Entertainment and Fun Page: Stories

Author's Biography: DreamDancer posts stories to the internet when the mood strikes him and graciously gave his permission for any of his stories to appear on our pages.

Well, I've been looking into that Wicca stuff, and reading all the books that I could get my hands on. Some of it made sense to me, and some actually touched me, but I couldn't quite figure out that whole witchcraft and magic angle. What exactly was it that witches did? I kinda know how they believe, but not what they do, they physical aspects of things. You know, like spells and stuff.

I asked around, to anyone that would stop long enough to listen, but no one could give me any answers. Tripe about "when the time is right for you, you will know it" and other ways of sidestepping the issue. I was beginning to think that it was all make believe, something these folks say to add mystery to what is a nice, but otherwise run of the mill religion.

I even asked my good friend Trish, and she tried to explain what witches really do. It sorta made sense I guess, but still, seeing is believing, and I had yet to see any of that magick with a K stuff or any other *real* practices.

Once again I asked Trish about this stuff, but this time she made me an offer. She told me that while many things that witches do are sort of secret to them as individuals, because it is thru their connection with the world around them and their deities that they act, but some of it is pretty standard to everyone.

She offered to let me tag along on Saturday as she collected the ingredients for her "Witches Brew," a magickal potion I guess she planned to make. Of course I agreed. I really wanted to see some of the practical side of things.

Trish told me to meet her early on Saturday, and not at her house, but at the local park. And early too, before the darn sun even came up. I kind of wondered if we would be digging in the wooded area for roots or something for her brew.

We met at the park gate at about a quarter to seven. The gate, of course, was closed, and I wondered what she planned to do.

"Why, go on in of course. It would be kinda silly to be going to the park, and not actually go into it, wouldn't it? Now, gentlemen first" as she bowed me in with a flourish.

Okay, what the heck I thought, we're not doing any harm. I stepped across the low gate, and then looked back to see if she needed a hand. Oh crud, there, creeping it's way down the street bordering the park was a cop car. Just what I needed, to get busted for trespassing. Much to my surprise, Trish walked out away from the gate and into the light of the street lamp, where she waited until the cop car slowed and came to a stop.

Me, I just stood there, trying not to run, and trying to control my nerves. I wasn't doing too good a job of it either. It's kind of common knowledge that cops don't really like pagan folks too much. they think they're all a bunch of hippies, druggies and weirdoes.

Trish walked up to the drivers side window and started to talk to the cop inside. Then, much to my shock, she pointed right at me. Oh geez, was I being set up or something?

After a minute or so of talking, she laughed and took a step back, then blew a little kiss that turned into a wave, and the cop car just rolled right on its way.

Trish came up to the gate, nimbly hopped over it, grabbed me by the arm, and started walking me along. "We got us an understanding" was all that she said.

We walked down the pathway for a bit, and then walked away from the lights into a field. I knew this place, it was the spot that people gathered for picnic lunches, to toss around a Frisbee, or maybe get into a pickup game of soccer or touch football.

Trish walked me out into the center of the field, then plopped herself down to the ground.

"Grab a seat" she said. The show's about to begin."

I sat, and sat, and sat for a bit more, wondering exactly what she'd been talking about, and wondering when we would start looking for the ingredients of her witches brew. Trish looked so peaceful sitting there though, that I really didn't want to bother her by asking, and besides, it wasn't all that bad sitting in the grass in the peaceful silence.

I must have let my mind wonder and not been paying much attention. I sorta snapped back to reality as I heard a chorus of birds start to sing. I never really paid much attention to it before, but their song was really pretty to listen to.

A gentle breeze started to blow over us, causing the leaves in the trees to seem to dance and just the first hint of light grew in the West. The bird seemed to redouble their song.

Slowly I saw the sun peek it's face above the horizon, inching it's way up, seeming to pause for an instant, and then exploding into view in all its glory.

You know, I can't remember if I'd ever just sat and watched the sun come up. I did knew that I'd been missing something very special all these years.

With a kind of warm feeling settling in on me, I glanced over at Trish, and there she sat, eyes closed now, face lifted to the suns rays, like she was being nourished by it or something. She looked so peaceful still, that I again held my tongue.

A while later, the birds let off a bit of their song, only chirping back and forth from time to time. Trish stretched and stood up, then reached her hand down to help me to my feet. With a big smile on her face she said." Mother sure puts on a one of a kind show, doesn't she? My day is just never the same if I can't join her in her morning song and dance."

From the park, we walked the short distance to her house. Trish said that she had to pick up a cake that her room mate had made and drop it off at the bake sale. "I wish I could have made something myself, but I'm a total mess in the kitchen, I have to just suffice myself with being the bearer of the goodies."

Into her car we placed, not just the cake, but a couple dozen cookies that her room mate had found the time to make as well, and off we set.

I didn't ask where the bake sale was, so I was just a bit surprised when we pulled up in front of the First United Methodist Church. A church? Did I miss something? I thought that witches and Christians didn't get along.

Trish grabbed the plates of cookies and asked me to get the cake, and then she ambled on over to the table where a few of the church ladies were setting things up. I was a bit surprised to see them smile and greet her, and pass a little small talk around. Didn't these people know what she was?

As I was sitting my burden down on the table, I heard the voice of a man behind us. "Ah, I see that the nasty heathen has descended upon us. Are you here to try to bring Satan among us, or have you decided to find Jesus with us this day?".

Oh crap, here it comes I thought. War has just been declared.

Wasn't I surprised to see a smile on Trish's face as she turned around? It was a pleasant smile too, not a pre-combat grimace.

"Hey Doug. Good morning. I didn't know that Jesus was lost, but we'll help you look for him if you'd like. Oh, and Satan said sorry, but he couldn't make it this morning."

Much to my surprise, the minister just laughed at her, and then he glanced my way. "Hmm.. I don't think I've had the pleasure."

"Oh, this is Bill. He's thinking about maybe becoming another one of those evil witch people. I'm taking him around today while I gather the ingredients for my special Witches Brew."

"Mmmm. Good stuff" replied Doug. "I'm sure you'll like it. I know I can use a good shot of it from time to time." A minister that liked witches brew? "Oh, and thanks for your help. We're holding the sale today to help Officer Bob Trask raise money for his son. Bobby has cancer, and his insurance just doesn't quite make the cut in paying for the treatment. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a bit of a service to attend to."

Officer Trask? Was that the cop from the park?

With a nod to me, Doug gave Trish a quick hug, and turned to walk into his church. A minister hugging a witch? This was just getting more and more curious!

As we were getting into the car, I guess Trish could see the look of confusion on my face.

"These are some great people here" she said. "They may not worship in quite the same way that I do, but in their own way they are very spiritual, kind, giving loving and caring people. And Doug, he's just wonderful. I guess he just sorta forgets that he's not supposed to like me. Love each other as you would love yourself is, I think, the way he explained it to me once."

Nuff said, I guess?

Our next stop was the McDonald's drive-thru. Not exactly my choice of places to eat, but what the heck, The morning was getting on, and I was getting kind of hungry. My treat of course. I'd just gotten paid and besides, Trish was soon gonna show me what and where she would gather the ingredients for her Witches Brew.

I ordered a danish and some hashbrowns, but trish surprised me a bit by ordering not one, but two big breakfasts, complete with pancakes, sausage, and hashbrowns as well as three little jugs of orange juice. Quite a lot for a girl her size. I wondered where she was going to put it all.

I soon found out. we drove three blocks down and turned right into the library parking lot. Rather than parking and eating, Trish drove around back.

I got a little bit nervous, for sitting in the rear entranceway was a guy, obviously a member of the homeless, and very scary looking, with a wild look in his eyes. Please, just drive on, was all I could think.

Trish, of course, had other ideas. She put the car in park, grabbed the bag of food, hopped right out and headed over to that scary homeless guy.

"Hiya Henry. Look what I got for ya today."

She squatted down next to him, reached into the bag and handed him one of the breakfasts, along with two of the containers of orange juice.

"Ya knows I don't be taking no handouts Miss Trish, but thanks just the same" as he started to hand the breakfast back."

"Yes, I know that Henry" she replied. "Those folks at the drive thru gave me too much again is all, and there's no way I can eat all this. I just didn't want it to go to waste."

"Well, guess I can help ya out then" he shrugged. "you're right, wasting food would be a sin. Thank ya much for thinking of me then."

"Be sure to drink all this orange juice my friend. Looks like you might be just a tad low in the vitamin C department."

"I will Miss Trish. God Bless ya."

As she stood to go, she kissed her finger and placed it on his forehead. "And, Goddess bless you Henry, I'll be seeing you around," and she came back to the car.

"That was a very nice gesture" I told her as she put the car in gear.

"I just wish I could do more. He's such a sweet man. He's also a very proud man. Works when he can find it, which isn't often enough, and he never makes enough to get a place to stay warm and dry at night. great worker too, but he looks scary, and it's hard for him to keep up with his personal hygiene, so folks don't really want him around all that much."

Looking both ways as she pulled out of he library parking lot, she continued. "Henry's pride won't let him accept a bed at night in the shelter, and he won't even accept what he calls the handouts at St.Martins soup kitchen. I do my little ruse whenever I can get away with it, and I think he knows, but still, it lets him keep his pride intact, and that's pretty much all that's left to him."

I had nothing I could say to this, but I felt that I was coming to know Trish as more of a special person than I had thought before.

We pulled up at a roadside stand selling flowers. Trish bought a couple dozen carnation bouquets, for a really good price I thought. Half of what the sign said they should cost. I guess the little Spanish lady must have been getting ready to close up shop soon, and didn't want to have to haul quite so much inventory back home.

We drove on across to the other side of town, and then on to the outskirts, finally pulling up at the Shady Village Rest Home. I didn't know that Trish had any family in there?

I grabbed a dozen of the bouquets while she picked up the rest, and went inside. Wow, that was a lot of flowers for just one person. must be someone really special, I thought.

The nurse at the reception desk smiled and waved at us as we went past, and I followed Trish into a large recreation room, I guess you would call it. It almost broke my heart to see these old people sitting around, some reading, some by the radio listening to old show tunes, and a few scattered listlessly in front of the TV. Not one of them looked to have any life or happiness to them.

"Hey, are there any old farts in here?" Trish yelled out, and I saw a sudden transformation come over their faces. It was like a light switch had been thrown, brightness coming into their eyes, and smiles to their faces.

"Hell No!!!" came the shouted reply, in more than a few voices.

"This is Bill" she introduced me. "He's my flower slave for the day. And ladies, and this includes you Robert" to a few chuckles,"He's with me, so hands off."

We went around the room, passing out the little bouquets, and chatting with the folks. it was amazing, how animated they became. Trish, she was like their daughter, their girlfriend, making each one feel they were the center of the universe. I found myself infected by them too, and found myself flirting with the ladies, and swapping sports tales, or dirty stories with the guys. And, boy, what stories Robert had to tell!!

You wouldn't believe it, but I even got a pinch on my butt. From a woman that had to be a great grandmother to someone. She asked me what I thought about 'older women."

I laughed with her and kissed her cheek." Well, Hun, I already have a girlfriend, but if things don't work out, you better watch yourself, or I may just come back here and look you up."

It was a great afternoon, but it went by way too fast. Soon it was time for the old folks to get ready for their meal, and time for us to go. I was very impressed, with Trish, and with the old folks, and I felt better than I had in ages.

When we got back in the car, I saw that Trish had an odd look on her face, happy and sad at the same time.

"I just love these people and I feel so bad for them. Most of them still have some family around, but very few ever get visitors here, not after a while. Seems like they are just too much trouble or something. I can't understand it. They are some of the nicest folks I've ever met, witty and funny, and full of knowledge from their lives experiences. And, they always make me feel so good inside, just to be around them."

I couldn't agree with her more.

We drove back across town to the neighborhood we both lived in. Trish asked me if I'd like her to drop me off at home, or if I wanted to come by her place and catch a video or two. She had her copy of "It's a Wonderful Life," non-colorized of course, that she hadn't seen in ages, but was in a mood for today.

I hesitated. "But, I thought you said we were going to go out today and collect the ingredients for your Witches Brew? Did you change your mind?" And, I was more than just a little disappointed, even though it had been a marvelous day.

"Silly Billy" she laughed at me. "I told you earlier, I'm a total mess in the kitchen. If I tried to make up some concoction, I'd probably end up poisoning someone. and, we DID get the ingredients for my Witches Brew today. I just make one that's a little different from what you probably expected. Today, you helped me gather the ingredients for my Witches Brew for the Soul."

It was like a light bulb flashed in my mind. I understood exactly what she meant.

"I think I'll take a pass on the video today" I told her. "Could you drop me off at my fathers house instead? I need to talk to him about that night custodial job he has at his place that he can't seem to fill. Doesn't pay all that much, but it comes with a room and a bath, and I think I know a certain guy named Henry that just might fit the bill for that job."

Trish dropped me off in front of my dads house, understanding a bit more now what it might mean to be a witch, and I set forth to dig up some of the ingredients for my own Witches Brew for the Soul.