As a bit of a supplement to my upcoming book, Ghosts are Assholes, here is another vignette into Vincent’s life that I hope you enjoy. It is entitled Just One Date.
“You have a lot of nerve showing up here after what you did,” Vincent said after seeing the thin apparition in the reflection of the bathroom mirror.
“I know I took quite a dump,” a young brown-haired man said as he turned the faucet off next to Vincent and shook his hands above the sink, “But there’s no need to embarrass me about it.”
Vincent’s awkward attempts to apologize fell on deaf ears. The man gruffly dried his hands and left in silence. After this time confirming that nobody was in the bathroom with him, he turned and faced the poltergeist to continue their conversation.
“Did you not see me with my girlfriend? Could you not just let me enjoy the show?”
“I didn’t mean to get you all frosted,” said the comely specter. Her ghostly poodle skirt fluttered as she tapped her foot more out of frustration than impatience. “I thought nobody could actually see or hear me.”
Vincent sighed and turned towards the mirror. “One of the many benefits of being a medium.”
“You shouldn’t have flipped your wig.”
“Granted,” Vincent growled, “But it is really difficult to not lose your temper when you are constantly bombarded with ‘A flatter bum like you could do better than ole Miss Rhonda round-heels over here. You need a real dolly like me’ or words to that effect.”
“I was just cranked. I haven’t been able to talk to anyone for several decades! At least, nobody who was able to hear.”
“I suppose it’s my fault. I should have ignored instead of asking you to keep quiet. Of all the places we could have gone, Kathy had to choose the Mount Baker Theatre. I tried to warn her that it was haunted but she laughed and didn’t believe me and honestly, why would she have believed me?”
A solemn expression washed over the phantom. “Do you think you and Kathy are splitsville?”
Vincent paused. “Probably, but not because of the argument. To be honest, Judy, it was bound to happen sooner or later. We are just two completely different individuals. We share very few interests outside the theater. She’s been starting to act strange lately too like recently she dyed her hair green.”
Judy smiled. “Then I have nothing to be sorry for because I helped you out.”
“How on earth have you come to that conclusion?”
“Your relationship was on the rocks anyway. I just sped up the process and by doing that. I kept you from being miserable.”
“I didn’t want to break up with her today and I don’t take kindly to strangers interloping with my love life.”
“Still, if you two were about to break up, I’m not sure you’re so upset. Oh wait, I get. The two of you were still hot and heavy, just not in love. I gotcha. Hey, I understand, I played my share of back seat bingo back in the day too.”
“What do you mean by ‘back seat bingo’?”
“You know, making out, necking in the car, that sort of thing.”
The young man’s cheeks turned red. “I think this conversation is over.”
Judy floated in front of him before he reached the exit. “Hey Vincent, there’s something I want to ask you.”
“Oh right,” Vincent said with a sigh, “The favor. Right, what do you want me to do?”
“I attended Bellingham High School. It ain’t far from here. So, anyway, there I was actually a pretty popular girl, you know? I mean I was really radioactive ‘specially ‘round the boys, but to tell the truth, it was mostly because I was fast, you know, easy? I made fun of Kathy but the truth is I was a bit of a round heel myself. Sad thing is, I never went out on an actual date. No guy was really interested in that. Until I met Wally.
Oh, he was a nerd. Thick glasses and all that. But he was kind and sweet, and gentle. Kinda shy but that’s all right. Oh, man, his flat-top made him such a dreamboat, I tell ya.
He invited me to watch a show with him here, I mean, several decades ago, you know? Only,” a ghostly tear rolled down her cheek. “I never got to see the show. I was hit by a car trying to cross the road. The father had turned to yell at his children from the front seat. He never saw me.”
“Is that why you’ve chosen to remain here?” Vincent asked, “Because you never got to see that show?”
Judy nodded solemnly.
“You must have seen some shows during your time here, though.”
“I’ve never been able to actually see a show sitting next to a man, though. I want to know what it’s like to be on a real date.”
Vincent said nothing and wordlessly exited the bathroom, out the front door of the theater, and stood in silence with a bewildered Judy floating behind him ever the while.
After a long wait in that cold, October evening, he finally reached the ticket window where a perky young blonde girl practically shouted, “Hello sir! Just yourself?”
“No,” Vincent said, “Two tickets, please.” Though a bit confused, the vendor did as he asked without question for she knew it was better to comply with a crazy man’s request than it was to ask questions. The ghost followed as Vincent entered the auditorium. He scanned the area and his eyes fell upon a couple of empty seats near the back. Vincent sat in one of them. He then bade the apparition to sit in the other.
A smile washed over Judy’s face and she eagerly complied. A couple of times, patrons would ask if the empty seat was taken but Vincent insisted he was saving it for his date. Those words made the apparition smile.
Judy said very little during the show. She didn’t have to. The grin on her face spoke volumes. Her smile never faded even as the show reached its conclusion and she disappeared into the ether.
As the audience rose and cheered, Vincent remained seated. “Thanks for a wonderful date, Vincent,” he muttered sarcastically.
If you enjoyed this story, then you will love Ghosts are Assholes, my novel that is available for purchase here. I would also urge you to share this story with others too if you enjoyed it and comment below. Thank you for reading my story.
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Another good one, and it does capture the feel of the book. Good job!
Thank you very much! I’m glad you enjoyed the story!