LJ Idol Season 8: Week 36; Nostalgic

A knock sounded at the door.

"Who would be here this early on a Sunday, I wonder?” Frank put his book down and looked over at me.

"Goodness if I know...” I shrugged.

Another knock came upon the door and a voice, "Hello?”

Frank reached for his cane, pushing himself up stiffly, "I’ll get it Maureen.”

He made his way to the door and answered it. A man wearing a nicely tailored suit and tie stood just on the other side.

"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Nolan. If you have a few minutes, I’d like to tell you about something amazing I can offer you.” His voice was cheerful and light.

"A salesman? On a Sunday? What’s the world coming to these days...” Frank started to close the door, but the man put his hand out, stopping it from shutting.

"At least give me a moment of your time. I promise it’ll be worth your while.” A kind smile stretched across his face.

"I told you. I’m not interested. You’re wasting my time and I’m not getting any younger dammit.”

The man peered over my husband’s shoulder and looked over at where I was sitting by the fireplace. He winked.

"Well then, I will be on my way. But if you should ever be in need of my services, here’s a brochure showing what we can offer you.”

"Goodbye... Mr....” Frank leaned forward and adjusted his glasses as he looked down at the business card attached to the brochure, "Dominguez.”

The door shut before the man could get another word in edgewise.

**********

Frank had some errands to run, too stubborn to let me run them for him. I was puttering around the house when there was a knock on the door, causing me to jump.

Checking the peephole, the smiling face of the salesman from yesterday stared back at me.

I opened the door up just a smidge. "Yes? May I help you?”

"Mrs. Nolan... I really think you’d appreciate what I have to offer you today. You look like a reasonable woman, would you please just listen to what I have to offer? If you’re not interested, I’ll never bother you again, I swear...” His eyes softened and his voice sounded sincere.

I sighed. "Go ahead. But you’ll have to do it from out there.”

"Thank you. Here’s the brochure I gave your husband yesterday, I’m sure he threw it away? Anyway, I can offer you a revolutionary procedure that I guarantee will turn back the clock and cure all your ills.”

"Please Mr. Dominguez, I don’t have time for this nonsense...” I tried to close the door, but he slid his foot in the way.

"It’s guaranteed to work or you won’t pay a dime. Your husband there is showing his age, as are you my dear lady... But him even more so.” He bowed his head in respect, "Especially with that lung cancer. 6 weeks to live... What a shame”

"Mr. Dominguez, You’re out of your mind. My husband doesn’t have cancer.” Flustered with the craziness before me, I just wanted to get back to my chores, but couldn’t close the door without hurting the man’s foot.

"His annual exam is next week. I’m sorry. They will discover it and then you’ll see that I’m right...” Shaking his head, "Please feel free to call me then. Call me anytime, day or night. But you don’t want to wait too long with cancer that advanced.”

With that, he removed his foot and stepped away without speaking another word. As I watched him depart, paranoia struck me, but I quickly pushed it away as I realized there was no way he could know such a thing. Such nonsense.


**********


A week later, Frank did have his annual exam, which made me wonder how the man knew that. Maybe it was a lucky guess? I pushed the thought away as I sat in the examination with him, waiting for the results of a few tests to come back.

The doctor explained a few things I couldn’t understand about white blood counts and inflammation, he wanted to run a few additional tests and a few x-rays just to be sure.

Only days later, the news came down hard.

"Lung cancer.” The doctor told us, "no possible treatment options”.

Frank stared at the floor while I fought back the tears. Shock and fear raged through my body and the salesman’s voice rang through my head once more.

"There must be something out there...” I begged as Frank stayed quiet.

"I’m sorry, the disease is too far advanced.” The doctor shut down all of our hope.

Frank didn’t speak the entire car ride home. Gripping my hand tightly, he stared out the window, avoiding my gaze so I couldn’t see the tears as they fell from his eyes. He was never one who wanted to appear weak.

Once inside, he collapsed in his chair and I could see that he was fighting back the tears once more. I held his hand, kissed his forehead and told him I loved him.

"I love you too Maureen.”

I couldn’t hold it back anymore, the pain was just too much.

"I can’t live without you...” My sobs echoed throughout the room.

"You’ll have to find a way, my dear. You have to.” For the first time that day, there was strength behind his words and conviction in his eyes.

"But I can’t....” I buried my head into his lap.

"What choice do you have?” He gently placed his hand on my head, stroking my hair softly.

My mind went back to the man at the door. He had known. I don’t know how, but he’d known.

Later, once Frank was asleep, I dug the brochure out of the drawer and called the number listed there. Not expecting a response this late, I was shocked when a voice answered on the first ring. "Hello Mrs. Nolan. I was expecting your call.”

Chills went down my spine. How does he know what he knows, I wondered.

"You were right...” I whispered.

"I know. When do you want me to come over? I can be there in 15 minutes if you’d like?”

"Yes, please.”

Putting the phone back in the cradle, I stood in the doorway of the bedroom and listened to his quiet snores, thinking back on our younger days. We met when he was 30, I was 27 and I swooned over his curly black hair and his dimples that always came out when he laughed. His landscaping business had just taken off, back-breaking work that caused him to be in the best shape of his life. It all seemed so distant from the man I was looking at now. He was almost a shadow of himself.

Tears welled in my eyes as I remembered the good times we’d shared in our youth. Shutting the door, I went back into the living room and waited for Mr. Dominguez to arrive, hoping that perhaps he really could offer up everything he’d promised.

**********

I ushered the man into my living room, offering up coffee or tea that he politely declined. He said we needed to get down to business, as Frank may not have much time.

"I don’t require you to pay upfront, since obviously you will need to see it to believe it...” He was right about that.

A glimmer of hope made my heart race at the idea. Could it be possible? I wanted to believe it, but at the same time, the idea seemed so crazy and I feared I was being conned. He had known things he shouldn’t have known; it made me want to believe him.

"What’s the cost... I mean, if it actually works...” I couldn’t believe I was entertaining the idea at all.

"$50,000.”

"That’s about all we have in savings...” Hope bloomed in my chest. "But I think we can afford that.”

He didn’t answer me, he just shook his head.

"I’m sorry for the confusion, Mrs Nolan. It’s $50,000 a piece. So that brings it to a total of $100,000 for the both of you.” He watched for a reaction before continuing. "Again, you wouldn’t pay a dime unless it works... And I give you my word, I can make this happen.”

I searched my mind... Our retirement accounts were dry except for about $45,000, living on our own and Frank unable to work for many years cut that down to almost nothing. The house we lived in was a rental. I had a little money stashed in a piggy bank upstairs. But that would barely cover the extra $5,000 we needed, if even that....

My heart sank.

"There’s no other deal we can make then? Because I simply don’t have the money for both of us....”

Mr. Dominguez looked me over for a moment, thinking to himself before speaking.

"I’m sorry, that’s the best deal we offer. This is hard work to secure everything including fake birth certificates and a history that matches your new age.” He thought for a moment longer, "But one thing some couples in distress have done is they have bought it for the one who needed it the most, while the other person followed months later after they secured the cash. I can keep in touch with you, Mrs. Nolan... We can work something out for you later...”

Unsure if I could come up with the cash later, disappointment still enveloped me. But I nodded my head. I couldn’t let Frank die if I could help it.

"Okay then. But I won’t pay a penny until I see it happen.”

"Great! Just sign this paper agreeing to pay the sum of $50,000 after the changes are made, and we are set!” He quickly pulled a contract out of his briefcase and placed it before me.

Hesitantly, I read over the paperwork, and it clearly stated I owed nothing until the procedure was completed. I signed my name.

"When will this take effect?” I looked up to meet the eyes of the salesman.

"Instantly.”

I made my way toward the bedroom, where I heard Frank stirring about. I could hear him muttering to himself through the closed door. My heart beat faster in my chest as I reached for the door handle and slowly opened it up.

"What the...” He was fumbling around the room.

He was young again. Coal black hair, wrinkles no longer covering his face. His dimples were pronounced and clear to me once again.

"Where am I? Who are you?” Panic was stricken in his voice.

My bones stiff and creaking, I moved into the room toward him. "Frank, dear... I’m your wife... Maureen.”

He stepped away from me, eyes wide with fear.

"No, no you’re not... I’m not married. I don’t know who the hell you are!” He stood in the corner, back pressed against the wall, trying to keep as much distance from me as possible.

Looking down the hall at Mr. Dominguez who was packing up his things, "What happened? Why can’t he remember me?”

"He’s 20 all over again my dear, his memories are that of a 20 year old version of himself... “ He said nonchalantly as if it’s something I should have already known.

"But we met when he was 30...” I pleaded.

"Oh my... I’m sorry to hear that...” Shaking his head, he started for the door.

"Can’t you do anything?” I walked down the hallway toward him, desperation in my voice.

"I’ve already done everything we agreed to.” His eyes darkened and he smiled as he tipped his hat toward me, "I expect a check to arrive in the mail by the end of the week or I will be back to claim something equally as valuable. Good night, Mrs. Nolan.”

With that the man disappeared out the door, leaving me with a terrified 20 year old man who was nothing more than a stranger to me now.



(This is my second of six entries for Week 36 of therealljidol. Please head over to the group and read what the other seven awesome contestants are writing this week! As always, thank you so much for reading and your continued support.)