The Baby Legs Bates Chronicles

Standing at the intersection of do or die, feeling forlorn like a sky without a dawn, is Grace. She’s like water without wet, a brainchild of regret. Yet her heart still beats and she wonders what for, because she can’t find a reason to live anymore.

She’s sold her ass ‘til her heart don’t matter. Pimp put out to pasture coz she’s acting like a mad hatter. Nowhere to go, at 32 she’s a used up ho. The dark cloud of unworthiness is all that lights her sky. So with pistol in hand, she was ready to die.

A dimly lit trash-strewn street will be her grave, and her tombstone, a bloodstained gutter. Then just as she was about to raise the pistol to her head, a voice from out of nowhere said, “What you gonna give the green light to?”

And then right before her eyes a man shimmered in out of thin air, a distinguished looking Black man with silvery grey hair. He wore a suit that looked like it was made of moonlight. Yes, this dazzling man was quite a sight.

Startled, Grace aimed the gun at the man. “Who the hell are you?” With the grace of a swan he bowed and said, “I am Baby Legs Bates.” “Baby Legs Bates? What kind of name is that?” “Yes it is most unusual, but in time you’ll see, it’s not just about a name, but what comes with it you see.” “Oh, so you got jokes! Well, you messing with the wrong one!” “If that were the case, I’d be in another place.” “Look, I don’t know who you are or why you’re here, but it would be best if you just disappeared!” Said Grace pointing the gun at Baby Legs head. “Shoot if you must, but it’ll be a waste of time and it won’t help what’s plaguing your mind.” “What? You don’t know me!” “That may be true, but I can see you’re in great pain, but right beside that pain is a dream that still remains.” “Leave me the fuck alone!” Grace screamed as she fired a shot in the air. Baby Legs Bates smiled and then shimmered away.

Grace was so stunned she dropped the gun. “Oh shit! What the hell just happened?” “Your wake up call”, said Baby Legs Bates as he shimmered in beside her. “What the fuck---” “---you believing in that’s got you acting this way? Holding on to that dark cloud like it’s the light of day. Can’t you see what you’re believing in is doing to you? Got damn girl, is that all you can give the green light to?

Grace felt the sting of truth in what Baby Legs said, but it didn’t stop what was going on in her head. “Fuck you!”

Baby Legs floated down to the curb, sat and patted the space by his side. “Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s talk about what’s in play.” Grace was hesitant, she didn’t know what to expect, but she was already at the end of her road. So feeling like she had nothing to lose she sat down beside Baby Legs. “Okay, now what?” Baby Legs whistled at the pistol and it floated into his hand. “So what you gonna do, shoot me?” “No my dear, that’s not why I’m here.” Baby Legs blew on the pistol and it disappeared. “Waa?” She uttered through a gasp. “It would take too long to explain, but with the time that remains, let’s find out what you’re giving the green light to.”

“What the hell is this green light you keep talking about?” “You’ll understand by the time we’re through. Now, what happened to you that’s got you so blue?” “I need a cigarette.” Baby Legs waved his hand in the air and a lit cigarette appeared. “Menthol or plain?” “What are you, some kinda magician?” “You could say that. Menthol or plain?” “Menthol.” Baby Legs tapped the cigarette and then gave it to Grace. She took a long drag, and then exhaled.

“Look at me. I’m a used up ho with nowhere to go. Even the other hos don’t want nothing to do with me. I’m a foster kid, and I don’t even know who my mother is. My foster father molested me when I was 12, and when I told his bitch what he did, she threw me out. I wasn’t going back into foster care because I had enough of being treated like shit. So I took my chances on the street. I fished for cans and bottles so I could make enough money to eat, washed up wherever I could, and slept in an alley by a church. Then one night some pervert tried to rape me. I fought and screamed as loud as I could. A guy must’ve heard me coz he came, beat the shit out the bastard, and then told me I could stay with him if I wanted to. At first I said no, but the thought of some fool trying to rape me again scared me, so I said ok.

Even though I was scared because I didn’t know this man, in time he won me over. He treated me good. I always had something to eat, a place to sleep, he even bought me clothes, and he never tried anything shady. He even had one of his girlfriends home school me. And for a while life was good until he flipped and told me I owed him, then all hell broke lose. He beat the shit out of me, broke me in and put me on the street."

Baby Legs was deeply touched by what Grace revealed. “Do me a favor. Put your hand on your heart.” “What?” “Just do it.” Grace put out the cigarette and then placed her hand on her heart. “Okay, now what?” “You feel it beating?” “Yeah.” “It’s been with you all your life, right?” “Yeah, but where are you going with this, you into some freaky shit?”

Baby Legs laughed. “If feeling the love that sustains you, no matter who you are or what you do is freaky shit, then the whole human race is into some freaky shit.” Grace chuckled. “Do you know what each heartbeat is?” “Yeah, it means I’m alive.” “True, each heart beat is life, but it can also indicate something else.” “What?” “A chance. Each heartbeat can also be another chance in life.” “I never thought of it that way.”

“Grace.” “Wait a minute! How’d you know my name? I never told you my name!” “Are you surprised that a man who shimmered in right before your eyes knows your name?” “Well, I guess I shouldn’t be, being that you’re some kind of spirit or ghost, or whatever you are.” “Okay, so shall we continue?” “Where’d you come from?” “Where everything comes from. Call it what you like, but the fact is, it is, and because of it, we are. Now, shall we continue?” Even though Grace didn’t understand what Baby Legs said, she was fascinated. “Okay.”

“What’s the dream that you believe can’t come true?” Grace felt her throat swell as tears welled up in her eyes. Baby Legs knew she was about to break through, but breaking through can be a very fragile thing to do. So he whipped up a handkerchief out of thin air, gave it to her and allowed her to have her moment. After a good cry Grace was ready to unearth her deepest pain. “I wanna feel like I’m loved!” She replied wiping tears from her eyes. "Is wanting to feel like you’re loved too much to ask for?”

In a moment as delicate as this, Baby Legs knew that whatever he said had to be just right. He closed his eyes and asked for guidance. When it came to him he turned towards Grace. “Remember what I said about the heart being the love that sustains you, no matter who you are or what you do?” “Yeah.” “Put your hand on your heart again.” Grace did as asked. “That’s the love that never left you no matter what you’ve been through beating in your chest. Do you understand that?” “Yeah.” “What happened to you wasn't your fault Grace. It wasn’t your fault.”

Grace struggled with the idea that it wasn’t her fault because for so long she believed that everything that had happened to her was somehow her fault. “What do you mean? I---" “---What did you do to deserve what your foster father did?” “Nothing! I was sleeping and he---“ “ ---and the pervert, was that your fault?” “No! “What about the pimp, was that your fault?” “No! He was a liar! A fucking monster!” “Is it your fault that you don’t know who your mother is?” “No, she abandoned me!” “So was any of it your fault?” “No! It wasn’t my fault! It wasn’t my fault! It wasn’t!” Grace exclaimed and then broke down crying so hard her body convulsed. Baby Legs whipped up another handkerchief and handed it to her and waited until she regained her composure.

“How do you feel now Grace?” She let out a deep sigh. “Like I just got outta hell.” “What were you struggling with?” “That voice in my head telling me that it was my fault and that I’m a worthless piece of shit! But then I felt my heart beating real strong, and I could swear it said; you are loved! You are loved! You are loved!” “And where’s your heart?” Grace pointed to her chest. “And it’s been there all the while hasn’t it?” Grace nodded yes.

Baby Legs made some gestures in the air and then the gun appeared floating in front of them. “Why’d you bring that thing back?” Baby Legs snapped his fingers and the gun disappeared. "Now let’s see if you’re ready for your dream.”

Baby Legs made circles in the air and then right front of Grace’s face a mirror appeared. Grace turned away from the mirror because she couldn’t stand the sight of herself. “Grace, what was may no longer be, but the only way to know is to look in the mirror and see.” With much hesitation Grace gave in and looked in the mirror and was shocked by what she saw. It was her face, but it was radiant and full of life. She’d never seen herself like that before.

“Alright, this is another magic trick, right? Coz that’s not me.” “Oh but it’s true, it is you.” “What? No, that’s not me.” “So do you mean you don’t want your dream to be true?” “What?" Grace paused for a moment and then she understood. " Oh my God! That's me?” “Do you love what you see?” Overwhelmed, Grace was speechless. “Grace, can you look at your reflection and say I love you?” Grace was taken aback by the thought because it was so foreign to her. "What?" "If you like what you see, set it free." Urged Baby Legs. “I…I…” Grace choked up. “Don’t be afraid, just take a deep breath, open your mouth and let it out.” Grace took a deep breath and then murmured, "I love you!" Baby Legs cupped his ear and acted like he was hard of hearing. “Eh, what’s that you say?” And this time Grace let it out with a shout, “I love you!”

Baby Legs smiled as he watched tears of joy stream from Grace's eyes. Then he snapped his fingers and the sound of thunderous applause and cheers filled the air startling Grace. “What the...?” “It’s life letting you know it’s celebrating your new flow.”

Baby Legs stood up and snapped again and then the applause and cheers slowly faded into silence, and then he bowed and extended his hand to Grace. Grace looked up at Baby Legs with the eyes of a child. She took his hand and stood up. Overwhelmed with gratitude she embraced Baby Legs and then cried on his chest. “Thank you.” Grace said as she stepped back wiping her tears. “And thank you for allowing me to help you.

So, before I go, there’s one thing I’d like to know.” “Okay.” “Do you understand what the green light means? “I think so.” Replied Grace with a wink.

Then Baby Legs began to glow like someone turned a dimmer all the way up. “So what you gonna give the green light to?”

Grace smiled as she put her hand on her heart.

Baby Legs Bates smiled and gave her the thumbs up and then shimmered away.

©2021 Frank E Robinson