Walking out of This World

Twenty Eight

The tweed coat takes command of the door. Who knows what dangers are hidden beneath its long drop toward the floor. It's the face growling at the top of broad shoulders that catches John's attention. Long greasy hair and brown bushy beard capture the essence of the man—Atlas holding together the green web of law and order gone underground. He's keeping the offshore guys from springing out of Warren's box and, maintaining the web of fingers that deliver the lethal weed to the party on university crowd.

John follows Jenkins' labored shuffle to the table and takes notice of his two hundred pounds of flesh plopping into the waiting chair. The yellow fire has gone out of his eyes. There's a sadness residing where the full force of anger once resided.

"How's the war with the world going?"

John's words carry an unexpected sting. Like he has a hunch about the wicked dance that's playing out in his head. Green shadows—dancing and singing. Round and round they go "...Ashes...Ashes...We all fall down". Behind his conscience's curtain another weak voice is calling, competing for possession of the souvenir life has laid on his character—Jenkins .

The words bubble up from some guarded place that the glint in John's eyes is calling into a tumbling, bumbling mind caught at the painful edge of a hangover.

"I'm loosing!" Why for heaven's sake did I let that cat out of the bottle?

"Is it the voices?"

"Voices?"

"Shh! Careful! John knows a lot about voices."

"Yeah. The green ones that dance around the yellow light...the grinning mouth...those sharp eyes."

The draw bridge is coming down.

"How do you know?" A storm is brewing. Danny boy is trying to tell him something about Jenkins.

"Shh! Don't listen to Danny!"

"There's a story hiding behind the curtain you've allowed Jeff to pull over your conscience. Has it been haunting you lately?" Somethings telling me your story is twisting...closing in on a psychic break.

"Shh! Don't break now!"

Shrill words are echoing through pulsing hallways inside his head. "What do you know about haunting?"

"Ashes...Ashes...We all fall down!"

"Been there...Done that! I gave it up!" We're both standing in the middle of the bridge now, nose to nose! "I know they'll take you down!" I'm leaning forward...eye to eye.

Now it's showing up with a penetrating impulse...that glint in John's eyes. Is there another option? "What do you know about the take down?" "Shh! Don't let him know you're taking an interest in his thinking!"

"Greenies...Greenies...A pocket full of greenies!"

"Ashes...Ashes...We all fall down!"

They're dancing again—wild dervishes...screaming!

I feel John's cool hand covering my pulsing forehead. His words pound into my brain like a laser hammer.

"Stop!"

That one word throws the dancers down, body-slamming their noise. I can't stop my eyes from flying open—round and hurting.

"Get out! Bring Danny back!" John's words are spinning...twirling... dancing...flashing star light! Danny...Jenkins tugging at a band of light. My feet are set hard on nothing. Danny is pulling me closer...

Snap!

I fall into Danny's body. Tears are washing my eyes. John's hand is falling away. My head bangs down onto the table. Sobbing...shaking...pours out of my head...falling!"Ashes...Ashes...We all fall down!"

Jenkins is crashing! Chair legs dig into the floor and screech trying to resist loosing the abrupt movement of my body. "Are you ready to bring Dan back?" I whisper into his ear, right arm draped around his wide shoulder.

"How?" A hand—still Jenkins—wipes at the tears invading his face.

"I have a friend who will help."

"How do I find your friend?" John's eyes are piercing mine with light.

"Just repeat after me. I AM I want you to be my friend."

"Are we on speaker phone?" I don't see anyone else at the table.

"Just say it!"

"I AM I want you to be my friend." The ashes song stops. There's that light in John's eyes...then...then...it's reaching across, like a bridge.

"I AM send the green shadows away!" John repeats.

Okay, I'll take one more step. "I AM send the green shadows away!"

Silence—a cool breeze winding its way through us...around us...seems like forever wrapped into one moment...frozen in time.

"Do you hear me, Danny?"

"Yeah! I hear you, John."

"Are you ready to walk out of Jenkins' world?"

"I'm ready! His world is taking me down. There's the money...parties... loose women...all that I thought would make me happy."

"No deep joy. Right, Danny?"

"Yeah...no joy...no life below the surface...until I AM."

"What do you think that life below the surface is?"

"A friend...I AM and you...caring about life that's bigger than serving a low life like Jenkins...I miss Jeanie...We were friends...laughing...getting around roadblocks together..."

"There's no road back in time. But, there is a way forward for reclaiming what was lost."

"How's that?"

"With I AM all things are possible. I see it in your eyes now."

"The light?"

"Yeah! It's there! I'll order the burgers while you wash up in the bathroom. Take a look in the mirror."

The waitress is sliding two baskets of steaming burgers and fries onto the table. The door on the bathroom suddenly bursts open! Danny rushes to the table!

"You're right! It's there! The light!"

Heads turn in our direction and chairs start to squeal, protesting sudden body movement. A couple in the corner stand and give a stern look before exiting.

"Put this burger in your mouth before everyone starts running out of here."

After a good bit of munching Danny puts the burger back into the basket. "We've got some dangerous work ahead!"

There's that unmistakable glint of light and, power in his voice. Officer Danny is back. I don't think Danny fits any more...maybe...Yeah Officer Daniel.