Pleasure & Pain
an excerpt

“Mrs. Comstock,” announced my sister, “here is my sister Murphy. She is coming to your class this year now that she is big enough”
“Why thank you Lisa,” beamed Mrs. Comstock, and then looking down at me Mrs. Comstock said, “What a pleasure to meet you Murphy. I am sure you will have a lot of fun in kindergarten. Please go sit down with the rest of your class mates by the big oak tree” she gestured towards a group of kids sitting under a wiry looking tree, “and as soon as everyone is here we will go to the classroom.”
“Bye Cowcat” said Lisa; “I’ll see you at the bus this afternoon, we meet by the purple dot after class” she pointed to a dot on the sidewalk near the bus loop.
“Don’t call me that,” I shouted at Lisa, “Mom said you had to stop that once I could go to school.” I turned on my heel and stomped towards the tree. I had to stop short when I almost ran in to this guy in overalls.
“Sorry Sir, I didn’t see you.” I mumbled as went to walk around him.
“You can see me?” He asked in an astonished voice, “You can truly see me. Dang, I knew eventually a Wilson Girl would have to come here.”
I looked up curiously at the man. What was he talking about? My last name was Jackson. The only Wilson in our family was Auntie Sarah and we didn’t tell anyone about her. She’s crazy and locked up in a home. We have to go visit her every year at Easter that is when it is our turn.
“Of course, I can see you Sir,” I said stating what I thought was obvious, “And my name is not Wilson, its Jackson. Maybe you are looking for my Auntie Sarah, she is a Wilson. She lives up in Riverton. Excuse me please I have to go sit with my class like Mrs. Comstock told me to.”
I went around the man in overalls and sat with my back against the tree not looking at the man in overalls.
“Hey Kid,” Said the guy in overalls, “look I’m sorry if I acted a little weird back there its just been a long time since I’ve had another soul to talk to. Jeb James is the name, no relation to Jesse. So what is your name?” he asked.
I looked up at Mr. James just as he squatted down so he didn’t have to crane his neck. He looked ok, kind of friendly even. I wonder sometimes if I hadn’t started to talking back to him if it would have made my life different. I guess I will never know
“Murphy, Murphy Jackson. What did you mean by being surprised that I could see you,” I asked being a curious child, “Why wouldn’t anybody be able to see you. You are right there.”
“Well, you see that’s the thing,” he sighed, “Most people can’t see a person who is dead. Only special people can see and talk to a dead person that is why I thought you were a Wilson. When I was a young man there was this family were all of the girls, well almost all the girls, claimed to be able to see and talk to dead people. They were considered right strange but they knew some stuff that nobody else knew and even solved a murder or two in their day. But that was a long time ago.” He ended quickly.
I just stared at him. He had to be pulling my leg. Dead people looked dead and shuffled and moaned like Frankenstein or the Mummy. Dead people didn’t.......
“Alright everyone, please line up so we can go see our classroom,” instructed Mrs. Comstock