Me and Charley

3. Sorrow

I found myself sitting at the end of the dock with my legs folded under me, in warm pleasant daylight. Grandpa and Grandma walked slowly away, on the surface of the water. I tried to stand but could not. I called out to them but Grandpa just turned and waved as they kept walking. As they reached the far side of the lake they disappeared in a tremendous flash of light, and everything went pitch black. My eyes were wide open but I could not see a thing, nothing. I began hollering for Mom at the top of my voice, choking with sobs as I drew each breath. I heard my bedroom door open and the light switch click, but still saw nothing. I heard Mom's voice say, "Trey, what in the world...?" I perceived her weight on the mattress in front of me and felt around me. I realized in bewilderment that I was in bed.

"Mom," I gasped. "I can't see. I can't see anything."

"Well, open your eyes, silly," she said.

"Mom, they are open."

"No, they're not. Trey, wake up. You're having a nightmare." Her hands gently shook my shoulders. Slowly I began to perceive light falling on my eyelids. I opened my eyes and winced at the brightness of the ceiling light. I crawled into Mom's lap and tucked my head into her shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Oh, Trey, you're soaked in sweat, and you've wet yourself. Oh, my poor baby," she said as she held me tight. For once I didn't mind that.

I finally cried myself out and sat up on the bed beside her. As I often did, I shut my eyes again, rather than deal with the fuzzy forms they produced without my glasses. I said, "Mom, it was so scary." I described the whole event to her as she gently stroked my back. I begged her, "Please, Mom, call Grandpa and see if they're all right."

"Honey, it's 2:30 in the morning, I can't call them now. I'm sure your grandfather would call if anything bad was happening. Now, get out some pajamas and go take a shower, and put those clothes in the hamper. I'll pull the bedclothes off and put them in the laundry and tomorrow we'll air out the mattress. You'll have to sleep in the other bed tonight. I need to change too, but I'll tuck in you in before you turn the light out."

"Oh, gosh, Mom, I'm sorry." I had never wet the bed since I was out of diapers, and now I'd peed my shorts besides.

"It's all right, son. There's nothing you could have done. Just go clean up now."

When I came out of the bathroom I smelled cocoa. Mom called from downstairs, "Trey, we're too worked up to sleep right now. Let's have a cup of hot cocoa."

"Coming, Mom," I called back. I fetched my glasses and put them on. Everything came into focus just as it should. As I entered the kitchen Mom was just pouring her special super smooth vanilla-laced cocoa into a pair of large mugs. "Sit down, son," she said as she set the rich- smelling brew before me. She sat across from me as she always did and asked, "Feeling better now?"

"Yes'm," I replied. The shower and clean pajamas had done a lot to calm me. "I'm sorry I scared you so."

"Honey, we can't help what happens in our sleep. But I think we should get you some help in dealing with the things that scare you so."

"What kind of help, Mom?"

"I know of a psychotherapist in the city who they say has helped a lot of children."

I sounded out the unfamiliar word as I asked, "Sye-ko-ther-a-pist? What's that?"

"It's a doctor who helps people overcome their fears and strange behaviors."

"Am I behaving strangely, Mom?"

"No, honey, but after what's happened it's clear you've got some really bad fears going."