Present Past

Present Past

by

Edward Hamilton

PING!

    As soon as he heard the sound from his pocket, he felt annoyance wash over him. He pulled the phone from his pocket. A couple of swipes and a security code later, he saw the text.

Dad! The limited-edition Christmas red Rainbow Troll doll is available ONLY at Toys-a-Lot at 5pm on Dec 24th. I hope you can get it for me. Love you.

    He groaned as he stared at the text. This time of year was not a slow time for his work. He was going to get off on Dec 24th at 4pm, have the 25th off, then be back to work the 26th at 6 a.m. The thought of getting off at 4pm and then driving 60 miles to the nearest Toys-a-Lot, for a chance, at getting a collectible Rainbow Troll. Well, made him already feel tired. He replied.

No promises Abby. You know how busy I am this time of year. What else do you want for Christmas just in case?

    He sat at his desk staring at the screen on his phone. Seconds rolled into minutes. Four minutes later her reply came through. Finally, her text came through.

I'll be happy with whatever I get.

    Richie felt horrible. He loved his kid but she would understand someday that "love isn't measured in dollars or trinkets". He put his phone away and headed home. He left the building and was walking across the parking lot towards his beat up SUV when his pocket muffled another alert.

Ping!

    He closed the fifty feet to his Durango and got into the drivers seat, before pulling out his phone and checking his message.

She is killing me with this troll!!!

    It was his ex-wife Trish. He smiled at the text. He couldn't imagine what she's going through, about this Troll, if he's frustrated 20 miles away and not in the same house. He answered.

I feel ya

    He turned on the engine and watched the phone waiting. Soon her response came through.

EVERY day with this Rainbow Troll...grrr

    He chuckled again while he typed.

Your kid. Lol. Jk. On my way home. Text later.

    He put his phone away and took off. Twenty minutes later, he arrived at his small bachelor apartment. He was about to leave the truck when he noticed a brown paper wrapped package sitting in front of his door.

    "I didn't order anything." He said to himself. He marched the fifteen feet to his door and snatched up the package on his way inside. He tossed the package onto his recliner and removed his boots and coat. After a microwaved dinner, he went to his recliner. He picked up the package and plopped down. Immediately, the stress of the day started easing away.

    Richie turned on the light beside his chair and started inspecting the mystery package.

    "Mavis Turner is not me, Fred." Fred was his mailman. "Right address. Wrong person." Then Rich paused in his muttering. The post date was Dec 15, 1988. "Wrong decade too. Fred your killing me." He put the box on the table beside the lamp and was soon asleep.

    The next morning Richie was on his way out the door when he saw Fred the mailman a couple houses away. Richie went back inside and retrieved the parcel from his nightstand. He closed the door behind him and waved at Fred.

    "Hey Fred." He shouted. The older mailman looked around before spying Richie walking towards him. Rich had a package in his hand waving it. The two walked toward each other until they were in speaking distance.

    "Mail going out?" Fred inquired.

    "Nope. Post office made a mistake. Not me. Wrong decade." Richie said laughing. The old man examined the package.

    "Ole Mavis Turner." He said with a smile. He handed the package back. "Its yours. Enjoy."

    "It's mine? No. It says Mavis Turner." Richie argued.

    "Yes it does." Countered Fred, "but she doesn't live here. The package is over twenty years old so it now belongs to the person residing at the address. You." With that, Fred turned and started walking away.

    "What am I supposed to do with it?" Rich exclaimed.

    "Keep it. Trash it. I don't care." Fred never even turned around to answer.

    Richie walked to his SUV and tossed the package on his passenger seat. He turned over the engine and was on his way to work.

    The drive to work went quick since his mind was stuck on this mystery package. He pecked the name Mavis Turner on his keyboard. The computer returned 165,342 results. Richie typed Mavis Turner and Williamsport, OH. The computer returned 67 results. He slowly started scrolling through them. His heart started to get heavy as result after result wasn't the Mavis he was looking for. Finally, he found it. ‘Mavis Turner celebrates 84th birthday’. Her previous address was the same as his present address. She was now in an assisted living home. After a couple apps and a half dozen pages, he found the assisted living home was less than five miles from where he worked. He leaned back thinking how surprised Mavis would be to get this package on Christmas Eve. It could make the old birds year. Richie's thoughts were interrupted.

Ping!

    He took a quick glance at the message.

Today at 5 Daddy. Just wanted to remind you. Love you.

   Rich sent an emoji back. The smiley face with hearts around it.

    It took Richie no time after work to find the assisted living home. He walked in and the helpful receptionist told him Mavis was in the Rec room. He walked into the room and there was close to two dozen men and women doing everything from playing cards to watching tv. Richie noticed a younger man in all white standing against the wall.

    "Excuse me. I’m looking for Mavis Turner." Richie whispered. The nurse pointed toward an African American woman thumbing through a magazine. She sat alone at a table. Richie thanked the nurse with a nod and walked over to stand across from Mavis.

    "Mavis Turner?" Richie asked quietly.

    "Huh." Mavis looked Richie up and down. "Do I know you Sonny?" She asked. Her voice was feeble and weak.

    "No ma'am. Would you mind if I sat? I have a story for you."

    "Go right ahead. Been awhile since I heard a good story." She returned. Richie took a seat and placed the package on the table. He recounted getting the mail, his conversation with Fred and how he found her.

    "..and so here I am to deliver you this package that's been looking for you for nearly 34 years." He slid the package to her.

    "Hope it's not fruitcake." She chuckled as her arthritic fingers weakly scratched at the package.

    "May I help Mavis?" Richie asked politely.

    "Call me Grandma Mavis and Yes you may." She pushed the package back. The old tape gave away easily. Beneath the brown paper was a folded note and cardboard box. He handed the note to Mavis while he opened the box. Mavis' fingers slowly unfolded the note. She held it close to her face as she looked down her nose and read. Richie slid the open box back in front of her as she read.

    "Oh my." She laid the note down. Her eyes welled with tears. Soon they ran down her wrinkled face.

    "Grandma Mavis. Is everything alright? What is it?" He grasps her right hand between both of his as she produced a tissue out of her bosom with the left hand. She tapped at the tears on her cheek.

    "It's from my late husband Arthur." She laughed a little through the tears. "It was my Christmas present in 1988. It was our last Christmas together. He passed away in the spring of '89"

    "Do you wanna see what it is?" Richie asked. He hoped she said yes so he could see.

    "I know what it is. We fought about whether he forgot, or it got lost in the mail like he claimed." She was done crying. She still shook. He could tell it was a very fragile subject. "You see, Arthur and I were the first interracial couple in Williamsport. In the 80's, we dealt with a lot of looks and rude comments. I always told Arthur, one of these days I'm going to sit in my own home, sipping tea and reading a book, and I want that book to have the fanciest bookmark in it. So anytime I feel low, I can look at that bookmark and know we did good with our lives." She nodded her head and pointed at the box. Richie slowly unfolded the box. He pulled out a hand full of shredded newspaper. Underneath the newspaper was a brown bookmark with gold foil edging and Mavis spelled in the same gold foil down the middle. The tassel on the bookmark was long, nearly eight inches. It was gold and made of soft silk.

    "Wow" It was all Richie could say.

    "Arthur knew about diamonds and doughnuts." She said lovingly as she looked towards the ceiling.

    "Diamonds and doughnuts?" Richie asked.

    "If someone wants a doughnut and you spend thousands of dollars for a diamond, the diamond is just a rock to them. If someone wants a diamond, and you get them a doughnut, it is nothing but a pastry. The right gift for someone is the right gift. It doesn't matter what it costs you in money, time or effort. It's what it matters to them to receive it." Mavis looked deep into Richie’s eyes. "Do you understand my boy?"

    Richie leaned across the table and kissed the old lady on the cheek.

    "Grandma Mavis I love ya but I gotta go." He had a big smile on his face and a light in his eyes.

    Richie ran from the home. He sprinted across the parking lot. He fired up his Durango and the big engine roared as it drove down the road. Fifty-two miles later he pulled into Toys-a-Lot. Richie glanced at his phone. 6:10pm. He drove like a drunken madman around the parking lot trying to find a parking spot. He finally admitted defeat and parked at the end. Richie jumped out and raced across the parking lot, dodging shopper after shopper, like a professional running back. He made it into the store and slowed to a fast walk.

    His neck craned looking down each aisle as he passed them. He saw trucks, toy guns, frisbees, footballs, action figures. He stopped suddenly, almost knocking over a small, bearded gentleman. He was about to apologize, when he saw the words Rainbow Troll at the end of the main aisle. He pushed past the talking little man. The nearer he got the more he could see. It was a display in the center of the aisle. He walked faster. Twenty steps away he could see there were two trolls left. Ten steps, a large lady grabbed one and put it in her nearly overflowing cart. Five steps and only a little bald man was in his way. Richie tapped the man on his left shoulder then passed the confused man on the right. Three steps and Richie knew he was going to be best dad in the world. His heart raced with excitement. Two steps and he saw a young dark-skinned lady pick up the last troll.

    Richie's heart broke. He stared at the woman looking at the troll. She looked undecided.

    "Are you going to buy that?" He asked. Rich could feel sweat running down the sides of his face. The pretty lady looked at him puzzled.

    "Dunno yet. Are you ok?" She asked.

    "You dunno?" He squealed. Then took a breath to regain his composure. He could see the dark-skinned lady was shocked by his tone. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry".

    "Are you one of them crazy collectors?"

    "No. I need that for a present." He thought for a second. "Listen. The troll is $19.99. I'll give you fifty bucks cash." He reached for his wallet.

    "For who?" The she questioned.

    "What?" He heard her. He was trying to get time to decide if telling her it was for his daughter was smart or not. There was money on the line.

    "Who's the troll for?" She asked again smiling.

    "I'll give you one hundred dollars." Richie stammered

    Her smile faded. "No. I'll buy it for my son to put on his shelf. It might be worth something someday." She turned and started walking away. Richie stood shocked watching his Christmas miracle walk away through a crowd of consumers. Step by step, farther and farther, until finally.

    "It's for my daughter that I love with all my heart, and I'll give you everything in my wallet for that troll!" He said it louder than he thought. A dozen people stopped and looked at him. The dark-skinned woman stopped. He could hear his heartbeat pounding in his ears waiting for her to do something. She turned and walked back to him.

    "Here ya go." She smiled.

    "God bless you." He reached for his wallet. "I'm going to keep twenty dollars to pay for the doll but the rest is.."

    "No need." She cut him off mid-sentence. "It's Christmas. Have a happy holiday."

    Richie grabbed the unsuspecting woman and hugged her. He took the troll and ran to the checkout. The woman watched him stand in line like a kid needing to pee. Right foot, left foot, right foot. She laughed at the sight. She felt good helping him have a good Christmas. She couldn't take her eyes off him until he tucked the troll under his arm and disappeared out the door. She got in her purse and took out her phone. She pushed a couple buttons and put it to her ear. Her dark eyes looked around while she waited for an answer.

    "Hey. Grandma Mavis, you’re not going to believe what just happened to me.."