The Magical Solution

The Magical Solution

"Late again," Kate Moore growled as  Maria Connor, a 55 year-old single woman rushed to her desk. “You're late again, Maria."

“There was a traffic accident and…"

 “No excuses. Leave earlier,” she demanded.

"I was only a few minutes late," she said sounding as though she was on the verge of tears.

"You're always late. Minutes add up. We don’t pay you to be late,” she said angrily. You're a liability. I don't know why management tolerates you. If I had my way, you'd be gone," she growled and rushed off.”

Maria looked at her shaking hands. "She's making me a nervous wreck," she mumbled. What does that bitch have against me? She’s always picking at me, but what can I do?" her thoughts nagged at her. "I've looked for another job, but no matter how many applications I submit, I'm always turned down. Nobody is going to hire a book keeper my age,  but I have to do something," she thought. "If I don't, well, I don't know what I'm going to do. I can't afford to just quit. I'm stuck," she thought as tears came to her eyes.

Later that day, Kate Moore approached Maria. “You have two weeks coming to you.  Start your vacation next Monday?” she said and rushed off.

 “It will be wonderful getting away from her for two weeks,” Maria thought as she wiped her eyes.  When she got home, Maria phoned her travel agent to make arrangements. “Hi, Alice. I have two weeks’ vacation starting Monday. Any specials?”

“How about two weeks in New Orleans?”

“Sounds great."

“I’ll arrange everything. You’ll have a great time.”

 After getting settled in her hotel, she went to the front desk to get some advice. “Good morning, ma'am,  may I help you?" the desk clerk asked.

"Yes, what might a tourist enjoy seeing? Not the usual tourist sights, but life behind the New Orleans that tourists see?”

“Well, there are customs and rituals that that are practiced by many. Voodoo is popular, but there is a very special woman who claims to possess magical powers? Would you like to meet her?”

“That would be very exciting."

“Okay. I’ll write directions,” he said and wrote directions on a sheet of paper. “A taxi will take you to this address."

"Thank you," she said, left the hotel and took a taxi to the address. “According to the directions, this is the place," she said and knocked on the door. After a few moments, the door opened and an old woman wearing a long, black dress stared at Maria for several moments.

“Come in, Maria,” she said.

Shocked that she knew her name, she hesitated, but finally entered the house and looked around. The woman sat at a small table that had one other chair. There were black rugs on the floors and black rugs covered the walls.  Lighted candles were on a mantle and on six, small tables that that were placed around the room. “Come, Maria, sit, so we can talk,” and Maria went to the other  chair at  the table and sat.

"Ma'am, how did you know my name?"

The woman looked at Maria and she felt as though the woman was looking inside her.  "Maria, I have powers. Just trust me. Now, why have you come to see me?”

“Well, I wanted to meet someone like you, someone who has magical powers. Though I admit I'm skeptical, I mean…"

“I understand, Maria, believing in magic does not come easily, but if you trust me, you will discover the power of the magic that I can offer you.  You will have to trust me. Now, tell me, what do you want? Do you want a love potion? Do you want to put a curse on someone?”

“Well, now that you mention it, my supervisor at work is always on my back. I wish she would leave me alone. She's driving me crazy.  Can you use your magic to make her leave me alone?”

“Sometimes, a gift will soften the heart of person such as the woman you describe.”

“I never thought of that. A gift. Everyone likes to receive gifts, but suppose she doesn’t change? Suppose she still picks at me?”

“The gift I will give you to give to her will work two ways. She will become your friend, or, if she continues to bother you, the gift you have given her will ensure that she will stop bothering you. Excuse me for a moment," she said and went into a back room. After a few moments she returned with a small box.  She sat down, opened the box, and took out a necklace made of marble-size stones of different colors. There is magic in this gift. It will make your tormenter  your friend, or, if it doesn't soften her, the magic in this gift will guarantee that she will never bother you again," she said and put the necklace back in the box. "Here you are, Maria. Take the gift that will change your life."

Maria stood. “I pray that there is such a thing as magic and that this gift will do as you say. Thank you very much. Uh, how much do I owe you?”

“Nothing. What I give, though it is taken away from here, always returns to me.”

“Oh,” she said sounding confused. “Well, uh, thank you very much,” she said and left.

Maria returned to work two weeks later, and when she went to her desk, Kate was waiting. “Well, you’re on time. Congratulations,” she said sarcastically and turned to leave.

“Kate, wait. I have something for you,” she said and took the gift box from her purse. “I have a present for you,” she said smiling and handed her the box.”  

“A present for me? Well, that’s very nice of you,” she said and opened the box. “A necklace. It’s beautiful,” she said and slipped it over her head. “Thank you, Maria,” she said and walked away.

“Let’s see if she changes her attitude toward me.”

Two days later, Maria was caught in a traffic jam and arrived at work five minutes late. Kate, who was wearing the necklace, was waiting for her at her desk, “Late again, Maria. I’m docking you five minutes,” she snarled and rushed off. Maria looked at Kate with fire in her eyes and, as she did, the necklace became shorter and shorter until it became so tight that it became like a vice around Kate’s neck, and Kate, gasping for air, bounced from one cubicle wall to another as she tried to pull the necklace off, but was not able to get it off her neck, and she fell to the floor dead. Other workers ran to try to help her, but she couldn’t be revived. The police came, and people were questioned. They all said they saw her tugging at her throat as though she was being strangled, but there was no sign of anything that would have strangled her. Maria looked around Kate’s body but couldn’t find the necklace; it was gone.

"What happened to the necklace? How could it have disappeared? The police couldn't find it, so where did it go?" she said and thought for a few minutes. "The woman said that what she gives always returns to her. I guess someone else might need a magical necklace.”

The End