Eddie Poe Talks Through A Medium
Many years ago, in my youth, I met a rather unusual lady who seemed to have a countenance about her person. Sort of a glowing softness that is indescribable and almost makes one seem foolish to say such after being told she was considered a Medium. I never have believed in the presumed ability of the Medium to cross over to the other side, as they say.
At the time I was uncertain whether she actually practiced reaching the other side, or this was just a rumor. Enough to say she was striking in her demeanor and her flowing but sheer delicate wrap and head cover. She evidenced pleasure at hearing I was doing research on Eddie Poe and came to my table and drank a bit of table wine. She was beautiful but not in a sensual way.
We visited and she took my card. Since that time I have moved several times and that card was seriously out dated with no straight connection to me; however she did find me and in a note asked that I pose three questions for Eddie and she would do her best to get me the response from him on midnight of the coming Halloween, which was just prior to Eddies 200th birthday.
To my surprise, I did get responses to my questions. Eddie is in red:
Q. How far back into your life can you reach, and what do you recall?
Oh, I first recall being so very cold. You know you cannot recall pain, so I only know I was cold because I recall my chattering teeth.Then I can recall seeing Mum and I know that I knew she was dead. I can see someone leaning over the bed where she lay and kissing her nose. That scene has stayed with me.
Later, I recall knowing I was five. It was my birthday. I do not remember any details but I do remember riding past a cemetery and I was terrified. I often heard my mother tell others of the episode. It seems I have always had a fear of death and demons. Death was always around.
Q. What can you tell us about yourself that we do not know and would find most interesting?
You must understand, I do not know the answer to that because I do not know who you are and what you know of me, nor do I know what you may find interesting. I continue forward on my level and do not follow what is transpiring on your level.
I can say that people really did not understand my ability to read their very thoughts during a conversation. My ability to do this often amazed me. It sent me on a trek to see if others had such abilities and I met none.
I came to realize my thoughts and reasoning powers were superior to all that I had met, however the demons knew my secret ability to understand the thinking of others so well, and they made these discovered thoughts of others echo in my head, thus this asset became a liability. The demons never left me in peace, except when I took to drink.
Q. What is the last thing you recall in your life?
Of course you mean when I left your level. It does seem the lady I am talking to must have met you on your level. On your level things were terribly intense for me and most difficult for the mind. The mind on your level is so easily corrupted, becoming sour fruit which cannot bask in the light of mercy and grace. I actually was very merciful and had quite an empathy for others. Do not let your mind become spoiled fruit by being selfish and corrupt or it may not survive death on your level.
You see I have always lived in my mind, as I do now. I know how curious you must be and doubtful of this encounter as your questions are far too light for your ability. I believe you just asked these rather basic questions to accommodate and humor this lady who is writing down for you what I am saying. Ti's a pity, actually. There is so much to sort through on your level. So many better questions you might have asked.
I can give you this much:
You see I never have really had a last day. I am mentally now as I have always been, but with so much more knowledge and the demons have left me. I am at peace and totally happy. Drink was a physical weakness but I really was not a bad person. I always was helpful to others and brought them the best I had, thus I was transported to my new level.
Ti's your body left behind,
Not the life within your mind.
Saving grace, you will find,
Is benevolence to mankind.
Love for others, being kind,
Will perpetuate your mind.
Do not fear your last breath,
Mind leaves body at it's death.
Yes, it was cold. Eddie hated to get out of bed but he must use the chamber pot or wet the bed. The ladies that took care of Mum during the day had been most emphatic about Eddie not wetting the bed as they knew it would make him colder plus they felt it spread disease.
When he got up he noticed a stronger than normal odor, smelling a great deal like the chamber pot. Coming back to bed he felt something was wrong. When he awoke later in the morning he lay there hoping someone would come and tend the fire as it was terribly cold out of the covers. He hid his head under the blanked so he would not smell that chamber pot but the odor was worse under the covers. Perhaps it was his sister which never happend in bed beore.
His sister was crying when someone finally opened the door. He heard the lady say, "Goodness it is cold and foul in here." It was not long after that he was picked up wrapped in his blanket and whisked out of the room. . He never did learn that Mum's body had voided, leaving that renown smell of death; however he did see his Mum's blue lips and waxen face and he felt encompassed in dread, although he was not certain just what was wrong, his senses left him with the feeling of coming sadness, yes his Mum was no longer to be with him.
Eddie had lived two years now with the Allen Family. Mother and her sister Nancy were his world. Both were very good to him, although he would not know how good, as he had never know anything but good. He never thought of Mum except when the bad dream would come. Mr Allan could be very nice but he was often strict and there were arguments between he and Mother about him. Mr. Allan was afraid Eddie would become a weak boy and not manly as a boy should learn to be.
Tonight they were bathing him carefully. He was to be toastmaster for Mr. Allan's guests. He did not like the baths the women gave. They scrubbed too hard and it was cold standing up, plus Nancy seemed to pay too much attention washing his privates and he felt different, or uncomfortable and maybe embarrassed. Eddie was maturing.
***
John Allan was charming to the ladies, a money hard business man to the men and spent freely on entertainment, enjoying being the host.
Fannie was ill quite a bit, plus she and her sister, Nancy, had their satisfaction in tending to Edgar. Thus John found solace in other ladies, which Eddie was to later discover, causing him great anger as he revered his Mother Fannie.
Further there was another lad in John Allan's care, his secret bastard child. It is doubtful this escaped Fannie's knowledge, let alone her sister who was her constant companion. John's relation with Nancy is left to speculation.
John and his partner agreed to expand their business to Europe. The family of four left for England. The trip lasted three months. Eddie, at age six, found great joy in becoming known to the population of the vessel and was well liked by all. Seasickness overcame Fannie and she was ill. The accommodations were unsatisfactory. They did their own cooking and the sleeping arrangements were not sufficient, leaving Eddie to sleep upon the deck, however he did not mind.
John saw to it that Eddie enjoyed a fine education, away from the family. John enjoyed entertaining, which seemed to be his way of acquiring new business as well as fitting in with the elite of his peers. Fannie continued being ill and with Eddie gone to school and John entertaining and tending to business, she was dependent upon Nancy and saved from a rather lonely existence during her continued illness. This led John to admire other ladies at his affairs and soon his affairs developed affairs.
Eddie as a student, University of Virginia
Eddie's father was assumed dead when Eddie was three. Then his Mum died. Later his close friend and brother, Henry died and his close sibling, Rosalie went insane. Eddie marries his cousin, Virginia and while she is ill and it is assumed she knew she was dying, Eddie was seeing the poet Francis S Osgood. It is suspected she had a daughter by Eddie whom also died.
Eddie often thought, "Death, death, inexhaustible death, will you ever leave me?"
What can one say? It no wonder that demons, evil and death haunted our scribe. Eddie was of wealth growing up but fell to drinking and gambling and possibly debauchery in school and the military. Why not? His benefactor and stepfather John Allen was into drinking and partying and infidelity. John Allan did not appreciate, however, seeing those same traits in Eddie, which caused him to eventually disown and disinherit Eddie.
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