Chapter 11 – Cleveland

Sunday, October 4

I arrived at Cleveland Hopkins Airport. It was gray outside and sleeting. Goody. Normal October weather. But I still felt fit and arthritis free, even after a boring flight.

I worked my way down to baggage claim, dreading wrestling my huge bag off the carousel. After a few minutes, it came around. I tugged at it, but it didn’t budge. I walked beside it, around the carousel, feeling like an idiot.

“Okay,” I whispered to the bag. “When I tug, you jump off, land on your feet, and make them disappear.”

I looked around. No one was watching me. I gave a mighty tug and the bag jumped off the carousel, landed nimbly on its legs, which promptly vanished.

“Well done,” I praised it. Then, I felt like an idiot again. Talking to luggage? Where’s your mind going, Angie? Well, it worked. I argued back at myself.

My son, Jeff, came up and hugged me. “Hi, Mom!” I felt his tall, lean body against mine. He was built a lot like Ray, his dad. I got a sudden nostalgic memory of Ray.

“You’re looking great, Mom!”

“Thanks, son. You too. How are Marie and the kids?”

“They’re great. They’re sorry they couldn’t make it. Violet and Oliver have a marching band practice tonight at school.”

He started pulling my luggage as we walked toward the car and said, “Whew! That’s heavy. Whatcha got in there? Bricks? How’d you get it off the carousel?”

“I got a little help. Those are books weighing it down, not bricks.”

“You should have waited for me.”

“You know I don’t like to wait.”

With a heave and a grunt, Jeff hoisted the luggage into the back seat of his sedan.

“It’ll be easier to get out of the back seat than the trunk.” Jeff got into the car next to me.

The trip across Cleveland was long and boring due to rush hour traffic and the sloppy weather. We chatted, catching up on what happened since Christmas when Jeff and his family traveled to Paradise.

We finally arrived. I get out and go to get my luggage.

“Let me help you Mom.”

“Let me show you something. Up!”

The luggage jumped up off the seat and landed on the drive.

“Ta-da!” I smiled at Jeff.

“What is that?” He stared from the luggage to me.

“That is how I wrangled my luggage to the car and the airport without you. And that’s not all.” I bent and touched my toes and then did a deep squat. “No arthritis anymore.”

“How did you get rid of that? And what’s up with your luggage? Do you have some little motors that bring those legs in and out?”

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“That’s all just wishing. Ever since this morning, my wishes have come true.”

“I don’t believe this. Let’s go into the house. I’ve gotta hear the whole story.”

I entered their home and immediately smelled freshly brewed coffee.

“Mmmm. I love you, Marie.”

Marie smiled as she brought us a tray of cookies. “I know you like your coffee. It’s decaf, so it won’t keep you awake.”

“How do you keep your slim figure when you bake all the time?”

“I guess I just have a high metabolism.”

“I hate you,” I said with a smile as I ate her cookies.

“Mom, tell Marie and me the whole story about the luggage and the arthritis. Listen to this. I think she’s pranking us.”

We sat at the dining table and I told them the whole story of my trip, including my flying car.

Jeff shook his head. “I believe your story even less the second time. Are you taking new meds?”

“Too bad you had to leave your car in Phoenix. I’d have loved to see that,” said Marie’s brown eyes shone in her pixie-like face with a pointed chin and light brown hair.

“Hmm. Maybe it’ll work with your car.” I rubbed my chin. I’ll have to trim the hair on my mole again.

“No way,” said Marie.

“Let’s give it a try. You’ll never believe me any other way.” I got up and headed for their garage.

“You’re right, Mom. I’m not believing any of your story,” Jeff opened the door for me. “This I’ve gotta see.”

“Keys?” I turned to Jeff.

He took them off the hook by the door and dropped them in my hand.

As I adjusted the driver’s seat of their minivan, Marie got in next to me and Jeff sat in the back seat. I reassured myself. I just did this this morning. Just do the same stuff. I started the car and backed out.

“Where are the wings?” Marie teased.

“You don’t want them crashing into the garage, do you?”

“No. Few things are worse than magical wings crashing into your garage.” I could hear Jeff’s sarcasm. I wondered, Where'd he get that from?

“Let me get up to speed.” I headed for the freeway.

“You need to be up to speed?” Jeff asked.

“Of course. This ramp should do nicely.” I zoomed up the ramp to I-90. It was ideal. I couldn’t be seen by cars or people in their homes.

What did I wish for this morning? Oh. “I wish this car would fly to the airport!” Navy blue, metallic wings sprouted from the doors of the car. I noted I now had four wings with four doors.

They began flapping, like two gigantic bluebirds. With four wheels. Jeff and Marie gasped. That felt good. “Believe me now?”

“How can you fly this thing? It’s just a minivan,” Jeff said.

“I got an hour of practice with my car this morning.”

We soared over I-90. I veered southwest toward Hopkins Airport.

“Watch this.” I wished the instrument panel into an aircraft panel.

“I saw it change!” Marie said.

“I can see we’re flying, but I don’t know how. Minivans aren’t exactly aerodynamic.”

“Neither are bumblebees, Jeff.”

Our speed hit two hundred and kept climbing. Blue blurs and a deep drone were all we could see of our wings. We sounded like a giant dragonfly.

Jeff leaned in between me and Marie from the back seat. “All right. I guess seeing is believing. This is really cool Mom, but I’m a little nervous. What if we run out of gas?”

I glanced at the gas gauge. We had less than a quarter tank. “It doesn’t matter. I flew from Paradise to Phoenix and didn’t use any gas.”

“That seems to violate the laws of physics,” Jeff said.

“Ya think? Maybe because it’s magic!” I began singing, “It’s magic! You know! Never believe it’s not so!” That got a chuckle out of Marie.

“Isn’t that one of the old songs from the 70s? I love learning about pop history from you, Mom.”

“I listened to that when I was in my twenties.”

Marie looked up from her phone. “That’s from 1974.”

“Yup. I was 28 then.”

“This is fantastic Mom! I wonder what else you can do with magic? Say, what if we hired out our car as an Urber?”

Marie burst out laughing.

“So tell me about this Urber business. Isn’t that just a taxi?” I glanced at Jeff and then I said, “Go on autopilot back to their home.” I turned to face Jeff.

“It’s not exactly a taxi. Each driver runs his or her business with their own car. You’d use this app on your phone.” Jeff showed me his Urber app on his cell phone.

“That’d be fun, with a flying car. We could even advertise it as eco-sensitive and carbon-free. Marie, would you mind if I used your car?

“Sure, I don’t need it during the day. But Mom, how would you explain a flying car to people?”

“I’d be like Mary Poppins. I wouldn’t explain anything.”

“Okay, Mom. I sent you the link to sign up for Urber.” Marie looked at me.

“I’ll get on it when I get home. I don’t want to be on my phone while I’m driving—or flying.” I keep my phone in the cupholder when I’m driving.

“I wonder if this magic is related to all of the fires breaking out on politicians?” Jeff said.

“Could be. I wouldn’t be the only one wishing for some politicians to catch on fire.”