Adam's Ghost

"MASTER ADAM HUMPHREY? I want to talk to you," a voice said in the garage.

Adam looked around, and didn't see anyone. 

"Master Adam Humphrey, my name is Lord Baron Kelvin. I am trapped inside this mirror. I have been for over a thousand years. Look here, I need your help." 

Adam walked over, faced an image of an old man, with long hair and bushy eyebrows.

"Are you talking to me?" Adam asked.

"I am talking to you Master Adam," said the old man. "I need your help to get out of here, by four hundred years."

"What can I do? Are you even real?--you're some trick my mother is playing on me with the computer or something." Adam said.

"Trickster I'm not. I am a deceased Scottish Lord who was sentenced to this mirror by an archangel for my sin of trading my soul to the devil for greed."

"Show me you're real?" Adam said.

"If I produced your father and let you speak to him for a short time would that prove to you I'm real?"

"Produce him." Adam said.

"Not so fast Master Adam. That's not the way it works. First, I have to go get him."

"So, when do I get to talk to him?" Adam asked.

"Maybe tomorrow. Come. If I'm not here then the next day. Keep coming until I find your father and bring him here.  Meet me here at the witch's hour." 

"What time is that?"

"Three a.m."

* * *

"ADAM, TONIGHT WHEN you get home from school I will need your help unloading the trailer of antiques I bought at the estate sale yesterday," Char Humphrey said to her 5th-grade son. "The only thing I managed to bring in yesterday, so far is an old mirror."

"Whatever?" Adam said. "I know. I was talking to it in the garage yesterday."

She shook her head. "Whatever," his Mom said, with an incredulous stare.

"Adam, I packed your favorite sandwich today. Hurry up. You've got two minutes to make it out that door or you'll miss your bus."

"I'll be there," Adam said.

"Look at your brother Kam. He's ready. Waiting at the door. I don't have time to drive you to school. Go."

"Okay—," Adam paused, "Mom, when does trout season open?"

"The last Saturday in April dear. Now go to school."

"Mom? When is the last Saturday in April?"

"Not tomorrow, but next weekend. Now go."

Kam was Adam's third-grade little brother, "Come on Kam, let's make like a tree—" Adam said.

"I know— and leave—— Adam, that joke is so old."

* * *

THE HUMPHREYS LIVE off MI Historic Hwy. 23 between Au Gres and Tawas, Michigan, on the shores of Lake Huron, both popular summer tourist destinations. They run a seasonal antique business. The Humphrey family was down to three now after the boys' father, Char's husband, Elmer had passed from the COVID-19 virus last year on April the 10th, 2020. He was thirty-nine. This would be the first season without the boys' dad in the business.

April and May is always a scramble for the antique business buying inventory at estate sales for the arriving tourist season. 

After five hours at the estate auction Adam and his mother returned home and parked in the garage. "Mom, you bought a lot of antiques."

"Still need more," his Mom said.

"Mom, how do I get strong like Dad was?" 

"Adam, I was just thinking about that. You can start with trout season. I think it would be okay if you went on opening day by yourself. Would you like to do that?"

"Where Dad and I fished for lake trout?"

"You can walk down to the park at the Singing Bridge. Along with the other three hundred shoulder-to-shoulder fisherman, in the hogline, fish for lake trout."

"Dad's not here. You think? I miss dad."

"Honey we all do."

"He'd like that wouldn't he?" Adam asked.

"He would be so proud of you."

"Okay. I'll go," Adam said.

" You get Dad's fishing tackle box out and choose what you need," Adam's mom said, and went into the kitchen. Adam put his dad's tackle box on the bench and opened it and started to cry.

* * *

"SO, CORKY I went, just as the Lord asked me, at 3 a.m. Saturday, Sunday and last night but he never showed," Adam told his friend Tuesday at the lunch table in school. 

Corky Goulette's real name was Conly, which he hated, so everyone called him Corky. He was Adam's friend for the longest time— since they were in the first grade. "Are you going to try tonight too?" Corky asked, "maybe tonight is the night." 

After school on the bus ride home, Bob Booth, a sixth grader came up to Adam and said. "Humpty Humphrey sat on a wall, Humpty Humphrey didn't fall— you know why? 

The muscles in Adam's arms started to quiver. One of these days I'm just going to lay him out with a sucker punch. "Bob, leave me alone," Adam said. 

"I'll tell you why. Because humpty dumpty Humphrey had a magic mirror that had broken his fall. Ha ha ha ha," Bob laughed. "Get it Adam?"

Adam's breathing was getting faster, his insides now quivering too, his heart racing. How does he know? Adam turned around and looked at Corky, "You told him?" 

Corky looked straight at him, "It doesn't matter, you're nuts. You must have the COVID your father had." Corky then joined Bob laughing.

Then in unison Corky and Bob sang, "Humpty dumpty sat on a wall, then Adam Humphrey did not fall? His mirror stopped him from taking the fall," and they laughed and repeated it until Adam and Kam's bus stop, where they got off.

* * *

"MASTER ADAM ARE you there?" Lord Kelvin said from inside the mirror. 

No answer. 

"Master Adam? Are you there?" Lord Kelvin asked again.

"Yes. Finally," Adam said.

"Did you tell anyone about me?" Lord Kelvin asked.

"Yes. I told Corky Goulette about our plans. He told Bob Booth, a sixth grader."

"Master Adam, you must never again speak of this to anyone else ever again or it will ruin my power to get your father here."

"Do you have my father there?

"Adam is that you?" It was him, Adam recognized the voice.

"Dad?"

"Son, I have a little while— about trout season's opening day. You must go."

"I'll go. But Dad, I won't know what to do."

"Son, you fished with me since you were three years old. You've had your own rod for three years fishing on the hogline. You'll do great."

"Dad? Can't you go with me?"

"No son. Son, you need to carry on our family tradition. You need— " and then the images of his father and Lord Kelvin were gone.

Adam was left looking in the mirror only seeing his reflection. Adam yelled at the mirror for them, but nothing happened.

* * *

THE NEXT MORNING Kam asked Adam, "Will you walk me down to the Dollar Store in Au Gres tonight after school?"

"Kam, I can't. I hate that place. The checkout guy always makes it hard for me with comments. Besides after school tonight I've got to get my fishing tackle and gear figured out for Saturday— opening day of trout season. Ask Mom or Grams."

"Boys? You're time. You have two minutes to be out that door. Here's your lunch. Goodbye," and their mother bent down and kissed them each on the forehead. "Go."

When Adam got on the bus he didn't take his usual seat next to Corky. Instead, Adam went to the back of the bus and sat in the last row by an empty seat. I don't want to confront Corky's new BFF so early.

***

THE NEXT MORNING when 3 a.m. came around Adam looked at his clock and rolled over. It wasn't until 4 a.m. when he finally went to sleep.

Kam asked Adam again, "Adam, I want you to take me to the Dollar Store. I want to buy Mom her birthday present. I saved up. I can't go myself. Mom won't let me cross the highway alone,"

"No. Sorry Kam. I can't do it. I told you."

"Why?" Kam asked.

"I told you."

Kam shrugged his shoulders and looked down at the floor. "What are you giving Mom for her birthday?".

"We're making beeswax candles in art. I'm giving  her six."

"We're not doing anything like that in art. We're just playing with water colors," Kam said.

"Handmade gifts are the best. Make her a watercolor painting. She'd love that. Make her something," Adam said, "but I'm not going to the Dollar Store with you.".

"Boys? Two minutes. Out that door," their mother said, raising her voice a little more than usual.

They boarded the bus. Bob Booth stopped Adam in the aisle and said, "Humpty Humphrey, did you sit on the wall last night and talk to your mirror?"

"No I didn't. When 3 a.m. came around I just rolled over and went to sleep. Forget it Bob. I just made that up.

* * *

ELMER HUMPHREY APPEARED in front of Lord Kelvin and asked, "I thought you were arranging another talk with my son last night?"

"I showed but he never did."

"What is with this 3 a.m. thing anyways? The boy's tired," Adam's father asked. 

"Talk to him tonight if he comes in the garage after school. If you get him, come and find me," Elmer said. He hurried off talking to himself, "I'm about out of time."

        * * *

ADAM GOT HOME from school and went to the mirror. "Hello? Lord Baron Kelvin? Are you there?"

"Yes. Adam. I have someone here who wants to talk to you," Lord Kelvin said.

"Adam?-- It's your dad. Listen? This weekend is the opening day. Are you going? 

"I am—— Dad what do I use?— " and the mirror went blank. The image and his voice were gone.

"Dad?" Adam cried, "I need your help. It's tomorrow morning," but there was no answer.

* * *

THE ALARM WENT off at 3:30 a.m. and Adam woke. He found his mother in the kitchen and made breakfast. 

"Opening day of trout season is tradition. I'm here to help you get started, like I did for your father," his mother said. 

Adam walked north up U.S. 23 to the Singing Bridge and arrived to fish just after daybreak. He went around to the south side of the river and took a spot. At six a.m. the fishermen started casting their lures into the river. 

"Listen kid," a tall, grizzly looking man said to him, "this is for men. Get out of here." It was Bob Booth's father. "Spots on the river aren't for the likes of children."

Adam faked a yawn, looking at the old man. Adam's chest tightened and his stomach churned. I should just push the big oaf in the river. He showed his contempt for being told to move by doing it very slowly, Adam picked up his pack, pole and rod holder.

He walked over the bridge and down to the park side. Now facing Lake Huron, began to cast his lure. By noon, nothing. He gave up, and went home.

Arriving home he went straight for the mirror and called, "Hey? Lord kelvin? Lord Baron Kelvin?"

The Lord appeared in the mirror. "Lord, you said you needed my help. What do you need?''

"I need to show the archangel that I helped someone, and I've chosen you and your father. That way I can apply for a reduced sentence."

"Okay, I'll go along. Please. Go get my father."

* * *

"ADAM, IT IS your dad. How did the opening day go?" 

"Terrible. I got pushed off the hogline on the mouth of the river by Bob Booth's old-man. Then spent the morning casting the blue-rooster-tail lure, not in the river, but into Lake Huron from the park. But no strikes."

"Ok. I got it. So, here's tomorrow's plan," his father said. "You go back and find that spot I used. Use the yellow-rooster-tail lure. Blue is only good for cloudy days and just before dark."

"Solve the old-man problem by being creative. Don't go in there thinking you have to battle. Think of something. Problems solved are better by being creative."

Adams' heart rate picked up. I'll be creative alright. I'll push the old dude in the river. "Okay Dad," Adam said, "I'll come up with something creative." 

"Next, I want you to take the pliers and put a bend in the yellow lure's shaft. Next cut off one side of the feathers. 

"Ok."

"Then tie a piece of yarn, about an inch long, above the weight but just below the eye. There's some in my tackle box. That way when the lure goes through the water it will look like a wounded minnow, flopping. It'll be out of balance."

"Ok? How long?"

"About an inch sticking out after the knot."

"Now son, after you cast, reel the lure in and then stop, that lets it sink, then start with a little jerk, then very slowly reel. Then repeat that process. 

"Why? Why do I do that?" Adam asked.

"Think about making your lure look like a wounded minnow. The strike will be on the uptake. Set the hook. Then lessen the drag because he'll want to use his power. Let him run. When you're at your limit, then play the fish, remember, keep the rod tip up. The rod takes the energy," and his father disappeared from the mirror.

"I'm sorry son, your dad's time was up,'' Lord Kelvin said. "It's probably too late, but if I can catch a friend of mine, I'll have him there to help you with that bully in the morning," and the mirror returned to only reflecting Adam in it.

* * *

WHEN THE ALARM went off Adam was already awake and dressed. No mother this morning. He made a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich, and headed for his spot. 

"Hey, what did I say yesterday?" old man Booth yelled at Adam.

"Look Mr. Booth. You don't want to do that?"

"Why not?

"It's bad luck. I'll bring you luck? You didn't catch anything yesterday did you?"

"No." 

"Well I'll bring you some luck. Today will be different. That's what I'm known for, magic and luck."

The old man stared at Adam. Then his angry evil-eye started to soften. Finally he smiled. "Ok kid."

"Adam hooked up his special yellow lure and made the first cast. He let it sink, gave it a little jerk, and then started reeling it in. Then he paused and let it sink again— and the fish struck. Adam's rod now nearly bent in half.

"Adam set the hook. Fish on," old-man Booth yelled.

This is the first day of making my mark. Adam loosened the drag and the fish started to run. Down the river towards Lake Huron. Off stripped the line as Adam ran down the bank, stepping over and around others towards the lake. 

Finally, Adam could go no farther. This is where your run stops. It is time for the battle. He tightened down the drag. At last, he stopped the running of the lake trout.

The monster fish was breaking water, fighting to get away. Adam was very patient. There wasn't a word being spoken on either side of the river. Everyone was watching the kid. It was quiet. 

Eventually after a half an hour fight, Adam brought the fish up with the plan to grab and drag him on shore. Just then an old man with a very big net stepped in the water. "Bring him in son," he said, "that's it. Little more. There," and he pulled up and the fish was in the net. The fishermen on both sides let out a cheer of relief.

* * *

THE FISH WEIGHED fourteen pounds and six ounces and was twenty-nine inches long. Adam posed holding his fish for pictures for almost an hour.

Within minutes he was the current season's record holder for the biggest lake trout. iPhones were out and he was posing for pictures being posted all over the internet. He had become a celebrity in a morning, with one lure, one fight and one fish. 

"Kid you can fish next to me anytime," Mr. Booth said to him. His son, Bob, was there now and asked if he could hold it and have his picture taken. Be creative. Adam agreed. Then Bob's picture holding the fish was posted on his Facebook page, but the caption read caught by Adam Humphrey. 

* * *

MR. BOOTH GAVE Adam a ride home. His mother had seen the pictures on Facebook, but now she and Kam could see the fish in person. Adam went into the garage and right to the front of the mirror.

"Lord Kelvin? Are you there?"

"I am. Is my father there?"

"No. I'm sorry his mirror time is up."

"I handled the bully myself. I didn't see your friend there to help me."

"Yes you did," Lord Kelvin said.

"Who was that?"

"I sent the guy over to net your fish."

"Oh that was him. You're the best. Now go and tell the archangel you helped me. He'll reduce your sentence," Adam said.

"But wait, I want to talk," Lord Kelvin said.

"Sorry Lord. I've got to find my little brother and take him to the Dollar Store."

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