Archie Smith Boy Wonder





The little boy lay asleep in his bed.  Little did he know he was being watched.  Watched by someone very important but he did not know.  “Neil”, a voice said.  The boy slowly opened his eyes.  “Neil”, the voice called again.  This time Neil sat up rubbing his eyes.  He looked up, his eyes still adjusting and coming into focus.  He saw a boy about the same age as he, all dressed in white.  He had dirty, blonde hair with beautiful, ice blue eyes.  “Who are you?” Neil asked.  “I’m your guardian angel.  Do you know why I’m here”?  Neil shook his head no.  “I see then, come with me, there’s something I want to show you”.  And so, the little angle took Neil’s hand and slowly their feet lifted off the ground and they flew out the bedroom window and into the dark and starry night.  Neil was scared, but he was amazed at all the things he could see below him on the ground.  “Where are we going”?  Neil asked.  We’re almost there the angel replied.  Not long after that, they reached the place the angel wanted to show Neil.  They walked until the angel stopped and said they had reached their destination.  Neil looked up and saw a tombstone.  “Why are we here”? Neil asked.  “Whose grave is this”?  The angel didn’t answer at first with his sad eyes.  He just pointed at the inscription on the tombstone.  Neil bent down and read the words out loud, “Danny O’Neil 1928-1935”.  His curiosity was aroused, that’s my last name, he thought to himself.  Neil asked the angel, “who are you and why did you bring me here”?  “It’s time you knew the truth”, the angel replied.  “What truth”? Neil asked.  The truth about your family, the angel replied.  With that the angel told the story of a boy who always loved going fishing with his Father and helped his Mother in the kitchen and around the house, whenever she needed it.  One day the boy wanted to go fishing, but his Father wasn’t able to go with him.  He took it upon himself to go out on his own, so he got his gear and got into the family car and drove to the fishing pond.  But the boy never made it to the pond.   The car crashed as he drove down a steep hill that curved tightly.  The boy had lost control of the car and died at the scene.  The boys’ parents were so distraught over his death that after the funeral, they never came to visit the grave.   “That is all I to show you”, said the angel.  “You see I was the little boy and your parents are my parents”.  “All I want is for them to visit me”.  Neil didn’t know what to say at first.  After a few moments he said, “So, are you my brother, Danny”?  “You are my brother”?   “Yes”, said Danny. “And you want me to convince my parents to come and visit you, is that why you came?  “Yes”, Danny said again.  “Then I will do it.  Tomorrow morning I’ll tell my parents everything and convince them to come visit you.  “You will”?  Danny said.  “Oh, thank you”.

The next morning, Neil told his parents what had happened.  At first his parents were shocked, but after Neil told them that Danny wanted them to come and see him they decided that it was time to let the pain out.  So they packed up a picnic lunch and set out to the hill where Danny was buried.   After a long day, with tears, laughter, and many fond memories before the family left, they all sat by Danny’s grave praying and as they started to leave they all heard a soft whisper say, thank you.  When they all turned around a slight breeze passed.  None of them said a word, but they all knew it was most likely Danny, showing his appreciation and now knowing that his family was still apart him.

This story is inspired by Han's Christian Anderson's "The Angel" and the traditional Iish song Danny Boy.