Published March 18, 2007

Touched by an Angel
Kind Stranger on Cold Night Offers Food for Faith

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was printed in the newsletter of  Saint John The Baptist Catholic Church in Edmond. The author is the mother of Father Kirk Larkin, associate pastor at Church of  Saint Mary in Ponca City.

By Rosalie Larkin

I believe God sent an angel to help me once.

On a cold, snowy night in mid-December 1989, I was on a shopping mission at Quail Springs Mall. Many of the Christmas presents for my large family, friends, the postman, teachers, etc. were still on my list instead of under the tree.

I remember it as being a particularly bone-chilling cold as I walked to my car from Sears with the few remaining packages in my hands. My custom was to buy as many things as I could carry, take them to the car, put them in the trunk, then return and shop until I was finished. Now I could go home satisfied.

It was getting toward dusk. The snow was not deep and appeared to be tapering off but the wind was blowing it around my feet. I set the bundles down alongside my car, reached in my coat pocket for my keys and realized it was empty. My heart sank. I felt in the other pocket, then searched my purse.

No keys. I looked in the car window and there they sat, in the middle of the front seat.

I didn’t know what to do. I walked back inside and called my husband to come help me but I couldn’t get him. My heart sank even deeper. I decided to go to Sears automotive department. Surely they had someone who could open it.

To a man they acted as if I were invisible! My husband did all the car stuff so I was embarrassed in those surroundings. I stood there for what seemed like five minutes. When the next guy walked past me I said, “Excuse me. I’ve locked my keys in the car. Can someone come open it for me?” He told me they were all too busy but to wait. He returned a minute later with a coat hanger.

Great, I thought. I don’t know how to do this! I heard stories of how people used coat hangers to get into locked cars but I had not seen it done. Nevertheless, I went out to try. It was obvious they weren’t going to be any further help.

It took me quite awhile to even get the hanger up over the window and into the car but try as I might, I could not make it unlock the latch. I tried and tried to no avail. I felt so helpless. Tears were not far away!

I heard someone say, “Maybe I can help you.”

I turned and an older lady stood there with her hand out. I gave her the hanger but secretly

thought, if I don’t know how to do this, how can she? She’s a lot older than I am!”

Deftly she worked the hanger up and through the top of the window and down the other side. Quick as a blink she hooked the latch and opened the car door. I couldn’t believe it! I hurried to pick up my keys from the seat unless I should close them in again. When I turned to say thank you, she was gone.

Gone! I mean nowhere. The parking lot was not very full so it wasn’t that I couldn’t see her for the cars. I looked everywhere, even inside some cars, but she was not there.

I was quite cold by now. I quickly put my packages in the back seat, got in the car and started the engine. As I sat there thinking about the whole

thing, I decided she must be an angel. No one else could have disappeared that quickly. “Thank You, Lord.”

EDITOR’S POSTSCRIPT: Saint John’s pastor, Rev. John Metzinger, was asked if he believed Rosalie was indeed visited in person by her guardian angel. He could not rule out the possibility.

“Whether it was an angel, or just a Good Samaritan, it’s very obvious that God was looking out for her,” Father Metzinger said