He spent most of the afternoon watching the rats consume the remnants of his angelhood and when there were only bones and blackened feathers left, he stuck out his thumb.

The first car to pick him up was driven by Paul Bettany. He said, “Dude… you look familiar. I’ll take you as far as Mulholland Drive.” When they arrived Remiel and Paul shared an complicated secret handshake they had formulated together, ending with a flourish of fingers symbolizing the spread of wings. “You’re one cool cat, Remiel,” bid adieu Paul Bettany.

The next car to snag Remiel’s outstretched thumb was driven by Christopher Moore. “You know you remind me of someone…by any chance your name’s Raziel?”

“Close enough. I’m Remiel.”

“Phew. I was worried for a moment there that I was a character in my own book.”

“God has a book,” Remiel said. “I doubt your name’s in it.”

“You know I wouldn’t be surprised. In fact I missed the heavenly express on the 21st. Well, everybody on this planet did.”

Remiel said good-bye on Sunset Blvd.