Misplaced

by Murray, Lee

  ‘Hmm. Does your dream mean anything? Good question. Let’s talk about that, shall we? Some very famous psychologists have studied the meanings of dreams. People like Freud and Jung. Have you heard of them?’

  ‘I’ve heard of Freud. He thought everything had something to do with sex, didn’t he?’

  Mrs Paine smiles. ‘Yes, that’s right. He was a bit preoccupied with sex.’

  ‘Well, that can’t be it. My mother was in that dream. It won’t be anything to do with sex.’

  Mrs Paine titters like a little girl. ‘No, of course not. Not in that way. With Freud, people have got a bit hung up on the sex thing. When he looked at dreams, he was interested in examining man’s underlying desires, one of which is sex. Of course, humans are more complex than that. We have many other desires. Love, intimacy, and trust. Freud believed that dreams are an expression of those unconscious desires...’

  Adam shakes his head. ‘I don’t think so. Not this dream.’

  ‘He also believed our dreams can reveal our deepest fears.’

  ‘Well, I reckon with my dream that’s more likely.’

  ‘Hmm...’

  ‘It was bloody scary. I woke up sweating.’

  ‘Hmm.’ Adam realises that Mrs Paine is using her Jedi Mind Trick again. She’s good too, because Adam goes on talking.

  ‘Yeah. That dream was pretty much my deepest fear. I’m terrified something bad has happened to Mum. What if she never comes home?’ Suddenly, something occurs to him. He says, ‘Mrs Paine, do you think dreams are real?’

  ‘Real? Well, that’s still a matter for debate, Adam. There’s some quite convincing evidence about brain activity during sleep...’

  ‘No, not that,’ Adam interrupts. ‘What I mean is, do you think our dreams can show us something that actually happened? Or something that might happen in the future?’

  ‘I may have the wrong qualifications to answer that question, Adam. After all, I’m not a medium!’ She giggles again, making her nose crinkle. Then, suddenly, Mrs Paine stops laughing. She wiggles upright and clears her throat as if she’s just remembered where she is and who she’s talking to. ‘Um... anyway, would you really want your dreams to be real?’

  ‘I don’t know. Sometimes. Certain dreams. When I’m with a girl I know.’ Adam blushes. ‘Hey, Mr Freud would be proud, right? But I wouldn’t want this dream to be real.’

  ‘Hmm. Jung said thinking about our dreams can be helpful. He thought dreams can be healing.’

  ‘Even though they scare you shitless?’

  ‘Yes, even then. If you think about it, Adam, your dream was frightening, but you came through it and now you’re talking about it. You’re tackling your fears head on. I’d definitely say your dream is helping you to heal.’

  They’re quiet for a while as Adam digests this.

  Finally, he says, ‘At least if I was dreaming, it means I got some sleep.’

  ‘Yes, that’s a plus. So overall, your sleep is improving?’

  ‘No, not really. Most nights, I’m awake for hours. Apart from last night.’

  ‘This pattern of wakefulness is worrying me, Adam. We’ll monitor it for a bit longer. But if it continues I’m going to recommend that you see your doctor.’ She gets up and, still on the wrong side of the desk, takes a pencil and makes a note on a Post-it, which she tucks into Adam’s file.

  ‘Mrs Paine. I have another idea.’

  ‘Oh yes? What’s that?’

  Adam smiles widely. ‘You could get a comfier couch.’

  They laugh.

  Chapter 24

  Dad’s at the yard when Kieran, Corey and Skye come over on Saturday morning.

  Adam slides a bowl of chips onto the table and sits down.

  ‘I’ve decided I’m going to consult a medium,’ he announces.

  Kieran splutters. ‘You’re joking, right?’

  ‘Actually, I’ve been thinking about it for a while.’

  ‘But that stuff’s a load of baloney,’ Kieran says. Taking the plastic bowl from Adam, he hugs it to his chest. ‘You should hear Gary talk about it. He reckons those medium programmes are rigged. You do know they get in a team of researchers to investigate the guests beforehand, don’t you? That way, the medium has all the information they need to pull off the con, making people think they’re conversing with their long lost auntie or someone.’ He plunges his hand into the bowl. ‘Don’t bother, Adam. It won’t help. Waste of money.’

  Adam isn’t surprised. He didn’t really expect Kieran to get it. When it comes to abstract concepts, Kieran’s mind just doesn’t work that way.

  ‘Sometimes mediums do know things, Kieran,’ Corey says. Adam’s mood lifts. At least Corey with his Chinese upbringing is more encouraging. ‘What about that little girl who went missing in Auckland a few years ago while her mum was busy fixing the washing machine?’ Corey goes on. ‘A medium said she felt the little girl was in a ditch or a hole and that turned out to be true.’ The last sentence comes out in a rush. Adam feels for Corey: he’s still a bit awkward when Skye’s around.

  ‘She was in a drain, not a ditch,’ Kieran counters, his mouth full of chips.

  ‘Yeah, well what the medium said helped,’ Corey argues. ‘The police went back and had another look in ditches and hollows. There’s no way that medium was hornswoggling anyone because the girl’s location wasn’t on the internet!’

  Kieran rolls his eyes. ‘Of course, the police went back and searched again. That’s what they do. It’s procedure, isn’t it? Finding that toddler probably had nothing to do with the medium.’

  Adam shudders. That poor kid. Stumbling into a drain. She must’ve been terrified. He shakes his head, trying to rid himself of the image of that tiny soul washed away with the neighbourhood dishwater.

  So far, Skye has been quiet. Prising the bowl back, Adam offers her some chips before Kieran scoffs them all.

  ‘Skye?’ he says. ‘What do you think?’

  ‘No way, Adam.’ She holds up her hand. Adam’s not sure if she’s rejecting his plan or the bowl of chips. ‘You shouldn’t see a medium,’ she says, ending his doubt. Adam is stunned. He thought she’d be more positive.

  ‘Come on, Skye!’ he cajoles. 'You’re the one who told us that Māori people often call on departed family members for help.’

  ‘Yes, but that doesn’t mean you’re supposed to push it. You ask, and if you’re lucky the spirits hear you and help you out. There’s no freephone number, 0800 Talk to Spirits. You can’t just talk to them in person!’

  Adam doesn’t agree, but not wanting to contradict Skye, he examines the creases in his palm.

  ‘I’d like to try,’ he says.

  Skye throws her hands in the air. ‘Why torture yourself, Adam? Anyone’d think you want to find your mum in a ditch somewhere!’

  ‘I do not! I just want... I don’t know.’ His shoulders sag. ‘I thought maybe they could help, that’s all. Maybe a medium could give me some answers.’

  ‘This is so dumb,’ Kieran says, reaching for the chips again. ‘Skye’s right. I don’t know why we’re even discussing this. I bet there aren’t any mediums in Tauranga.’

  ‘There must be.’ Adam crosses the kitchen and pulls a battered copy of the Yellow Pages out of the drawer by the phone. He lays the book open on the table and turns to the Ms.

  ‘Meditation...’ He turns the page. ‘... Meeting Rooms.’ Kieran’s right. There are no listings for mediums.

  ‘See?’ Kieran gloats.

  ‘Try under Psychics,’ Corey suggests.

  ‘Yeah, try under Psychos,’ Kieran says.

  ‘Cut it out, Kieran,’ Corey retorts. ‘Why shouldn’t Adam give it a chance? It wasn’t that long ago I remember holding a punch bag steady while the two of you beat the shit out of it. Suck it up Corey, you said. We should be thinking about what Adam needs, you said. I got my ribs bruised and my arms ached for two days afterwards. But you were right. When a friend is going through a tough time, you have to step up. So if Adam wan
ts to do this, if he thinks it will help, I reckon we should support him!’ Breathing out hard, Corey leans over and gestures to Kieran to pass over the bowl. ‘And stop hogging the chips.’

  Kieran’s face softens and he relinquishes the bowl. ‘I suppose it can’t hurt,’ he concedes. He grins. ‘Not as much as the bruising we gave you, anyway. Yeah, I’ll go with you, Adam. Why not? Might even be a laugh.’

  ‘Skye?’ Adam asks hopefully.

  Smiling, she shrugs. ‘Doesn’t look like I have any choice, does it?’

  ‘Here’s one,’ says Corey, who has taken over control of the phone book. ‘Papamoa address, and she looks professional. There’s a heap of letters after her name.’

  ‘Let’s tell her we need an appointment for today,’ Kieran says. ‘This afternoon.’ He grins. ‘We don’t want to give her time to do any research.’

  Adam’s not sure exactly what he expected. Perhaps a dimly-lit den swathed in billowy orange silks or sumptuous velvets and scented with incense of sandalwood. So it’s a surprise to find a tastefully decorated clinic; beige with red accents, bathed in subdued halogen lighting and scented with a Glade Ocean Blue Plug-In. And rather than give herself a mysterious and exotic title like Madame Esmerelda, the consultant goes by the everyday name of Anna. Already Adam feels optimistic, but Skye’s tight lips and furrowed brow tell another story. Adam feels a pang of annoyance. She needs to open her mind a bit.

  ‘Please come through,’ Anna says, waving her hand breezily above her head. Adam and his friends follow her into a large office. Adam looks around. A number of chairs—the type that stack—are clustered in a semi-circle around a low table. On the table are a small pile of shopping pads and a mug of pens. They sit down. Anna takes a seat behind her desk.

  ‘Let me just make you a new file,’ she says. While she opens her computer, Adam examines the titles in a cabinet against the wall, all Anna’s publications:

  Psychic Strategy: Future-proofing your Business

  Medium: A Tale of Life and Death

  Medium Rare: Psychic Talents in Children

  Medium Well: Spirit Guidance for Health and Wellbeing

  For Sooth: Soothsaying in the Modern Context...

  ‘So which of you wishes to speak with the dead? It’s Adam, I think?’

  ‘Yes.’ So far Anna’s predictions are spot on.

  ‘Adam.’ The medium taps his name directly into her records. ‘Good. And your last name?’ They’d already decided not to reveal Adam’s surname. Instead, Adam gives the medium his mother’s maiden name.

  ‘Norcliff.’

  ‘Norcliff. Excellent.’

  ‘And your phone number please, Adam.’

  Kieran breaks in. ‘Can’t you psychic these up?’

  Anna’s eyes narrow. ‘I can, of course, psychic them up as you put it, but conjuring up people’s phone records requires a great deal of energy. I prefer to use conventional record keeping and save my psychic abilities for conducting meaningful conversations with the dead.’ Adam gives her his number, which she records. Then she asks, ‘Do you have someone in mind who you’d like to contact today?’

  ‘It’s his mother,’ Kieran says.

  ‘His mother. Excellent.’ More tapping. ‘And her name?’

  ‘Tiffany,’ Kieran replies.

  ‘Did you say Brittany?’

  ‘Tiffany,’ Kieran says again, bored.

  ‘Tiffany?’ she asks. Corey nods vigorously.

  ‘What a pretty name. Unusual. Well, what say we get started?’ She comes around the desk and takes a seat at the head of the semi-circle. ‘You can take your hat off if you like, Adam. Try to make yourself comfortable.’

  ‘If you don’t mind, I’d prefer to keep my hat on.’ Adam detects Anna’s frown, although it’s no more than an infinitesimal crisping of the lines around her eyes.

  ‘I should warn you that wearing a hat could interfere with the séance. The spirits may find it difficult to ‘read’ you.’

  ‘That’s okay,’ Adam says, keeping his tone jaunty. ‘I’m pretty sure my mother will recognise me.’

  ‘Can I ask, is this the first time you young people have attempted to connect with a departed soul?’

  ‘What makes you think that?’ Kieran asks, his voice loaded with sarcasm.

  ‘It’s my first time,’ Adam says hurriedly, trying to avoid a confrontation. The medium appears not to notice Kieran’s scepticism. Either she’s a good actress or she has skin as thick as an elephant’s.

  She goes on. ‘In that case, I need to make something quite clear from the outset. This is not an exact science. We can’t always command the spirits of the departed to talk to us. It’s for them to choose. I’m telling you this because I don’t want you to be disappointed, Adam, if your mother doesn’t appear at this first séance. Sometimes it takes a while to establish a relationship with the deceased.’

  ‘But he’s already established a relationship with her,’ Skye points out. ‘She’s his mother.’

  Ignoring Skye’s remark, Anna turns to address Adam: ‘Adam, your mother exists in a blissfully happy place on the other side. She may not wish to speak with you. It’s a bit like being alive really; there are times when you simply have better things to do.’

  ‘It’s okay. I’m confident my mother’ll want to talk to me,’ Adam says, his statement covering the harrumphing sound Skye makes in the back of her throat.

  ‘Right, then. I’ll ask you to take a notepad and pen from the table in front of you and write down your questions for your mother. Try to keep to two or three key questions. There’s no need to show me what you have written. Instead, I’d like you to fold the paper into a small square and hold it between your palms. Can you do that, Adam?’ Adam must look blank, so Anna goes on. ‘Most people come with specific questions they’d like to ask their loved ones. It helps to focus the purpose of the séance.’

  Kieran butts in. ‘What kind of questions?’

  ‘Well, just last week, a woman came to see me asking to speak to her sister who’d died in a car accident. It seems there’d been some tension between the two women because their mother had left a certain ring to the sister. Naturally, now her sister was dead, the woman was distraught.’

  Corey nods thoughtfully. ‘I guess she wanted to apologise to her sister for arguing?’

  ‘No, no,’ Anna replies. ‘She wanted to know where her sister had hidden it. Apparently, the ring had significant value.’ Kieran sniggers at that, but clams up when no one joins him.

  ‘It’s nothing like that, Anna,’ Corey assures her. ‘Nothing controversial.’

  ‘I just want to speak to my mum, make sure she’s okay,’ Adam explains.

  ‘Hmm. Yes, I’d already sensed that. If you could all pull your chairs together so we’re a bit closer...’

  ‘You’re kidding, right?’ Kieran can’t help himself. ‘You’re not seriously going to ask us to get in a circle and hold hands, are you?’

  ‘No, of course not. Do you think dead people care if you’re holding hands? Not one whit. However, for a séance to be effective, I find it beneficial if participants are relaxed and at ease with one another. It creates a more inviting atmosphere for what is about to occur. While you’re arranging your chairs, I’m going to pop on some soothing music and dim the lights...’

  ‘Like when you get a massage?’ Corey asks. He shuffles his chair closer to Skye’s.

  ‘Exactly! Music and soft lighting establish a restful mood. It helps if we clear our minds of all mental chatter. I’ll need a few minutes of quiet meditation to mentally welcome the spirits into my mind and soul. When I’m still, I can focus on creating a fluid connection between myself and the spirits of those who have passed over to the other side. Don’t be alarmed. I’ll remain fully conscious at all times.’

  Anna switches off the lights and a moment later the dreary sound of an Enya CD invades the room. Seated next to Adam, Anna closes her eyes and sways gently. Minutes pass. Adam suspects the CD might have come to the e
nd and started over, but since the songs are so painfully alike, he can’t be certain. He starts to worry about Anna’s hourly rate. He only got $100 out of his savings account. If the session goes on too long, he won’t be able to pay her.

  ‘There’s an obstruction,’ Anna announces abruptly over Enya’s singing. ‘I’m sensing too much brain activity! You must cast out all other thoughts. Clear your minds, please!’

  Adam forces down a surge of impatience. He squeezes the notepaper tighter between his palms. More minutes pass.

  ‘Adam. I want you now to concentrate on your mother. Take some deep breaths. Focus on her image.’ Adam inhales noisily, holds his breath briefly, then blows out slowly.

  ‘I sense your mother is near,’ Anna intones.

  ‘Yes?’

  The medium’s eyes fly open. She seizes Adam by the hand, gripping tightly. The notepaper slips out of Adam’s hands and flutters to the floor.

  ‘She’s here! She’s here! Tiffany! Can you feel her? Can you feel her essence?’

  ‘She’s here? Really? What’s she saying?’ Adam’s heart races.

  ‘Spirits speak in imagery. They’re not always easy to interpret, but Tiffany’s message is as clear as a mountain brook. She’s telling me she misses you, Adam. You are her favourite child. But... she says you shouldn’t have come here. She says you should be at home studying. You have important exams soon.’

  Adam hears Kieran snort. Adam tries to shut him out. This is too important. Anna could actually be talking with his mother. It’s exactly the sort of thing Mum would say. She was always on at him to study.

  ‘How can I be sure it’s her?’ he asks.

  ‘She’s telling me she loves you very much, and she misses you even though you used to drive her crazy most of the time,’ Anna gushes.

  ‘Oh, for Christ’s sake!’ Adam hears Kieran whisper. Even Adam is a bit sceptical. What adolescent doesn’t drive their parents crazy?

  ‘She’s sorry she had to go away.’

  At this, Adam sits up. Now Anna has his full attention. ‘She’s sorry?’