The spirit touched Babbit's arm and the blue light blazed again. When it subsided, they were standing on the sidewalk outside of a small office situated at the edge of a beach.
Babbit recognized the place immediately.
"This is my office! He said.
"Not now it's not." The spirit answered, "Look at the sign."
Babbit looked at the sign hanging above the door:
Fezziwig Real Estate Agency
"Oh, my, I had forgotten about old Fezziwig!"
"Who was he?" The spirit asked Babbit.
"My first and last employer." Babbit replied, "After graduating from high school, my father gave me my share of his inheritance on the condition I go far away. So, I came to California and got a job working for Fezziwig."
"Yes, you met many new people out here." The spirit said.
Babbit nodded. "Yes, I met Marley here. He too was trying to make a go of it in real estate. We hit it off pretty quick."
"Let's look inside." The spirit said.
Babbit and the spirit went inside. There they found a young Babbit and Marley working at their desks. Just then, an older rather plump gentleman came out of his office and looked at the two men.
"That's Fezziwig!" Babbit said happily to the spirit.
"You have fond memories of him?" The spirit asked.
"Yes, he was a kind man and a gentle boss, never yelling or getting angry..." Babbit stopped, thinking of all the times he had yelled at Dolenz. The spirit smiled at Babbit, but said nothing.
"That's enough now, Ebenezer and Jacob!" Fezziwig said laughing, "It's time to get ready for the Christmas party!"
"Yeah!" The two younger men shouted as they put their books away. They quickly began to clean up the area and put up Christmas decorations.
Not much later, a catering truck stopped in front of the office and two men delivered several trays of food.
"Wow! Look at all this!" The younger Marley said to the younger Babbit.
"Yeah, Mr. Fezziwig sure knows how to give a party!" The younger Babbit answered.
A little while later, people began to arrive, business associates and friends of Fezziwig's. A record was put on the turntable and people began to dance to the big band sound of the 1930's. The spirit noticed Babbit smiling.
"This brings back good memories, doesn't it, Ebenezer?"
"Well, yes, but...all that food. Fezziwig just did all this to keep his clients happy, so that they'll continue to do business with him."
"Really? You don't think he did this because he enjoyed Christmas?"
"Well..." Babbit hedged, then went silent.
The spirit directed his attention to a couple sitting in the corner of the room. It was the younger Babbit and a young woman with dark brown hair and wearing a green dress.
"Oh my...Margaret..." Babbit whispered.
"Who is Margaret?" The spirit asked.
"She and I...were engaged to be married at one time." Babbit said, still whispering. "I believe this is where I proposed to her."
"What happened?" The spirit asked again.
Babbit didn't answer. He just watched as his younger self took a small box out of his pocket, open it and get down on one knee. Margaret looked with shock at the ring, and nodded her head. The younger Babbit smiled and put the ring on her finger before they kissed. The spirit led Babbit over to the happy couple.
"Oh, Maggie, I'm so happy you've agreed to be my wife." The younger Babbit said. "I know that ring isn't much, but I promise you a better life, a much better life!"
"Oh, Ebenezer." Margaret said, "I don't care about wealth, all I want is to be with you for the rest of my life!"
The two kissed once again. Suddenly, the room went bright again and Babbit found himself in a small living room.
"Oh, no, Spirit!" Babbit exclaimed, "Not here!"
"Several months have now passed," The spirit said to him, "And you and Marley are beginning to make a name for yourselves in real estate, aren't you?"
"Yes, but..."
"But having money began to change you. You forgot about the little things in life and began to chase after more and more money." The spirit said.
"That's the way things are!" Babbit said defensively, "You must have a lot of money if you are to survive in this world!"
Just then, Margaret and the younger Babbit entered the living room. They sat down and Margaret looked at her fiancé.
"The reason I asked you over to my house, Ebenezer, is that I have something important to tell you."
"What is it?" The younger Babbit demanded, "You know I've got things to do!"
"I'm breaking off our engagement." She said, tears in her eyes.
"What!" The younger Babbit shouted, "Why? What have I done?"
"You've replaced me in your heart with another." Margaret said sadly.
"There is no other woman!" Babbit retorted.
"Not a woman, but an object; money." Margaret said.
"But, Maggie, I promised you I would give you a better life!" The younger Babbit said, "This is how I am going to do it!"
"By foreclosing on people's houses?" Margaret asked, "By buying up houses for as little as you can and then charging huge rents?"
"There is a building boom going on, Maggie. People are moving to this state in droves. I intend to take full advantage of it."
"I'm sure Mr. Fezziwig would appreciate that, but then again, you and Marley made deals behind his back and drove him out of business."
"You have to stay competitive or you die, Maggie!" The younger Babbit shouted, "Fezziwig couldn't understand that!"
Margaret simply took her diamond ring off her finger and laid it on the coffee table. "Here is your ring, Ebenezer. I will not marry a man who loves money more than me."
The younger Babbit glared at her for a few seconds, then picked up his ring and marched out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
"NO, don't go!" Babbit shouted after his younger self, then looked over at Margaret. She was sobbing. Babbit began to sob as well.
"Why did you show me these things!" He shouted at the spirit. "Why torture me this way?!"
"You needed to be reminded of how you got to be like you are now in the first place if you are to start healing." The spirit replied, then looked at his torch. The flame was growing weaker.
"I'll have no more of you!" Babbit shouted and snatched the torch out of the spirit's hand.
Instantly everything went black for a few seconds, then Babbit found himself back in his bedroom. The clock in his room showed that it was almost two a.m.
With slow, shaky steps, he climbed back onto his bed, and tried to sort out what he had just seen.
Suddenly, a yellow light began to shine in his room...
Chapter 4
Chapter 6
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