Lollipop Lady
My story wasrelated to me by my former roommate Tim, some years ago. He wasvery young indeed when this happened to him...perhaps five or so.
When Tim was very young, one of his neighbors was an elderlyblack lady who delighted in giving him candy (haven't we all hada neighbor like that?), especially lollipops. As far as Tim wasconcerned, this lady's sole duty in life was to show up at hishouse on Sunday afternoons and give him sweets. He was still veryyoung when she passed away. He told me this was his firstexperience with death, his introduction to the concept. He wasn'tquite sure at the time if the adults really knew what they weretalking about, saying the old lady was never coming back to seehim. As far as he was concerned, her Sunday afternoon visits werean unalterable fact of life, as consistent as the sun coming upin the morning.
Still, the first Sunday after the old lady's funeral arrived, andas the grown ups had predicted, she did not visit. He went to bedthat night sad and confused, and a bit wiser to the ways of theworld. Still, he was very young; he had no trouble getting tosleep.
At some unknown time that night, Tim awoke. It was pitch dark andthe house was still and quiet. He had the odd feeling thatsomeone was waiting for him, some visitor. Being five, he did notquestion this feeling, but instead got up out of bed and wentdownstairs. Once downstairs, he saw a light on in the kitchen,and he followed it.
Opening the kitchen door, he found the room illuminated by somelow light, as if from a candle. The overhead was off. Sittingstock still in one of the kitchen chairs, was the old lady, thelady who hadn't come for a visit that afternoon. She looked olderthan ever; more gray than black, it seemed. Tim could see thather belly had an odd bulge to it, as if she were pregnant or somesuch. Her faded print dress was tight against it. Tim approachedthe old woman, and as he did so, she opened her eyes and lookeddown at him. Her wrinkled face smiled softly.
"Would you like some candy, sugar?" she said, speakingthe words slowly, as if it were somehow difficult for her. Herwithered hand stretched out, clutching a red lollipop. Inwonderment, Tim accepted it.
A moment later, Tim found himself standing in the darkenedkitchen. The old lady and the strange light were gone. His handwas clutched tightly, but no lollipop was to be found there.
When Tim completed his tale, he expressed some wonder at the oldwoman's belly. Why had it been so distended? I told him thatafter death, often a corpse's abdomen will bloat with intestinalgasses. Tim honestly had never known that.
Thanks for indulging me, guys...once again, this story is also atrue one. Perhaps Tim just found himself sleepwalking, I don'tknow. He says if it was a dream, it was the most remarkable andvivid dream he's ever had.