The Witches

[enchanting music playing]

[slide clicks]

[older Hero chuckles]

All right, then.

Where were we?

Oh, yeah, that’s right.

Now I remember.

“A note about witches.”

See, here’s the thing about them.

They’re real!

Witches are as real as a rock in your shoe.

That’s the first thing you need to know.

The second thing you need to know, they’re here!

And they live amongst us…

[slide clicking]

…side by side, with humans.

In every big city, in every small town.

For all you know, a witch might be living right next door to you right now.

They everywhere!

A witch might be a nurse, or your teacher, and you can bet your sweet patootie that friendly, little old lady on the bus offering you a delicious piece of salt water taffy is a witch.

And here’s the most important thing.

The most important thing.

Witches hate children!

A witch spends all her time thinking up ways to destroy children.

That’s all she thinks about.

“How will I squish this horrible child?”

[squishing]

A witch gets the same pleasure from squishing a child as you get from eating a bowl of ice cream covered in butterscotch syrup, with whipped cream, chopped nuts, and a cherry on top.

[children gasp]

[older Hero] My story begins during the last month of 1968.

Believe it or not, I was once a young boy.

[slide clicking]

A boy with a mother and a father.

[slide clicks]

[eerie music playing]

[older Hero]

We lived in Chicago.

And it snows a lot at Christmastime.

[sirens approaching]

Tricky thing with snow is, it’s slippery.

[man] Take the front! This way!

Mom?

[older Hero]

I was wearing my seat belt.

Dad?

[people shouting indistinctly]

Mom!

[older Hero]

Mama and Daddy weren’t.

[shouting] Mama! Dad!

Mommy! Dad!

[man] Let’s get you out of here.

[older Hero] It was during my eighth Christmas that I lost my mother and father.

[Christmas choral music playing]

[children shouting distantly]

[sniffs] My dear child…

Grandma.

Grandma’s here.

[Grandma] Aw, you gonna be all right.

Here, let me look at you.

Mmm.

I’mma get you out of here.

I packed your things, I’m gonna take you home.

Home? To my house?

No, darling.

Home to my house.

[engine turns off]

[Reginald] Need any help bringing these bags inside, sister?

[Grandma] Oh, no, thank you, Reginald.

You’ve done enough already.

Running into you at the bus station was a godsend.

I’m much obliged.

[Reginald chuckles]

My pleasure. [grunts]

I’ll see you in church come Sunday?

[Grandma] Oh, you know you will.

Pleasure to make your acquaintance, young man.

Welcome to Demopolis.

Thank you, Reggie.

Sister.

Wait.

Take them shoes off before you walk on my good rug.

[older Hero]

Grandma was my mama’s mama.

A tough lady with a big heart.

The kind that wouldn’t hesitate to give a spanking if you deserve it or a big ol’ hug if you needed it.

[Grandma] I reckon… you’ll be comfy here.

In your mama’s old room.

We’ll get you situated tomorrow.

I’m gonna make some hot chocolate.

Want some?

I’m gonna make some anyway, in case you change your mind.

[thunder rumbling in distance]

[thunder rumbling]

[rain pattering]

[crying softly]

[weatherman on TV]

High tomorrow, 73.

[Grandma] Young man, what is wrong with you?

Sitting in here all by your lonesome.

It’s nice out.

You want something to eat?

I just fried some wings.

Nobody turns down my wings.

I’m gonna make you a plate.

[upbeat music playing on gramophone]

[singing along] Now if you

Feel that you can’t go on

Because all of your hope Is gone

And your life is filled

With much confusion

Until happiness Is just an illusion

And your world around Is tumblin’ down

Darlin’

[chorus singing] Reach out

[man singing]

Come on, girl

[Grandma] Reach out for me.

[man] Reach on out for me

Reach out

Come on, baby. Come on.

[man] Reach out for me

Ha! I’ll be there

With a love That will shelter you

[Grandma] Mmm!

What you waiting for?

Don’t feel like eating.

And I don’t feel like wasting all this good food.

What, you think I’m supposed to feel sorry for you?

Well, I don’t.

Do I feel bad?

Yeah.

But not sorry.

Sometimes, whatever the good Lord needs to teach us

Comes in ways we don’t see.

But it doesn’t mean we’re not supposed to learn something.

Look here.

This was my baby.

I’d do anything for her to be here right now.

But the Man Above had another plan for her.

And whether it seems fair to me or not, it doesn’t matter.

Sometimes life isn’t fair.

It’s a hard lesson for folks to learn and most people don’t have to learn it this young.

But you do.

You hear me?

[Hero sighs]

Come on now, baby, you got to eat something.

You like cake?

Well, corn bread is basically cake.

Mmm-hmm.

Go on. Try it.

[laughing]

[soul music playing]

[knocking at door]

What’s his name?

It’s a she.

Her name is something you can ponder.

[playing upbeat melody]

[Grandma humming]

– Have you come up with a name for your mouse yet?

Uh-huh.

Well, tell me.

Don’t be keeping me in suspense.

Aisy.

Lazy?

Well, that mouse is full of nothing but energy.

She runs all the time in that wheel.

Not “lazy.”

Daisy.

“Daisy.” Oh.

I like it.

That’s a perfect name for her.

Close your eyes, honey.

[upbeat music playing]

[man singing] It’s your thing

Do what you wanna do

I can’t tell you Who to sock it to

It’s your thing

Do what you wanna do

I can’t tell you Who to sock it to

[older Hero]

And somehow, she did it.

Little by little, with a tug here and a pull there, she brought me out of my sadness.

[both laughing]

[man singing]

Oh, you need love now

Just as bad as I do

[older Hero] But even though my own darkness was being lifted, there was another dark shadow looming nearby.

Very nearby.

I didn’t know it, but I was about to meet my first witch.

Curses. [hissing]

[coughing]

[man singing] All right

Lord have mercy!

[Grandma] Raymond.

Raymond.

You call these fresh?

But we just got them in.

When? Last year?

Look at how yellow they are.

And those brown spots around the edges.

I’m not gonna waste good bacon drippings on these shriveled-up weeds.

Can you get me some fresh greens if you don’t mind?

Yes, ma’am.

I’ll see what we have in the back.

You do that.

[TV playing indistinctly]

Grandma, can I get these nails to make Daisy a house?

[Grandma] Hmm.

[doorbell jingles]

Well, these aren’t galvanized.

You have to use galvanized nails so they won’t rust.

But galvanized costs .35 cents more.

Safety first.

Yes, ma’am.

You cut yourself on a rusty nail, you can get lockjaw.

Yes, ma’am.

And then I’d have to flush out your system with liver oil, garlic juice,

Tabasco sauce.

You wouldn’t want to go through that now, would you?

No, ma’am.

Good.

Remember, safety first.

[coughing]

[older Hero] Grandma knew how to fix all kinds of ailments.

She learned from her grandma how to use herbs and potions and strange incantations to make sick people good as new.

Here in Alabama, where she grew up,

Grandma was known as a healer.

[whispering] Galvanized.

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