4 Sisters of the Apocalypse

34- Jo

Jo

BANG, BANG, BANG! Someone pounded on the apartment door. "Let me in you witch!"

"Who's that idiot?" I asked Sarah.

She slunk down onto the well worn brown corduroy sofa and whispered. "It's Bob. I thought you got rid of him."

Oh no! I left Bob the Slob in Washington Square Park. I thought I scared him silly. I admired his resilience. "We had words. I thought he got the message."

Bob pounded louder. "Let me in! I have my rights!" "Your new roommate put a spell on me or something!" He continued banging on the door.

"Go away Bob!" I threatened. "I'm calling 911 you jerk!"

"Oh yeah?" Bob yelled through the door. "Good! I'll tell them how you drugged me and left me in the park to die."

Sarah looked confused. "He is on some medical marijuana I think." She circled her pointer finger around her head. "He's crazy."

I became angry. "Messy and crazy? Not a good combination."

Bob fiddled with his keys. "Does he still have his key Sarah?"

Frantically she answered, "Yeah but not to the dead bolt and he's not strong enough to break the 2 chains my dad installed."

I ordered, "Okay you call 911."

Sarah twisted her hands in her lap. "About that... Two little things really. Technically Bob is still on the lease and Bob's Pop is a cop."

"Two LITTLE things Sarah? Those are not two little things! They're two COLOSSAL things! " I begin pacing like a lab rat in a cage.

Sarah holds up one finger. "But he's behind on his rent!"

I stop pacing and turn towards her. "That's good. How long?"

"Four months--But I chipped in his share don't we didn't get kicked out. This is a rent control building. Do you know how hard they are to come by?."

I sit next to Sarah and look into her brown soulful eyes. "Do you have proof of his non-payment?"

Sarah grabs her phone off of a large wooden spool which has been turned into a coffee table. "He texted me..." She scrolls through her texts. "Here it is..." She reads, "Sorry about being behind in the rent. I'll catch you real soon."

I jumped up. "That's not proof; it's a promise!"

"Oh and these one other thing... The sublease is in Bob's name. Apparently the apartment belonged to his grandmother."

"There's something I gotta do." While Bob continued to bang on the door I grabbed my duffel bag and headed for the bedroom. "I gotta read.'

Sarah looked dumbfounded while Bob the Slob began kicking the door like a maniac.

I slammed the door behind me and dumped Mom's journals onto an empty bottom bunk. "Which book?" I wondered if I was praying or talking to my dead mother. Both seemed absurd at the moment. I closed my eyes, shuffled up the journals and grabbed one at random. This journal had a raised giraffe pattern. My mom loved animals. Once while visiting the zoo she let a giraffe eat from her mouth. Yuck!

Hi Jo. It seems you've got yourself into a pickle eh? Do you know where that phrase comes from? You know I love canning from our garden? I brine the small baby cucumbers by adding apple cider vinegar and an array of spices and close the lid. There's no way out for those pickles until they're ready and then someone opens the lid. Are you ready for me to open your lid Jo?

Mom? I love you but get to the point...

Patience Jo, patience... That may be your Achilles Heel. Do I need to explain that idiom? Of course not--you're a writer! Okay, I'll get to the point. Sometimes if you get yourself into a pickle you're gonna need help. Someone needs to open the lid for you.

You've already said so Ma!

Jo, did you know you could travel the world without ever leaving home?

Huh? I'm confused. Bob is still banging on the door Ma! Sarah is crying. I thought I'd come to you--or your journals for help but all you're giving me are riddles. I hate riddles.

Jesus spoke in parables Jo. Don't despise riddles.

Ma!!!!!!! Okay magic journal how do I travel the world without ever leaving home?

It's not a magic journal Jo. It's just my thoughts--out of time.

Huh?

Somehow I knew we'd be here, in Sarah's apartment on 24th Street. You'd need some guidance and since you're as stubborn as a mule (no explanation necessary?) I'd have to be uber specific. I'm not sure I used 'uber" right in that sentence.

It doesn't matter Ma! You've got my full attention. Isn't that what you've always wanted? It took you dying but now you finally have MY FULL ATTENTION!

Don't flatter yourself Jo. I love you and your sisters but you aren't my world. Sure a hug and a thank you now and again woulda been nice...

Mom! Please! I'm sorry. I was wrapped up in my only world but now I'm getting the feeling my world is MUCH BIGGER than I thought. Help me!

In order to get Bob out you'll have to let Bob in.

Huh?

He's going to get in one way or another and that young man is not stable.

The pounding and kicking were becoming more intense. I could hear neighbors shouting at him--threatening to call the police.

Bob yelled, "OH YEAH? CALL THE POLICE! MY POP'S A COP!"
He sounded like he was quoting from a deranged Dr. Seuss book.

My Pop's a cop.
He spins tops.
He likes to dance
With a mop.

You'll need Amy's help with Bob. She'll know what to do. Because no matter where you drop off Bob the Slob he'll find his way back. Sarah has fed him. Once you feed a stray they never leave. Oh and his father is a police officer.

That I knew ma! So how do I travel the world without leaving home?

Prayer dear Jo. Prayer.

It figures.

Don't despise the day of small beginnings. Zachariah 4:10

Here we go again.

You'll get to travel in your unique way too just learn when it's best to pray and when it's best to teleport.

So I can teleport? Whenever I want?

The page ended. I frantically searched through more of the journals but it didn't make sense for today. They were "out of time."

I left the bedroom and shouted to Sarah. "Let Bob in. I'll get him out another way."

Slowly Sarah stood up. "You want me to let him in so you can let him out?"

"That's the idea." I glanced at the window.

"You're not gonna toss him out the window! We're on the ninth floor!" Instinctively Sarah closed the blinds.

"No Sarah. Just let him in before the entire NYPD Blue is at our door."

Sarah spoke through the door. "Bob, please calm down. I'm opening the door." She unlatched the chains and slowly opened the padlock.

Bob pushed his way past her. "How humiliating! To be locked out of your own apartment. I have every right to evict you Sarah!"

Sarah tilted her head like a confused puppy. "Then how will you pay the rent and utilities Bob?"

Bob stammered. "I'll get new roommates! I have friends!"

Sarah looked Bob straight into his bloodshot eyes. "No you don't Bob." She walked into the girls' bedroom and slammed the door.