Jerome's Magic

Jerome's Magic

Jerome was slowly walking down the street at the darkest part of the night. He looked more at the sidewalk in front of him instead of the street ahead. His usual pep in his step was missing. He kept his hands in his pockets, which kept them warm as well as away from anything that he would want to pick up and throw or smash.
“Yes, “ he thought to himself, “things did go from bad to worse. How it got this bad, I’ll never know.”
Jerome was young and thought that his charm and good magic tricks would earn him a spot in a local theater. It was the one place that he had wanted to be in. His dream was to have his name up in the marquee as big as the letters could spell it. Then everyone, especially his family would know that he was someone.
But no! One thing after another went wrong. First the girl that the stage manager recommended did not show up. Then the lady who tried to help broke the box that people used to disappear in. Finally, the flowers that were up his sleeve would not come out.
People laughed. They thought that his performance was a comedy. When he tried to make something come out of his top hat, and failed, some joker threw a tomato at him and hit him on his nice white shirt. Then everyone laughed, even the lady helper.
To complicate matters, his father wrote a letter saying that he would not be sending any checks to Jerome. His father did not like the idea of a magician in the family instead of the banker that he hoped Jerome would become. Jerome tried to patiently explain to his father his feelings, but the discussion ended in loud voices and red faces. The last thing Jerome heard was his father slamming a door to his bedroom as Jerome picked up his things to go back to his apartment.
Jerome felt a light mist begin to fall. Another black mark on an unforgettable day, his car would not start. Jerome had to walk several blocks to get a bus, to go home. The return trip should prove just as interesting since he had ten minutes to get to the bus stop or the trip home would be completely on foot.
Just when Jerome had decided to run, he passed something white on the ground that any other time he would completely ignore. But this time, he stopped as if he had hit a wall and turned around. He tried to look away, but found that his eyes were drawn to this small white thing like a magnet. He tried to again to go to the bus stop, but found himself walking to this small object. He looked again and then bent over to pick it up.
In his hand was a beautiful white glove. He had seen many of his mother’s gloves, but this one was spellbinding. It was not goshe. He cradled it in his hands and received a faint scent. When he tried to put it in his pocket, he immediately got a vision of a beautiful young girl.
He had rarely had flashes like this but this vision was strong. He could see the young girl with her face in her hands. Her hair was just beyond shoulder length and curly brown. Her dress was white also. She put her hands down and he could see a lovely round face that looked upset. The girl started walking and as she did, the glove fell from her pocket.
She was here!
He felt that something was very wrong!
He did not know the girl, but he felt that she might be in danger. No! She was going to commit something very wrong. She was going to kill herself!
Jerome looked in every direction. He felt the intensity of the rain increase. As he continued to hold the glove and try to get a new clue on where she may be going, he felt his nerves burn with a heat. He tried to calm himself down so he could think.
He decided that he would go down the next two blocks and to the bridge, which was higher than this local area. Somehow, his nerves seem to be telling him that this was the right choice.
He picked up his pace. Each step that he took, he felt was more of a pull than an effort of his free will.
He reached the bridge and again checked each direction.
In one way there was a couple hurrying towards their apartment building.
Coming towards him and then turning was a young man on a bicycle. The cyclist waved and then slowly disappeared in the night.
Not too many lights were on. Cars were still. A little cat was jumping into the bushes to escape the rain.
To his left, he thought he saw a statue, but no, the image moved. It looked over the railing of the bridge. The image was dressed in white. The image threw something into the water. It was a purse. This was the girl of the glove.
Jerome walked very quickly towards the girl hoping that he would not scare her into doing something awful.
“Oh Miss! Hello! Please. Can I talk to you?” he said in a voice that he never thought he had. It was pleading but yet strong.
“Go away. I don’t know you and I don’t want to know you!” came the answer in a wobbly and desperate manner.
Jerome continued to approach the girl. He tried to keep eye to eye contact with her. He extended his hand with the glove in it. He was about five feet from her when he stopped.
“I found your glove. I don’t know why, but I just had to meet someone who would own a glove like this. I felt that it must be the most beautiful girl in the world and I was right.” He took a couple of steps slowly and held out the glove as if he was trying to show that he would not harm her.
She looked down at the glove and turned her head. She glanced one more time at the cold water running below her.
“Keep the glove. I’m not going to need it anymore.”
“What a shame. I would like to take this glove and the girl in it out to dinner sometime.” He offered a small smile.
She closed her eyes and lowered her head. Then tears came out of the corner of her eyes.
“I just don’t want to go on any more. Life’s not fair!”
“I agree but that’s no reason to do something you might not be able to undo.” He took one more step towards her and was within arms reach.
She turned around so he could see her whole face. He put his arms around her.
She started to cry.
“Let me walk you home, or try to get you home on a bus.”
“I can walk home. I’m not too far away.”
“Well I am a gentleman and I insist that you and this glove make it home safely.”
“Alright.” The girl said as they turned and walked to the end of the bridge and down the street to the apartments.
When they reached the top of the steps of the building, Jerome handed the young girl her glove.
“Thank you. My name is Hope Sellers.”
“I am pleased to meet you. I am Jerome Norton. I would like to see you tomorrow if I may.”
“Okay. You can meet me anywhere except on that bridge.” She said with more control in her voice.
“Good and just so you can’t back out. I am going to give you something of mine that you will have to return to me.”
“Oh?”
With a wave of his hands, he reached into the sleeve of his coat and pulled out some flowers.
“Here, these flowers are for you. They are part of my magic act and I want you to have something to remember me until I can get some real flowers for you.”
“Oh Jerome. This is very nice. I just think that life maybe evening up the fair side for me after all.”
“You know Hope, I think that my fair side just got a good check mark on it also. Until tomorrow, I’ll be here at 6:00 PM.”
“I’ll be here. Thank you for my glove.”
Jerome tipped his head and went down the stairs. He turned and waved at Hope. As he hurried to the bus stop, he noticed that the rain had stopped. The clouds were moving away leaving the nicest sky-full of stars that he had seen in a long time.