By Joe Janes

Clarence Reports to Joseph

Pottersville, Outside Nick’s Tavren

Christmas Eve, 1946

(Clarence looks up to the sky.)

Joseph! Joseph! It’s me, Clarence!

Did things work out with George Bailey? ...Well, sort of… He’s very happy now and doesn’t want to jump off the bridge and kill himself. Mission accomplished, I’d say. About those wings… 

Well… No. I didn’t change things back. I left him at Nick’s bar. Once he realized no one knew who he was, he started to really enjoy it. He’s telling everyone that his name is Pierre Alejandro Magellan and that he’s an adventurer who has travelled all around the world. People are buying him drinks in exchange for his stories. He’s making friends. Happy ending, wouldn’t you say?

George did say he missed his family but is excited to not have that responsibility anymore. Well, that’s not how he said it. He said he was glad to be rid of that albatross of a wife and those runny nosed naked mole rats that have infested his home. And that the house was a rickety old money drain. He also told Ernie and Bert they were nothing but fancy boys and that they should just commence to smooching already. That came out of nowhere. I think he had been holding on to that for a while. However, Ernie and Bert did seem happy to be kissing one another in the back of Ernie’s cab.

I’m glad George ended up at Nick’s. I think he’ll be safe there. It was hard to pull him out of the dance hall with all the floozies. A dime a dance is a really good value, he said, and it keeps people employed. He claimed it was his civic duty. We got out of there just before the cops busted the joint. 

He still hates Potter and I thought that would turn him around about how important he was to Bedford Falls, which is now Pottersville. But then he gave Potter a stock tip on Sam Wainwright’s business that will make a fortune. If it pans out, and it will, Potter said he’ll fund a trip around the world for George. Or Juniper. He introduced himself to Mr. Potter as Juniper P. Moneylumps. He has several different aliases, now.

Yes, I reminded George that without him, his brother died and the druggist, Mr. Gower, poisoned a lot of people and ended up being the town drunk. And that Zuzu’s petals don’t exist because she doesn’t exist. He got a very somber look on his face and was quiet for a long time. And then he said, “So, I’m free?” So, I said, “I guess so, George.” And then he smiled and said, “Call me Demetrick, comrade.”

I made one last ditch effort to connect with him and gave him my copy of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. He said he had read it. I think he missed the story’s point about relationships and connection and just focused on the running away part. George just rifled through my book and circled the dirty words. 

So, Joseph…the good news is, he’s not dead. He’s enjoying life. Did I win my wings?