The Lying Mirror

by alvinna edwards nwoko

  Exactly.

  Dean Becker, thank you very much. This visit proved to be more valuable than expected. Is it all right if I call on you again?

  Sure.

  Ms. Eevan rushed from the Dean’s office in search for Jack. He was not at his apartment, probably still in his classes or tutoring. I’ll call him later when I think he’s finished at the university.

  Hello!

  Ant, I need to talk with you, tonight when you’re finished with your work. Dinner on me.

  Sure, I need to talk to you also. 7:30pm sound good?

  Yeah. Meet me at Jerry’s

  Jerry’s? This must be serious. You didn’t kill Linda did you? Just kidding Jack.

  No, but it might be just as bad. See you at 7:30.

  Okay see ya.

  When I need him I can’t find him. When I don’t need him he pops up at my office acting the fool. Jack where are you? Ms. Eevan spoke to herself pacing in her office.

  A second letter was delivered to Linda at her dorm room. She had to sign as receiving the letter and knew it had to be important.

  Ms. Linda Laakenworth,

  This is to formally advise you that in two week on the November 3 you will be required to meet before the Student Board of Ethics to defend yourself for the charges of malicious endangerment, character unbecoming of a student and the removal of a harmful substance from the chemistry lab with the intent to harm. If you choose not to appear at this hearing it would indicate a guilty submission on your part and your registration at Kiplin University will be terminated with possibility of expulsion.

  The ten Student Members of the Board is as follows:

  Jim Able

  Bright Cummings

  John Daile

  Jackson Dillard

  Annette Dyson

  Bridgett Edwin

  Anthony Flynn

  Gary Price

  Won Qui

  Thi Tou

  It will be in your best interest not to compromise your case by having any contact with these students until your hearing date.

  Sincerely

  The office of Dean

  Robert Edward Becker

  I can’t believe what I’m was reading with my own two eyes. Jack and Ant on the Student Board of Ethics? Why didn’t they tell me, warn me? They’re going to be judging me? Pinky and the Brain will hold me accountable for actions I’m told was forgiven by God.

  How did the board find out? Why did Jack save me if he was going to betray me? How did the Board get involved? Why! Why! Jack! Why!

  Linda went to the empty mirror and looked for her friend. But her friend was gone. She had no one to turn to. She broke off with the only person who understood her.

  Linda grabbed some money off her dresser and went one last time to the campus department store before it closed to buy a large mirror.

  She needed her friend back. She needed someone to tell her what to do. What am I supposed to do now? She ran all the way to the store hoping she wasn’t too late.

  Running into the double doors of the store and out of breath Linda pulled on the door handle to enter the store but the doors were already locked. She then ran across the street in a panic to the bus stop. When is the next bus? Twenty, thirty minutes? An hour? She saw an older black gentleman sitting on the bench also waiting for a bus and she careful approached him and ask when the next bus would arrive and would it take her to the hardware store? The hardware store is only six blocks over. What time is it? Do I have enough time to make it? She remembered what Hard Drive told her, ask questions and give them an opportunity to seem smart in someone else’s eyes.

  Sure miss, you’ve got plenty of time least an hour, and the next bus that a get you there should be coming up in five minutes. But you might need to catch a cab back cause the buses don’t come as often after seven. You might have to wait an hour to get back. That’s if yous comen back.

  Thank you sir. Your information was quite useful.

  Linda patted the side of her leg impatient for the bus arrival. Calm down, Linda told herself. The man said you’ve plenty of time. How could Jack do this to me? She kept repeating to herself until the bus arrived.

  Mr. Hard Drive, good evening.

  Tonight is my last night driving sixty one little lady, you won’t be seeing me again for a long time. Where to?

  Hardware store six blocks up.

  Handy’s hardware, you in luck again, that’s my route and I’m going right pass it.

  By the way I was hoping to see you again. I wanted to ask what you were going to do with that empty mirror frame the last time I saw you.

  One day I’ll get a mirror for it. Which is what I’m getting ready to do now.

  Be careful with mirrors little lady, they tend to lie. This is your stop.

  Thank you Mr. Hard Drive, congratulation on your retirement.

  Tell Jack-O hope to see him one day. Hard Drive closed the bus doors to continue his route, watching Linda run across the street all the way to the hardware store.

  Linda didn’t waste time searching the isles for a mirror, she went straight to customer service, barged in front of a customer being served to ask which isle had the mirrors.

  The customer service employee pointed and said isle three, then Linda sped off in that direction.

  Linda did not have enough money to buy the mirror she really wanted. So she settled for a much smaller mirror that her money could afford.

  This will have to do.

  Are you there?

  Yeah.

  Sorry I got rid of you. Do you forgive me?

  I always knew you’ll be back.

  Linda paid for her friend exit and had the cashier to pad the mirror with extra paper to make sure it can travel home safely.

  CHAPTER

  16

  Linda was able to catch the last bus for that route after waiting an hour for it to arrive. She was sleepy, hungry and anxious, and couldn’t wait to get home to reacquaint herself with her old friend.

  Careful little lady, Hard drive told her, mirrors tend to lie. Why on earth would he tell me that?

  The mirror Linda bought was scanty for such a large frame, but she hung it anyway right in the center of the beautiful mahogany frame. And took delight and was more than satisfied to see her old friend again and hold a decent conversation with someone she trusted.

  Wow! I’ll never do that again.

  What? The mirror asked.

  Discard you the way I did, Linda told her mirror.

  I thought you wasn’t going to consult with me anymore. You accused me of getting you in the mess you’re in now. And now here you are again needing my help.

  Yes, Linda agreed with her mirror. I can’t believe what their trying to do to me. If Jack has forgiven me who has the right to accuse me?

  Cassy, the mirror answered easily. Find out if Cassy went to the board. And deal with her, she’ll never see it coming, the mirror laughed.

  I getting tired and I’ve got classes in the morning, I’ll talk with you tomorrow.

  Linda fell asleep thinking that the letter she had received from the Dean’s office did not include her accuser. Why?

  Ant and Jack met up at Jerry’s for dinner, the atmosphere was relaxing and quiet, and actually what they both needed after a hard long day at the university.

  Is Italian okay with you?

  Are you kidding? You know I love Italian and they have the best food here. Jerry’s is one of my favorites.

  Any restaurant with good food is your favorite and especially when you’re not paying.

  True dat, laughed Ant.

  Okay why are we here?

  Let’s order first.

  Jack and Ant gave their selection to the waitress and waited for the bread, waters and ice teas to be delivered before Jack started the conversation with his concerns.

  Okay Jack what’s the big deal, why the good food and what’s Linda up to now?

  This is not about Linda, well not completely about Linda anyway. It’s
about us Ant.

  When was the last time you were home Ant?

  I can’t remember.

  Well in your mail box is a letter from the Office of Dean.

  We are being asked to interview and make a judgment on a student’s behavior.

  I don’t have time for that Jack. We are up to our eyeballs with experiments and finals at the lab.

  Yes you do, Jack argued.

  No I don’t, Ant countered.

  Yes you do Ant, and I’ll tell you why while you spread butter on your third sour dough roll.

  Okay let’s hear then, Ant said while chewing on a piece of buttered bread.

  Linda.

  The word Linda caught in Ant’s throat along with the bread he was swallowing. Jack had to pat Ant’s back to keep Ant from choking on his food.

  Ant cleared his mouth of any remaining morsels that always stay behind after chewing before he lashed out at Jack.

  Why! How! When!

  When Cassy and I were attacked, we, no I kept her out of the loop for fear she would not understand my intentions. Once again because of my neglect, Cassy went to the Student Board of Ethics. And once that happens…

  Ant finished the sentence for Jack. They have to investigate the allocations.

  What is Linda being charged with?

  Jack didn’t want to answer Ant question. Not because he didn’t know the answer, but because he knew they were all true.

  Well? Ant urged.

  Malicious endangerment.

  True, ant agreed

  Conduct unbecoming of a student.

  True.

  And removal of a harmful substance form the chemistry lab with intent to harm.

  Oh shit…I mean shoot.

  My man we have ourselves a problem.

  We are both on the board, if we tell the truth Linda is screwed, if we lie you and I are screwed. Okay Jack what’s your plan.

  Plan I have no plan. I’m panicking because Linda I believe is talking to her mirror again.

  What!

  She told me she has been talking to her mirror since she was a child. She also made a couple of slip ups with me in conversation. We got into an argument… no we didn’t. I started arguing with her because she thinks she did not get enough praise from us at the dinner she prepared. And by the way the entire meal was bought from Angelo’s.

  I knew that.

  You did?

  Sure, I’ve ordered the same meal when I want to impress a lady friend. Every student knows that.

  I didn’t

  That’s because you refused to date anyone.

  That’s not true.

  Yes it is, and I’ve been meaning to tell you Jack the Cassy have been telling her friends she doesn’t understand why you haven’t asked her out yet.

  She did?

  And all the girls tease her about you giving her free rides all the way across campus and back again. Jack everybody knows you like her. Why don’t you just ask her out?

  I thought we were talking about Linda.

  We were, but I don’t want her to ruin my dinner, Ant laughed

  I rather talk about Cassy, he teased Jack.

  Look Ant I’m in no position to date anyone. Besides I can’t take anyone dancing. I can’t go for slow walks in a park. I can’t… Jack trailed off his sentence thinking about sex. He had not been with a woman since his…

  Hey Jack, Jack come back to me man. Listen your slow walks in the park is on the Jack-Mobile slowly. Not speeding on campus because a student is running late for class. And as far as dancing, I was told once about this lady whose father taught her how to dance, the last several years of his life he was confine to a wheelchair. She took her father with his wheelchair to a lounge that played big band music, got a table next to the band, and placed him just at the edge of the dance floor.

  When his favorite tune A Train was played, she got out of her seat, turned her father wheelchair around on to the floor and said “dance with me daddy” the old man started to cry, but when his daughter grabbed his hand his feet started to tap to the beat like the old days when they use to dance together and the swing was on. He turned her this way and that, her smile was all he needed to know he had made his little girl happy one more time. The dancers on the floor stopped to watch the old man dancing with his daughter and his smile got bigger and so did hers. They dance the rest of the night on ever tune played.

  Several couples came to inquire of their dancing and ask him his name. He replied Albert, and she told the people he is called Jitterbug. The band leader announce that Albert was celebrating his seventy-eight birthday and is known to all as Jitterbug. It would be they’re pleasure sir if you would lead off the next dance. The old man tipped his favorite Stetson to the crowd and told his daughter “you ready baby”. Yeah daddy she said let’s show then how it’s done.

  Jack just because you’re in a wheelchair doesn’t mean you can’t dance.

  But…

  But my butt.

  What?

  You can’t continue through life trying to make everyone happy and not yourself. I want you to live Jack. Really live. And as far as sex is concerned, well you have to figure that out for yourself… make it an adventure. And speaking of adventures here comes our food.

  I hate you Ant.

  No you don’t.

  Yes I do.

  No you don’t. Ah, food.

  CHAPTER

  17

  Cassandra Phillips, was a knock out gorgeous African American with the smoothest black beautiful skin that was always compared to porcelain. Her hair was long shinny and black like her body. When men paid her a compliment and told her how beautiful she was, she got the biggest laughed from her admirers by saying I haven’t noticed. See Cassandra known by all of her friends and Professors as Cassy, was blind from birth, and never had a chance to see her outer beauty. So she made herself a promise if she was not beautiful on the outside she would make sure she was always beautiful on the inside. She knew how difficult it was for a person with a disability to be accepted into society. She also knew in order to be accepted you had to be sure of yourself. Educated and reliable. Having those qualities gained her a full scholarship to the university and a host of new and concerning friends.

  Not only was Cassy beautiful but she cared deeply for her fellowman and whenever given the chance it was proven over and over again.

  Jack like that about her, he had told her many times she had a million dollars smile and the personality to go with it.

  One of her girlfriends tried to explain to her what Jack looked like, but because she had no concept of what was or was not beautiful, the description was wasted on her. But what Cassy did know is that Jack had quietly stolen her heart and she didn’t know what to do about it.

  Cassy opt to share a larger dorm room with her best friend Pit in case of emergency and for safety. She needed her space because of her blindness and the special equipment she needed for the phone and class assignments.

  Patricia Maria Bianchi, full blooded Italian with both parents born in Italy and the owners of Jerry’s Italian restaurant, was nicknamed by Cassy as Pit because of her Pit Bull aggressive Italian personality. Pit was renowned for her attack on society injustice towards anyone or anything that was being neglected. When she confronted you in anger you would leave her presence thinking she had given you a complement instead of a chastisement. When she latches on to a cause she doesn’t let go of it until the offender has given her cause all that was required by law.

  Pit was studying law and Cassy with her own hit spot on Campus Radio every Friday evening at six-o-clock, was studying broadcasting and economics. Cassy’s hit radio show hosted all the Campus and town’s celebrities. The radio station even allowed Cassey to take ten minutes of calls from her listeners to her guest. Cassy was informative and witty and her listeners loved her. And the radio station tried to give her an additional slot but Cassy refused because it would interfere with her studies.

  Listen Cassy, Pit said
. Ask him to take you out. Tell him that if he doesn’t you going to tell the campus patrol officer he’s been speeding on the sidewalks.

  They already knows he speeds on the sidewalks, one of them gave Jack five dollars to get him to the office because he was running late for a meeting.

  Okay then tell him if he don’t take you out you will beat him down with this baseball bat, Pit held up their dorm room weapon.

  What? You want me to use violence?

  If that’s what it takes. Look the man likes you. Everybody can see it, even you can see it and you’re blind, Pit laughed.

  Let it rest Pit, I’ll deal with it another time.

  Okay but I wouldn’t wait too long, you know Anna Hicks have her eye on him, Pit teased while unfolding her covers on her bed.

  What! Anna Hicks. She weighs at least 200lbs and whenever Jack gives her a ride he has to use his spare bench together with the one he had already attached to the chair just to make sure it would hold her. The Jack-mobile strained all the way to her class I’m told.

  Pit and Cassy laughed at that scenario as Cassy climbed into bed for the evening. Pit watched and Cassy listen to the TV until they both fell off to sleep and the timer on the television turned itself off.

  The following day early, Ms. Eevan was able to reach Jack by phone before he left for class.

  Hello.

  Jack you are one man that’s hard to catch up to, you know that? Good morning.

  Good morning Ms. Eevan, did you have any luck with the Dean.

  Yes and no.

  I don’t like yes and no answers Ms. Eevan, they make me nervous.

  The Student Board of Ethics have to go through with the investigation of the charges against Linda. The school, you and Ant reputations are in jeopardy based on your testimonies.

  I see. Jack said solemnly.

  I’m afraid you don’t see. Ms. Eevan chastised Jack over the phone.

  Your grade average is well over 3.7 you are getting ready to be honored as the first African American from the inner-city to graduate as Summa Cum Laude. The highest honor a college graduate can get. You will have first pickings for any job you choose. As the Dean put it you would become a legend and so would the school. The news media will be all over this story and probably TV interviews, and your neighborhood, parents and all of your charities, that’s if you tell the truth. But if you lie my reputation is at stake and so is the school.