THE GHOSTLY CHRONICLES

by D T Yarbrough

  "She can't tell you. That's classified," Harvey replied. "She's still mad that I let it slip that she was the guardian of both of you."

  "Jack, you're getting a parking ticket," Rita said. "You should have put money in the meter."

  Jack honked his horn and surprised the meter maid. She immediately walked around to his side of the car with a stern look on her face. This soon turned to a wide grin. "Jack, I haven't seen you since junior prom. How's Linda?" she asked.

  "She passed away about seven years ago. How have you been, Cindy Lou?" Jack asked.

  "Fine. Can't complain. I thought I saw you guys talking to someone in the back seat. What's going on, Jack?" she asked.

  "It's a long story and I'm sort of in a hurry. Are you going to give me a ticket? I was just leaving," Jack said.

  "Well, in that case, and since it's you, I'll let it go this time," she said.

  "Tell the guys at the precinct that I said hi," Jack said as he drove away.

  "Where did you see her last?" Jack asked Harvey.

  "In her apartment, late last night," Harvey replied.

  "Which way to the apartment?" Jack asked.

  With Harvey's instructions, Jack drove quickly to the apartment. "Can you get us in?" Jack asked.

  "Sure, I know where she hides her keys," Harvey said.

  As they entered the apartment, Jack could hear pups barking, but they weren't barking at them. They were clawing at one of the bedroom doors. "Is the body in there?" Jack asked.

  Harvey sadly nodded. "Rita, call the police and report a death. I'll feed the pups and try to calm them down," Jack said. "We need to get out of here before the police arrive. It would be to hard to explain how we discovered the body."

  "She loved those collie pups. She called them Laddie and Lassie. They were her babies," Harvey said.

  "Let's go. We need to get there before dark," Jack said.

  "Where are we going?" Rita asked.

  "To find our ghost," Jack said.

  "As they left the city limits, Rita turned to Jack and said," Jack, you know ghosts don't travel this far without a good reason. What are you up to?"

  "I'm going to give her a good reason," Jack replied.

  Jack turned into a gravel driveway and drove up to a farmhouse. "Who lives here?" Rita asked.

  "Cindy Lou's parents. They were very close to my parents when I was a kid," Jack said.

  A lady in her early sixties came out on the front porch as Jack and Rita got out of the car. "Jack ... Jack Weston ... Is that really you. The last time I saw you, you had that cast on your arm from falling out of the old oak tree. Come here and give me a hug," she said.

  "I saw Cindy Lou today. She's almost as pretty as you are," Jack said.

  "Oh... Jack, you always were a smooth talker."

  "I've got a big favor to ask of you. I can give you some money to help with the costs," Jack said.

  "Honey, whatever it is, you know I'll be glad to help," she said.

  "I can still remember the two collies you had when I was growing up," Jack said.

  "Prince and Lady. Those will always be my favorites," she said.

  "Rita ... Open the back door," Jack yelled.

  As the collie pups jumped out of the car and began running wildly through the yard, her eyes lit up. "Oh, Jack. You shouldn't have. How can I ever repay you?" she said.

  "Just love them. They need a good home. This will make someone extremely happy," Jack said.

  "Do you mind if I show Rita the old oak tree?" Jack asked as he looked back at the car. The ghost and Harvey were walking down the gravel drive away from the house. Jack motioned to Rita and headed towards the back of the house. "Well, here it is. The old oak tree where I broke my arm as a kid."

  "Very nice Jack, but why did you want to show it to me? Jack ... what are you doing?"

  "I'm carving our names in the tree," Jack said.

  "Let me see," said Rita. Rita read what Jack had carved. "Jack loves Rita."

  "That's so sweet, Jack," she said. Then she continued to read "Jack loves Betty Sue ... Jack loves Cindy Lou .. Jack loves Linda ."

  "Well, I guess I'll have to be your last girlfriend ... for the sake of this tree," Rita said. "You're going to kill it if you keep carving on it."

  Jack pinned Rita against the tree and kissed her like he had kissed the others before her, but somehow he knew this was not just puppy love.

  I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW

  "Park here, Jack. I think she's stopped," said Rita.

  They had been following this ghost for several minutes, and she seemed to be headed somewhere in particular, not just roaming aimlessly. The ghost was that of a high school aged girl. She seemed to have reached her destination and was watching a baseball game. Jack parked in the parking lot area just behind the bleachers.

  The ghost was behind a wire fence near first base. Jack and Rita watched for a few minutes from under the bleachers. "Wait here while I try to approach her," said Jack.

  As Jack approached the ghost, it turned and looked in his direction. Suddenly a look of fright appeared on the face of the ghost. The ghost pointed slightly to the right of Jack. Jack started to turn to see what had frightened the ghost when the lights went out.

  "Jack ... Jack ... are you all right?" Rita said as Jack opened his eyes.

  "Did anybody get the license number of the truck?" Jack asked.

  "You were hit by a foul ball, Jack," said Rita.

  "Where is the ghost? Do you see her?" Jack asked.

  "She's right here, Jack. I think she tried to warn you," said Rita.

  "Right here. I don't see her. Where is she?" Jack repeated.

  "You're looking right at her, Jack," replied Rita.

  "I can't see the ghost," Jack moaned.

  "He's in shock, he's delusional. Better get him to a hospital," said someone in the crowd that had gathered.

  With the help of a couple of young men, Rita got Jack into the car and headed for the hospital. Jack's eye was severely swollen and was turning black and blue by the time they reached the emergency room. "Can you walk, Jack?" asked Rita.

  "I'm telling you I'm fine. As soon as the swelling goes down, my vision will be fine," Jack insisted. "The same thing happened to me as a kid."

  "That explains a lot," said Rita, "but since we're all ready here, it won't hurt to have you checked out. Can you walk or should I get a wheelchair?"

  "I think I can walk. Just let me put my arm around you," Jack said.

  Rita waited for well over an hour and finally asked the nurse what was taking so long? "He was moved to the O.R. an hour ago. If you prefer, there is a waiting room on the 5th floor near the Operating Room," the nurse said.

  Rita went up to the 5th floor and waited again. Finally a doctor entered and asked,"Anyone here with Jack Weston?"

  Rita stood up and asked, "How is he? Is he going to be okay? Can I see him? Is he ..."

  "Whoa ... one question at a time," the doctor said. "He's fine. The operation went well and he's completely out of danger. There's a 50/50 chance that he will fully recover his sight. He's resting comfortably in room 507. You can see him for a few minutes, but he needs his rest. That was a long and grueling operation so he's still lightly sedated."

  Rita went to room 507 and the door was open. A nurse was taking Jack's pulse and temperature. Rita sat down in the chair beside the bed and waited for the nurse to leave. "How are you feeling, Jack?" Rita asked. "Can I get you anything?"

  "I'm scared, Rita," Jack said.

  "The doctor says you're completely out of danger," said Rita.

  "No. I'm scared of not ever being able to see ghosts again. If I can't see ghosts then I would be of no use to you. I'd just be in the way," Jack said.

  "No use to me! Jack, I love you," said Rita.

  "What we do, or what you will do is bigger than the two of us. Promise me you'll find someone else that can help you," Jack said.

  "I never knew that I needed anyone till I met you. You're going to be f
ine, now stop talking like that," Rita said.

  "I'm sorry, visiting hours are over until 9:00 A.M. tomorrow," said the nurse.

  Rita returned at 9:00 A.M. and entered Jack's room. "Where is he?" Rita asked a nurse.

  "He checked himself out about two hours ago. Just paid the bill and left," the nurse said.

  Rita went by Jack's apartment and used her key to get in. Jack was nowhere to be found. Rita sat down on the sofa and cried.

  ...............................

  One week later, Jack had just made a beautiful cast and began reeling in the lure. A huge trout took the bait. Jack set the hook and began reeling in the fish. As he got it ashore he screamed,"Oh yeah, who's the best fisherman on earth? God I miss Rita and the way she would bust my chops every time I got a little too arrogant," Jack thought as he set the fish free. Like Mac Davis said in a song ,"Oh Lord, it's hard to be humble."

  Jack picked up his rod and tackle box and turned to head back to the cabin. "I thought I'd find you here?" said Rita. "Where did he go?"

  "Where did who go?" asked Jack.

  "The greatest fisherman in the world. I heard you talking to him while I was back at the cabin."

  "He's probably on the other side of the lake, by now," said Jack.

  "And he took all of his fish with him, I see," said Rita.

  "Yeah ... I probably should have gotten some lessons from him," Jack said. "It's not nearly as hard to be humble around someone as perfect as Rita," Jack thought.

  "What are you doing here?" Jack asked. "You've got more important things to do than to come up here checking on me."

  "I've known where you were since you left the hospital, and I was perfectly willing to give you all the time you needed to get your head on straight, but I need your help, Jack," Rita said. "You remember that ghost at the baseball park?"

  "Is she here?" Jack asked.

  "Standing beside me," Rita replied.

  "I told you I would be of no use to you. I can't see ghosts," Jack said.

  "That not the only thing you're good for. Do you still have that scuba gear?" Rita asked.

  "It's in storage, along with everything else from my apartment," Jack replied.

  "We've got to go back to town anyway. How soon can you leave?" Rita asked.

  "What's this all about?" Jack asked. "Does this have to do with the ghost's unfinished business?"

  "Yes, Jack. Just come on up to the car and I'll explain on the way to town," Rita said.

  "Okay, what do you want me to do?" Jack asked as Rita pulled out of the driveway.

  "Find an engagement ring at the bottom of a lake," Rita replied.

  "How did it get to be at the bottom of the lake?" Jack asked.

  "She threw it there during an argument with her boyfriend," Rita replied.

  "Well, they're not going to get married now, so why does she need it?" Jack asked.

  "They were in an accident driving home that night because they were still arguing. She was killed," Rita said. "Her boyfriend blames himself. He's gone back to that lake every day after school, until sundown, trying to find that ring. She wants him to know that she doesn't blame him and that he should go on with his life. The ring will make him believe us."

  Rita drove to the lake. "This is the lake where we saw the spirit of the boy that was in a coma," Jack said. "You expect me to find that little ring in this big lake?"

  "The ghost knows exactly where it is. She'll tell me and I'll guide you," Rita said.

  Jack put on his wet suit, scuba gear, and goggles and entered the water. "Swim straight out till I tell you to stop," said Rita.

  "Okay, Jack. That's far enough, now about three feet to your left. That's it. It should be directly below you," Rita said.

  After about ten minutes Jack came walking back toward shore. He walked straight up to the ghost, who was also in the water, and showed her the ring. "Is this the one?" he asked.

  "Jack! You can see her. You can see ghosts," Rita yelled.

  A surprised look came upon Jack's face as he realized Rita was right. He lifted the goggles and the ghost disappeared. He lowered the goggles and the ghost was back. "Do you realize what this means, Rita? With the right contact lens, we're back in business, partner," Jack said.

  Rita ran into the water and threw her arms around Jack, and they both wound up sitting in three feet of water. "Don't you ever scare me like that again, Jack. I thought I'd lost you," said Rita.

  "You only misplaced me for a while, Rita. You'll never lose me," Jack said as he kissed her trembling lips that were already turning blue. "Let's get you inside the car before you catch pneumonia. This water is freezing."

  "I hadn't nnnnnoticed," Rita replied, her teeth chattering.

  Jack started the engine and turned on the heater. "We'll just wait here until the boyfriend appears," said Jack. "Is that warm enough for you?"

  "The ghost is pointing at someone, Jack," Rita said. "Is that your boyfriend?" The ghost nodded.

  "Do you see who that is?" Jack asked Rita.

  "It's the boy that was in a coma," Rita said.

  "Now we know why he tried to overdose," Jack said. "He blames himself for her death."

  "Well, at least it will be easy to convince him that we can see ghosts," said Rita.

  SAYONARA

  "This isn't working," said Rita. "She doesn't understand English, and I don't understand Japanese."

  "Well, we can't just get anyone to translate. We need someone who speaks Japanese and sees ghosts," said Jack.

  "We don't know anyone else who sees ghosts, or speaks Japanese as far as that goes," said Rita.

  "Well, we've got to find someone, or we're not going to be able to help her," said Jack, "and we've never given up before. Let's go on-line and see what we can find."

  "This looks promising," said Rita. "A convention in Las Vegas this weekend. These guys claim to see ghosts, and they all ride Harleys."

  "How many Japanese Hells Angels have you met?" said Jack.

  "Have you got a better idea?" said Rita. "Even if we don't find someone who speaks Japanese, it would be worth the trip if we met anyone that might be helpful to us in the future."

  "Okay. Vegas it is," said Jack. "Are we taking her with us?"

  "Yeah. We can't just leave her here. Beside, she'd probably follow us anyway," Rita said. "She hasn't left our side since she realized we could see her."

  ...................................

  Saturday morning Jack and Rita were in the lobby of the convention center. "Here it is," said Jack. "The Honorary Organization of Ghost Seers. Here's a picture of the group with their Harleys. I'll bet they call themselves HOGS."