Slow Dance in Purgatory

“Why?” Maggie queried, puzzled.

“’Cause his poor mother got her hopes up again. She suffered, wondering where her boy was and why he didn’t come home.”

“Why didn’t he go home?” Maggie wasn’t following the story very well. “Why wouldn’t he at least contact her?”

“He couldn’t.” Gus met her gaze frankly. “He’s dead.”

“You mean you saw his GHOST?” Aunt Irene squeaked and then covered her mouth once more.

Shad yelled, "No way, Pop! You mean I’ve been cleanin' a school that's haunted by a ghost?" Shad danced in his seat like he had ants in his pants. "That is freakin' awesome!"

“I guess that’s what I mean – yep,” Gus declared. “I didn’t realize it at first. He looked like any other kid that got caught being somewhere he wasn’t supposed to be. I didn’t see him for a long time after that.”

“So what made you think he was a ghost?” Maggie interrupted.

“The next time I saw him it was five years later, and he hadn’t aged at all. Then a few years passed, and I saw him again. He looked exactly the same, same blue jeans and white shirt, same everything right down to the 50s hair do with the duck butt in the back. Pardon the language, Miss Honeycutt.” Gus gave a sheepish grin. “I just didn’t know what else to call it.

“I’m well aware of what a duck’s butt is Gus,” Aunt Irene said primly.

"A duck's butt?" Shad hooted. Rising from his seat he squatted down and waddled around the table, shaking his skinny butt wildly. "That's what this move is called, Maggie, a duck's butt."

"Shadrach, sit down." Gus smiled to soften the reprimand.

Maggie tried not to laugh and ended up snorting instead. Aunt Irene looked at her sharply, and Maggie quickly changed the subject.

“So the music? You think that’s Johnny?” Maggie said doubtfully. The ghosts she had seen had never acted like they could see her at all. In fact, they had ignored her completely, and they definitely didn’t play music, or mop floors, or even make eye contact the way Gus described. She didn’t doubt what Gus had seen; she knew firsthand that it was possible. It just wasn’t anything like her own experiences.

“It isn’t me, and it isn’t you, Miss Margaret.”

"And it sure as heck isn't me," Shad interrupted trying to sound tough. "We should be listenin' to some tunes though, Pop. Maybe me and Mags can teach the ghost how to do a few moves." Shad was attempting to be funny, but he was clearly bothered by the thought of a ghost lurking around the school, and his brown eyes were as big as saucers.

Maggie ignored Shad's suggestion and shivered a little. All this talk of ghosts was giving her the creeps, too. “What happened to him anyway? Why is he haunting the school?’

“His brother died there," Aunt Irene broke in softly. "Maybe he did, too. They never found his body, though. It was a terrible night. I’ve always wondered if things would have turned out differently if I’d warned him. You see, Roger was going to lure Johnny into the school. He and a couple friends were going to jump him there. Roger knew he couldn't beat him by himself." Irene shook her head in disgust. "It was all planned out. Roger had gotten his hands on a key, and he planted a group of his friends outside the school and a couple of them inside, although, when Billy Kinross shot out the window they all scattered and ran.

“Roger smashed up Johnny's car and then went inside the school, trying to lure him to follow. But…I guess Billy followed him. I'm not really sure how it all transpired. Nobody is." Irene was quiet and reflective for a moment.

"It scarred our little town. I think it ruined Roger. He wasn’t such a bad boy before that. He was just angry. You see, Dolly Kinross, Billy and Johnny’s mother, had a reputation of being a bit of a floozy and had been, well, sleeping with Mayor Carlton, Roger’s father,” Aunt Irene whispered ‘sleeping with’ as if she had said the ‘F’ word. “Roger found out about it and made life difficult for Billy Kinross around town – he was a much easier target then Johnny. Rumor had it, he even roughed Dolly Kinross up a little and warned her to stay away from his father.”

Shad had gone very quiet and stared down at his plate. Rumors of his own mother's shady exploits had found their way around Honeyville in the last few days. Apparently, Malia Jasper had turned up in town but had yet to drop in and see her son. Maggie's heart hurt for him. Gus sighed, and Irene continued dabbing her eyes, unaware of Shad's discomfort at the turn the conversation had taken.