Chapter Nineteen

America Nixon stood out the front of her house. On the day of the accident, Bob had narrowly missed her letterbox. It was the over compensation in his steering from that miss which caused him to crash into the Lee's flowerbed. America could feel something was wrong. She was like that. She knew she was psychic. She could see and feel things that others just could not see. A lot of the neighbours thought she was a little strange, but she often had her finger on the pulse whenever someone was down or something unusual happened. The day of the accident, she had felt something bad was going to occur. The first time Lillian Lee had met America, she had said to Lillian, 'Bones! I see bones in your life. A lot of old things. It will happen very soon.' Lillian wasn't sure what to make of it. Lillian was a Conference Centre organiser at the time, and suspected America might have been smoking her tea leaves instead of reading them. One month later, at an exhibition at the Conference Centre, Lillian was offered a job working in the Archeology department of the City Museum. The City Museum had put the exhibition on in order to highlight its new Egyptian wing. They were so impressed by how professional the exhibition had been organised that they offered Lillian a job. From there, Lillian had not looked back. Lillian had started in the department just organising more exhibits and using her obvious artistic flair. As she progressed, the professors noticed she had a flair for the actual subject of archeology as well. They paid for her to do an Archeology degree through the local University part time, and she graduated with high honors. From the day she got that job however, she was a firm believer in America Nixon's psychic powers. Mark Fisher was watering his lawn and saw America standing outside her house. He waved to her and smiled. America glared at him. He knew that she did not like him for some reason. He could never tell why though. He always tried to extend the friendly hand. Always tried to be liked in the neighbourhood. For some reason that America Nixon just did not like him no matter how many times her tried. Previously, Mark had been good friends with Kevin Lee. Since America's arrival and subsequent friendship with Lillian, Mark and Kevin weren't allowed to be friends. Lillian believed in America's psychic powers, America didn't like Mark, therefore Lillian's husband Kevin was not allowed to like Mark. Kevin and Lilian would be civil to him, but America was down right hostile. It was a Saturday, and since the accident, the skateboarders were beginning to pick up again. Bob and Akane were sitting up the top of the street. Bob would sit on his board, but he had never skated down Dead Man's Hill since. The board was no more than a mode of transport now. Jim and Eddie did not touch their boards at all any more. Not even to get from point A to point B. Eddie was accompanying Jim on his pilgrimage to Mark Fishers house. Jim was taking a bag with a plastic container full of scones his mother had baked for Mark. In return, Mark would place some citrus fruits in Jim's bag. Mark grew various sorts in his backyard. Oranges, mandarins, lemons, grapefruits, plus some other varieties of fruit Jim had never seen before. 'You watch out for that man,' said America as they walked past. 'Watch out for him. I can tell you, he is evil!' Jim and Eddie normally walked on the opposite side of the road if they saw Old Lady Nixon out and about. She had always scared them. Somewhere in Eddies mind though, he got the idea that maybe, just maybe she had some answers for him. She knew something about the spirit world. The rumour had it that she could see dead people. maybe she could still see Slim. Maybe she could help him to contact Slim's spirit. 'You keep walking, dude. I'm going to see Old Lady Nixon,' Eddie said. 'Why?' Jim was puzzled. They didn't even like her. Why the sudden interest in a weird old lady? 'I want to find out what she knows about Slim,' he replied. 'I want to come too.' 'You have to see old man Fisher.' 'I can visit old Lady Nixon too if I want. I don't have to visit Old Man Fisher first, dude.' 'You do man. You owe him.' 'You owe him too, dude! He was the one who phoned the ambulance!' 'I'll catch up. I'll be down there in no time.' 'I see bad things for you young man,' America said, pointing a crooked finger at Jim. At that distance Eddie thought it was him. 'Me?' 'No, not you! Him! Your friend!' 'Oh, hear that Jim. Bad things for you, dude.' 'She says that every time I go to visit Old man Fisher. She hates him,' replied Jim. 'Really?' asked Eddie. 'Dude, I've been visiting Fisher for weeks now, and everyday she stands there and says that.' Eddie looked both ways and started crossing the road. Jim hesitated. He wanted to go with Eddie and hear what was discussed. He figured Eddie might shut up if he did. He stood there for a moment, then continued his walk down the hill to Mark Fishers place. 'Bad things for you young man,' America called after him. 'Bad things I tell you.' 'Yeah sure, you stupid bitch,' Jim mumbled to himself. 'Stop calling me bad names too,' she yelled. Jim stopped dead. 'I bet if I said anything you would think I was saying bad things about you,' he said. 'I heard that young man,' she called out. 'Just as I thought,' Jim said to himself. 'You're about as psychic as a hippos arse!' 'It will come back at you as bad karma little boy. Bad karma!'