First Impression of Krista

T~

An OCD Guardian Angel. Falling Ferris Wheel cars. A waitress/artist with a mold problem.

I loved Krista’s story of Sherman, the OCD Guardian Angel, who was sent to planet Earth to annoy/supervise Ruby. Ruby first meets Sherman while he is cleaning the grunge from the tile in the bathroom with her toothbrush. Ruby is a newly unemployed ex-waitress and wannabe artist when Sherman enters her life.

I read this story in writing class, laughing and snorting my way through it. I thought to myself that this brilliant author ought to be published! This story is outrageously funny and quirky! Why had she not been issued a contract?

I soon found out the answer to my questions. The person in question was a nineteen year old college student with beautiful, green Irish eyes and a penchant for making moonshine to supplement her income.

She was an anomaly to me. When discussing one of my stories, she shared church was someplace she had been to only twice in her life. I had attended two to three times a week at her age. She lived with her boyfriend. My first live-in was my husband after we were married. The Bible terrified her. I knew most of the New Testament by heart.

So why was I drawn to this class and Krista? I was tired. After twenty-three years of teaching in a Christian school, I wanted to meet people and especially young people who were not brainwashed to see the whole world through Jesus glasses. I needed to know what non-Christ seekers thought.

I knew many Christians hated Muslims. This did not make much sense to me because Jesus loved everybody and told us to do the same. I figured that the majority of Muslims wanted to live a normal life and raise their kids. I was tired of hearing about how bad the world was and how we are on a trajectory towards the end times and the apocalypse. I felt judged by some people at my former workplace and friends at church. I wanted an escape.

Since I was nine years old I always wanted to write a book. I have written short stories through the years, but nothing publishable or even very interesting. I decided to take a writing class. I told my Christian friends I felt “called” to do this. Encouraging words were spoken to me as I took on this new ministry. I felt like a hypocrite. I think I really just wanted to learn to write.

Krista knew how to write. She spoke her mind and gave thoughtful reviews. She liked everybody and laughed a lot. She wore short shorts in winter and t-shirts that proclaimed her Irish heritage. She did not judge and I found that refreshing. I wanted to know how she did what she did.

I knew I had a lot to learn about life from the class, but especially from her.