The Night the Sky Fell (2 page)

Dr. Murray Abrams placed his hand on Peyton’s head to steady it and examined Peyton’s laughing eyes. “Dr. Abrams, you had bagel and lox for breakfast….with coffee and juice…orange I think.”
 

Julie Powers’ sniffles turned into an embarrassing chuckle. Peyton localized the sound and turned his head. “Was I right, Mom?”
 

Dr. Murray Abrams said, “Peyton, try to sit still. I need to take a look and you were right about everything I ate for breakfast.”
 

Dr. Abrams shined a light into Peyton’s eye: “I can see the light, Dr. Abrams. I can see it with my mind’s eye. Banks taught me that Tlingits have a mind’s eye.”
 

Peyton was born completely blind. His perception of life came from his Mother Julie and lately from books and especially Banks Blackhorse. Banks told Peyton he had an Indian soul. He also called Peyton ‘Sport’ most of the time and explained that was what the Great Gatsby called his past love’s cousin. But the real reason that Banks called Peyton Sport was because Peyton was rich and white. Sometimes Banks introduced new ideas to Peyton. If they were a bit advanced for the young boy the conversation would turn into a grueling grill from Peyton…each question yielded an answer which began another question. Peyton was a happy kid with a mind like sponge. He loved his mom, his dad and Banks; but, he detested his teenage sister.

Dr. Abrams’ assistant ushered Peyton to waiting room and got him a lollipop. “What color is the sucker, Mam?”
 

The assistant answered, “It’s blue.”
 

“What’s blue?” And so Peyton commenced with his drill and grill. Meanwhile, Peyton’s mom Julie had her own grill which came to an abrupt halt. Dr. Abrams was more than an ophthalmologist. He was the only retina specialist in Juneau. He also was Julie’s next door neighbor and best friend to her husband Stan. Quite simply, there was no hope for Peyton. There was only hope for Julie’s acceptance of this fact. Peyton will never see. He explained that Peyton’s eyes are fine but the nerves to the brain just don’t work. It’s like having a perfectly good landline whose cord was cut.
 

Julie’s sniffles turned to weeps. This emotion was compounded by her guilt. Yes, the concept was horrific for any parent to take in but her genetic defect added to the mix. Julie felt that it was her fault. When Stan and Julie had Tricia, she was a healthy girl and Julie wanted to try again despite the genome testing that indicated the possibility that Peyton would have no vision…ever. And her fear of fears came true with the birth of Peyton. Guilt and horror lead to gin and tonic. Sobriety is an unacceptable state for Julie Powers.

The Juneau Glacier burst aquamarine. After the glacier calved, blocks of ice floated towards the mouth which was known as the Gastineau Channel. The channel bridge connected Juneau to Douglas Island. The island was part of Juneau. Nearby, Tlingit Indians anchored their fishing boats. Further down, a cruise ship entered the channel. A small aircraft landed at Juneau Airport. It must be May.

Banks’ pickup passed the Alaskan Capitol Complex. Further down, Banks parked at the Juneau School for the Blind. He removed his glasses and brushed his hair back. He yanked out the homemade eye drops from his pocket. He inserted the gooey substance into his eyes. There was a knock at the window. His eyes were shut tight and he fought to open his lids against the honey-based stickiness. Success. His eyes slowly flicked open. As he placed his glasses on, he noted Peyton and Julie at his window.
 

Peyton cheered, “Banks, we beat you. We beat you.” Peyton knocked at the window with his cane.
 

Banks exited the truck and tussled Peyton’s hair. “Yes you did, Sport. Good morning, Mrs. Powers.”
 

Julie responded curiously, “Do you have an eye infection?”
 

Banks said, “Just eye drops, Mrs. Powers. No problems.”
 

Peyton intervenes, “Banks, I saw the shooting stars last night!” Julie looked towards the pavement as Banks smiled and acknowledged Peyton.

Banks learned Braille at the school and the teacher and staff offered him a position as a teacher’s aide. Most of the current students were patients of Dr. Abrams. Banks greeted all students with comments accompanied with touches on the shoulder. Julie spoke with another student’s mother as Peyton made his way to his seat. Before he sat, the seeing teacher spoke with a seeing mother and her infant. The baby made a gurgling sound. Peyton perked up, “Mom, is that a baby I hear?”
 

Julie answered, “Yes, Peyton.”
 

Peyton added, “That’s what I want for Christmas.” Peyton made his way to the baby as Julie followed in protest. The seeing mother guided Peyton to feel his way to the baby. Peyton’s finger neared the baby’s lips.
 

The baby’s mother assured, “It’s okay, Peyton.” Peyton inserted a finger through the baby’s lips as the baby bit Peyton.
 

Peyton complained, “Ow! Sharp!” Banks guided Peyton back to his seat. Banks, tell me Indian legends at lunch.”
 

Banks offered, “I’ll let you read my grandfather’s secret legend book. I translated it from Tlingit to English Braille.” Peyton was seated as Banks waved goodbye to Julie who stood out in the hallway. This was a depressing day for Julie Powers. She waved back to Banks and yanked out her flask. It was time for Julie to feel better. She took a swig.
 

The only time that Julie moved up a notch on her happiness scale was when she saw Banks and Peyton together. She saw a powerful connection between the two. This led to a momentary elation. She asked herself wouldn’t it be great to always have Banks around? She could think about other things like her daughter Tricia or even Stan whom she had not had sex with since Peyton’s birth. She considered Banks more than a school aide to Peyton. She considered him a friend.

Banks believed that friendship was based on two peoples’ agreement to use one another. He got the notion from white people while going to high school. He overheard implied bargains between students. If favors were not returned, then friendships would be broken. He never wanted that to happen with Peyton. Sure Peyton could become annoying at times but that was part of the bargain. Banks would wait for the right time and cleverly strike for what he wanted. He knew Julie Powers approved of him. He wasn’t sure about Mr. Powers but white mothers usually ruled the roost.
 

The tourist season was a flutter. All the cruise ships were in Juneau and the mosquitoes of July welcomed the tourists. At Juneau’s highest points were emerald trees rising to the heavens and the area was impassable. The road ended at Skyline Boulevard where the wealthiest of the wealthy lived. The Powers and the Abrams lived next door to each other. Each lived in a posh two story house with a circular drive way. The Governor could not afford to live here. No Indians lived here. This was white wealth and privilege. This was Banks’ coveted dream. Sometimes he would drive up in his pickup truck and park where no one could see him. He would peer out from the trees and looked at the Powers’ house and pined quietly. He felt like this was Gatsby territory.

Inside the Powers’ house one would conclude correctly by the conspicuously Catholic adornments that the residents belonged to a Catholic Church. The Abrams’ house was not conspicuously Jewish. Both houses had a teenage daughter.
 

In the Powers’ house, Peyton read the
Indian Legends
book in Braille. He took a few nuts from a bowl directly in front of him. His hand reached for a glass of soda near the nuts. After licking his fingers and wiping them clean on his shorts, he continued to read.
 

Tricia studied Peyton from the second floor. She removed her gum and shoes and slinked down the stairs. She was almost sixteen with bosom overflowing. Yes, she was pretty too and was the leader of the ‘A’ crowd at Juneau-Douglas High School. At the core of her soul was Tricia’s charm. Her charm was similar to a flesh eating virus.
 

At this moment, Tricia silently switched the nut bowl with the glass of soda. Many privileged teenage girls in Juneau were suffering from ennui in July and sought relief from boredom by engaging in malicious acts with their younger siblings. Tricia sat on the staircase and waited with gleeful anticipation. Meanwhile, Julie was in the study playing a somber classical piece on her piano which seemed to punctuate her mood. Julie wore her night mask and played the piano in the blind. She understood the meaning of empathy. She paused, and like Peyton, she hunted for her glass of gin and tonic in almost the same manner that Peyton previously hunted for his soda. She found the glass, took a drink and continued with her music. At that instant Peyton went for his soda. When placing the glass in his mouth, the nuts poured all over him.
 

Peyton knew immediately what his sister had done, “Tricia, you bitch! I can smell your evil.”
 

Tricia laughed, “Spazz! Smell my evil! Huh!”
 

Peyton yelled, “Mom! Tricia did the bitch-switch.”
 

Julie entered without her mask: “Don’t say bitch, Peyton.” She snarled at Tricia, “Say witch.” Tricia scampered up the staircase as Julie retreated to her piano, mask and alcohol.

On top of the grand piano was a family portrait. The man seated next to Julie was Stan Powers. He was Juneau’s most prominent attorney specializing in tax law. He was a great family provider and sweet Tricia had always been the apple of his eye. Everything was great in Stan’s world except for the lack of sex. Stan compensated quite well. He rarely hungered for sex and was able to attain it in the most surprising situations. A good counselor would tell Julie to join an anonymous alcohol addiction program and for Stan to join an anonymous sexual addiction organization. What the counselor would not know was that Stan already was an active member of such an organization and quite popular with the women members to the point that it had exacerbated his addiction. Weekly, he confided in his Church’s confessional and the priest generally said, “I see, my son, now tell me more.”
 

Despite Stan’s shortcomings, he considered himself a good father, great lawyer and a mediocre Catholic which came with a modicum of guilt. So Stan provided handsomely, allowed Julie to make family decisions for Peyton and assuaged his guilt by over favoring Tricia. Tricia loved the role of ‘daddy’s little girl’ and milked it for all it was worth. Tricia saw her household as a family of two alliances. That would be her mother and her brother against her dad and herself. Stan would concur.

Banks’ New Look

Banks sat in a barber’s chair. He pointed to a picture of a white movie star in a people magazine. His barber looked at the hairstyle. “I want it cut like this.” The barber took a long look at the picture.
 

The barber nodded as he said, “A lot of hair is coming off.” Banks removed his trim glasses as the barber asked, “What happened to your thick glasses?”
 

Banks smiled, “Don’t need them anymore.” The barber began his magic.

Meanwhile, across the street inside Judge Evelyn Sands’ chambers, a pair of lovers climaxed at the same time. On top was Evelyn and on the bottom was Stan Powers. Evelyn groped for her glasses. She resembles a past governor of Alaska. The couple dressed quietly. As Evelyn put on her judge’s robe, Stan attempted to embrace her. She reacts quickly with a back pedal, “My best to the kids, Stan.”
 

Stan responded, “Tricia’s going on sixteen and—”
 

Evelyn interrupted, “It was rhetorical, Stan. I don’t like my weekly lube and oil complex.” Making an attempt at a moment of intimacy, Stan went for her arm for a goodbye embrace, but once again she countered by sitting at her desk. There was a long pause between the couple. Evelyn perused her legal instruments. Then she glanced at her watch and puffed a sound announcing her discontent. He was still there with a hurt boyish countenance. Finally she sarcastically queried, “Did you want your parking validated?”
 

Stan made one final move towards him but she picked up her gavel and slammed it on the table, “Court is adjourned.”

As the barber shook on talcum powder, Banks grabbed his trim glasses. He stared in the mirror in front of him. He took a bit of the powder and rubbed it on his cheeks. The barber was amazed, “Wow you look just like the guy in the magazine…Zac something or other.” But Banks was not thinking about Zac, he was thinking, “White!” Yes, Banks Blackhorse was transforming. Banks looked at his wristwatch as if he had a prearranged appointment. The other party had no idea that his moves had been studied by Banks and Banks put his calculated plan into effect.
 

Stan walked to his car adjusting his tie as a waving Banks ran after him. “Mr. Powers!”
 

Stan turned around, “Is that you Banks? Why of course it is…something is different…something is better. How is summer going?”
 

Banks responded what he had rehearsed, “I miss the kids, especially Peyton, Mr. Powers.” Banks worked this opportunity well.
 

Stan smiled and said, “Yep, he always mentions you…say, come over for dinner tonight. I’ll call Julie…let’s shoot for six.” Banks thought that this was perfect. He manipulated this moment including dinner with the family. Finally, Banks Blackhorse was granted audience to the top of the world.