[ WP ] When people turn 20 , they get to meet their guardian angel . It 's your 20th birthday , you finally get to meet the angel that 's been protecting you , and you 're horrified by what you see .

`` Hey, Johnny. I'm your angel.'' 
 
 This man could not be my guardian angel. 
 
 If this was any other time or place I would avoid this guy like the plague, but you ca n't exactly do that during the Angel Ceremony. Thinning hair, patched up clothes, stubble over his slightly chubby chin. The angel did not, in fact, smell, but my imagination conjured up associated stinks and odors. 
 
 The short, scarred man reached out to shake my hand. I shook it instinctively, not out of politeness. His calloused hands were so thick it felt like I was shaking bands of rebar wrapped with sandpaper. 
 
 `` Johnny I'm so happy to finally meet you!'' He was beaming. `` I ca n't wait to answer all your questions and actually spend some time together!'' 
 
 I could hardly stand to look at him. I felt jipped! Most angels I had heard people talk about were downright fucking majestic! Dad always goes on and on about how much his angel looks and acts like a Clint Eastwood if he was a European model. This guy, whoever he was, looked like a grown up Pig-pen from Charlie Brown. 
 
 I could tell he was waiting for a response from me. I gathered my thoughts and tried something simple. 
 
 `` So, you obviously know my name, what is yours?'' 
 
 `` My name is Cruthis. No last name,'' he laughed and revealed slightly stained teeth. 
 
 `` Well... it's good to meet you Cruthis,'' I managed. What a name. 
 
 Cruthis either did n't notice my confusion or was too excited to bother with addressing with it. 
 
 `` I ca n't tell you how proud I am of you, Johnny. You're my first assignment and I've always tried to keep you safe, man. It was a close call with the wreck a few years ago, and a couple of nights when you were in college, but you made sure you had fun!'' he laughed again and winked at me, but I had to consciously not cringe. `` It's not always been easy. In fact, it's been a pretty rough assignment, but for you it's worth it Johnny. You've got so much potential. What I've been through for you, I'd do it again a hundred times. When we....'' 
 
 I could n't stand it anymore. We had the room reserved for today and the next, but I knew I could n't talk to this guy anymore. It was time to go. My hand was already fiddling with the phone in my pocket. I had to interrupt his blubbering. 
 
 `` Hey, look Cruthis, it was nice to meet you, but I've got to go,'' I said, starting to turn. 
 
 He reached out and gripped my arm. Hard. I turned back to him and he gripped by other arm just as hard. His eyes were wide open and his face searched mine in frantic confusion. 
 
 `` No! Johnny! I've waited so long to meet you for real and talk about all the times we had together. I know it's kind of frowned upon, but do n't you remember your imaginary friend, Crubs? That was me! We played shadows when your mom put you to bed and played pretend outside all those times and...'' 
 
 `` Let go!'' I shouted. I yanked my arms out of his grip and backed away from him. 
 
 `` Johnny, no,'' he pleaded. His pathetic face just made me disgusted, it did n't register any sympathy. I still was n't convinced this guy was my angel. No way. 
 
 As I left the room I glanced back into the room and Cruthis was gone. Good riddance, whoever you are. The Registry is going to hear about this. My nose still stung with the bum's stink.
