From the Past

Lizzy dreaded the walk out the mailbox. It seemed like the local scary dog was always waiting for her. She looked around but didn’t see him. “Safe today” she thought. As she grabbed the mail he appeared out of nowhere barking loudly. Startled, she dropped the mail on the ground. The local scary dog almost had a smile on his face as he walked away from a job well done. She started to pick up the mail when she noticed a small, plain, yellow envelope with just her first name handwritten on it. She opened it and inside there was a small piece of notebook paper that said “Go sit on the bench by the pier.” With nothing else on the paper and only her name on the envelope, she thought it some sort of joke and tossed it in the trash with the junk mail.

The next day, the whole scene repeated itself. The dog barked, she dropped the mail, another yellow envelope with a message inside to sit on the bench by the pier. Again, thinking it was a joke, it landed in the trash with the junk mail. The third day was a little different because it was raining. No dog but same yellow envelope and same message that ended up in the same trash can with the same junk mail. On the fourth day she almost didn’t open the envelope but she finally did and there was a different message “Look in the green photo album and find the bench by the pier.” She had a green photo album. She actually had 5 or 6 big green photo albums that had come into her possession when her mom died. She wasn’t sure whether to call the police, throw the note away or start looking through the albums. Was she being stalked? Who knew she had green photo albums and what did the bench by the pier mean? She decided that she didn’t feel threatened so she opted not to call the police. She decided it was a mystery and she loved a good mystery!

On Saturday Lizzy sat down on the floor with a stack of green photo albums, Geographer playing on the Echo Dot and a tall cold soda next to her. She started to go through them. The first 3 were easy as she either didn’t know or remember most of the people in the photos. A few, yes but mostly no. In the fourth one she started to recognize more and more people…her mom and dad, grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and some family friends. It turned out to be the fifth album that held the key. There were multiple pictures of her and another child on the beach and there was a pier in the background. In several pictures she was sitting on a bench, sometimes with her mom, sometimes not. She had lived in the same town all her life so she recognized the spot immediately. She hadn’t been there in years. There had been no reason. Questions were overflowing her mind. Was the person asking her to go there trying to kill her or kidnap her? How would the anonymous note writer know if she went? Who or what would she find if she went? She had too many questions with no answers.

When she came home from work the following Tuesday she noticed a small package at her front door. She thought it was odd because she didn’t think she had anything coming from Amazon but then again, sometimes she got surprised. She picked it up and noticed that her name was handwritten on the front just like the notes. Intrigued, she opened it and found a little black notebook. She skimmed through it quickly and saw that most of the pages were written on and that there were a few pages missing in the back. Those were the torn out pages the notes were written on.

The notebook was full of entries that she didn’t understand:

Meatloaf with peas and milk for 2 - $3

2 Boys long sleeve shirts - $5

1 pair women’s sneakers - $6

1 ride to work interview - $.50

2 hours babysitting - $4

There were pages and pages of these notes, handwritten, obviously old and on the last page all that was written was = $19,998.62. It seemed to be a ledger of some sort but who wrote it and why did they give it to her? Did someone think she owed them this money? That wasn’t right. Had she been mistaken for someone else? Again, she had more questions than answers. In spite of that, she decided to go sit on the bench by pier. She wasn’t sure when. She needed her curiosity to override her fear and common sense. But, she knew eventually that would happen and she would go.

Saturday was an unusually warm day for March so she grabbed her jacket, sunglasses, phone, earbuds and the little black notebook. She stuffed everything in to an overly large handbag and drove down to the boardwalk. She looked around and saw the bench by the pier. As she approached the bench she looked around to see if she could spot a crazed killer or some other unbalanced soul waiting to harm her. Nothing, she saw nothing to alarm her.

She put her earbuds in, started listening to Leon Bridges and just watched the water. After a few minutes, she noticed a much older woman slowly walking toward her with a cane. The older woman sat down next to her. Something familiar stirred deep down in Lizzy but she couldn’t bring it to the surface. The older woman reached her hand out to Lizzy’s arm but stopped. “Lizzy?” she asked. Lizzy was afraid to speak so she just nodded. The older woman let out a deep, held in breath.

“Lizzy, my name is Doris. My husband Donald and I lived across the street from you and your parents when you were very little. Your mother and I were very good friends. You and your mother along with me and my son Arnie used to walk here a couple of times a week, weather permitting. Your mother and I would sit on this bench and talk while you kids played. Anyway, my husband died very suddenly. I was devastated and totally unprepared. Your mom came to my rescue and kept me going until I could figure out what to do. Your dad made back then what was considered excellent money as a regional manager and your mom was a very popular and well sold local artist so they had the means to help us. Your mom would buy us food and clothes. She would babysit Arnie while I looked for a job. When my auto broke down she would give me rides to interviews or the doctor. I had life insurance from my husband but needed to use it wisely because it wasn’t a lot. I finally decided what was best for me and Arnie was to move in with my sister far away and get a fresh start. I told your mother that I had kept track of everything she did and that one day I would repay her. She said not to worry about it, that she did it because she loved me.

Eventually I married a CPA named Gene. He earned a very good living. Along the way he taught me about interest and how to compound it and how it all worked. He taught me about finance, money, bills, credit and how to take care of myself. That was something Donald never did. Gene passed recently and left me very well off. Your mother and I had lost touch but I never forgot what she did for me and I held on to that little black notebook all these years, always wanting to pay her back for her kindness and generosity. After Gene died I started looking for your mom. I was devastated to learn that she had passed. Then I started looking for you. Now, here you are and I can give us this.”

Lizzy looked down and the woman was holding a bundle of cash in her hand.

“It’s $20,000 dear. Go ahead, take it. I owe you that. “

Lizzy was dumbfounded. She couldn’t move or even look back up at the stranger beside her. The woman put the money in Lizzy’s bag. As she did so, she pulled out the little black notebook.” I’d like to keep this if you don’t mind. A reminder of good times and debts paid. “Lizzy nodded.

“Now, just a few words of advice from an old woman: It’s cash so you don’t have to report it. You should but I’ll never tell. Don’t deposit it all at one time or the government will wonder about it and you don’t need them in your business. Spend it wisely and invest some as well. Save some for a rainy day. Do you have any questions for me dear?”

Lizzy shook her head no. As the old woman stood up, Lizzy reached out and grabbed her arm. “Wait” she cried. “Why didn’t you just knock on my door or send me a letter? Why go through all the notes and clues?”

The old woman smiled and patted Lizzy on the knee. “Because my dear, everybody needs a little mystery!”

The old woman turned and shuffled away leaving Lizzy with the water, Leon Bridges and thoughts of a vacation far, far away.