The Snow Globe

Helen was having one of those days in one of those weeks. She was already way over her pity party quota when the real shit hit the fan. Any other day or moment, it would have just been a momentary glitch in the day’s programming, but today, well it was the veritable straw and she was the damn camel with the broken back.

She realized that her entire life was as shattered as the broken snow globe that had played ‘Edelweiss’ up until two minutes ago. Glitter, glass and a liquid that smelled suspiciously like vodka now covered her carpet, while a tiny plastic dog with dead eyes stared at her from the crime scene.

Helen began to walk towards the garbage can, but emotions overwhelmed her. As she sank to her knees, every wrong choice made in the all years since age fifteen raced through her aching head. That snow globe merely evidenced all that she’d done wrong all these years.

The snow globe. The tears began to roll down her face as that memory raced to the forefront. Vince gave that to her on their third date. In return, she surrendered to him her overrated virginity. All because of a stinking snow globe that played ‘Edelweiss.’ What an idiot she had been. It wasn’t until her circle of smart friends began shunning her and the fast boys came calling that she learned Vince gave every girl a snow globe and a story about how she made him feel like he lived in a world surrounded by music and sparkles. Apparently, she was won the speed prize, as her quick surrender had given her special celebrity status in their claustrophobic little town.

With her new reputation and new found skills, Helen soon learned to work it to her advantage. Her long suffering science grade suddenly improved once she visited Mr. Stevens in his closet like office and he helped her finesse changing measurements by repeatedly demonstrating the difference between soft and hard. Her after school job as a receptionist at JB’s Construction soon led to a promotion as Mr. Bilson’s personal assistant. He really put the ass into assistant.

Helen saved every penny, although occasionally she splurged when something really sexy went on sale. She knew it would pay for itself quickly. By the time she graduated high school, she had a bank account with over ten grand stashed away and a gorgeous gold and ruby bracelet. Mr. Bilson offered her a full time job that mainly involved her wearing as little as possible and collecting a very generous paycheck. She accepted his offer; he gave her a desk, a title, and a cash signing bonus. After working hours, Helen dated the elite of Stoneymend. Helen was nothing if not selective, if they couldn’t afford to buy her gifts, she couldn’t afford to date them. In exchange for the gifts, Helen would provide her own special gift, then pawn the items or return them for cash, which she methodically deposited into her account.

Helen’s mother barely noticed her late hours and tight clothing. After all, Helen was number four of seven, stuck dead in the middle where ignorance really is bliss. Helen had made a vow to herself. Once the bank account had thirty grand stashed inside, she was out of this dead end town and off to be the person she was meant to be. As the dollars moved closer to her goal, Helen’s excitement level rose. Soon.

Mr. Bilson mistook Helen’s growing happiness as a sign that she had developed feelings for him, and he felt like a new man, strutting around the office like a proud peacock. One morning, as Helen bent over her desk, calculating how many more weeks of this life she had remaining, Mr. Bilson let it slip that he had told Mrs. Bilson that he was divorcing her. Helen, who was calculating the interest in her account didn’t hear him, as good as she was at multi-tasking, the combination of math and orgasm faking precluded any other task including listening. She answered him with an, ‘ummm, yummm’ and continued the math. Naturally, Mr. Bilson took that to mean Helen was excited by the news, and he came like he hadn’t since he was a teenager. Helen calmly took a tissue from the box on her desk and wiped herself clean, surprised by the unusual volume of Mr. Bilson. Three weeks and four days left.

One week later, as Helen walked into the office in her spiky high heels, skin tight miniskirt and a tiny white camisole that showed off her nipples, she was met by Mrs. Bilson. Apparently, Jennifer Bilson was both the J and the B of JB’s Construction, and both Helen and Mr. Bilson were now unemployed. Helen packed her few belongings and left the office a bit saddened primarily because she was $627 from her goal. As she walked down the block, back home to figure out her next move, Mr. Bilson appeared from a vestibule. “Helen, what are we going to do?” Helen looked at him perplexed, as if she had never before seen him. “What are we going to do?” she asked. “We’re in this together my love” he answered, as he wrapped his hands around her waist and up her shirt. Helen stopped walking and looked at him with loathing. “Mr. Bilson, we’re not in anything together anymore.” She pushed his hands away from her body and continued her walking. Mr. Bilson followed her, “what are you talking about? I left Jennifer for you. I told you, you were happy. We can be together.” Helen barely broke her stride, “You left Jennifer, not me. I worked for you. You no longer have a job and now I don’t either. There is no we.” The reality hit Mr. Bilson, as he hit Helen, once, twice, three times. When she finally lost consciousness, he ripped her skirt, and had one last romp in her playground.

Helen came too in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. There was blood in her mouth and she couldn’t see out of her left eye. At the hospital, they patched her up, fixed her nose and recommended a dentist for implants. She spoke to a police woman, and when she heard that Helen and Mr. Bilson had been lovers up until that last time, told her not to bother pressing charges. Helen, glimpsing her battered face in the mirror, choked back her anger and listened to the cop, letting Mr. Bilson get away with stealing her beauty forever.

As soon as the swelling subsided and the color on her face returned to normal, Helen finally looked in another mirror. Her face had changed forever. There was still a hint of beauty, but it was different now, harder, sadder. The doctors bills took up a good portion of her savings, leaving her with far less than she had intended to escape. She made one last visit to JB Construction, and presented Jennifer Bilson with the photos from the hospital. Shocked and surprised, Jennifer quickly wrote her a check for ten thousand dollars to get out of their lives forever.

Helen immediately cashed the check and emptied her savings account, buying twenty thousand dollars worth of traveler’s checks. She stopped at the pawn shop one last time and got another six hundred dollars for the gold and ruby bracelet and then she left Stoneymend forever.

Looking at the broken globe, Helen couldn’t help but think of the nightmares that gift had started. Carefully, she tossed it in the trash, got out some paper towels and mopped up the rest of the mess. It was time for her to throw her past out and start new and clean.

Lauren J. Walter May 18, 2008