The Lamp

© Elliot Richard Dorfman

Eighteen year old Jeffrey Randolph Stern was a senior high school student. To most people, it seemed that he had a model life. The only child of a wealthy family, he was smart and handsome. His future looked bright. Next fall he would be attending Cornell University, and in a few years after getting an architectural degree, he would join the family's prestigious firm.

While the boy should have been contented, there were periods that he felt out of place in our modern world.

When this occurred, he would become depressed and prefer to remain in his bedroom surrounded by the many early twentieth century antiques he had begun collecting since a child. By now all the bookcases was filled to capacity with albums of old photographs, books and 78rpm vintage records. He even had a crank-up acoustical phonograph which had been spotted for sale on ebay.

While his parents were concerned about their son's over zealous interest in the early twentieth century, they hoped he would eventually discover many other things to broaden his scope when attending college.

It was a cold and cloudy Saturday day in January when Jeffrey drove to the only antique store in town to see what he might be able to purchase. Happily, in his wallet he carried a sizeable amount of money that had been given to him by family members during the past holiday. The white brick building of three stories was located on a dead end street. Looking in the large store front window, he immediately spotted a decorative lamp, circa nineteen hundred. There were two medium sized bronze owls on each ends of its shinny black painted metal base.

In the center was a hallowed out block of smokey colored glass molded to look like a set of books. A low wattage bulb inside of it made the block glow.

“I must have that lamp! Jeffrey shouted so loudly, that he startled a couple of people who were passing by him.

Entering the store, Jeffrey smiled. He loved the ambience of this place. Besides the many rare antiques, were the well-kept fixtures that dated back to the Victorian era. Old Mr. Carruthers, who lived above the store, was the third generation of his family to run this shop. He came out from the backroom after hearing the bell above the front door ring and smiled when seeing Jeffrey, one of his best customers and a great lover of antiques like himself.

“Ah, Jeffrey, I am so happy that you dropped by today.”

Too excited to wait another minute, Jeffrey ran to the window and pulled out the lamp. “Mr. Carruthers, I must have this.

It's a real beauty.”

Carruthers rubbed his hands. “I knew you would feel that way as soon as you saw it. A few other customers who came into my shop this week wanted to purchase it, but I wouldn't sell it to them since I knew you like it. There is no other lamp that was made like this. It's an original.”

Jeffrey pulled out his money. “Just how much are you asking for it?”

The old man waved to him to put his wallet away. “I'm not going to charge you anything for it.”

Jeffrey was touched. “ That's very nice of you, but this lamp must be very valuable. I'd feel guilty without giving you something for it. After all, you've got to make a living.”

Carruthers' gave a big smile as he carefully put the lamp in a box and handed it to Jeffrey.

“Don't concern yourself about that. Actually I found it in the corner of my own attic. It was probably stored away there for many years. I believe it was originally owned by a cousin. Please accept it as a present from me for being one of my best customers.”

Jeffrey thanked him profusely and drove home.

As soon as he entered the front hall, his mother came from the kitchen and met him at the stairs.

“What are you carrying in that box?”

Reluctantly, Jeffrey took it out and showed it to her. “It's a super nice antique lamp that I didn't even have to pay for.”

Mrs. Stern gave a disapproving sigh. “That's just what you need, another piece of junk to add to your collection. Your bedroom is over crowded as it is.”

Quickly getting away from his mom, Jeffrey went upstairs and placed the lamp on the table right over his pendulum wall clock. Switching it on, a mellow glow came from the under the glass block.

“Awesome” he thought, rubbing the bronze owls with his hands. They seemed to smile at him and suddenly there was a blinding flash of light. The next thing he was conscious of was lying on the sidewalk of some quaint looking street. It was beginning to snow, and a gust of cold wind hit him in the face. Slowly getting up, he noticed a row of old-fashioned store fronts that displayed items that defiantly would have fitted in with his antique collection. Feeling rather dizzy, he began to sway. A very pretty woman about his age, wearing a green coat and matching hat with a wide brim, rushed over and helped steady him.

“Do you live far from here?” she asked.

“Far from here? Why, I don't even know where I am!”

“Oh, then you've somehow lost your way. Well, in your condition, you can't remain out here in the snow. I suggest that you come with me to my house which is just around the corner. You'll feel better once you're indoors where it's nice and warm. Oh, where are my manners. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Nellie Gibson.”

She was so sweet and defiantly the type of girl he could fall for. Jeffrey shook her hand.

“Hello, Nellie. I'm Jeffrey Stern and appreciate your kindness.”

A few minutes later he entered her house. It reminded him of his photographic collection of Victorian homes. He was ushered into what Nellie called the parlor. Against the right dark green wall were a camel haired couch and a large matching arm chair. To the left of him was an oak bookshelf filled with the works of classic authors and an upright piano. A marble mantled fireplace stood between two large windows that were draped with damask curtains. Two marble topped end tables stood on each side of the arched entrance. Above, a crystal chandelier hung from an off-white ceiling that was bordered with decorative molding. It was then that Jeffrey noticed his antique lamp sitting on the top of the bookcase.

“I don't understand what's going on,” he whispered and feeling another wave of dizziness, sat down on the couch without waiting to be asked.

Nellie looked concerned.

“What you need is a glass of wine. That should help revive you. I'll get it from the dinning room.”

She left and quickly returned carrying a silver tray with a crystal decanter of elderberry wine Putting it down on one of the side tables, she poured him a glass and then sat down beside him.

The wine was strong but tasty and it seemed to clear his mind. He decided the best thing to do was relax and see what would transpire. After all, there must be some logical explanation why all of this was happening to him. He turned to Nellie. What a natural beauty she was! The woman didn't need all the makeup that the modern girls wore to enhance their features.

“So what happened to you in the street Did you stumble and fall after realizing you were lost?” she asked.

Still studying the old-fashioned room, Jeffrey shrugged. “Sorry, but I haven't the slightest idea what has happened to me. The last rational thing I can remember is being in my own bedroom and then suddenly transported to the sidewalk of some strange street, which like this room, looks like things did a very long time ago.”

Nellie looked disturbed. “A long time ago? I don't know how you can possibly say that. This house was just recently built and is furnished in the latest style. Why, this entire place is lit by electricity and has two indoor bathrooms!”

Jeffrey got up and walked to the lamp on the bookcase. “May I ask how you got this?”

Nellie smiled. “It's cute, isn't it? I just bought it when I was in the city this past week.”

Remembering that Mr. Carruthers had said his lamp was one of a kind, he examined it closely to make sure it was the same one. Touching the brass owls again, there was another flash and he was back in his bedroom.

“I probably got an electric shock turning on this antique lamp which caused me to have such a totally weird experience,” he said to himself. “I'd better put the thing away until I get the chance to bring it back to Mr. Carruthers and have him check out the wiring and socket.”

Jeff didn't get a chance to do this for the next few months since he was too busy working hard at school in order to graduate at the top of his class just like father and grandfather had done before him, therefore carry on the family tradition. His effort paid off and he was chosen to read the valedictorian speech in June.

Scholastically fulfilling his parents' expectations of him, Jeffrey was allowed to relax during the summer and do whatever he wanted. Remembering the lamp, he brought it to the antique store to be checked out during the first week of July.

Carruthers looked surprised. “I'm sure the lamp was fine when I gave it to you, but I'll test it out.”

Carefully, the lamp was plugged in. After switching it on and off a few times, he shrugged. “Nothing wrong with the lamp as far as I can see, Jeffrey. Just what was this strange experience you had after having turned it on?”

Jeffrey was a little ashamed to tell the story, after all it sounded so far-fetched. When he finished, Mr. Carruthers had a strange look on his face.

“Please wait while I go upstairs to my apartment and bring back something that I want you to see.”

He returned holding a faded image of a woman. “This is a picture of my cousin who first owned the lamp."

Now it was Jeffrey's turn to be surprised

“Oh, wow! That's Nellie. So, what I experienced was real after all!”

Carruthers nodded. “I agree. From what you told me, I think you actually went back in time. This lamp must have been the catalyst.”

“Whatever happened to Nellie,” Jeffrey asked, remembering the strong attraction he had for her.

“From what I recall being told, she was in the kitchen baking a pie for her parents who were away for the afternoon at friends when her dress caught on fire. By the time help arrived, it was too late. She died of the server burns.”

“Do you know when the accident happened? I mean the exact date”

Carruthers pointed to the back of the photograph.

“It's noted right there. January 18, 1904.”

“I'll bet that's the day I was there. There was no one else in the house but her and it was a winter afternoon. Darn it, I could have warned her had I knew what was going to happen.” Jeff lamented. Suddenly, he became excited. “Maybe I still can do it!”

Grabbing a hold of the lamp, he rushed out of the store without saying another word to Mr. Carruthers. Back in his bedroom, he turned on the lamp and rubbed the brass owls as he had done the last time. Nothing happened.

He tried again, still nothing.

Frustrated, he shouted out. “Oh, please, whoever or whatever allowed me to return back in time to meet Nellie, let me do it once more to save her!"

Closing his eyes, he rubbed the lamp. There was a flash and he was back standing in front of Nellie.

“Nellie, are you planning to make a pie for your parents who are coming home later from visiting their friends?”

She nodded. “Why, yes, but how could you know that?”

“There's no time to explain. Listen to me and don't do any kind of baking today.”

Nellie was puzzled. “But why, Jeff?”

“Please don't ask, just trust me; it will save your life!”

Again there was a flash and he was in his bedroom.

Jeffrey sighed. “Darn it! I don't think that she believed me.”

Feeling miserable, he returned to the antique shop to tell Mr. Carruthers what had happened.

Carruthers was dusting the shelves when he entered the shop.

“Well, Mr. Carruthers, I was able to return back in time to warn Nellie not to bake the pie that afternoon, but I wasn't there long enough to explain to her that she would be fatally burned.”

“Jeffrey, I have no idea what you are talking about. My cousin Nellie wasn't fatally burnt. In fact she lived a long and very fruitful life. Coincidentally, her great granddaughter, Jeanie, who is just about your age, is staying with me for the summer while her parents are away on a trip. She's in the back room helping me assort some merchandise. I'd like you to meet her.”

“So, I did manage to save Nellie after all,” Jeffrey whispered to himself with relief.

A moment later, Jeanie,closely resembling Nellie, came out. Jeffrey was immediately attracted to her, just as he had been to her great-great grandmother. As they began conversing, he was pleasantly surprised to find out that Jeanie was also going to attend Cornell in the fall. It didn't take long for their relationship to blossom and soon they were going steady. By then, Jeffrey had lost much of his interest in the past.