V is for Vagenda (Part 14 - Ghost)

V is for Vagenda (Part 14 - Ghost) 

 

Aron and I sat in his car watching the storm front approach Kingston. It was magnificent looking. I thought it looked like a great iron World War II Destroyer ship floating in the sky, with the way the front was culminating to a sharp V at the front. Well behind the beachhead created by the storm front rolling our way is a dark blue we know to be rain already falling off in the distance, and a lot of lightning as we count the seconds between it and hearing the corresponding thunder so we can know how far away it really is. It would be beautiful, but for the fact that I knew I'd soon be alone walking down the highway with my Gibson Les Paul hitchhiking home in it.

After rehearsals, Aron would drop me off along the highway near his home town so I could start hitchhiking home. I lived an hour away, driving. We watched in awe, and finally, I said goodbye and set out knowing the sooner I start, the greater my chances of getting a ride before the storm was on top of me.

I wish I could just fly right now, but no one out here knows me as Vagenda. I have to walk, just like everyone else, if I want to protect my secret identity. Today, I am just a regular person making appearances in my normal life to make sure things seem normal in this other life of mine.

I get out, totally not dressed for cold wind and rain in this mini-skirt. Maybe my legs will help get a ride faster - that, or sympathy for how I'm dressed with the storm coming. Hell, once I got a ride because it was raining and the driver of the car recognized my guitar case. As soon as I got in, he had said "This is no weather for a Les Paul - this IS a Les Paul, right?" I agreed, but thought to myself "Gee, thanks for your concern for your fellow human being". Hey, a ride is a ride. Maybe I'll save someone someday that offers me a car as a form of gratitude. As if that would ever happen - but I can dream.

I get to the road, and stick out my thumb ready to begin the long ritual of being ignored as drivers make the pretense of not seeing me and avoiding eye contact. The first truck goes by, then a red Honda, then a white 1989 Ford Taurus 4-door that pulls over!!! I actually scream "Yes, and on the third car!" as I run up to where it pulled over. I go to get in the passenger side front, but there is a little boy there. I hope in the backseat. There is an elderly lady driving. Her and the boy are both Native American - Mic Mac to be precise.

She introduces herself as Patricia, but says everyone calls her Patty. She then introduces the boy as her nephew. I smile politely, and tell them who I am - my real name.

"So where are you going?" Patty asks smiling.

"I'm heading to Charlottetown" I answer, just elated that I got a ride and won't be soon in that storm.

"Oh, how convenient, that is where we are going also. I lived there for the last 20 years, and we're just coming back from Tignish. My nephew lives on the reservation there" she says smiling.

"I was never there before. I'm from Nova Scotia and grew up beside the reserve in Pictou Landing" I smile back. She doesn't know I'm Vagenda, Slash's sister, or that I've lived in several areas under various aliases, this being but one of them - but it sure makes the conversation simpler to leave all of that out. The boy sits smiling for the next 45 minutes saying nothing as Patty and I talk about the people we both know and trade stories. She was especially touched when I mentioned my friend Ian.

"I haven't seen Ian in 9 years, oh my god you are making me feel old now" she says trailing off obviously feeling the rush that comes with a flood of good memories.

"I certainly didn't mean to do that" I say smiling.

"It's really OK, but when you see him next can you tell him that I said hi for me?" she says hopeful.

"Of course, what do I tell him for a last name so he knows who it is?" I ask trying not to sound nosey.

"Just tell him that Patty says hello. He will know who it is right away." she smiles tenderly as we pull into a Tim Horton’s coffee shop on University Avenue.

"I will definitely do that. I live right around the corner from here. Thank you so much for the ride. I was afraid I was going to get caught in that storm back there" I say gratefully.

She turns to me as she puts the car into park "well, I seen you hitchhiking and knew that the storm would be bad, so I turned around, and passed you again, then turned back around just so that I could pick you up and save you the trouble. You are very welcome."

I am struck for a moment knowing that what she is telling me is completely impossible. As soon as I got out of Aron's car to start hitchhiking, a string of cars were instantly upon me, and she was the third one and did pull over. There is no way she's have had opportunity to see me, make a U-turn, pass me again, make another U-turn, and then stop to get me. However, I am just as suddenly pulled out of my reflection and don't mention this. "I am very glad you did. Would you like to come in for a coffee before you go?"

"I can't right now, but maybe I'll get a coffee in the drive thru before I head home. It was very nice meeting you. Don't forget to tell Ian I said hello, also." She smiles as I get out of the car.

"I will, and it was very nice meeting you as well." With that, I turn to walk home. There is a small path between Tim Horton’s and the neighboring parking lot for a McDonalds. I turn and watch her car disappear behind the store and wait to see if it continues up the road. If not, she will be coming around the corner here to the drive thru window and I'll wave goodbye one more time before I leave.

A few minutes go by, and neither case happens. I run around the building afraid there was an accident or a flat tire. However, she simple is not there either. It's as if she vanished into thin air. Two people and a 1989 white Ford Taurus in which I was given transportation and conversation for an hour - gone. It was as if she was a....

GHOST

I think nothing of it within a matter of minutes, however, and suddenly want to make a point of seeing Ian once before I slip back into my other life as Vagenda.

A few days later, I make the trip. I feel like it has been so long since I was out to Nova Scotia. I was still in Junior High school about 4 aliases ago last time I was out here, but Ian and I had a bond that was strong enough for time to not matter. He would always be one of my best friends no matter when or where we had a chance to catch up.

If ever there was a modern portrait of a proud native warrior in today’s age - Ian was that man. I get to his house late at night, and he can't wait to show me his new black Pontiac Grand Am. After a quick ride, we go back to the reserve and head to the bonfire on the beach. I get a little bit of heat from some people there. Not often, at least back then, we're white people welcome to parties here. Ian nods at a few people and they know from that alone that I am there with him and not to be treated with hostility or they would answer to him.

I know a few people, but most are new to me now. I catch up on the last few years - at least the things that are part of the life of the alias I am currently living. Sometimes it kills me that I can't tell him I'm Vagenda.

"Oh, by the way, I got a message for you from Prince Edward Island, hun," I smile mysteriously enjoying the look of intrigue suddenly on his face.

He laughs "Oh really? I don't know anyone on P.E.I. so who is it from?" He folds his arms confidently.

"Well someone sure knows you," I tease, thinking of all the childhood stories of his childhood she shared with me on the ride home that day.

Laughing at me, he demands to know who it could be.

"Patty told me to tell you hello - she said you'd know who she was."
I smile waiting for him to remember her.

He snaps and pushes me away from him, catching me completely off guard, and yells "That isn't funny! What the hell do you think you are doing?"

I'm in shock, not knowing what to say "Ian, I don't know why you are angry! Honest! This old lady from Tignish reserve living in Charlottetown gave me a ride and said to say hi, that she hadn't seen you in 9 years!"

It was as if the words tore into him, his eyes welled up, he clenched his fist as if deciding, and looks me in the eyes, "Patty was my mother, and she died of cancer 9 years ago - I swear to god, if you were anybody else..." He shakes his fist a lot more aggressively then storms off.

I go to chase after him, astonished. His brother blocks me, telling me I better let him cool off first. Everyone looks angry at me. I explain to them the whole story about hitchhiking home that day. I tell them some of the stories she shared. The lady was real! I never knew about his mother. Then I thought back suddenly to how the car never seemed to leave the parking lot but was indeed gone after I got dropped off that day. No, there has to be an explanation, this doesn't make any sense.

The stories all turn out to have been accurate, but no one seems any less angry. There is nothing I can do.

I apologize for having gotten Ian upset and walk out of the reserve, suddenly feeling not that welcome. Once I'm far enough away, I try out this teleporting out. Maybe it's time to be Vagenda for a while again.

I materialize in front of Super Girl, just jumps startled as I appear. She stops retracting quickly, and clearing her throat begins nervously saving grace.

"Hi. It's the hero who saved Superman." she says trying to put an honest looking smile on. Oh god, she must know what I did to Luthor now, too. Please, tell me I'm not getting a "careful she's crazy" kind of reputation.

I look at her not sure what to say, so she makes small talk to fill the awkward silence.

"Did you know Oracle is still trying to trace that teleport to the Hall Of Doom?" she asks, now a little more re-collected. "I heard her use words I didn't know they had on Earth - but we'll give the Society what they deserve, one way or the other." she finished almost supportively.

"Yup. Hi." I say speechless.

I go to walk away, but look over my shoulder as I leave the room. She still almost looks like she seen a ghost.