The neighborhood was doctors, lawyers, teachers, professional people. A few blue collars like my parents were scattered in with the professional people. The school was within walking distance, but still quite a walk. I actually fit in and started to make friends. The homes were called the “lake homes” and are still there today. The lake in the middle of the homes, where walking around the lake had several people every day, huffing and puffing around the lake. There was fishing and even row boats. After all the turmoil with my family “,this was heaven”
We moved into the most beautiful house with a sunken living room, and formal dining room and it was brand new. I had my own room at the front of the house looking out at the houses across the street, there was always this lady standing there looking over at the house, I would watch here staring as I moved the curtains back. There was something about this woman, she had this energy around her, that always made me want to talk with her. Granny had her own room too, next to mine. Mom and ed were at the beginning of the hall in the master bedroom with double doors.
The house was so big, and the back yards was giant. I really loved the house. The front was Spanish style with an entry and a pond. Where ed filled it with water and we had coy fish. Lots of water lilies, with lots of plants on the porch and all around. It was “just beautiful”. Ed loved plants, and growing vegetables, and herbs, as an 11 year old I liked to watch ed, he went along taking care of the plants and talking about the different varieties, I found him intriguing. He never cussed or slapped people, and he smiled and seemed so happy.
To me I saw him as a doctor, he looked like a doctor, especially in his white coat, I would see visions of him in a doctors office, but it was from a different country. This is his knowledge of herbs and plants. I finally figured out. In our giant back yard, were rows of zucchini, and tomatoes, and carrots, celery, ginger, so many varieties.
Ed brought a side of the world I knew nothing about. He taught me many things.
While my parents were at work Granny would be home. When I would get home from school I was about 12, she was always there with a healthy snack of some kind. Granny taught me all kinds of different things, unlike some she enjoyed being with me. She would talk with me and show me how to cook, and how to crochet, introduced me to all kinds of foods I had never eaten before or even seen. When I would get the flu, Granny would make me Okayu with ginger and umbeoshi, this is a Japanese porridge, white rice is a soup very creamy with pickled plum (umbeoshi)
It always worked everyone ate this at the house when sick.
Granny was my savior, she was always there, playing cards,teaching me to play cards and how to crochet. I can think back on her now, and hear her talking, and I can feel her. She would speak Japanese really fast, and then right after the end of the sentence in Japanese, she would speak English, it worked for me. I got it
That woman across the street. Came over and introduced herself. She said “I am Barbara, and here are my four daughters, do you babysit?” never had I ever babysat for anyone, “yes” I exclaimed “yes”. She introduced all the daughters, I was so excited, each one was more beautiful than the other, they were all just gorgeous.
Barbara kept staring at me. She then asked if I could come over and we could talk and she would show me the house. I said “yes” right away as I was getting some responsibility.
The next day being Saturday, I started across the street. Her house was like a movie stars home. Her husband had a business in the garage a start up business she said and she showed me all the garage.
She then showed me her dining room it was sunken too like ours, but had sheer purple long curtains all around it, with a round couch in a circle I had never seen anything like it. In the hall way was an altar with a bible open, and some oil it looked like.
She then looked at me and said: “you don’t know who you are do you?” I thought what a thing to say I surely know who I am. I am a kid. Barbara’s deep blue eyes were so big, that I felt like she was looking into me. She then began to tell me who she was. “I am a witch a white witch” I have been for many years, even before I was born. I practice white magic. You are always welcome here. Remember that. When she spoke I would get so dizzy.
You can watch my girls this summer and make some money. I will talk with your mother. She will let you do this. Remember I am always here. If you ever need me. I was thinking “you just said that”. Ok, I will see you later and left.
I was so drawn to her. I would see her appear in my house, I would dream of her. In my dreams, she showed me symbols. Barbara and I became close friends, but she was so much older.
Summer came and I started to watch her children every day. Sometimes I just stayed over there. As she started to teach me things, and she knew a lot about me and my life. We would chant “om” and laugh, we would read from the bible, we would talk about what we saw. She would have me describe the people that I saw. What the differences were in them. In how they looked.
They had this huge swimming pool with an island in the middle when she had these huge parties I was always invited. Not my parents just me.
Sometimes she would grab my hand and look at me and talk to me without moving her lips. I could hear her. She would tell me not to be afraid, that she knew what I was saying too. That this was normal for people like us. That it was ok.
I would just turn and go play with the girls. Until one day, I was at her house, I knocked and just walked in. No one was around I heard a bird in the house crowing like a black crow, and then I saw it flying around, the purple sheer curtains were blowing, they were billowing in rhythm, and I was transfixed.
I could hear sounds, voices, and then I heard singing. It was the most beautiful singing I had ever heard. As the curtains blew around in the wind that came from no where. I felt my energy in my body, mix with the wind and move around, I became that wind that was moving over and through, every thing, and I began to feel myself move around the room with the wind, as I did I saw the black crow cawing and talking to me. Then gently I was placed back on the floor.
I looked down at my feet firmly planted on the tile, and when I looked up there was Barbara. Standing before me. She was glowing with light, and sparkles, her eyes so blue they almost look unreal. I was scared. White as a ghost.
She smiled a beautiful smile, took my hand over to her altar. I will anoint you with oil, and ask for protection for you. Did you enjoy that? I did. What was that? What is that? It is the blessings of God, it is the universal energy. Remember it can do anything. As long as its for the good of all.
She said the lords prayer and dipped her oil bottle which she placed drops on my third eye, at my throat, and on my wrists. You are blessed so be it. You better get home, your mother is looking for you. In the next moment, I hear my mother calling me home.
next month with be part 2 of the witch across the street.
thank you for reading
with love Renee
