Witch Ball

by Adele Elliott

  When I came out of my room, Mom said, "Are you sure that is what you want to wear?"

  I grabbed my purse, and she said nothing else.

  Memorial Funeral Home has an entrance foyer with lots of pseudo-Victorian furniture lining the walls and floral wallpaper. The smell of flowers is suffocating. Everyone in there, including the staff, whispers all the time.

  We stopped to sign the guest book outside the room. I was disappointed to see that Grandpa had her listed only as Florenz Thomas. He should have included "Fleur" on the little placard outside of the room.

  I went into the low-lit space and saw the arrangement I had so lovingly designed draped across a plain brown coffin.

  Inside was a man I had never seen. He was bald, dressed in a dark suit, with a white shirt and a gray tie.

  I turned to my parents. "MOM! THEY HAVE AUNT FLEUR'S FLOWERS ON THE WRONG COFFIN!"

  Mom and Dad peered into the coffin, obviously confused. Grandpa was sitting alone on a settee off to one side.

  "Grandpa," I screamed, "how could this happen? Where is my aunt? You must fix this terrible mistake."

  "There ain't no mistake, little lady. Look closely."

  "Oh, no," Mom said, and grabbed me. She must have thought I was going to faint.

  I stared at the old man lying against the satin lining, but I just couldn't understand.

  "Hyrum," Dad said. "We are closing this coffin!" He slammed it shut. The roses and ribbons vibrated.

  Mom was weeping softly. "Daddy, how could you do this?"

  "'So God created man in His own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.' That is written in Genesis!" He folded his arms after he said this, and added, "It don't say nothin' about men acting like women. Men an' women only, nothin' else was created by God!" Then he said, "My brother will meet his maker as he was created."

  I can't tell you much about that evening. Only a few people came: Trillian and Algonquin, Pat Adams, and two or three kids from Heritage. Some of Mom and Dad's friends came by to pay their respects; his poker buddies, her office mates, a couple of people from the church. No one stayed very long. As I predicted, everyone wore somber colors.

  Dad stood by the coffin most of the evening, as if he were guarding it. He must have thought Grandpa would try to open it again. Once, Grandpa went to him and said, "Don't fret, Tommy, I'm not gonna mess with it. It's between him an' his Savior from here on."

  Next morning, we had a short service in the funeral home. Grandpa brought in a Baptist minister to conduct the prayers and recite some generic eulogy.

  Fleur would have hated it. She never even went to church. I sat quietly, and didn't complain. This was my grandfather's show. At least he was considerate enough not to drag Clementine to the funeral.

  We buried Aunt Fleur in Friendship Cemetery, very near Grandma Belle. Almost no one came to the graveside. I saw a man standing alone, several rows back. It may have been Judge Sanders, but I'm not sure.

  I promised to visit her often and bring tea and spread sparkly things over her.

  I used some of my inheritance to buy a pink, marble headstone with flowers carved all around the sides. It was engraved with the name Fleur Thomas, 1945 -2015, and the quote,

  "There be none of Beauty's daughters

  With a magic like Thee"

  EPILOGUE—THREE YEARS LATER

  Gertrude (Truly) Moore graduated from Heritage High School. She now attends Mississippi University for Women, where she is majoring in library science, with the goal of becoming a children's librarian. She and Jimmy-James live in an apartment off-campus. They have a big picture window facing the school's front gate. It is filled with Witch Balls that sparkle in the sunlight. Truly has a cottage business designing personalized Witch Balls for other students. She volunteers at the Columbus Public Library during summer break. Truly goes out with friends from school, but has not met her prince.

  Kay and Tommy Moore divorced soon after Truly graduated from high school. They continue to live together in the same house where they raised their daughter. They have separate bedrooms; neither has yet begun to date. Kay is attending evening classes in education at the "W." She and Truly often meet for coffee and reminisce about Aunt Fleur.

  Tommy took an early retirement from City Hall so that he could devote time to his work as a CASA volunteer. He created a "man cave" in the basement where he lives and writes. Last year, he sold two short stories to E-zines, and one joke to David Letterman. He has not yet started writing a screenplay.

  Eric Alexander dropped out of college and left Columbus more than two years ago. He has begun to retrace the path of the runaway slaves as laid out in the song "Follow The Drinking Gourd."

  John (Johnny D.) Daigle served only six months for the murder of Russell Lewis. He still lives in Columbus, and is, for the most part, a recluse.

  Hyrum and Clementine visit Friendship Cemetery where they put flowers on the graves of Ruby, Belle, and Fleur. On many summer evenings they are seen walking together next to the Tombigbee riverbank. They have never found a two-headed snake, although they fear that they might someday encounter one.

  Sue Ellen Russell maintains that she knew nothing about her husband's secret life, although many people believe that she was an enabler for a pedophile. She is often seen around Columbus, always accompanied by Roxanne.

  The house on 3rd Street North has been on the market since Coach Russell's death. Locals are not at all interested in it. People new to the area sometimes view it, but never make a bid. They say it is too cold, and doesn't feel comfortable. It is now listed with a third realtor, at a reduced price.

  Fred Perkins was re-elected Mayor of Columbus. Karloss and Kordell continue to get into trouble, but are never convicted of anything.

  Mother Goose remains the most beloved person in Columbus, Mississippi.

  The murder of Michael-Ray was never solved.

  FOLLOW THE DRINKING GOURD

  VERSE 1

  (This verse suggests escaping in the spring, and heading North to

  freedom.)

  When the sun come back, (Days are getting longer)

  When the fir' quail call, (Breeding season for Quail is early

  To mid-April, when they are calling

  to each other.)

  The time is come

  Foller the drinkin' gourd (Gourds were used as a water

  dipper. This is used in the song as a

  code name for the Big Dipper formed

  by Polaris, the Pole Star, indicating

  North.)

  CHORUS

  Foller the drinkin' gou'd, ("Ole man" is nautical slang for

  Foller the drinkin' gou'd; "Captain", or "Commanding

  For the ole man say Officer." The Underground

  "Foller the drinkin' gou'd." Railroad operative Peg Leg Joe

  was formerly a sailor. He was

  one of many "conductors".

  VERSE 2

  The riva's bank am a very good road, ( Describes how to follow the route,

  from Mobile, Alabama north.

  The dead trees show the way, The first river in the song is the

  Tombigbee, which empties into

  Mobile Bay. Its headwaters extend

  into northeastern Mississippi and

  runs right next to Columbus,

  Mississippi)

  Lef' foot, peg foot goin' on, (Joe marked trees and other

  landmarks "with charcoal or

  mud of the outline of a human

  left foot and a round spot in

  place of the right foot."

  Foller the drinkin' gourd

  CHORUS

  VERSE 3 (Describes the route through

  northeastern Mississippi and

  into Tennessee.)

  The riva ends a-tween two hills, (The headwaters of the

  Tombigbee River end near

  Woodall Mountain, the high

  point in Mississippi the

  mountain Has a
twin cone

  profile)

  Foller the drinkin' gou'd;

  'Nuther riva on the other side

  Follers the drinkin' gou'd. (The river on the other side of

  the hills is the Tennessee,

  which extends outward in an

  arc above Woodall Mountain,

  and proceeds north to the

  Ohio river border with

  Illinois.)

  CHORUS

  VERSE 4 (Describes the end of the

  route, in Paducah, Kentucky)

  Wha the little riva (The Tennessee and Ohio

  Meet the grea' big un rivers come together in,

  Paducah, KY)

  The ole man waits—

  Foller the drinkin' gou'd. (Runaways would be met on

  the banks of the Ohio by a

  "conductor", sometimes the

  old sailor.

  Acknowledgments

  Witch Ball materialized with much help and some extraordinary magic. I am grateful to so many people who contributed to this incarnation of the novel.

  Kelly Huddleston and David Ross at Open Books devoted tons of time and expertise to making the book better. A million thanks!

  My writing buddy and dear friend, John Dorroh, inspired me with his enthusiasm and passion for the written word. I love you, J. D.!

  My generous neighbors and precious friends, Jyl Miller Barefield, Dr. Greg Nayden, and Betty Egger Miller, kept me alive with garden-fresh vegetables, free medical care and prescriptions. They are the reason that Columbus, Mississippi is called "The Friendly City."

  The most important thanks go to my darling husband, Chris Hannon, who has stood by me through natural disaster and major illness, and is a wonderful father to our four-legged children. He has made my life enchanting.

  The characters in "Witch Ball" are all fictitious, with one exception. Mother Goose is a real person. I am the president of her fan club, and adore her enormously!

  Acknowledgments

  Witch Ball materialized with much help and some extraordinary magic. I am grateful to so many people who contributed to this incarnation of the novel.

  Kelly Huddleston and David Ross at Open Books devoted tons of time and expertise to making the book better. A million thanks!

  My writing buddy and dear friend, John Dorroh, inspired me with his enthusiasm and passion for the written word. I love you, J. D.!

  My generous neighbors and precious friends, Jyl Miller Barefield, Dr. Greg Nayden, and Betty Egger Miller, kept me alive with garden-fresh vegetables, free medical care and prescriptions. They are the reason that Columbus, Mississippi is called "The Friendly City."

  The most important thanks go to my darling husband, Chris Hannon, who has stood by me through natural disaster and major illness, and is a wonderful father to our four-legged children. He has made my life enchanting.

  The characters in "Witch Ball" are all fictitious, with one exception. Mother Goose is a real person. I am the president of her fan club, and adore her enormously!