Another reason to have an umbrella. A quick yank can save a life. I've hardly had to use the method, and it wasn't a good sign that I had to use it on Jewelsy today. The negativity was so thick, I had to get permission to see her. Strangely, they had said yes. I did not even explain why, they simply said my restriction had been over. Odd, but that was the way it worked. It was not a minute too soon. She seemed cold leaving the apartment, and of course couldn't see me. Her outward appearance had been haggard, and her face looked exhausted. She asked about a job, and when no one was looking, shoved money into a charity jar.
Ah, there was the spark of the Jewelsy I knew. I followed her out, but warmed up the air. Just because I couldn't talk to her, didn't mean I couldn't help. Then, she looked up into the clouds. She pointed at them almost in a trance, and started walking forward. I could barely register enough time between, before I snagged her back with the side of the umbrella.
It was not a perfect fit around her side, and I hope it didn't bruise her, but I had no time to think about other options. Then, she looked at me. Not through me, not around me, but at me. Adults could not see me, even other children I was not connected to could see me. Not unless the belief was extremely strong.
As she had almost been run over, her mind had been in enough of a daze, that for a second, she saw me. That second caused belief again, and here I am to her.
I don't even know where to start. Going out for a job, daydreaming in the road, and being saved by my old imaginary friend. I mean, I had some serious mental issues now. As a child, I did have an overactive imagination, but I was in my twenties. Still, it was the same striped umbrella. The same suit. The same emerald eyes. My imagination had created that man when I was a child.
So how could he save me from a car? It had to be a dream. I must have imagined getting up, and I must have still been sleeping. I could tell I was lying down, so that made the most sense. Except, that I could feel my sweater on me, not my pajamas. That part didn't make sense.
Maybe it did happen, and I was delirious and in the hospital after the accident. Yeah, that could be it.
"Wake up, Jewelsy."
The voice. Soft but commanding. Humorous yet tough. "Mister Umbrella in the Sky."
"I am disappointed in you. Watch where you are going from now on."
Nope. Nope, I couldn't, I wouldn't believe it. I shook my head, and kept my eyes closed.
"Jewelsy, follow the rulesy," Mister Umbrella said. "Even though you are older, you are clearly in need of me."
"No, I'm not. You don't exist," I said back. "This is trauma, something psychological."
"Now, now, don't fuss. Must we go through this?" I could hear him come closer. "Let's be reasonable. You're a good girl―er―lady, and you aren't insane. I'm selectively seen, not imaginary. You never called me imaginary until someone said it first." I felt him sit on my bed. I mean, I imagined against my will that he sat on my bed. "I do apologize. I normally don't come back, but you didn't seem well, and you were about to be hit by a car."
"That's it, I got it," I said. "I'm in a coma from the accident. Yep, that's the explanation."
"Grasping," Mister Umbrella said almost in a groan. "Don't you trust me? You believed enough to see me again."
"No, I don't. My mind isn't right, I was in an accident."
"Jewelsy."
"It's Julie, not Jewelsy," I push harder. "You don't exist. Just disappear and leave me alone. Go find a kid to play with somewhere."
I heard Mister Umbrella sigh. "I can't leave. That accident was not a simple accident. I have felt so much sadness coming directly from you for years. Something made you sad, and you were lower than ever today." He stood back up. "Adult or not, you need me. Let's make you happy again."
Make me happy? "You can't make me happy."
"Everyone has something to make them happy." He laid down on the bed next to me. "Usually by finding out what makes you frowny."
"I'm not a child, and it's not frowny."
"Oh. Sorry." I felt him shift on the bed, and heard the whoosh of his familiar umbrella opening up. "Do not drown me in sorrow."
One of his stupid reasons for having an umbrella. I barely even remembered I once had an imaginary friend until I met him again. Memories long forgotten began to trickle through me. Next, he would say something like I needed to tell him what's wrong before it started to rain.
Well, I wasn't a child anymore. Maybe shocking my imagination would make the delusion leave. " My shit would throw so much hail onto your umbrella that it'd be holier than Swiss cheese." I didn't know what the reaction would be, but I did hear him fold the umbrella up.
"Maybe society has spoiled your innocence," he said, "just like every other person. Jewelsy, I had hoped you could rise above it." I felt him get off the bed. I heard gloves snap on. I didn't know what to say next.
Mister Umbrella in the sky had never worn gloves. Ever.
"It pains me to do this. I really hate to, but for the naughty, I have no choice."
I heard something shatter to the ground, and instinctively opened my eyes. My vanity mirror lied in pieces on the floor. I gave him an even stronger curse in return.
"Ah, ah." He kept his gloves on. "I can get worse if you don't start treating me with some mutual respect."
"Respect this."
His mouth fell open as he saw my rude gesture. "That is beyond rude, pointing with that finger."
Then, he left. I thought maybe I had accomplished it, but then there was a large ruckus in the kitchen, and a large yell from Aunt Merissa.
"Julie, get in here!"
I ran out of my room and saw the refrigeration door opened with food strung out on the floor. My aunt was beside it, her feet stepping in soppy milk. I couldn't think of anything to say except, "I didn't do it."
"Your Uncle Charles left, and there is no one here but you and me." Aunt Merissa held her hand at her hip, passing judgment where I had stood. "I don't know what your problem is, but if you do anything like this one more time, you can find a new place to live. Now, clean up this mess!"
After I mopped and cleaned, straightened the refrigerator back, and threw away the wasted groceries, I headed back to my room. I watched Mister Umbrella in the Sky, sitting calmly on my bed.
"She seemed upset," he said. "Good thing I didn't pull the paint on artwork trick. I'm not an expert at being an ididntdoit."
I stayed still. Whether he was real or not, I couldn't let that happen again.
"Willing to cooperate now?" He held up his white gloves and pulled off each one.
I wished he'd stop talking and get to the point. "What do you want?" I tried to keep my manners up behind the facade. I had other words I wanted to use instead.
"Simple," Mister Umbrella said. "Answer one question. What has made you so sad?"
"Being bullied into telling you. Is that really mature?" I crossed my arms, stalling.
"No stalling or your Aunt will find her stove tipped over. Then you'll―"
"My family," I blurted out. My imagination was cruel, making me do this again.
"Your family what," he pressed, "come on." He pulled a sucker out of the top of his shirt pocket. I would have told him where to shove that sucker if I could. He placed the sucker back in his pocket. "Just kidding. Come now, Jewelsy. How much harm could it be to tell me? I am simply nothing but your own imagination, remember? Isn't that what you believe?"
"Yes," I said. Nothing but my imagination. I was punishing myself. I would do more harm if I didn't talk it out. I just didn't understand why. Why would talking it out to myself help things? "I was nineteen, fresh out of high school and ready for college." I sat down next to my imagination, facing the fact that it really was just me. "Mom and dad had money saved for me. I got my schedule, my dorm room, and an earful from my younger sister. She thought I wanted to leave her. I tried to part on friendly terms, but she was still mad. They all helped me move in, gave me a kiss on the cheek, and said a whole new life started for me that day. Three hours later, they all died on impact in a car crash. I guess each of them had been right."
I wiped a tear from my eye, remembering the incident. "The money for college, I didn't fight to keep it. Funeral expenses, and all that stuff. Not like I wanted to go after that. My Aunt Merissa and Uncles Charles took me in. Now, I just live day to day, getting hired and fired from forgettable jobs. I am just a forgettable waste of space, and I live a forgettable life."
Confronting my imagination. I though Mister Umbrella would disappear.
He didn't move. For a second, I thought he would finally go and leave me alone. Instead, he reached back in for the sucker, and slipped it into my hand. "You are never forgettable, no matter how you live." His eyes were filled with so much sorrow, I half expected rain to fall. I even imagined hearing trickles around the room. Mister Umbrella in the Sky whipped out his umbrella, and scooted closer toward me. The room became soaked as the rain came down. Mister Umbrella put his arm around me.
I felt the carpet at my feet become soggy, and I felt his warm arm around my back. I am beginning to think that maybe this isn't all in my imagination.
There was only one way to find out. "Aunt Merissa?" My voice was weak the first time, but it picked up volume and sharpness on the second try. "Aunt Merissa!"
When Aunt Merissa came in, the room didn't suddenly become dry. "What in the world?" She looked at the ceiling. "Oh my god! Julie, the apartment is flooding!"
The official facts. We called in and said the apartment above us had exploded with water. The apartment super said it didn't. Aunt Merissa chalked it up to pipes between apartments.
If only I could believe that.
Mister Umbrella didn't move from the bed. I didn't say anything to him. He didn't say anything to me.