Angels In The Snow

ALVIN
What's that?
THOMAS
A work in progress.
(Alvin takes the pages and reads.)
ALVIN
"Every Christmas Eve we'd make angels in the snow, just like every other kid has done.
We'd stretch out our arms and legs. Then we'd wave them to and fro, in a halo of the
late December sun."
"AND ONCE A YEAR WE BELIEVED
THERE WAS MAGIC ALIVE IN THE AIR
FOR THE ANGELS WE MADE LYING THERE."
Hm. I like this.
"PROUDLY WE'D CREATE
OUR TWO ANGELS IN THE SNOW
WITH REVERENTIAL ROBES AND PERFECT WINGS.
WE'D SPEND HOURS IN THE YARD
ALL THOSE CHRISTMASES AGO
AND WHEN AT LAST THEY WERE COMPLETE
WE FELT LIKE KINGS.
THEN AS THE SUN DISAPPEARED..."
(Alvin realizes that this is all Thomas has written.)
This is it, Tom?
(Thomas takes the pages from Alvin and searches for words to complete the sentence.)
THOMAS
THEN AS THE SUN DISAPPEARED...
AND WITH SNOW DOWN THE BACK OF OUR PANTS
WE WOULD WAIT FOR OUR ANGELS TO DANCE.
(Thomas tosses the pages into the air creating a blizzard of papers.
The blizzard becomes a gentle snowfall.)
THE ICY WIND WOULD WHIP THE SNOW FROM THE GROUND
ALVIN
AND THE TREES WOULD MOAN A SWEET CELESTIAL SOUND.
THOMAS
THEN THE ANGEL SOULS WERE WIDE AWAKE
BOTH
AND ALIVE ON EVERY SINGLE FLAKE.
THEY WHIRLED ALL AROUND US
AS WE STOOD LIKE STONE.
THOUSANDS OF ANGELS WITH LIVES OF THEIR OWN.
EACH ONE WITH A SEPARATE STORY
JOINING IN ONE BURST OF GLORY.
THOMAS
BUT THEN THE SNOWFLAKES SCATTERED AND THEY FLEW
AND OUR ANGELS DID TOO.
BOTH
EVERY CHRISTMAS EVE
WE'D MAKE ANGELS IN THE SNOW
THOMAS
AND EVERY YEAR WE'D WATCH THEM DISAPPEAR.
ALVIN
THEY'D DISAPPEAR.
THOMAS
BUT I KNOW THAT THEY'LL RETURN
AND THOUGH THE YEARS MAY COME AND GO
WHEN I NEED TO HAVE THEM WITH ME THEY'LL BE HERE.
(Alvin looks Thomas in the eye with reassurance.)
ALVIN
THEY'LL BE HERE.
THOMAS
THEY'LL BE HERE.
ALVIN
THEY'LL BE HERE.
BOTH
SWIRLING ROUND AND AROUND
IN A MAGICAL CHRISTMAS EVE GLOW.
THE WAY THEY DID THEN
BACK WHEN WE WERE JUST TEN
ALL OUR ANGELS AGAIN
IN THE SNOW.
(Thomas and Alvin embrace one final time and Alvin vanishes.
Thomas finds himself once again in the funeral chapel.
He goes to the podium, closes his notebook and speaks.)
THOMAS
We are gathered to honor the life of Alvin Kelby. He was my best friend.
Let me tell you a story about Alvin...