The Lamp: A Novel by Jim Stovall With Tracy J Trost

by Jim Stovall

  Lisa blinked several times, not believing her eyes, but every time she looked, he was standing there as before, just smiling at the closed front door.

  Lisa spoke tentatively through the door. “Can I help you?”

  The figure on her front porch responded with confidence. “No, actually, I’m here to help you.”

  Lisa didn’t know what to think about his response and tried to get rid of him saying, “I’m not sure what you are selling, but this really isn’t a good time.”

  Lisa was startled by his response that came through the still-closed front door. “Lisa, listen to me. I’m not selling anything. I’m here because you asked for me.”

  Lisa was stunned and blurted out a question. “How did you know my name?”

  She heard his logical response. “It’s here on this plaque. Stanley and Lisa Walters.”

  Lisa felt embarrassed and muttered, “Oh, yeah.”

  The gentleman on the front porch addressed Lisa. “I’m sliding my card under the door. Read it.”

  Lisa looked down at the base of her front door, and slowly a business card slid onto the floor. She picked it up and read it. Printed on the card in elegant script were the words Just Believe with a name under it: Charles Montgomery III.

  He repeated by way of explanation, “I’m here because you requested me.”

  “Requested you?” Lisa asked.

  He responded in a matter-of-fact tone, “Yes. I believe the exact words were I wish I could…believe, that is.”

  Lisa just stared in disbelief from the door to the card in her hand and back again.

  From the other side of Lisa’s front door, her visitor beckoned, “Now, if you would be so kind as to open the door, I will explain everything.”

  Lisa took a deep breath and slowly opened her front door. There he stood, a splendid figure who seemed right where he should be, even though he appeared to be out of place and from the wrong time.

  His ebony skin seemed to glow from within. His eyes appeared to be filled with the excitement of a child while containing an ancient understanding.

  Lisa stepped back as her visitor politely took off his hat. Cooper walked into the living room and scampered toward Charles. Lisa was shocked as Cooper seemed to know this man and somehow was glad to see him.

  The gentleman declared formally, “There, now. This is much more pleasant. Allow me to introduce myself properly. My name is Charles Montgomery the third.”

  Lisa stammered out a question. “What are you, some kind of genie?”

  Charles Montgomery III let out a hearty laugh, shook his head, and explained, “Oh, my dear. No. I am real. Genies are fictitious. I am more of a messenger.”

  Lisa was becoming more confused by the minute. She inquired, “A messenger?”

  Charles walked into the center of the room and asked, “May I sit?”

  Lisa spoke automatically. “Um, sure. Please.”

  Charles walked to the corner of the room and sat in a chair. Lisa sat at the end of the couch with her back to the door and put Charles Montgomery III’s business card on the coffee table in front of her.

  Lisa was in a daze and wondered whether or not she was dreaming all of this.

  Charles sneezed, and Cooper immediately took a tissue from the box on the coffee table, walked across the room, and presented it to Charles.

  Charles smiled fondly as if they were old friends and said, “Thanks, Coop old boy.”

  Charles blew his nose and continued on as if nothing strange had happened. Lisa was dumbstruck and looked on in amazement.

  Charles cleared his throat, looked directly at Lisa, and spoke. “Let me explain if I may. What would you say if I told you that you could have anything you want in your life?”

  Lisa shook her head and responded, “I don’t know. I guess I would say I didn’t believe you.”

  Charles chuckled and then continued. “Excellent choice of words. Let’s say for a moment that what I am saying is true. You can have anything you want. What is that one thing you would want that would make your life complete?”

  Lisa thought for a moment, then answered, “Well, Mr. Montgomery…”

  He interrupted. “Please call me Charles.”

  Lisa nodded and continued. “OK, um, Charles. I don’t know. I guess just to be happy.”

  Charles spoke thoughtfully. “Hmm. Happy. What does ‘to be happy’ mean to you?”

  Lisa responded automatically, “I guess it would be no more fighting. To have life be like it was before.”

  Charles clarified. “Before Eddy, you mean.”

  Lisa was stunned and exclaimed, “How do you…”

  Charles smiled reassuringly and said, “I know a lot about you, Lisa, which is why I am here. Now listen to me closely. What I am about to tell you will change your life. You can have anything you want, including true happiness, and I am going to tell you the secret of how to get it.”

  Just then, Stanley returned, walked through the front door and looked at Lisa.

  He asked, “What are you doing?”

  Lisa turned toward Stanley and explained, “Talking to Charles.”

  She turned back toward the chair in the corner and pointed, but Charles was gone.

  CHAPTER 9

  Lisa stared in amazement at the empty chair. She thought it was more than enough to handle losing her son, her marriage, and everything that mattered without now somehow losing her mind.

  Lisa blurted out, “Where did he go?”

  Stanley was bewildered and asked, “Who?”

  Lisa started to explain. “Charl…”

  Then she realized how absurd it would sound.

  Stanley was clearly getting irritated as he said, “What is going on with you?”

  Lisa was flustered as she tried to recount the recent surreal events. “Stanley, I don’t know how to explain this. I was picking up the mess, and I read the lamp. The light burned out, and he was at the door. He gave me a card.”

  Lisa quickly glanced down at the coffee table, but Charles Montgomery III’s business card was gone, too.

  Stanley stared at her and said, “So, you’re telling me you rubbed the lamp, and a genie popped out.”

  Lisa nodded and explained, “Not a genie. He said he was a messenger.”

  Stanley just stared at his wife in total disbelief. After several moments, he was able to speak. “Listen, Lisa. I can’t continue to pretend that everything is going to be OK. I mean who are we fooling? You don’t love me, and I don’t love you.”

  Lisa just stared at Stanley as he talked. Deep down in her heart, she was almost relieved.

  Stanley continued. “I’m gonna find an apartment this week. You can have everything. I’m just done.”

  Stanley turned abruptly and walked down the hallway to Eddy’s bedroom.

  Lisa’s mind was reeling. She was trying to get a grasp on recent events. First, Stanley had walked out on her, and she hadn’t known whether or not he would ever return. Then this Charles Montgomery III person had showed up. She had felt disbelief and hope at the same time. And finally, just as Stanley comes back home again, Charles disappeared into thin air.

  She didn’t know what to believe.

  Lisa sat alone in the living room but when she couldn’t get any answers to the growing number of questions in her head, she gave up, walked down the hallway to the bedroom, and went to sleep by herself once again.

  The next morning, the sun shone brightly and everything seemed normal throughout the neighborhood. But in the Walters’ home, both Stanley and Lisa knew everything was far from normal.

  When Lisa awoke, she glanced beside her in the bed to confirm the fact that she was still alone. As she slipped into her robe, she tried to determine whether the events of the previous night were real or somehow part of her dreams.

  She walked down the hallway and looked into Eddy’s room expecting to see Stanley sound asleep. But to her surprise, the bed had been slept in, but Stanley was gone.

  Lisa continued
down the hallway and entered the living room where the bizarre events of the night before had taken place. She opened the front door to get some fresh air, leaving the screen door closed. She surveyed the scene before her in the living room and tried to determine where she should start to clean up the mess and put everything back in order.

  Lisa was standing on a chair, replacing the light bulb in the ceiling, when she heard footsteps on the front walk approaching her door. She glanced through the screen door and saw Miss Esther framed in the doorway, looking at Lisa holding the new light bulb. A broad smile broke out on Esther’s face.

  Lisa called, “Good morning, Esther. Come in.”

  Esther walked into the living room, noticing the broken pottery shards on the floor next to the oil lamp. She looked up to see the burn marks on the ceiling where the light bulb had exploded the night before.

  Miss Esther chuckled and said, “Well, I can only assume you have met Charles.”

  Lisa sighed in relief and responded. “Oh, good.”

  Lisa climbed down from the chair and continued, “I thought I was going crazy.”

  Miss Esther laughed heartily and explained, “He has that affect on people.”

  Lisa asked, “Who is he? Where did he come from?”

  Esther shrugged and said, “Hmm. How do you explain Charles? I think I will leave that up to him.”

  Lisa plopped onto the couch and began crying.

  She said, “Stanley is leaving me.”

  Miss Esther moved over to the couch and spoke comfortingly. “Oh, you poor dear. Let’s choose to believe that there is a greater purpose for all of this.”

  Lisa somehow felt better hearing the soothing words. She smiled up at Esther. Lisa dried her tears and hugged Esther warmly.

  They had never been close before, even though they were neighbors, but somehow since the lamp and Charles had come into their lives, Esther’s calming presence seemed to be a lifeline of hope. The two women laughed and talked comfortably as they cleaned up the living room and put everything back in its place.

  When their work was done, Lisa surveyed the living room that looked like nothing out of the ordinary had ever happened there. Then she glanced at Esther who was smiling at her.

  Somehow Lisa knew that things were going to be changing around the Walters’ household. The pain was still ever-present, and hope seemed to be an elusive target that was hard to grasp.

  She didn’t know what the day would hold, but she was pleased to be moving away from all the yesterdays and everything they represented.

  Esther looked at Lisa and winked, then she glanced down at the lamp and chuckled as she walked out the front door and back toward her house.

  CHAPTER 10

  Without thinking about where he was going or what he was doing, somehow Stanley ended up at the park sitting in an old set of bleachers in the outfield. Cooper was lying contentedly at Stanley’s feet. Stanley was watching the kids practice on the field in front of him. In some way he didn’t fully understand, when he watched them playing baseball, he could lose himself in the game and didn’t have to think about anything else.

  Sam was on a riding lawn mower when he spotted Stanley and Cooper. Sam pulled up and stopped in front of them and got off of the mower.

  Sam called, “Well, hello again.”

  Stanley just nodded and didn’t even glance away from the baseball diamond. Sam sat down on the bleachers just as if he had been invited to join Stanley and Cooper.

  They sat in silence for a moment, and then Sam commented offhandedly, “You look like you have a lot on your mind.”

  Stanley muttered, “That’s an understatement.”

  Just then, they both noticed the coach trying to help a player who was up to bat.

  Stanley commented, “Look at that guy. He has no idea what he is doing.”

  Sam nodded and replied, “Bless his heart. He is doing the best he can. They could really use someone who knows what they are doing to help coach.

  Stanley responded emphatically, “Me? Not interested. Those days are long gone.”

  They watched with interest and excitement as Josh wound up and whipped a ball over the plate. The batter swung awkwardly, missing the ball by at least a foot.

  Stanley seemed excited as he stated, “Man, that girl has got an arm.”

  Sam prodded, “They could really use your help. From what I hear, you are quite the coach.”

  Stanley was getting annoyed and barked, “From what you hear? I’m not sure what you have heard, but I think you need to drop it.”

  Sam was persistent as he spoke. “Maybe you need them just as much as they need you.”

  Stanley refused to take the bait and blurted, “What makes you think you know what I need?”

  Sam was undaunted as he responded. “I’m just saying…maybe this could help you with your loss.”

  Stanley spoke from his pain. “What do you know about my loss? Have you held your son in your lap… and…”

  He was unable to finish his thought.

  Sam feared he had gone too far and said, “I’m sorry, Stan. I just think that…”

  Stanley got up to leave and spoke angrily. “Just mind your own business. You don’t know me. You don’t know what I need. Come on, Coop.”

  Stanley walked away, leaving Sam sitting on the bleachers. Cooper looked from Sam to Stanley, seeming to contemplate the inequities of life, then he resignedly trotted after Stanley.

  Stanley’s anger built and swelled as he walked back home. As he entered the living room, Lisa was folding clothes. Stanley noticed the mess had been cleaned up, and the lamp was sitting on the edge of the coffee table.

  Cooper followed him into the room, then moved toward his pillow in the corner where he laid down to observe the couple.

  Stanley simply blurted out, “Hey.”

  Lisa looked at him, knowing from experience that he had something to say.

  Lisa calmly stated, “I don’t want to fight.”

  Stanley let out a long, slow breath and agreed. “I don’t either.”

  Lisa began. “I know you didn’t believe me when I told you about Charles. I didn’t really believe it myself, but Miss Esther came by today, and she told me he was for real.”

  Stanley was exasperated, and it was all he could do to hold his temper back. He took a deep breath and tried to speak calmly. “Lisa, please. There is no magic genie that is going to come out of a lamp and make everything all better.”

  Lisa pleaded, “But what if it is real? What if he can help us?”

  Stanley’s anger finally boiled over. He shouted, “You want to know what is real? I’ll show you what’s real!”

  Stanley lunged toward the coffee table, picked up the lamp, and walked out the front door with great resolve. Stanley bounded down the front porch steps and hurried down the driveway. Lisa and Cooper hastily followed in his wake.

  Lisa called out, “Stanley, what are you doing?”

  Stanley ignored Lisa’s question, rushed to the end of the driveway, and grasped the lid on one of the trash cans that had been placed at the curbside. In one motion, he removed the lid and forcefully threw the lamp into the trash can. He banged the lid back in place.

  Lisa implored, “Stanley, stop!”

  Stanley grabbed Lisa by the arms as if to wake her from a dream. He blurted, “There is no genie! There is no magic!”

  Stanley turned and marched back to the house. Lisa and Cooper followed resignedly.

  Stanley rushed up the steps, crossed the front porch, and forcefully threw open the front door. Stanley instantly stopped in his tracks and was dumbstruck by the sight before him.

  As Lisa and Cooper reached the front door, they joined Stanley as he stared at the lamp that was sitting on the coffee table exactly where he had picked it up a few moments before.

  Stanley blinked several times, looked at Lisa, and then back toward the coffee table where the lamp stood as a symbol of everything that couldn’t be true. It was impossible to acce
pt the fact that the lamp was sitting there, but there it was.

  CHAPTER 11

  There are certain sights, sounds, and events that cause us to question our understanding of reality. We tend to consider things to be within the realm of possibility because they have happened—or could have happened—before. Stanley and Lisa stared at the lamp sitting on the coffee table and were forced to question everything.

  The living room was silent. Time stood still. Finally, Stanley turned to Lisa and uttered, “What the… How did you do that?”

  Lisa shrugged and asked, “What are you talking about?”

  By way of answer, Stanley just pointed to the lamp as they both continued staring at it in disbelief. Finally, Stanley reacted out of frustration and anger. He grabbed the lamp forcefully and rushed back out the door and toward the garage.

  He flung open the garage door with one hand as he continued to hold the lamp tightly in the other. With conviction, he walked over to the workbench, banged the lamp down on it, and picked out a large hammer.

  Lisa arrived at the garage and stood behind Stanley, calling, “Stanley, no! Stop!”

  Stanley ignored Lisa and began violently beating the lamp with the hammer. He spoke to himself as he pounded the lamp with all of the anger, guilt, and frustration that had been building up in him for years.

  Lisa began pacing behind him in disbelief, pleading, “Stanley, stop!”

  Lisa finally gave up and walked out of the garage with Cooper following. She rushed into the back door of the house. Cooper paused on the driveway and looked back toward Stanley.

  Stanley continued pounding mercilessly on the lamp. He spoke to it. “There. I’d like to see you escape that one.”

  Stanley was breathing hard from his exertion. He took what was left of the flattened and destroyed lamp and walked back toward the house with resolve. Cooper followed, adding the experience to the growing list of human behaviors he did not understand.