The Ghost in Jersey

It was then that she realized the truth. She bolted out the door and drove straight to the last place she saw him, Point Pleasant, New Jersey. She sat on a bench and waited, taking in all of the sounds around her. Children ran ahead to various rides and games giggling with glee as their parents chased them attempting to get them to slow down or stay put. The bells and whistles of fair games were faint behind all the commotion of the pier goers. Beyond the sound of games were the sounds of the fair rides that echoed as if they were going to break down, yet everyone had strict faith in their sturdiness. Everyone around her seemed to be having the time of their life, but not her. She waited silently looking out at the horizon of the Atlantic Ocean patient as can be.

If her dream had been correct, he would be coming to this very spot and sit next to her on the very bench she sat. The young girl’s mind whirled with anxiety, yet her hope remained prevalent in every thought. There was no way in hell that he would have just left without saying goodbye to her, his apparent favorite. Her feet moved from the wooden dock below her to the metal railing that lined the boardwalk for as far as the eye could see. There was no telling how long she would have to wait, but there was also no way she would miss the opportunity to see the man again - not in this lifetime or the next.

Part of her wondered if she would have time to grab a slice of pizza and an ice cream cone. The very meal he had purchased her the last time the went for a fun day on the boardwalk. She looked behind her where the small pizza window stood, the smell of cheese, sauce, and herbs drifting her way in the breeze. It took all her strength to remain seated on the bench, no matter how badly her stomach longed for a slice of cheesy goodness and a nice, crisp Dr. Pepper. The idea of missing the opportunity to see him one last time was far too much on her heart, so she remained on the bench patiently waiting.

She knew that it was crazy, this just wasn’t how the world worked. The universe didn’t send you dreams for you to take literally, but more so of a way to comfort your already anxious mind. But the dream felt so real, real enough that she had to take the chance and ensure that it was just that - a dream. The hours passed, and the girl did not budge an inch. People came and went carrying on with their day down at the Jersey Shore without paying the girl on the bench a moment’s notice. The sun had begun to set behind her, with it her faith began to weaken. Maybe, just maybe, the dream had really been just a dream and not a calling of a missed opportunity.

That’s when it happened. The man she had been waiting for began to approach out of the corner of her eye. A smile so bright crossed the girl’s features, but quickly faded when she realized that no one else passing by seemed to take notice of the man. He sat next to her on the bench keeping a good few inches between them. A silent tear rolled down the girl’s cheek, the truth had fallen upon her.

“Don’t be sad, youngin,” the old man said with glee, “we both knew that it was the end.” With that, the girl cracked a small smile. There was comfort in knowing that even after death her grandfather could remain in high spirits. She nodded silently, taking in every feature of his face. It was as though no time had passed, he looked exactly as he did the last time she saw him, in this very spot. “I never got to say goodbye,” she replied faintly as her voice began to shake warily. “You never had to,” she replied in an instant. Quickly, the old man placed five kisses on her right cheek, and five kisses on her left cheek. “Five and five,” the girl muttered with her eyes closed. Upon opening them, she was alone on the bench once more. A sense of peace took over her being as she continued to look out into the horizon for the remainder of her evening.