LITMIR.BIZ

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a hard worker just like his Pa was.” She nodded her head. “Charlie will be pleased by your wishing him a happy birthday.” She paused. “You have a blessed day and tell your wife that I’ll show her how to make those aprons as soon as she gets the material.”

      “I sure will, and you have a blessed day. I’ll see you and Charlie at Mass on Sunday.”

      Maggie walked back into the house and handed the envelope to Charlie. “Marvin said to wish you a happy birthday.” She gestured towards the card. “It must be a birthday card from someone trying to surprise you, for I saw no return address on it.” She turned and started to fill their cups with milk.

      Charlie opened the envelope and read the card inside and screwed up his face in puzzlement.

      “Charlie, did ye think ye got away?

      Why did Teague ye disobey?

      Did ye forget the power of old?

      Say not, ye were not told.

      Ye alone chose this fate,

      When friendship ye did abdicate.

      As brother to brother we were,

      Till toward evil, ye did stir.

      Ye took a charm to the green,

      And hid in the night unseen,

      Ye stole what was mine,

      Now green, ye shall shine.”

      Charlie’s eyebrows squeezed together. “Mum! Look at the saying in this card. Talk about being daft. It’s a poem that sounds like someone is angry because his friend stole something. It’s rather a baffle.”

      Maggie McGee turned to face her lad. At the sight of him, her body stiffened, and her eyes widened.

      Charlie gasped at the sight of his Mum and dropped the card in his lap. “What’s wrong? Are you in pain? What is it?”

      Maggie slapped her chest and cleared her throat. “Either I’m losing me blooming mind, or I’m really seeing green.” She grabbed the table, slowly sat in her chair, and rubbed her eyes. “Hurry! Go to the looking glass. This is all too much.”

      “What do you mean look in the looking glass? Whatever for? What’s real?”

      “I believe the looking glass will tell you what is real.”

      “Mum, what are you talking about? You’re scaring me. You’re not acting normal.” He picked up the card from his lap. “Why the looking glass? Oh blessed St. Patrick!” He exclaimed, as he noticed that his hands were a glowing green. He immediately stood up and ran to the looking glass, which image reflected that he was a bright glowing green. The only thing not green was his red hair. “I look like a blooming Christmas tree all lit up with a red top.”

      Toby came into the room and barked incessantly. Charlie cried, “Toby, it’s me. Don’t be afraid.” Toby was frenzied at the sight of Charlie. The dog ran around in circles and barked incessantly.

      Mrs. McGee tried to quiet the dog to no avail. “I can’t think with all this barking. I’ll just have to put him in the spare bedroom.”

      When she returned, Charlie was pacing up and down the room. He all but screamed. “Blessed St. Patrick! What’s it all about? Is this supposed to be a birthday joke? There must be an answer.” He stopped and looked at his Mum. “Father Flanagan gave me a blessing. He asked the Lord to bless this birthday as no other.” He threw up his hands. “Surely this can’t be considered a blessing as no other?”

      “I’m sure this has nothing to do with the priest’s blessing.” She shook her head. “There has to be an explanation.” She motioned with her hands for him to be calm. “You have to calm down and let me think. I need to see if I can understand what’s going on.” She stared at him while her left hand fingered the silver cross on a silver chain around her neck. “It looks like green slime or something all lit up. The glow is frightening. No wonder Toby was so afraid.” She crossed her arms and observed her lad. “I wonder if it can be washed off.”

      “Yes. Yes. Of course,” Charlie said, nodding his head. “Why didn’t I think of that? That’s the solution. I’ll just take a bath. That’ll do it. I’m sure.”

      Charlie took hot water from the stove, poured it into the washtub, grabbed clean clothes, closed the door, undressed, sat in the tub, soaped the rag, scrubbed hard, but the green brightened. The more he scrubbed, the more it glowed. He dried himself, put on his clothes, and opened the door. His Mum looked, but Charlie uttered her thought. “It’s brighter. It’s like luminous. The more that I scrubbed, the brighter it became. It seems to glow more brilliant the longer that I’m green.” He held his head with both hands. “Mum, what can I do?”

      Maggie shook her head. “I’ve never heard of a glowing green slime disease.” She fingered her silver cross with her left hand. “Have you been near any strange plants? Was there anything unusual in the fields? Did you eat something different?”

      Charlie threw up his hands. “No. I know every tree and plant on our land. I’ve not seen anything unusual; everything’s the same as always. You know that Pa taught me not to eat anything that I didn’t know.” He grabbed his head with both hands and looked around. “Mum, please help me.” He ran to the window and closed the draperies. “Don’t let anyone see me like this. Tell them I left town or something.” He threw up his hands. “How am I going to hide myself? This green is lighting up the whole room. It’s like a hundred or more candles glowing. We won’t need any lamps or candles burning tonight.”

      Maggie motioned with her hands for him to calm down. “Please, you must calm down. We have to think.”

      Charlie didn’t seem to hear what his mother said and continued to pace up and down with hands flying. “I’m not going out like this. What if I’m seen? I’ll scare Upton Town half to death. They’ll lock me away. I’ll be put into quarantine.” He paused momentarily, let out a heavy sigh, and continued with his pacing. “They’ll send me to a circus. I look like a blooming freak show. Who ever heard of a person turning into a green glow? It’s like I’m not even human. They’ll think that I’m an alien, if there were any such a thing as aliens.” He stopped his ranting and with his right hand, he pointed to the spare room door. “Even Toby won’t come near me. That tells us how frightening I am.” He started pacing again. “Maybe I caught some kind of a rare jungle disease that can’t be cured.” He threw up his arms. “But there isn’t even any jungle near here. How did I catch a rare jungle disease? I’ve never even been to the jungle. Besides, I don’t even know where the nearest jungle is.”

      Maggie motioned with her hands for him to calm down. “Charlie, you have to calm down. I’m just as befuddled as you. But we’ve got to keep our heads.” She gave out a heavy sigh. “Your Pa would have handled this calmly. We need to remember his example. The situation won’t be helped by getting flustered. Remember your Pa always taught that things can’t be seen in the right perspective when emotions are in turmoil.” She fingered her silver cross with her left hand. “I know that Dr. Dixon and Chelsea will be here this evening at six, but that’s almost five hours away. My only concern in waiting is that it may be something really dangerous and contagious.” She looked at her hands. “It can’t be contagious, or I would be green by now.” She paused and looked at her lad. “Are you feeling any pain? Do you feel sick?” She walked over to him and placed her right hand on his forehead. “Well, you’re not running a fever. You’re as cool as a cucumber.” She placed her hands on her hips and bit her bottom lip. “Do you want me to fetch the doctor now, or should we just wait until they get here tonight?”

      Charlie took a deep breath and gave a heavy sigh. “You’re right. I can’t go on like this or I might make myself sick. In fact, I really feel fine.” He gestured with his hands. “If I didn’t see this green, I wouldn’t think that anything was wrong with me. This has me befuddled. I’m in a straight.” He pulled out his chair and sat

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