Charley and me

CHARLEY AND ME

He was an old man at the age of two hundred and thirty-three: well, that’s what we all thought. We were only teens, between nine and thirteen. Our future was something we never worried about. Set in our ways at such a youthful age, thinking that we knew more than everyone else.

On our street there sets a house, the last one on the block was all covered in mosses and overgrown vines. It stood creepy and sad as if it were all alone. Though, inside the house behind the big wooden door, lives a grumpy old man. MR. Charley McSneagal was his name and no one ever spoke to him.

MR. McSneagal lived alone; my parents said he had a wife and she drove away in her car early in the morning and never came back. Of course, no one ever spoke to her, no one was her friend. So, what happen to her and where she was is a mystery to everyone.

The kids in our group can sometimes be quite awful. They always threw things at MR, McSneagal’s house. Anything, such as large rotten tomato, a dozen eggs, an empty soda cup. I always felt bad, tried to stop them. Though I never could, hard to do when there is five of them one of me. When the old man MR. McSneagal had to clean up all this, he became very frustrated. Holding his hand in the air balled up into a fist shaking it back and forth, yelling things we never understood.

The old house that they live in, the last house on the block. Was once a beautiful home a long time ago? There was a perfect cobbled concrete path, which led to a tall wooden door. The house It used to be happy, shiny, and new. Bushes and shrubs kept trimmed, the grass always mowed. Trees were full of fruit and leaves a beautiful green.

The front of the house has many windows to look out of. With beautiful curtains always pulled back, letting the perfect amount of sunshine in. There is a two-car garage with a green Lincoln car that sets in the drive. A wrought iron fence surrounds the property except for in front by the street.

The little white fence that stood out in front, no longer stood on its own. With a few boards missing, it is now leaning toward the street, as if about to escape.

One day, as I was walking past MR. McSneagals house on my way to school, I noticed how much the house has changed. Wooden boards, they no longer look happy and bright, the wood has faded and is no longer brown. The once, perfect cobblestone concrete path was now broken and had grass growing through. It led you to a tall wooden door covered in vines. The windows are now to dirty to see outside, and the curtains are no longer open to let the sun in. The bushes had become overgrown; trees no longer produced fruit. Grass was so tall, it had been forever since someone had mowed it. There were cracks in the driveway with weeds pushing their way through, making the house look abandon.

Halloween was fast approaching, that is the day when the kids trash the outside of Mr. McSneagal’s house. Two days before October 31st, I saw MR. McSneagal standing outside by the street. I became nervous, scared, afraid to walk by. Not knowing what he would do.

Did he murder his wife? would he murder me? This I did not know.

I thought of slowly crossing over to the other side of the street. Though I knew he would see me. I felt kind of weird, what would my reason be. Then, before I knew it, I was already there. Standing by the trunk of his car that sat in his drive. There, he stood just looking at me, how could I just turn and walk away?

“Walk away silly” “Who cares”? “Just walk away” I kept telling myself.

You know that little voice that lives in your brain? Yah, I didn’t listen, I couldn’t. In a way I did not want to listen, what would happen if I walked on by? Next thing I knew my legs were walking slowly towards him. Every step I took, I could feel the fear in my stomach, the lump in my throat. My mouth became dry, I could barely swallow. As I calmly walked past, him not saying a word, not even looking his way. When suddenly, I heard a voice say.

“Hello”! “How are you”? This voice come from of him! Stunned I didn’t know how to respond. Do I say “Hello” back? Do I just nod my head and walk away? My brain and my mouth were not in sync with each other.

Because the words just came flying out. “Um hello” “How are you doing MR. McSneagal”? “Well Thank you” he said back to me. In the kindest, gentlest voice. “I am doing fine today my dear” “How are you doing on this most lovely day”? “I am doing good” the words so easily fell out of my mouth. “I’m actually on my way to school, running a little late” “Then I better let you get on your way” he said “Watch out for the broken sidewalk”! "I don't want you getting hurt" as he pointed to the ground. "ok, I will thank-you" I said making sure to walk around the crack that was on the sidewalk. "What just happened"? I thought as I ran to school. All I could hear was me breathing, I couldn’t hear the birds, the traffic, nothing as I ran into class. I wasn’t sure if I should tell my friends what just happened, I know they would laugh at me. Pick on me because I spoke with MR. McSneagal and did not avoid him. Probably best not to tell anyone just keep it to myself, no harm, no fowl.

Halloween had finally come lots of kids in costumes. Vampires, doctors, cowboys, aliens so many different ones. I didn’t feel like dressing up this year so, I wore jeans and a shirt with a pumpkin on it. All my friends were getting ready to trash MR McSneagal’s house. They had their toilet paper, eggs, rotten fruit and more. I felt bad, I didn’t want no part I begged them not to do it. They laughed and called me names. Saying that I must be "in Love with him", "why don’t I just marry him"? This I did not want to do, I was not in love with him.

Everybody grabbed their bags and ran down the street. It wouldn’t take them long to get there, I knew MR. McSneagal was home. There was nothing I could do. I heard my friends all laughing as they threw things at his house. “Friends” I thought. I don’t consider them friends right now What kind of friends would do that? I ran down the street to the back of MR. McSneagals house and knocked on the back door. It was spooky standing in the dark on his back porch. The streetlight was barely lit there were vines growing everywhere, covering everything. Probably spiders hiding in the vines, I am so scared of spiders!

I knocked a few more times, hoping nobody would answer the door. “Go away”! A voice said from inside the house. “I just want to be left alone”! "Hi, MR. McSneagal it's me" Speaking softly so no one out in front heard me. “The girl you met out front the other day” “I’m not with them I swear”! “I think it’s wrong what they’re doing” The door slowly, opens I can see his eyes peering through the cracks. “What do you want”? he asked “I just wanted to check on you” I told him “Tell you I am sorry that they are doing this”

It seemed like eternity that I stood there waiting. Then finally he opened the door the rest of the way. “Come on in” he kindly offered I looked around making sure no one saw me. Then, I walked in. It was eerily quiet, there was a light on in the living room and one on in the kitchen. He offered me something to drink, I accepted. “Thank You” MR McSneagal. “Call me Charley” he said “Friends call each other by their first names” “Friends”? I replied “you bet; my name is Kate”

The house that he lives in, decayed on the outside, was not like that on the inside. Each room was clean and tidy nothing out of place. The curtains that now keep the sun out were a beautiful light-colored peach. There was a blanket folded and draped on the back of the couch. Several magazines stacked neatly on the coffee table. One laid open on the arm of a chair as if it had been recently read. The furniture, carpet, and curtains all had the color peach, white, yellow and some blue in it. All put together making the room feel like a home.

We sat in the kitchen at his dining room table made of oak with four matching chairs (With only one place setting) I sat down on the chair that he so kindly pulled out for me. When I realized I had drunk all my juice. “Would you like another glass? “I have plenty of it. With it just being me” Offering, I handed him my glass. “Where is your wife”? “If you don’t mind me asking”? I glanced away when I asked, not wanting to make eye contact. In case, it was wrong for me to ask. Handing me my glass of cold apple juice he told me what happened. “She passed away” he spoke in a quieter tone. “OMG! I am so sorry” “I didn’t know” I said in such total shock.

Then my mind quickly thought. Did he murder her? Was he going to do that to me? No one knows I am in here. Stupid, so stupid! You should have told someone! where you were. I was so angry and mad at myself.

“It’s ok time heals the pain” he continued. “She found out that her mother was sick” “So, she was going to go care for her” “Only going to be gone a week” “She never made it there, she died in a car accident”

My heart just felt so sad and heavy. I just wanted to now hug him tight. He continued to tell me that her family buried her there over one hundred miles away. He told me he could not attend the funeral, was unable to tell her good-bye. Not even the chance to give her one more kiss on the cheek or to just to say I love you. As he told me this, we both stood there and cried.

He explained that he suffers from a rare disease called, xeroderma pigmentosum. The sun, it gives him blisters causing him to become sick. The only time he can go outside, is if the sky is all cloudy. Even then, its only for a few minutes. His wife was the one that took care of the yard the whole outside of the house. He oversaw the inside always keeping it tidy and clean.

They never socialized, they kept to themselves. People did not understand his disease. It made them uncomfortable afraid he could give it them. So, when she passed away, he had no one to tell. He had no one to talk with to help him through the pain. There was nothing he could do he was unable to care for the yard. Not enough money to hire some help. Who, would he hire anyway "those nice friends of mine" he said. Money barely covered food and bills. The store delivered his groceries when he ordered over the phone. Having them leave it on the back porch, since he was unable to go outside and go shopping.

Halloween became a horrible day for him Because he had no choice. He had to go outside to clean up the mess that the kids had left. This of course happened every Halloween since the passing of his wife five years ago.

I felt so bad, made me angry at my friends. How could they do this? To this sweet old man. We sat there and visited for quite some time. Telling our stories about our lives. Some were sad, others we just laughed. I now saw a different side of this angry old man.

It was getting late so; I called and check in with my mom. We then finished our visit and, on my way, out I told him I would be back tomorrow. I did not tell him why? I just said I would come by. He thanked me for the company telling me how nice it was to set and visit with someone. It had been a long time since he had visited with anyone.

I slept that night better than I had in a long time even though I was excited for the next day. That next morning, I woke up to my alarm clock bright and early. Got dressed and ran to the garage, I grabbed trash bags, clippers, a rake, and some bug spray. Putting it all in a wagon, that I had since the age of four. I headed Off to MR. McSneagal’s house. As I was walking there, I felt a sense of pride. That day, I walked with my head held high.

Dropping off the wagon, I realized I had to go back home to get the lawn mower. I started right away cleaning up his yard starting with the nasty mess they left last night. I had not been at it very long, when two of my old friends walked by. I am guessing they wanted to see what it looked like in the daylight. When they saw me in the yard cleaning their mess, they didn’t say anything, Just kept walking past.

I had been there about an hour when I heard a tap on the window from inside. It was Charley he was holding up a glass of juice, pointing at it. I smiled and gestured to the front door for him to open it. There had been so many vines and moss growing prevented it from being used. I stood there on his steps as he opened the door. It cracked and moaned as the wood came back alive. Charley handed me my juice with a big smile. It took me several days, of hard work but eventually I got it done. It was clean. There were a few times, Charley came out to help wearing clothes that kept the sun off his skin. He helped me as long as he could then he went inside to make us snacks. It was such a good feeling to help someone out. My parents, they were proud of me for what I had done. The neighbors were happy as well. My so-called friends I no longer associate with, they all got grounded for what they had done.

My friendship with this grouchy old man flourished and became strong. Now, I can say I love this man. No, I do Not want to marry him, I am way too young. Charley became like a grandfather to me. My grandfather lived in another state the other one passed away 3 years ago. Charley came to our house for Sunday dinners, Friday nights we went to his. He helped me with my homework every week, Charley was a very intelligent man. He showed me pictures of his wife she was so beautiful and young. I felt bad they had no children, no one to leave their worldly possessions to.

I was walking by Charley’s the last house on the block on my way to school. His house stood out from all the other ones on the block. With its sturdy little, white fence now strong separating the yard from the street. The cobblestone concrete path led you safely to the front steps. Where a tall wooden door stood so proud protecting what was inside. The house it was again now happy and bright. The bushes were all clipped, lawn kept mowed, the trees now had fruit. The window that had turned dark, the curtain always closed. Now has the curtains pulled back, the clean window letting sunshine come through again.

It was a Monday night when Charley and I had finished studying for my test. A test that I had to take in class tomorrow. We said our good-byes with a hug, see you on the flip side. The next day at school, I passed the test with an A+. I could barely get through the day at school I wanted to show Charley my grade.

Walking up the street, I could see an ambulance at Charley’s house. The fire truck just pulling away. Standing on his front porch was my mom. She had her arms crossed as is she was hugging herself. She saw me and burst into tears.

It was like slow motion I couldn’t run fast enough It was like I was running through mud Finally, I got to his house my mom, she grabbed me and squeezed me, tightly. Telling me it’s going to be alright. She told me Charley had passed away, that he had called her because he felt sick. By the time she got there to his house, he had already died from a heart attack. I was totally numb, I couldn’t even cry, this felt like a dream. I didn’t know last night would be the last time I would say good-bye. The rest of the day was a total blur. My heart had never felt so much pain. I stayed in bed and cried. Several days went by, then it was time to bury him.

Charley had a will all written out signed and notarized. He just recently had it done. It said where he wanted to be buried, what clothes he wanted to wear. He had already paid for a casket that had peach colored fabric inside, with blue trim resembling his curtains. We laid him to rest on a cloudy day because I didn’t want him to get burned.

His headstone read like this:

HERE LIES A GROUCHY OLD MAN THAT USE TO LIVE SAD AND ALONE HERE LIES THE MOST HAPPIEST MAN WHO DIED WITH NO SARROWS OR BLUES HERE LIES A MAN WHO WAS BLESSED TO HAVE KNOWN A GIRL NAMED KATE HERE LIES A MAN WHO’S LIFE WAS CHANGED BY ONE LITTLE GIRL WHO OUTSHINED THE REST WITH ALL MY LOVE KATE MY WIFE SAYS HELLO SEE YOU ON THE FLIP SIDE LOVE CHARLEY.

Then, about four weeks later, we received a call from a lawyer wanting to talk to us. He said it was about Charley’s will and that he had left me his entire estate. He left me the house, his money, his car, everything. The house was mine to do as I please. For me and my family to live in (since our house was so small) Charley always said. The money he had put into a trust fund for me till I turn 18. There to pay for my college. The Lincoln he said to sell and buy a new one that fits me. The amount that he left me shocked us all. For Charley was a very wealthy man. He told everyone his was not.

Let’s just say, I am now a wealthy young lady. I became an interior designer/ decorator. The name of my business is called “CHARLEY’S PEACH CURTAINS” I have, been blessed in life to have, had the chance to met such a wonderful man. A man with such wisdom, a man with such a big heart. Charley had always joked around, telling me he hid money in the house. He said he forgot and could never find it. The lawyer gave me a personal letter that Charley had written to me, telling me about the money. Giving me clues to where it was. As a young girl growing into her teens, it was so exciting, kept me busy for years. Did I ever find it you ask? Well, I think I am keeping that between: Charley and me for now.