Here and There

Here and There
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Here and There

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Frankie is a happy and loved young boy who loves little league baseball, swimming, reading sport stories, watching Netflix movies on TV, and just being alive. One summer early morning, while sound asleep he had a dream where he heard his name being called. "Frankie, Frankie, this is your grandpa. Tomorrow pay a visit to Little Assisi's Foods, and tell Geno Bandini his money is on its way, and pay attention to what directions he gives you.

With a frown on his brow, Frankie took a big breath and said: "I'm mixed up. Where are you? Are you in heaven grandpa?"

"Sweetheart, my death merely led me to another and better life, but I will be in heaven. Now, however, there's going to be a family reunion in Golden Gate Park Saturday, so be sure to go to Geno Bandini's about the money. Bye, bye Frankie."

With tears being born in his eyes, Frankie says, "Bye, bye grandpa. I'll go and see Mr. Bandini tomorrow, and I'll mention that his money is on its way

The next morning Frankie felt his body rising up and down, up and down. He awoke to Mom looking down at him with wide, wondering eyes and shaking him asking about a note left on her bed.

"Frankie, do you have any idea how this note got on my bed?" The hand with the note in it was shaking. "Look at it, read it."

Frankie opened his perspiring clenched fist, took the note, and read it aloud: "My dearest Margaret, thank you for such a lovely funeral last year. I want you to do me a favor; let Frankie go over to Geno Bandini's. Geno will be hosting a large picnic in Golden Park for all our family. Besides the family who still lives, William Jameson, Donald Wasson, Grandma, Uncle Don, Jeanne Bosworth, Freda Longwar, and other deceased members will join in on the festivities," Margaret's dad said.

"Mom, grandpa was in my dreams last night. He said go to Little Assisi's and tell Geno the money is on its way."

"Let's pray, dear, 'Lord please help my son and me regarding my father." Amen."

"Mom, what's it all about? Grandpa can't write a note, he died last year."

"Dad, can you hear me? Dad, dad are you here with us? Are you here now?" Margaret said.

The phone rang and Frankie, with some shaking himself, went to answer it. He picked up the receiver and heard grandpa's favorite song being played, "Some Enchanted Evening; You Will Meet a Stranger…." The two of them listened and looked at each other mystified and bewildered.

"Frankie, Frankie, my God. Is this real? We need to stop worrying. All will be fine. We're not just imaging these messages from your Grandpa."

"Oh Mom, I can't help saying it; grandpa isn't really dead somehow. Somehow, he is somewhere and alive," Frankie said. "Death led him to a better life."

"Do you believe this?" Margaret asked.

"If grandpa isn't alive somehow, how did these things happen?"

"My Christ, I don't know. You better go to Mr. Bandini's store," Margaret said.

The young and confused Frankie walked the two and one-half blocks to Little Assisi's Foods.

"Hi, Mr. Bandini. I have a message for you from a mystery dream. Your money is on the way," Frankie said.

A benevolent appearing, chubby shop keeper about 68 years old said,
"Good, very good. You can call me Geno if you'd like. Look at this map and be at these Picnic grounds in Golden Gate Park Saturday, at 11:00am, for a mighty surprise, OK?"

"OK! Mom and I will be at Strawberry Lake in the park next Saturday at 11:00am."

Saturday Frankie and his mom showed up at Strawberry Lake right at 11:00am and were astonished at the array of food and drink and all the living family, but they were stunned to see great grandma's knitting basket on one of the picnic tables. Then on another, sitting out in perfect and clear view, was Uncle Don's insect collection displayed on cotton in cream cheese boxes covered with glass. They also saw William Jameson and Donald Wasson's hats on another table. Other such mysterious items were seen, but the owners were not around.

After greeting their living relatives, their deceased loved ones appeared sitting at the picnic tables eating and drinking. Right at the head of the largest table was grandpa.

"Grandpa," Frankie cried. "Are you in heaven?"

"No, but I'm headed there, son. Now I'm in purgatory where I can see heaven clearer each day."

"Dad, I feel so happy for you. We'll be there in heaven with you, won't we, Dad? Am I dreaming? You're in purgatory for sure? It's hard to believe all this," Margaret said.

The picnic went on, as most family picnics, and the souls in purgatory acted
as they had done when living in time.

"Pass the biscuits, please," Grandma said.

"Here you are, Sir," Uncle Don said.

"Mom, may I have some more watermelon?" Frankie asked.

"Help yourself," Frankie boy.

Geno Bandini approached the picnic tables, went up to Margaret and Frankie, and smiled gleefully saying he received the money, that paid for the picnic, in his morning mail with a thank you note signed by grandpa.


All was peaceful and happy until a wild dog ran into the party howling, as if he were a wolf. First, he bit Frankie, who cried and cried. The dog turned from Frankie when Uncle Don whistled and made noise with some pans. Then he ran to Don and bit him, but instead of crying or any such display of being hurt, Don told the dog to go. At that instant, the animal spun around and disappeared.

"Yea, yea, great going Don," the party members yelled.

"Here sweet, let me tend to that bite," Granma said.

"Uncle Don hadn't a bite mark, but he and Frankie went to the hospital, G. G., that dog was from hell," Jeanne said.

"Right, that was 'Screw Measure, the Ferocious', I know," said Great Grandma.

Frankie's blood test revealed that vacatoxin, a dreaded disease, was nearly taking effect, but the doctor's administering antivactaline saved him.

They returned to the party smiling and waving. They joined in on the eating and drinking, conversing, and the playing of games. All was back to normal when it began to rain. The rain pounded the guests' tables making sounds like a water fall. It descended with such force, the living incurred deep, penetrating, red dots on all their exposed skin, but the deceased present were untouched, and raised their hands in the air; the rain stopped. The deceased blessed the living and all went back to normal. The red dots were gone, and the area was dry.

"Mom, do you believe yet?" asked Frankie.

"I can't help but believe, the deceased are present, Frankie; I'd be afraid not to," Margaret said.

Once again, the perfect and peaceful party became distraught, as a fire erupted all around the guests. As before, when the fire got too close for comfort even to the point of burning some of the living, the deceased put out their hands, and the fire ceased.

With lips slightly moving uttering thanks to heaven, the guests saw Grandpa glow like a beacon of light.

"Ladies and gentlemen, of the eternal mercy, our purgatory is over. The pearly gates are opened now. Peter, with his keys, is summoning all of us to enter paradise. We beat the evil one."

All the deceased disappeared leaving the living praying. Frankie said, "I haven't a doubt, now Mom; this is all factual."

"Yes."