What's Behind the Looking Glass

Slim Bodine woke up with an incredible hang over. Getting to his feet was a major effort causing pain in every frontier of his brain. Evidence of his wild ruckus from the night before lay where he had discarded the items in his drunken rampage that included a boisterous acclamation of how his life sucked.

Slim knew as he approached his thirtieth fifth birthday, the only thing getting thinner was the hair on his head. Bessie, his girlfriend, had finally worked up the nerve to tell him that she was moving on. Everyone knew he was a loser. He could hear them whispering behind his back.

His ramshackle two room efficiency apartment was in complete disarray like a metaphor of his entire life. Owner of about twenty college credits at the local community college, Slim could not figure out what he would do with his degree if he ever managed to get it. Ambition had always been a problem for him. Most of his high school buddies had moved on to bigger and better things. Most of them had families with children and careers that led to an actual future.

He had been employed at Burger King for fifteen years. The manager was half his age and still had not graduated high school. He was given the late shift which he hated with his whole heart, but at least it barely paid the bills. His employment history before Burger King resembled a shattered mirror with the shards of broken glass lying haphazardly strewn about.

His real name was Brian Bodine, but over time due to his slender psyche, the people he associated with knew him as Slim. It was not a nickname that he particularly liked, but considering some of the alternatives, he was not about to complain. Whenever he complained, bad things seemed to happen to him. Sometimes he felt that a dark cloud hovered just above his head.

He looked in the bathroom mirror and let out a dry heave that came out as a harsh burb.

“Man, you look like shit.” A voice proclaimed.

“Who said that?” His head swung one hundred eighty degrees.

“Just an impartial observation.” The unidentified voice had a hint of sarcasm.

“Who are you?” Slim slurred his words.

“You are some piece of work.” The voice emphasized “work,” and seemed to be coming from the shelf opposite the toilet. Bessie had put it there when she moved in. “Over here.” The disembodied voice prompted him. Slim wrapped his hands around the handle of a hand-held mirror, another possession of Bessie’s that had been left behind after she departed.

When Slim looked into the mirror, it was not his face that showed in the reflection.

“Hey loser, my name is Wallace Minnifield.” The reflection replied.

“Do I know you?” Slim stared at the handsome face staring back at him.

“I doubt it. I was one of the passengers on the HMS Titanic. I was below deck with the other Irish lads and lasses trying to get to New York. As ya know, we didn’t quite make it.”

“Why are you in my mirror?” Slim’s hands were shaking, it could be the cheap vodka from the previous night or just a case of nervous anxiety.

“I needed some place to hang out as you Yanks say.” He chuckled. “Oh, and I must tell you because of my unique position, I can see into the future.”

“Are you pulling my leg?” Slim shook his head.

“Try me.” He said boldly without any trepidation.

“Alright, there is a football game with my team the New York Giants against the Philadelphia Eagles. Who wins?” Slim grins.

“You won’t like this, but the Eagles will win 34 to 7.” Wallace answered. “The game is televised in about fifteen minutes.”

“I know.” Slim inhaled deeply and closed his eyes. “Can you fix it so the Giants win.?”

“I could.” He nodded.

“What would it take?”

“For me to let the Giants win?” He pursed his lips, “Giants win.”

A gloomy day turned much brighter when the Giants won big over the Eagles. Slim danced around the small room cheering wildly. He picked up the mirror and looked at Wallace who was presenting a dazzling smile.

“Happy?” He asked Slim.

“As happy as I’ve been in the past five years.” He was giddy.

“When you have the power to see into the future, you hold the world in the palm of your hand.” Wallace stated very matter-of-factly.

It was true. With Wallace in the mirror, he held the power to run the world.

“Remember with this power, you must use it wisely.” Wallace put a finger to his chin.

So, it began. Slim would post notices on the bulletin boards in the cafes, bistros, and coffee houses. Bets were placed as the football season continued. Slim began to venture into collegian contests. In two weeks, he had become the latest celebrity in the village. Featured on TikTok, Slim would spread the word about the virtues of gambling and the money rolled in.

As his fame settled over the village like a fog, Slim was careful to keep Wallace hidden. No one could know he existed.

“Hey.” Wallace called Slim on a sunny afternoon as Slim stacked some of the bills on his coffee table.

“What?” Slim walked into the bathroom where he had hidden the mirror.

“I’m doing all the work and you’re getting all the fame. That does not seem fair to me.” Wallace complained.

“What do you want?” Slim shook his head and rolled his eyes.

“I want people to know what’s behind the looking glass.” Wallace shrugged.

“Looking glass?”

“Yeah, a mirror is a looking glass.”

“How so?”

“You look into the glass and see your reflection, right?” Wallace smiled, “Oh yeah, that’s right, when you look into this mirror, you don’t see your reflection, you see me.” He laughed which irritated Slim.

“If people knew you were the one behind the looking glass.” He paused, still unhinged about the reference to the looking glass, “I would be ruined.”

“Not necessarily.” Wallace wagged his finger at Slim. “If people found out who was really behind this enterprise, they would be amazed.”

“How so? They may also believe they’ve been conned.” Slim ran his hand through his greasy hair. “For the first time in my life, I have a nest egg and I’m not giving it up.”

“We can use other venues.” He reasoned, “We could go to open mic nights at the Comedy Store.”

“What for? Are you wanting to do stand-up comedy?” Slim shook his head.

“Why not? Diversify.”

“It’s a stupid idea.” Slim argued. “We have the power to see into the future.”

“I have the power to see into the future.” His voice was cutting, “This is why I am the man behind the looking glass. Don’t you forget it.”

Looking at Wallace’s face, Slim felt a surge of cold fear run through him. For the past three weeks, Slim had things going his way, but now Wallace wanted to get a piece of the action. No matter where Slim hid the mirror, Wallace would speak out, making people aware of his presence. Once Slim was found out, his lucrative enterprise would shatter like a piece of glass. But no matter, it was a fact that Wallace had the power to see into the future.

But he was not human. He was nothing more than a reflection of someone who died a long time ago. Ghosts need to find a place to haunt while they wait for final deliberation. Why was Wallace Minnifield given the power to see the future?

Time does not seem to exist in his dimension. If I keep playing this game, he will take over. He will control me.

“So, how are things going?” Bessie asks over a mocha.

“Pretty good, actually.” Slim nods. “You?”

“I found someone I can grow with.” She smiles.

“Good for you.” Slim smiles, but on his interior he is raging.

“How’s Burger King?”

“Oh, I quit that gig. I went into business for myself.” I sniffed.

“Wow, you did that?” She was shocked.

“Yup. Made a few hundred thousand.” He leans back in his chair.

“You are making this up.” She laughs.

“No, I can see into the future.” Slim puffs up his chest.

“You are such a liar.” She chuckles.

“I know that it seems rather far-fetched, but I can. That man over there will trip on the curb.” Slim points as the man missteps and nearly falls face-first.

“Lucky guess.” She shakes her head.

“That man nearly steps in front of a car when the light changes.” Slim points to a well dressed man with an umbrella.

Everything happens just like Slim has forecasted.

“You are creeping me out.” Her smile disappears

“It’s my new power.” Slim brags, “Do you want to know what you will talk about with Richard at dinner?”

“Wait, I never told you what his name was.” Her expression changes to one of alarm.

“You don’t have to.” Slim slowly shakes his head.

“I think I’d better go.” Bessie stands, grabbing her mocha, “Something has happened to you. Once you were kind and mellow, but I can see this power you claim to have has changed you. And not for the better.”

“You will think about me, Bess, even if you don’t want to.” Slim laughed as Bessie made a hasty exit from the coffee house. The man who tripped on the curb enters as she holds the door for him.

“So, tell me Slim, how was your day?” Wallace asked as Slim held the mirror.

“It was fine. I had coffee with Bessie.” He said to Wallace.

“Good. Are you getting back together?” Wallace smiles and raises his eyebrows.

“What do you think?”

“I do not see this happening.” He shakes his head.

“You are right.” Slim closed his eyes, “I kinda freaked her out with my new power.”

“People like it when someone can see into the future.” Wallace concluded. “You are better off without her anyway.”

“You may be right.” Slim swallowed hard, “We had some rough times lately.”

“See what I mean.” He nodded, “Before I got on that blasted ship, I lived near Dublin. I was a street urchin. I belonged to a gang of hooligans. When the judge pronounced sentencing, he told me I was going to be banished to the states. I guess they were tired of wasting so much money sending the forlorn to Australia. So, here I am. At your service.”

“I’m not so sure this is a good idea. Seeing the future.” Slim leaned against the only window in his apartment.

“Why not?” Wallace asked from the mirror Slim laid on the coffee table.

“There are some things you shouldn’t know.”

“Look at you.” Wallace’s voice was snipped, “You have money piled up on your table. More money than you ever dreamed of.”

“Yeah and it bothers my conscience.” He glanced at the table where he had piled the bills.

“You are one lucky man. When I came along you were nothing. Now look at you. If you wanted to own this stinking city, you could.” Wallace growled.

“I don’t think I want to own the city.” Slim put his face in his hands.

“Are you scared?”

“Yeah. Scared.” Slim bowed his head.

“Are you kidding me?” Wallace hissed, “You can’t quit on me now. I have lived in one prison or another all my life. I’ve been locked up in this looking glass for over a hundred years. Before that I spent time in a juvenile detention facility. They put me on an unsinkable ship that sank before I had a chance to make it from below deck with the rest of the convicts. We never had a chance. Some of us were shackled.”

“What do you want me to do?” Slim paused as Wallace got control of his emotions.

“If you were to shatter this looking glass prison, my spirit would be set free.” His voice was barely a whisper. “I could still help you see into the future. We could be one heck of a team.”

“I just don’t feel this whole thing is right.” Slim put on his jacket and knit hat.

“Right? Since when did you get dealt a good hand in this life?” Wallace inquired.

“I didn’t get any breaks.” Slim sighed.

“Like me? Growing up with ten other siblings. Finding out that no one really cares about all your woes.”

“Shut up.” Slim grumbled. “Shut up.”

“You can’t turn your back on who you are.” Wallace shot back.

Slim paused as he opened the door. His mind was a whirl with thoughts that did not seem to have any direction. He wanted to run away so he would not have to face painful decisions that always seemed to pin him to a display board for other people to gawk at. The label affixed to his place on the board never really told the whole story either.

He walked a block to his favorite coffee house and by coincidence, he saw Bessie sitting at a table with her laptop opened. He got his mocha and wandered over to the table she was sitting at.

“So, how are things going?” She asked without looking up at him.

“I’m doing alright.” He sat in the empty chair opposite her.

“You look like death.” She smirked.

“Thanks for the compliment.” He rolled his eyes.

“You want to the truth or do you want me to lie?” She cocked her head as she looked at him.

“Perhaps something in between would be nice.” He smiled.

“You look like a million dollars.” She crossed her arms over her chest, “All green and wrinkled.”

“Nice.” He sipped his mocha.

“Did you get rid of that horrible mirror?”

“Not yet.” He shook his head.

“Why not? That thing will get you in a lot of trouble.”

“It can see the future.” Slim bowed his head.

“And it can drag you into a world of trouble.” Bessie snapped, “You’ve got to get rid of that thing.”

“What should I do?” Slim blew some air through his nose.

“Garbage comes to mind.”

“There’s a person in that thing.”

“I know Wallace Minnifield. He introduced himself and it scared me so bad, I nearly dropped the mirror.” Bessie took a sip of her coffee, “If you hold on to that thing, you will regret it, Slim.”

“He’s helped me make lots of money.” Slim admitted.

“How?”

“Sports betting.” Slim answered.

“No, no, no, you have got to get rid of that thing.” Bessie twirled her hair with her finger. “One thing goes wrong and you’ll be in big trouble.”

“Why?”

“He is devious. He tried to talk me into doing things.” Bessie took a deep breath, “He is so persuasive. When you look into his eyes, he can talk you into just about anything.”

Slim thought it over. It was true when Wallace was talking directly to him, he would go into a trance and willingly do what Wallace was suggesting.

“I want my mirror back.” Bessie demanded.

“What are you going to do with it?” He asked.

“What I should’ve done in the first place.” Bessie stood up, “I’m going to your place and get that mirror. I will rid the world of him once and for all.”

In all the time he had lived with Bessie in their makeshift happiness, Slim knew that once she got it in her head to do something, she did it. He was hot on her heels as she reached his apartment.

“I’m not so sure this is a good idea.” He advised her, but it was too late.

“Hey there gorgeous.” Wallace smiled as she picked up the mirror. “It's been a long time since we last spoke.”

“And this will be the last time we speak to each other.” She opened the window.

“No, please, anything but that.” He begged as prepared to toss the mirror to the pavement from three stories up.

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the cleverest of them all. Me, that's who.” He laughed when Bessie threw the mirror out of the window. Slim heard the glass shatter when it made contact with the pavement below.

“I did it.” Bessie gasped.

“Yeah, you did.” Slim continued to survey the fate of the mirror. What he saw he could not describe. While the glass exploded on contact, Wallace Minnifield blended into the darkness and disappeared without a trace. Slim knew that Bessie had opened Pandora’s box so that Wallace Minnifield for the first time in a hundred years, was a free man.