece of bested friendship
Framed with trusted bonds in caring roles
Through sunshine's fair and dropping rains which drip
A universal painting, melding of two blended souls

She awoke to a light that dazzled more than just her eyes. An orb which
penetrated all the way into her lonely heart. " Hello, Cherrylaine.
I've arrived just in the nick of time to ease your misery and pain.
"

Now Cherrylaine was not a born skeptic, but neither was she a
sophomoric soul given to the ' seeing is believing ' camp. Her loving
Mama had told her how evil can be cloaked in simulated forms of
glamorized goodness. She knew instinctively that some wicked angels
disguised themselves in superficial glowing radiance, while hiding
sinister parts of themselves underneath their pure white flowing robes.
Her Philco radio broke the silence, blaring into her eardrums as the
preacher she had listened to earlier in the evening proclaimed his
sermon of hope and redemption..religious talk she was not up to
hearing, but seemed well-suited for this occasion.. " My most blessed
of friends, true beauty is not found on the outside of a person who is
dressed to the nines in the finest of expensive fancy clothing or
bedecked in sparkling diamonds and golden adornments. It blooms with
the gentle touch of the gardener who carefully tends and nurtures from
the inside, instilling acres of love and kindness, breaking forth as an
atomic blast, which all can see and feel. "

" Cherrylaine, how am I supposed to be your close friend and confidante
when your mind is wandering all over the place, paying no attention
whatsoever to me? "

" You didn't hear.. "

Cherrylaine was cut off when the oval sphere slowly assumed the guise
of that handsome moviestar on the poster in her bedroom. Black hair
slicked back, pencil thin moustache, white pearly teeth showing
through..a bright as noontime smile. The one who had sung so many
popular songs of love and romance to the golden goddess of a girlfriend
who graced the silver screen with him. The fact of the matter was he
looked an awful lot like her former boyfriend who had skipped
town.

" Cherrylaine, I know you want to play the game of love with me..come
be my willing victim, be my forever guest..be whoever and whatever your
sweet little heart desires. You are up to playing out the leading
female role opposite of me..aren't you? " He crooned with sugary words
that irritated her to no end.

" When I direct my eyes to the realness of you, inside your heart and
soul
Your special beauty and truth looms like a light at my tunnel's
darkened end
My forever thoughts about you will never change, only becoming
deeper
I'll be your forever lover, constant and unfailing
Through abundant sunshine and the pouring rain. "

Cherrylaine was not immune to the ways of love, but had recently been
burned. She rolled her eyes while the preacher droned on and on. "
Friends, do you know the harsh reality of ugly..the torment and
blackness which can't be covered up by an overlay of shining gold,
slowly flaking and fading with age. Some of the prettiest packages you
will ever see embody the truth of hate and rage. Do you keep holding on
to bitter love..can you feel the lying love..do you find it hard to
break free of deadly love? I have the answer that you seek. Confront
and challenge your enemies face to face as you present them with
factual evidence. "

" Cherrylaine! " The figure in front of her snapped his fingers.." Your
mental focus seems to be out of focus where I'm concerned. I must fill
my quota, so please make up your mind! " He tapped his ebony
wing-tipped shoe impatiently.

The sheer audacity of his persona left a vile taste in her mouth. She
spat out her feelings.
" Mr. D., if I may call you that? " She didn't wait for his reply, as
his smile turned into an grimace of shocked surprise. " Do you recall
our first meeting? I'm sure you do, because you're a man who can't help
looking back on all his major accomplishments. I seem to be up there
amongst the finest. Don't you remember sending me the greatest
temptation known to woman..a man who said " ' I Love You Forever! '
"

"Uhhhhhhh..ummmmmmmmm. " He took out a small notebook. " Here it is,
yes. " He gave her a sheepish grin. " You must know how it is in my
business..so many souls, so little time. " He flipped a page. " Didn't
you enjoy what he said..at least for a while? "

" It's true they were beautiful words to an innocent heart such as
mine. I was naive, trusting in the inherent goodness of my fellowman. "
She sighed as her memories returned. " When I found out the words were
lies, it was already too late for me.. you had me right where you
wanted me, sad and alone. "

Mr. D. chuckled. " Ahhhhhhh..a pupil to be proud of, he was! He had
such a way with the ladies. "

" Do you think I'm going to get down on my knees and thank you for
casting me into the pit of Heartbreak Hotel? " Cherrylaine did have a
penchant for Elvis songs. " I felt just like Marley's Ghost in ' A
Christmas Carol. ' I tell you, the shackles and chains surrounding my
heart were not easy burdens to bear. "

" One of my better known resorts! " His good humor had returned. " I
take it you had a most unpleasant stay? "

" Of course I did, you arrogant.."

" Don't get all riled up..you came through with flying colors. Time's a
wasting, Cherrylaine. I need your answer now! " He seemed confident
that her loneliness would betray her once again.

" I have no need to play the victim in one of your games, but here's
something to remember me by. " Her longgone doggone boyfriend had left
her with the one thing she could use to her advantage. She walked
straight to the poster in her bedroom. " Now look and see who's holier
than thou? " She laughed as she tore the poster from the hallowed spot
above her bed. Cherrylaine carried it out into the sunlight, and shone
her magnifying glass upon the handsome face. In only a second the paper
burst into flames, sending Mr. D. right back to hell where he belonged,
while the Philco poured forth one of her favorite songs, by one of her
favorite groups..
' You Are My Sunshine, My Only Sunshine', sung by Lisa And The
Southernaires.