Chapter 11

    A City of Surprises

    That rotten little punk! I swear, one of these days I was gonna turn the tables on that cocky rich kid. I’ll be the one humiliating her and laughing at her pain! How dare she disrespect me like that!? I’ll have you folks know I ain’t compensating for nothing! Even though that’s none of your goddamn business.

    As much as it pained me to do this I was forced to leave my identity behind me when I left my hat in the hotel room. I guess that dumb doll had a point, I didn’t wanna look conspicuous, especially when I was gonna be following her around that morning.

    After a few words of warning from my shadow about ‘when was the last time you looked in a mirror?’ and ‘Are you even going to combe that bush on your head?’ I ignored him and headed straight on out. I felt a little naked without my hat, first time in years I was venturing outside without it.

    I had to admit, the doll was right about one thing. I didn’t have anymore of those funny looks from any of my twenty-first century peeps. Even though I didn’t see anybody else wearing the same kind of get up they still had a lot more respect for me this time.

    I knew the doll was headed for the television studio, only problem was we didn’t have a television studio back in my time. I had to get myself a cab if I was gonna find this place, I didn’t wanna get lost. Lost? I my own city? Damn, I felt old. But you know how it is, leave town for a few decades and they change everything.

    Before I tracked down a cab I had to get myself a paper, I needed find out what kind of surprises New Orleans had instore for me, as if she hadn’t surprised me enough already. I checked the wad of cash the doll gave me just minutes ago. Holy crap! There had to be almost three-hundred dollars in here! The paper was only a nickle back in my time. Exactly how much was it today? Seventy cents? You gotta be kidding me! I could get a meal for that much back in my day! And besides, I only had twenty-dollar bills.

    Hey, wait a sec. You folks remember when that fat cat La Bouff gave the paper boy more money than he could count? And all for a lousy black and white? I was in the same position here, and I was feeling generous besides. I looked for the most busted up newspaper stand I could find, this was my chance to give a poor folk like myself the dosh they deserved.

    The Times Picayune. How can they even call it that nowadays when they charge seventy damn cents? Meh, what did it matter? It wasn’t even my green anyway. Even if a just gave it all away there was plenty more where that came from, heheh.

    Now, flag down a cab and follow the doll. NBC studio, right? I’d have time to read the paper on my way down there.

    Celebrities visiting the city are always big news. Just like when that froggy prince came to New Orleans, he was the talk of the whole town! I knew there just had to be something about the doll and her family in here somewhere.

    Alright, nothing about her in the headlines. I guess that was yesterday’s news. Let’s check the gossip pages. There was bound to be something there.

    Yes, here we go!

    ‘Celebrity business owner, Diana Crawler, begins production today at the NBC studio…the woman notorious for shouting her mouth off is starring alongside…’

    Come on, get to the doll already. Tell me about this bossy broad’s daughters.

    ‘...daughter Jennifer Crawler spotted on many occasions with the owner of New Orleans’ famous landmark Tiana’s…Princess Cameron delighted with her new friend…’

    Come on already!.. Ah!

    ‘Diana’s oldest, Charlotte Crawler, is nowhere to be found. Not seen in public since the age of twelve.’?...

    Was that all this black and white could tell me? Not seen since the age of twelve? I guess it didn’t surprise me all that much. If she was shy of strangers then sure as hell she was gonna be shy of the media. Alright, let’s see what I can find out about that big mouthed mom of her’s.

    I learned that she had quite a temper when it came to talking to her employees. She was known for her tendency to break her cellphones in rage and so always carried extras. Geesh, and I thought I had a quick temper!

    ‘A reliable business woman, but not a reliable mother’ according to an interview with the same little punk who mocked me that morning. Ya know, as much as I hate that kid she might have a point there. I saw the way that porcelain doll of mine looked after her mother told her to get her ass down there. She really didn’t wanna go and either her mom didn’t care or didn’t notice.

    After a short ride I was there, I over paid the driver and left. So, this was the studio, huh? Looked like this place had high security. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to get in without people asking questions. But this old shadowman had a few tricks up his sleeve, even in this century. These hands used to pickpockets, you know, before I used them to mystify my clients with my sleight of hand. Y’all folks know I can’t make anything for myself, but this dust of mine is just for illusions, not the real thing.

    I creeped up behind one of the guards on duty just outside. Time for me to pull a nasty trick. I pointed to one of the limos in the parking lot. “Hey, you see that limousine over there? Pretty hot ain’t it? Why, I’d almost say it was on fire~” I unleashed a sneaky little bit of dust and I gave him the illusion that the engine was about to blow.

    “Get back!” He stared bawling out. “Clear the area!” As he walked away he didn’t even notice that he’d left something behind. A made a little move called the Gypsy Switch and slipped his ID from around his neck without him suspecting a thing. ‘Nicholas Pumpernickel’. Is that what folks are calling their kids these days?? And I thought calling a girl ‘Charlie’ was a bad idea.

    Speaking of which, I still had some business to take care of.

    I wondered inside, using my stolen ID the same way as the other’s, making my way up each floor until I finally found what I was looking for. ‘Studio Three.’ This was the place. I almost wanted to cover up my eyes with the rim of my hat to hide myself a little in case that little doll spotted me. But then I remembered, what hat? I just had to hope that shy angel didn’t notice me as I opened the door and walked in.

    But I wasn’t met with cameras and bright lights or a stage and a set. It was a room full of boxes with moving pictures. It almost hurt my eyes looking at them, like I was looking through some kind of portal into another world! (Getting a sense of deja vu here.)

    There was people sitting around some kind of podium while the guy in the middle asked them all kinds of boneheaded questions. Another where an auction was taking place, and one that was just a bunch of ordinary people getting interviewed on stage. Then I saw a fight break out on that same box between two of the men who had the microphone stuck in their face. I couldn’t hear much in the way of talking, just the sound of canned laughter and forced oos and ahs.

    Looked like these cameras were rolling non stop because nothing had been cut out. I even saw the same fool who was asking the questions trip up on them. He couldn’t even read off the damn card. Everything was live, this was all happening now...

    That’s when I saw her. The bossy big mouth and her shy little princess. She was looking pretty damn sad as she looked up at her mom. I had to listen carefully, there was a lot of noise in here.

    “Oh, mother. Please, I don’t like wearing this.” Charlie doll wasn’t exactly wearing her blue skirt any more. “I don’t like dresses and I don’t like pink.”

    “Charlotte, please don’t argue with me. Why don’t you trust me, dearie? I know what’s best for you and I know the clothes that will make you look stunning and yet completely inaccessible at the same time. Oh come, now. Would you rather be dressed like a boy?”

    “But blue isn’t just for boys.”

    “When was the last time you saw a card for a daughter that was in blue? Or a money box for baby girl that was blue? Charlotte dearie, all the cards and balloons and clothes based around the colour blue are all for boys. You are a lady!”

    “But I think blue makes me look… well, nice.”

    “Don’t start this with your mother, please Charlotte. I don’t need this stress, I am about to be presented live on camera. It does not make you look nice. The clothes you choose are so plain and simply horrid. They make you look like a riffraff. The same goes for that black skirt of yours that you hide in your wardrobe, it is far too short. You look like a harlot when you wear it. And goodness gracious! Don’t get me started on those jeans of yours! If I ever catch you shaming your femininity again by wearing those then I shall have a fit.”

    I saw the look on that doll’s face, she was ready to cry any minute.

    “...Yes mother. I understand.”

    “Good, now. Why don’t you take a seat next to your sister? You know she has good taste in clothes. Maybe you could learn a thing or two from her. At least Jennifer meets the expectations of her mother and her class, it’s a pity you couldn’t do better sometimes, Charlotte. It really is. Most of your class think you are a complete disgrace. But you know your mummy will always love you no matter what, don’t you Charlotte?”

    “Yes mother. I understand. I’ll try harder next time. I’m sorry to have disappointed you.”

    “That’s a good girl. Now sit back and watch your brilliant mummy do her thing in front of the cameras.”...

    ...This. Was. It.

    This was why she couldn’t find her magic! No confidence, no self esteem, no guts to stand up for herself, letting people like her mom just walk all over her like that. This girl didn’t believe in herself! It’s no wonder she gave up and collapsed in defeat at the first hurdle, she was doing it all the time! If this doll had no control over her own life then how was she gonna have any control over her magic? It made perfect sense. Trust me, I know a thing or two about the way people think.

    I decided to stay a little longer, I wanted to see how she got treated by her sister. I didn’t expect it to be any worse than her bitchy mother.

    “Charlie? I’m sorry mum’s so bossy with you all the time. But you do ask for it.” Her sis was talking to her but the doll didn’t even turn her head. “Anyway, I wanted to ask you something. Princess Cameron has promised to take me with her this afternoon to see her grandma in hospital.”

    “Her grandma? You mean Tiana the Queen Mother? How is she these days?”

    “Not good I’m afraid, but she is a-hundred-and-two. I was wondering, would you like to visit her with me and Princess Cameron today?”

    “Oh Jenny. Normally I would be glad to oblige, but my presence has already been requested by Doctor Facilier.”

    “I should have guessed.”...

    Well…

    Would you believe it…? ...Would you have ever imagined it~!

    ...She was still living! ...Little froggy Tiana was still alive!