by Jay Sherfey
When Frank pulled up in front of Heaven’s Angels funeral home, he killed the engine and took a deep breath. He turned to the kids. “Thanks for coming along. I hope you know…well…you didn’t have to. I appreciate it.”
“It’s OK, Frank,” said Rachel.
“Yeah, we all agreed,” nodded Jim.
As Frank opened his door, they all climbed out. They stood under the awning and waited for him to lead the way.
“Mr. Dubois, at last,” smiled a heavy set man in a dark gray, three piece suit. It made his pale complexion look even more ghoulish. His dark hair receded. His meaty jowls suggested he missed few meals. “Your dear deceased mother lies in our Assumption Room. The wake will last until 6 P.M. We would greatly appreciate you staying until then.” Frank nodded. “Excellent. Please follow me.”
The well dressed, fat man who ignored the children had the good sense to say nothing more. He led Frank to Edna. The thought of staying for three hours did not appeal to the kids, but they had accepted Frank’s invitation and would not complain.
Edna lay in an open bronze casket. There were flowers on either side. A podium stood off to the right as they walked passed four rows of metal, fold out chairs on either side of the aisle.
Frank stepped up to the casket. He looked at his mother.
“Mr. Rupert,” said Frank. “You did a good job.”
“Thank you, Mr. Dubois,” said the large man from the rear of the room.
“Where is the music Mr. Rupert? I believe I asked for some Benny Goodman or Cole Porter for my mom.” Frank turned slowly to confront the man.
“Oh my, you are correct, Mr. Dubois. Allow me but a moment to correct the situation.” Mr. Rupert shuffled off to fix the oversight.
“Please kids sit,” said Frank when they were alone. In short order, the speakers in the corners of the ceiling came to life with a lively, if low volume, rendition of Take the “A” Train. “She really liked this kind of music.” Frank sat down next to them.
“Do you expect anyone else to come, Frank?” asked Jason.
“No. I sent word to as many names and addresses she had in her dresser. I called the phone numbers she had too. None of these people seemed the slightest bit upset. None will be showing up.”
They all sat in line in the front row. The kids looked at Frank who stared at the casket. No one spoke. They stared at their shoes or studied the room. They did not know what to say.
“Excuse me, Mr. Dubois?” A middle aged man in a black suit came into the room and walked up to Frank. He offered his hand in greeting. He wore his silver hair short. His laughing, green eyes missed nothing and hinted at mischief. “I am so sorry about your mother.” Frank nodded, not comprehending who this man might be. “I am Reverend Timothy Black from Trinity Methodist Church. I work with the elderly at the state hospital. Your mother and I had an…interesting acquaintance.”
“Oh,” said Frank who nodded his head, “Yes. We spoke on the phone. Thank you for coming. How well did you know her?” Frank turned his attention back to his mother’s face.
“Hmmm,” said the Reverend. “I would have to say, as well as anyone at the hospital.”
Frank nodded. He gazed at the coffin lost in the world of might-have-beens. The reverend was forgotten.
“I would like to start in a few minutes. I will say a few words; then let you talk about Edna unless you think anyone else will be coming?” Frank nodded his head, barely registering the question. “OK, then. I will be back shortly and we can begin.” Reverend Tim patted Frank on the shoulder as he left. He smiled and nodded at the kids on his way out of the room.
Jason looked back over his shoulder and watched the Reverend leave. He had no memory of a death in his family. Scared and not sure of the right things to do in these situations, Jason stood and approached the casket. The kids watched him, curious.
Jason wanted to see the face of the woman he had not saved. He desperately wanted to know that things had turned out for the best. The dead, however, do not give up their secrets and Jason was not ready to seek answers in what if anything was left of her mind. He just stared at the woman’s face. The song, What’ll I Do?, started. Jason remembered the first time he saw her across the room, ranting at Frank from her wheelchair. The lines of her face in a permanent frown. The hint of a smile now on her relaxed features gave him hope. Maybe she died happy.
“Jason,” said Suzy. She tugged on his shirt, “the reverend wants to start.” Jason and Suzy found their seats. Reverend Black stepped behind the podium and looked over at Edna. He took a deep breath.
“Every morning,” began Reverend Tim his hands on either side of the podium, “I would say ‘Good morning’. Edna answered in the same special way every time. ‘Get the hell out of here and leave me alone.’” That got everyone’s attention. There would be no sugar coating from this man. “She could turn a sunny day to gloom and doom at the drop of hat.”
The kids looked at Frank and wondered how he might react to what had been said. Frank rubbed his forehead with his thumb and forefinger like he had a bad headache. The strong beat of many drums banging out a Big Band Era rhythm echoed off the walls. Frank’s shoulders started to shake. When he laughed out loud, the kids were shocked.
“Amen to that, Reverend.” Frank clapped his hands.
“Well then, Frank, it is time for you to say a few words. You knew her better than anyone.” Reverend Black stepped down and sat with the children.
“What can I say,” Frank started. He leaned on the podium. “This woman, my mother, wasn’t any better and probably worse than any of yours.” He pointed to his foster kids. “We have that in common.” He stopped and looked over at his mother. “But sometimes…every once in awhile, miracles happen. The last few days of her life…”
* * *
Jason, four weeks after Frank’s mother’s wake, sat on the threshold of the tool shed. He wrote in his old composition notebook. The new school year was underway. The weather remained warm. A thunderstorm passed through late the night before. The air was clear and refreshed.
No one disturbed him while he scratched his notes on the pages. Water dripped over the tops of the blocked rain gutters and played a tattoo on the metal cellar storm door. Annoyed Jason ignored the drumming.
He wrote,
My new teacher, Mrs. Hatcher, does not like me very well. I’ll bring her around.
1- Frank was right. Fast, quick, and good hands makes a good receiver in football. I think I have convinced Coach Reed. Running everyday has made me faster. Frank knowing so much about the game has been a big help too.
2- Being just another dumb kid is not so bad, yet. Russ certainly gets a kick out of my playing things down.
3- Lydia has been Lydia. Frank seems to have her under control for the moment. Suzy was right about Frank. Do no harm.
4- Mr. Downing has moved with us to the middle school. Nice surprise. Still trying to understand what I saw in his microscope. The textbooks I read…
He continued writing, going over the things that rumbled around in his head over the last few weeks. Finally, the constant asynchronous clatter on the metal door started to grate like fingernails on a blackboard.
“Oh, just stop it, will ya!” He went on writing. When the silence replaced the wet slaps against metal, he noticed, stopped, and looked up. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
Two puddles of water accumulated not on the ground but three feet above the storm doors. Jason set aside his notebook. This was something new. Russ and Suzy should be here to see this, he thought. He dared not move. The puddles might crash to the ground.
Jason concentrated. He pictured the drops following each other to form two Ferris wheels of racing water. The two rings immediately took shape. He played with them, reshaped the water wheels into links like a chain. He laughed and turned the chain into a water locomotive with water vapor smoke. It poured out of its stack. The locomotive pulled four cars on a water track. It all exploded upward; then splashed to the ground.
Jason collapsed back against the door frame exhausted.
“Cool.”
Table of Contents
Misunderstood
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29