It was my brother who first discovered the chink in the Wall that led us to Beatrice Showalter Hess. On this particular summer day, Brian was lolling on his bike, trying to figure out the best way to lob rocks into old lady Bensing's koi pond. Old lady Bensing taught Home Economics at the High School. She wore her close cropped locks in a comb-over. That + her slight mustache made her look like Hitler.
Brian wasn't thinking of Hitler. He was worried about getting caught. See, Miss Bensing lived directly behind the Fire Hall, and in those days, someone was always "on duty." That somebody was usually Timmy Spots, the village idiot. Timmy was ok–just a bit touched, and anyway, Brian had a soft spot for him. They played checkers a lot, and Timmy was often invited to our house for dinner. B knew that Timmy would never rat him out but the thought of giving his friend pause; made Brian weak in the knees. And so he lolled. Tooled about on his bike, itching for mischief. Until; something happened. Something wonderful.
Afterwards Bre( shorthand for Brian) was so quiet that our Mama packed him off to bed without supper. Usually he was talky as a jay bird, so right off Patsy( aka Mama) knew that something was off. Later Bre crawled into my bed and the adventure began.
Now peeps with dirty minds can put that nasty shit off–right now. My brother and I were friends, compatriots, compadres; nothing more. We often slept together. The better to share secrets. Besides, when this story began, we were eight and ten years old, respectively. That night Brian was full of beans–and excited. He tried to tell me about the Wall. I didn't believe him.
A day later the doorbell rang. Patsy answered, her hands and hair caked with flour. In those days Mama seemed–wind blown. Perpetually sideswiped by life. Yes. Indeedy.
A person stood at the door. A dark, perfectly unswept person. A Beatrice Showalter Hess to be exact. She palmed Patsy her card. Her smile was oblique. "Tell the boy I teach piano." And then__she was gone.
The very next day my brother was gone as well. Gone. But where? Behind The Wall? With Bea?? Even the G-men couldn't figure it out. Eventually they left, and Brian?? Well. Brian just became another face on a milk carton. Gone forever.
Mama died the following spring.
And me?? I lit out for parts unknown.
