Two words come to my mind when you see Celia.  They are unlucky and bad luck.  So far, it's been nothing but bad luck.  She would always say, "Well when I been born, Mr. Luck he knew me was coming! So what you think he did?  Run away, maybe hide?  I still trying to answer that question."

It was told that when Celia was about to be born, the only car in the village suddenly broke down.  The mid-wife who would be the best choice was two villages away being hospitalized.  That left Celia's mother with a sister-in-law that she hated and a crazy next door neighbor to assist the delivery.  Then there was rain, thunder and lightening to welcome Celia into the new world. 

Later when they went to the holy man to open his holy book to give her a name, he said "The gods were busy that night, so lets wait a little.  This is not the proper time to name her."

They eventually named her Celia, and she grew up to be a smart, beautiful young woman.  She used her beauty and her charm which helped a little bit. But only accepting her situation with a smile made life bearable. 

Coming back from the city, Ms. Alma, the next door neighbor saw Celia approaching and waved, beckoning her towards the front gate.  Celia approached the older woman. 

 "Hi Ms. Alma, how you doing?" 

"Nah child you tell me, I don't like the look on your face."

"What you think happened?  The stupid man tells me if I was an hour earlier, I could a gotten a Visa to go to the U.S."

"Celia, it's not the end of the world you know.  Your luck will change some day."

She smiled at the old woman walking away then stopped, "Ms. Alma,  from your mouth to God's ears."

Celia smiled, knowing that her heart  still ticks away those things that have gone wrong.  The bad to worse.  The never-ending cycle  that  keep repeating itself, day after day.  But one day, yes that day, a door will open.  And its name gotta be  "Mr. Lucky." 

© 2003 by Ann Diamond.   All rights reserved.