The Ghost of You

A record player is sitting near the storefront window, a makeshift microphone placed in front of it. Several rows of folding chairs face a raised platform with nothing on it. A number of people are sitting there. Frank gets the sense that this is a cross between a waiting room and a meeting hall.

A heavyset woman steps onto the platform. " Rosa Santiago. "

The lady being called tucks a Spanish paperback romance into her purse and heads to a door at the rear of the hall. Frank follows after her.

Mrs. Santiago and Frank enters a dark room with a window and door leading to a side street. Frank notices a paisley bedspread is tacked over the window. In the center of the room is a round seance table. Two heavyset women are standing beside an open closet. It is empty.

" Please be seated. " Frank notices the shorter one, who is doing all the talking, has her nose raised in the air. He finds this odd but the woman standing next to her has the same facial expression. Frank's curiosity heightens.

Mrs. Santiago sits at the table seeming apprehensive by Frank's eyes. The short lady takes a move to step into the closet and taps on each of the walls as though demonstrating that they are solid.

" My name is Cara and this is my sister Louise. My brother, Brother Bob, will be with us soon. " She steps back out and closes the door. The taller heavyset woman inserts a tape into a boom box and then steps forward.

" It is 'I' Louise. Brother please grant us the gift of your all-seeing presence. Appear for us now. " She turns back to the closet and opens the door. Like magic, Brother Bob, appears standing inside. He is also medium weight but differing from his sisters, being dressed in white robes and a short beard. The whiteness of his garment makes it look as if he is glowing in the dark. Mrs. Santiago is wide-eyed.
Frank smiles as Bob steps into the room.

" Mrs. Santiago? " He says deeply

" Buenos dias. " She takes a twenty dollar bill from her purse and hands it Bob. Clara graciously intercepts the money.

" To my understanding Mrs. Santiago, you are hoping to contact your husband. "

" Si. Si, Brother. "

" Well, I believe he's gonna be with us today. "

" Oh, thank you, thank you. " Tears well up in her eyes. She crosses herself several times before Bob speaks again.

" But there's no telling about the other world. You gotta cast out all doubt. You gotta believe. " He pauses for a second. " Do you? "
believe?

Mrs. Santiago nodds her head vigorously " Si. Si. I believe. I believe. "

" And remember, we don't make no promises. I can phone up there till I'm blue in the face. " he points to the ceiling " . . . but it don't necessarily mean he's gonna be home. They go shopping, they play bingo. It's just like here. You can't always get them.

Mrs. Santiago, utterly fascinated, nods understandingly.

" Sure thing buddy! " Frank shouts humorously.

Bob's eyes glance up curiously for a second, as though he had heard something, but he continues on. " Okay, let's get ready then. "

Frank steps back as the sisters get up and position themselves behind Brother Bob. The moment feels rehearsed, theatrical. Bob raises his hands into the air and closes his eyes. There
is a hush in the room. His body begins to tremble. Mrs. Santiago clutches her chair.

Unexpectedly Bob breaks out of his trance. " We got a problem here. I don't think he's in. Wait. I feel something. Did he know someone who's passed over, someone named Anna. . . Mary. . . Consuela. . . Maria? "

" Si, si! His mama. She's Maria. "

" Ah! I knew it. He's with his mama. "

Frank sarcastically buts in. " Oh my God. . . " He smiles and shakes his head disapprovingly.

Brother Bob's eyes dart uncomfortably around the room. He leans his head back into the chair and shuts his eyes tight. " I'm afraid this is gonna be too hard. Now I got two souls I gotta contact. I don't know about that. It's difficult, you know. The pain. The effort. "

" I pay more. How much? How much? "

Bob is straight forward as he tells the woman twenty dollars.

" Way to go, Brother. Milk her for every penny. "

Bob jumps up and stares at her sisters. They look back at her curiously. They can't figure out what's wrong. Neither can Brother Bob.

Mrs. Santiago reaches into her purse. A twenty dollar bill changes hands. Frank stands near the round table and watches, amazed at it all. Bob sits down and goes back into his trance.
His eyeballs roll up into their sockets.

" Praise the Lord. Thank you, Jesus. " Clara and Louise chant in unison.

Bob is beginning to shake again. The two women grab his shoulders to keep him from falling out of the chair. Suddenly his whole body stiffens.

Mrs. Santiago stares on in amazement. After a moment Bob's body collapses in a heap. Then, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, he pulls himself up in his chair and assumes a normal pose.
After several seconds to get his bearings, Bob begins to speak. Only now he has an entirely new voice. It sounds deep and hoarse, like an old man's.

Frank thinks that, for all its put on theatricality, it is strangely convincing.

" Welcome, Rosa Santiago. You are fortunate today. The channel is clear. Many spirits are gathering. "

Frank scans the room suspiciously. " Yeah? Where? "

Bob jerks again, eyes darting nervously around the room.

" My husband? "

" I can feel his vibration. Yes, yes, he is drawing toward us now. I can see him coming. "

" Julio! Julio! How is he? How does he look? "

" Oh, he is a very handsome man Mrs. Santiago "

" Handsome? " She questions Brother Bob/

" In our Father's Kingdom we are all handsome. "

Mrs. Santiago nods her head understandingly " Julio! "

Frank looks on dismayed.

" He is standing before me. He is wearing a black suit. "

" A black suit? Oh yes, yes. He was buried in that. "

Mrs. Santiago begins to cry.

Frank looks around the room with growing disgust. Then he leans over to Brother Bob and yells into his ear. " What a crock of shit! :

Bob nearly falls off his chair. He spins around. " Who's there? " He questions, squinting his eyes.

Frank is stunned.
Clara and Louise look at one another in total confusion. This is obviously not part of the act. Mrs. Santiago seems frightened.

" Where are you? " Bob grips the chair's arm rest tighter.

Frank loos around. Other then Brother Bob, the two sisters and Mrs. Santiago, there's absolutely no one there. " Who? "

Bob yells out and jumps up thrashing at the air. His knee kicks the table and sends it toppling.

Mrs. Santiago is more than terrified. " Julio! Julio! "

" What's going on? " Frank calls out.

" Get out of here! Leave me alone! " Bob's still thrashing his hands in the air.

Mrs. Santiago doesn't know what to do. She begins to cry.

" Who are you talking to? " Frank hopes Bob can hear him tallking over all the commotion.

" Keep him away from me, Louise! "

Louise looks at the empty room. " Are you talking to me? "

" Do something. Help me, Louise. "

Clara just stares at her brother.

Frank is excited and amazed at the revelation he's come to. " I don't believe this. Hey you. My name is Frank Iero. Can you hear me? Frank Iero! "

" Stop it now! "

" Say my name! Sam Wheat! Say it! " Frank is standing next to him, yelling to his ears.

Talk to me, Bob. Say something. " Clara is wildly freaking out.

" FRANK IERO. "

" Jesus! " Frank nearly falls on his face.

Clara's eyes widen. She is more confused than ever.

Bob dashes into the closet. It has a false panel leading to a hidden chamber on the left side and he barricades himself inside it. Clara and Louise stand outside pulling on the handle. They seem frightened.

" Bob! Bobbie! " His sisters call out in unison again.

Frank's in the closet with him.

" Lord, I swear, no more cheatin'. I promise, Lord. I don't want to go to hell. I'll do anything. Gimme a penance. Just make him go away. "

" Go away? Hell no. I'm stayin' right here! ?

Bob yells out that it scares Mrs. Santiago that she leaves out screaming. Bob takes one look around and collapses in a dead faint.