The Pandora Effect

by Olivia Darnell

  “I wondered about that myself,” Louis said and started on another box. More people were beginning to filter into the streets. Several passed by Louis and Tyler, spoke briefly and moved on. “Mrs. Perkins over at the library? She said that he comes over there pretty often. In fact, he’s been there sometimes more than once in the same day. Says he checks out the limit. Five books a day. Sometimes brings them back and checks out five more in the same day. He must be copying them or else he can’t find what he’s lookin’ for. Says he checks out everything from children’s books to medical references.”

  “Yeah?” Tyler shifted in the chair and nodded to two ladies who stopped to admire a used toaster. “Ain’t that confidential information?”

  “What? Library records ain’t confidential!” Louis quipped as he pulled his chair over a bit and sat down next to Tyler. He laid a cigar box on the ice chest between them. “’Sides I’m a po-lice man.”

  “Well, I just wonder where he really spent the night and that’s gotta be confidential, don’t you think?” Tyler said and stared off in the distance. He was just curious. It didn’t hurt to be curious, did it?

  “Well, he didn’t tell me much. Just that he slept in a bed. At the motel. Says he don’t remember much.”

  Tyler sat up suddenly and then grabbed his side. “I remember something!” He said and then gasped in pain. “I remember a car pullin’ up to the side of the road out there and I heard somebody callin’ his name. A woman.”

  “Did you get a look at her or the car?” Louis squinted at him in the bright sunlight.

  “Nope. It was too dark.” Tyler shook his head.

  “So he spends the night with another woman, gets his clothes cleaned among other things and comes boppin’ in like nothin’ happened,” Louis mused. “You gotta hand it to ’im.”

  They sat in silence for a while. Several potential customers came by and Louis got up to press the flesh, politic a bit and sold two rachets. He returned the money to the cigar box and looked up at the apartment. It was almost time for the grand opening set for ten o’clock.

  “Look here, Tyler.” He handed the cigar box over to his friend. “Watch this for me. I’m goin’ back up there. See if Mr. Aliger is in a better frame of mind. Maybe recovered his memory a bit if she ain’t killed him by now.”

  Louis hitched up his pants, smoothed back his hair and headed for the stairs.

  Maureen Fitzgerald put her Audi in park and got out to glare at the driver of the Lincoln that had pulled in directly behind her. She reached into the back seat and took out a bag of groceries and then stood with one hand on her hip, her face set in a furious frown as she waited for Sam Morris to get out of his car. He had followed her all the way home from the grocery store, honking his horn and flashing his lights.

  “Maureen,” he said as he started toward her and she turned away from him to hurry through the garage to the kitchen door. She had no intention of making a scene in the driveway.

  “Go away, Sam!” She told him as she fumbled with the key to the door. He used his own key to her house and unlocked the door for her in spite of her warnings.

  She pushed past him and went to deposit the bag on the counter.

  He followed her inside.

  “At least talk to me,” he said in a conciliatory tone.

  “About what?” She asked as she began to unpack the bag and put away the items in the refrigerator and cabinets.

  “About us,” he said. “You didn’t even give me a chance to say anything the other day. I don’t understand what has happened to us.”

  “Nothing except that I’ve decided to go on with my life and stop waiting for you to do something,” she told him. “I simply moved out like I moved in five years ago. This time though I have much higher hopes.”

  “What do you mean ‘higher hopes’?” He asked trying to catch her arms, but she shook him off. “We’ve always been happy.”

  “You mean you’ve always been happy,” she said. “You’ve always done everything you possibly could to make you happy and have been quite successful. I used to have the foolish notion that you cared enough to marry me someday. To start a family. Your idea of love and my idea of love are not even close to similar. So I have high hopes of finding someone else who at least shares my interests and appreciates me. Someone romantic and sensitive. Someone who knows how to treat a lady.”

  “Oh, really?” Sam was devastated. “Maureen, you know I love you.” He caught hold of her wrist and she jerked away from him angrily. “My God! I thought you knew how I felt about you.”

  “My point exactly,” Maureen told him and went to the breakfast nook where she began cleaning up from breakfast.

  “Marriage is just a piece of paper, you know,” he said plaintively. “I didn’t know it meant that much to you.”

  “That’s another good point.” She picked up Perry’s plate and raked the uneaten eggs into her plate. “You hardly know what I think at all. You take everything for granted.”

  “If marriage is your goal...” Sam stopped to watch as she put the orange juice glasses on the two plates and carried them to the kitchen. He fell silent and then leaned against the counter, crossing his arms across his chest. “If marriage is your goal, then I would suggest you look for someone who is at least free to marry you. You don’t think he will divorce his wife and marry you, do you? My God, Maureen! He’s a millionaire! He has a beautiful wife. Think about it. How many Maureens do you think he’s known?”

  “Very few,” she told him and smiled wickedly at him. “In fact, I’m quite sure I am the only Maureen he’s ever known.”

  “You know what I mean!” Sam set his jaw stubbornly. “Did he spend the night here? That’s a stupid question! If he ate breakfast with you and he was missing all night then the answer is fairly obvious.”

  “But Sam!” She smiled at him. “Divorce is only a piece of paper. Why wouldn’t he want to marry me? Am I not good enough for him? Am I not good enough for you? You’re almost a millionaire yourself. Is money all you ever think of?”

  “Is he still here?” Sam asked, took a step backwards and peered back down the hall.

  “And what if he is? Do you want to punch him in the nose again? He let you do it once. I doubt he will stand for it again,” she said and continued to smile, but her eyes belied her anger. “But no. He’s gone. Today is his grand opening. Remember?”

  “Does his precious wife know about this?” Sam asked her.

  “You’d have to ask her,” she told him and began to put the dishes in the dishwasher. “I personally don’t care. She treats him very badly.”

  “Oh, I see,” Sam nodded. “You fell for that line.”

  “It’s not a line,” she told him smugly. “I happen to know a lot more about him than you might think.”

  “You’re making a big mistake, Maureen.” Sam frowned. He seemed truly hurt by her words. “He’s just playing you... for a fool.”

  “I don’t think so,” Maureen objected and stopped to look at him. She was beyond caring what Sam thought of her anymore. “He says the most wonderful things. Things you wouldn’t ever understand. He’s not like you at all. He’s... he’s... innocent.”

  “Innocent!” Sam almost shouted at her. “I intend to find out just how innocent he is. There’s no such thing as an innocent millionaire! The man has investments all over the international market! He’s probably hob-nobbed with some pretty powerful people in half the capitols of the world. How can you say he’s innocent? That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. I think he’s hiding something or hiding from something or someone. I don’t intend to let him just waltz into my town and take over.”

  “You’re judging him by yourself,” she said calmly. “How do you know he didn’t just inherit his money like you did?”

  Sam took a step toward her and she drew back. She knew she had stepped on hallowed ground. This time she actually thought he would hit her and Perry was not there to stop him.

  “What are you
going to do, Sam?” She asked. “Start punching everyone who makes you mad?”

  He stopped and stared at her.

  “Go home, Sam,” she told him quietly not wanting to provoke him further.

  “I will,” he told her. “But you haven’t seen the end of this yet. I won’t give you up that easily.”

  Sam left her and she let go a long sigh. Her knees were shaking. She hoped against hope that Sam would not go after Perry again. Especially not now. Maureen sat down on one of the stools at the bar and buried her face on her arm. She knew that she would probably never have the chance to tell Perry anything again. It was not likely that he would take her up on her invitation to come back and see her. She felt totally alone and lost. She hoped that Perry would not be hurt again on her account. It just wouldn’t be right.

  Tyler’s first customer after Louis left was his Aunt Mary accompanied by a beaming Paula Anne. Tyler smiled at her even though it hurt. His aunt eyed his lip and frowned at him. He didn’t care. The sight of Paula Anne in such high spirits made him feel like the character she had described for him earlier. The knight in shining armor. The college football semi-hero with the broken toe. But this time it was a split lip and cracked ribs. The remedy had been the same and the effects had been the same as he remembered. Temporarily wonderful. He hoped for another treatment before the day was over.

  “Mr. Shopkeeper!” Paula Anne called in a little-girl voice and pretended to look around for someone else. “How much for the rubber chicken?” She held up an ugly rubber chicken someone had donated to Louis’ cause. Tyler tried hard not to laugh. His aunt had come around to inspect his injuries.

  “Don’t try to hide it!” She warned him and leaned to look closely at his lip. He grinned as best he could to show her his teeth and she nodded. “That’s what I wanted to see,” she told him and shook her head before going off to inspect some old cake plates.

  Paula Anne came around the tables to plant a kiss on his nose and slapped his arm with the horrible chicken. “Don’t you try to cheat me, you blood sucker!” She told him and perched on his knee.

  “Louis has everything marked,” he told her. “But if you buy that chicken, I’m sleeping in the doghouse.”

  “Oh, no you’re not,” she leaned to whisper in his ear and then tossed the chicken on the table and almost sat in his lap.

  “Paula Anne,” he said through his teeth. “People are looking at us and you are killing my ribs.”

  “Oh, sorry...” She got up and went to straighten the mess the chicken’s landing had made. Two women approached that she knew and they struck up a lively conversation. Tyler hadn’t seen her in such fine form in years. She sold two plates and a crystal ring box for Louis and came back to deposit the money in his shirt pocket. “There you go big boy. Next time, you do a little better and I’ll give you more money.”

  “Paula Anne...” He looked at her in surprise. “You’re looking well today Mrs. Campos.” He nodded to an elderly woman who was gazing at them from a few feet away.

  “Tyler. Paula Anne,” the woman nodded to them.

  “Where did Louis get these little boxes?” Aunt Mary asked and turned back to look at him, holding up one of the Pandora Boxes.

  Paula left Tyler to go look at one of the other boxes. “These are great, Tyler,” she said and looked back at him and held up one with a lotus blossom on top, inlaid in mother-of-pearl.

  “Louis called them Pandora Boxes,” he told them. Paula opened the box and took out the little paper and pencil. “He got ’em from Mr. Aliger. He said you gotta write something you don’t want on the paper and put it in the box and it’ll go away.”

  “Really?” Paula asked as she examined the little scroll of paper. “Just like that?” She snapped her fingers in front of her face.

  “Well, it’s just a fancy little box,” Tyler told her. “He said you got to keep it so that nobody can open it.”

  “Why?” Aunt Mary asked him.

  “Cause if someone opens it, whatever is in there will get passed on to them,” Tyler finished the story. “Like Pandora’s Box.”

  “I don’t know if I like that,” Aunt Mary muttered as she looked at the box she held in her hand and her brow wrinkled above her glasses.

  “Oh, well, it’s just a story,” Tyler smiled slightly. “It would be nice if you really could do that, huh? You want one of those red fruit bowls, baby? I’ll buy one for you.” He turned his attention to Paula Anne who had picked up a ruby red bowl to look at the sticker on the bottom.

  “I don’t think so.” She put the bowl down. “You’ll have to do better than that. I want this little box.” She picked up some seagull wind chimes made of seashells. “And these.” She brought the two items to Tyler. “Hold onto them for me.” She tucked them under his chair. “And don’t forget to pay for them.”

  She laughed and blew him a kiss before taking Aunt Mary’s arm to lead her off down the street. She still held the little box.

  “Hey!” Tyler pushed himself up and hobbled after them. “Do you want me to hold that for you, Aunt Mary?” He looked at the box.

  “Oh, my!” She looked down at the box and laughed. “I almost got away with it.”

  She handed him the box. “No, I don’t think so.” She looked up and down the street and then leaned to whisper to him. “Tyler, I want you to drink plenty of fluids and don’t stay out in this heat too long. Take some aspirin for those ribs.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he said and then hobbled to the table where he returned the box and sat down again carefully. He watched them go off down the sidewalk toward a booth sporting handmade quilts. The pace his aunt set surprised him. He doubted he would have been able to keep up with her in his present condition and he ruefully regretted that he couldn’t begin to keep up with Paula Anne in her present condition. He wondered what was keeping Louis Parks as three more ladies and two men converged on the booth.

  “Perhaps if you start at the beginning and go through the entire event, you can remember what happened,” Louis told Perry. He stood leaning against the counter drinking a cup of coffee from a yellow, smiley-faced mug.

  “All right,” Perry said resignedly and closed his eyes. He felt much better but had been sorely disappointed to see Louis Parks again so soon. Angelica leaned against the far cabinet looking out the window. “I was crossing Pine Knot Creek. Two cars came at me side by side. I stopped my car and slid sideways. Billy Johnson hit me. I tried to help Tyler and Mike get him out of the truck. The truck went over the side of the bridge into the water. I jumped over and pulled Billy out. I then climbed up the side of the road to the highway. Someone stopped to help me. I don’t remember who it was. I woke up... at the motel. I caught a ride with a truck driver and came home.”

  “Are you sure you don’t remember who gave you the ride to the motel?” Louis asked again.

  “Actually, I thought it was Angelica,” he said and she turned to frown at him.

  “You know,” he continued thoughtfully. “It is so very strange. All these physical traits and metaphysical traits combined and interconnected. Such a confused web of emotions. I was unable to discern what was real and what was imagination. It is a wonder there are not more insane people in the world. The brain is capable of so many things. I hardly knew that it was capable of deceiving itself. The very idea is appalling..." his voice trailed off and he turned to speak to his wife. "Think of it, Angelica! You are one being, one person. You have one brain. And you exist within that brain for as long as you inhabit the body. If your brain should fail to perceive the world as it really is, then you would not be aware of it. You would never know what is real and what is fantasy. For the moment, fantasy becomes reality!”

  Angelica came to sit on the stool next to him and looked at him curiously.

  “Go on,” she told him.

  Louis looked at them in disbelief. It seemed that they had forgotten he was there entirely. He felt as if he was witnessing some very private exchange and had the distinct feeling t
hat he should not be there.

  “As I was saying,” Perry continued. He looked only at Angelica now. “I thought you were there. But you weren’t. It was someone else. I found myself waking up in a strange bed this morning. And if I didn’t know now that it was not you, I would have still believed it to be true.”

  “Did this... person stay at the motel with you?” Louis asked in spite of his bad feelings.

  “No!” Angelica and Perry answered simultaneously.

  “Of course not,” Perry said more calmly. It was the truth. No one had stayed at a motel with him.

  “I see.” Louis looked doubtful.

  “Mr. Parks.” Angelica turned her smile on him and he thought his coffee cup would melt in his grip. “I believe that nothing has changed. He really can’t tell you more. We have to get downstairs to the shop. It’s almost time to hang out the open sign. You need to get back to your booth. Tyler is in pain.”

  “Oh, yeah,” Louis said and set down the cup. “Thanks for the coffee.”

  Louis Parks returned to his booth to find Mike Padgett sitting on an upended milk crate next to Tyler. His swollen nose was covered by a wide bandage. His sunglasses could not hide his black eyes.

  “Boy, howdy!” Louis shook his head at the sight of Mike. “I thought Carla had you on bed rest.”

  “She does,” Mike told him. “But she had to go to work. You know I can’t stay cooped up in the house.”

  “How’s business?” Louis glanced around at the people milling about the streets.

  “Pretty fair,” Tyler said as he shook the cigar box at him. “The little boxes are getting a lot of attention. The red glass is quite popular this season and Michael’s fabulous planter birds are the talk of the town.” Tyler put on his mock British accent for them.

  “Jolly good,” Louis said and sat down. “I’ve got more stuff in the truck.”

  The crowd was growing. They were having a great turnout. The High School Cheerleaders were in the center of the intersection giving an impromptu pep rally. A small crowd had gathered to clap and cheer with them.