Olivia the Obscure

I. Decatur

Olivia Fawley lived in Decatur, Texas with her grandmother, Birdie. Olivia had been working at the Dairy Queen to bring in money. But one day, some local children came in, begging for ice cream cones. They did not have any money, but Olivia could not say no to their innocent faces. And so, she was fired from her first job at the age of sixteen.

Birdie was furious. She asked how Olivia could be so stupid and careless. Didn’t she realize that they needed the money? That sort of behavior was never the kind that got one to better places, like college. Birdie told her that a long time ago, she thought that Olivia could get a scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin, but Olivia was quickly proving her wrong.

“What is ‘The University of Texas’?” Olivia asked. “Could I visit Aunt Harriet there?”

“Our kind of people doesn’t belong in universities,” replied Birdie.

Olivia left the little house without slamming the screen door this time. She walked down the dirt road until she came to the corner mart.

“Where is Austin?” she asked the clerk.

“Northeast of here, more miles than your little feet could ever imagine,” he said. He handed her a road map of Texas, and pointed out Austin. Olivia measured it with her fingers.

“That’s not that far,” Olivia said, matter-of-factly. The clerk chuckled, and said that she could keep the map. Olivia was mesmerized by it. She didn’t know what anything meant on it, but the lines and dots and different colors fascinated her.

She continued walking down the dusty road until she approached the bus stop.

“Can I help you,” said the bitter bus ticket man in the booth.

“Could you get to Austin on one of these buses?” Olivia asked.

“Well, you couldn’t,” he replied, condescendingly. “People there are way smarter and richer than you will ever be. You don’t belong there.”

A place full of smart and rich people seemed to suit Olivia perfectly. She left the bus station, only to run into Lucy, the local psychic who operated her “business” out of her garage.

“Hello, girl, whatcha got there?” Lucy asked, as she tried to snatch the map.

“It’s a picture of Austin,” Lucy replied, as she waved the map away from Lucy. “I’m going to go there.”

Lucy laughed.

“Well,” she said, “let me know what it’s like when you get back.”

“No, I am going to study there when I am old enough.”

“Child, you won’t ever find the brains to match any college-folk. But if you prefer to live in a fantasy world, I can get you some practice books for the SAT.”

“Oh, that would be great!” said Olivia.

“Ok, well, I’ll tell you what. You go tell all your neighbors and friends to come and visit me, and you tell them I can predict their future. Next week, I’ll have those practice books ready for you.”

“Okay, see you next week!” exclaimed Olivia.

The following week, Lucy didn’t show up. Olivia was disappointed. She had looked forward to getting those books all week, and survived a couple of beatings from her grandmother for talking about “going to see Psychic Lucy.” Olivia shuffled her feet in the dirt, kicking plenty of it into her shoes. But she didn’t care.

Olivia wrote her Aunt Harriet, who was the coolest aunt in the world. Harriet left Decatur to become a distinguished professor at the University of Texas at Austin. Olivia asked for some college books, and Harriet sent Olivia some SAT vocabulary flash cards. Olivia was dumbfounded. She could not believe how big the words were, and didn’t even know what the words in the definition meant.

“This is not going to be easy,” she thought.

When Olivia was eighteen, she moved out of her grandmother’s house and started to rent a shabby apartment on the other side of town. She worked as a janitor in a local cafeteria, and would visit Birdie on the weekends.

She was riding the bus back to Birdie’s one Friday afternoon when a huge bra landed in her lap.

“What in the world?” she thought. She looked around to see who had thrown it. Snickering gave away the location of three boys, each with his basket of laundry.

“Very funny,” she said sarcastically, and threw it back. A young, handsome, cheeky boy about Olivia’s age leaned towards her.

“Hi, I’m Jimmy Johns,” he said, smiling. “I apologize for my friends here.”

“Hello Jimmy, I’m Olivia.” He stared intently at her until it was time for her to get off.

“Um, can I see you tomorrow, Olivia?” he asked.

“Sure,” said Olivia, on the spot. She stood up and exited the bus.

“Wait!” he shouted, through the window of the bus, “meet me at the bus stop tomorrow!”

Olivia smiled.

The next day, she met him at the bus stop as planned. They seemed to hit it off, although Olivia wasn’t paying any attention to anything he said. She thought he was amusing, and deep down, she really thought he was cute. They walked every Saturday for the next several weeks. Jimmy dedicated all of his attention to the relationship, while Olivia saw him merely as a fling. Her thoughts were mostly dedicated to studying for the SAT. Olivia had to explain to Jimmy what the SAT was. Jimmy was only moderately educated, and still lived with his parents. He was a slacker.

The day came when Olivia told Jimmy that she was going to Austin. She couldn’t have predicted the upset look on Jimmy’s face when she told him.

“WHAT? You’re leaving!?” Jimmy exclaimed.

“I’m going to Austin, Jimmy. I’m sorry,” she said.

“But, but, you can’t!” he stammered.

“Why not?”

“Because . . . because . . . ‘cause I need you Olivia, I’m—I’m—I’m dying!” he blurted out.

“What? You are? What is wrong with you!?” Olivia said, suddenly concerned.

“The doctors found a, uh, a thing, and said I don’t have long,” he said.

So Olivia stayed, and they ended up getting married. Olivia didn’t have anyone else in her life, but her heart wasn’t in their relationship. Six months into their marriage, Olivia began to question his “illness.” She asked him one day what the prognosis was, for he seemed to be doing fine, as if the “growth” (Jimmy later clarified) had reached a plateau.

“Oh, well, the doctor’s diagnosis was a mistake,” he said nonchalantly. “I’m actually in perfect health!” Olivia looked at him sternly. “What, aren’t you happy your husband isn’t going to die at all, but is actually perfectly fine?” He opened his arms, requesting a hug.

Olivia was furious. She felt tricked. The only thing that kept her from filing for divorce was her concern for his well-being, seeing as she meant so much to him. For a while, Olivia didn’t speak to him at all. She became extremely depressed and considered suicide. In a town like Decatur, a divorce was still harshly looked down upon. She saw suicide as the only way out.

One day, Olivia came home to her little shack after a long day of janitor work. She threw the keys on the table. Although she didn’t call out his name anymore, it was natural to perk her ears up to locate Jimmy in the household. He was usually either sitting on the toilet or watching television. But the house was eerily quiet today. Then she saw a torn notebook piece of paper on the dining room table.

Olivia-

I have to go, this isn’t working. I have gone to Ft. Worth, I’m sorry.

Jimmy.

Despite her initial shock, Olivia was actually relieved. This was the way out. She was finally free. Olivia stayed in Decatur for a few years, studying, working, and taking care of Birdie. One day, Olivia and Birdie were cleaning out a closet of decades’ worth of stuff. Olivia came across a photo of a handsome boy. Perhaps it was one of Birdie’s old lovers.

“Birdie, who is this?” she asked, holding the photo up.

“That’s your cousin, Daniel. He lives in Austin.” Birdie failed to see Olivia’s

eyes grow to the size of saucers.

Birdie’s health was deteriorating at a steady pace. But Olivia had always wanted to go to Austin, and ever since her grandmother told her about her second cousin, Olivia had all the more reason to go. She was fascinated with his face, and secretly had a crush on him, even though he was her cousin. She knew it was impossible, but she was dying to meet him. And on a brisk day in October, she left for Austin. She kissed Birdie goodbye. She did feel guilty for leaving Birdie, but this was something Olivia had to do for herself. She had no alternative except to go mad in Decatur and eventually kill herself.

II. Austin

Olivia had a difficult time finding a job. She desperately wanted to get a job at the University, as she thought it might help her gain admission, and she wanted to soak up everything she could in this place of intelligence and knowledge. Eventually, she was forced to take the only job offered to her--a janitor position at the Dobie dormitory. She was able to rent a small dorm room in the basement of Dobie that smelled like old cheese.

Olivia worked long and hard, but one look to the University’s lofty tower reminded her of why she was there. On one of her days off, she decided to try and see if she could find her cousin. Her grandmother said he worked in a record store, but as soon as Olivia got to Austin, she realized this would be no easy task. So she set out on her journey, starting with the Drag. She was so fascinated by all of the sights and sounds around her that she almost forgot about the portrait she was holding in her hand. She was just passing by the windows of Tower Records, when a face inside stopped her in her tracks.

“That must be Daniel,” she thought, as her heart started to race. He was even more beautiful than the portrait. Olivia’s face began to flush. She reminded herself that it would never work--they were cousins! She continued on. She headed back to Dobie, for it was getting close to dark, and she had a long day of cleaning college toilets to look forward to.

A couple weeks later, Olivia had almost forgotten about Daniel. She had managed to borrow some more books from the public library, and was studying her SAT vocabulary and now was taking practice tests. Then she got a letter—from him! He wrote that he had heard she was in town, and told her he worked at Tower Records (which she already knew) and asked if Olivia would stop by and visit.

And so she did, and Olivia was in love. They discussed music, this and that, and then Olivia asked him if he knew her Aunt Harriet. The only Harriet Daniel knew was the Harriet that worked in the hair salon on 33^rd street. He described her appearance, and she knew it was her.

“So she never made it to the University,” she said to herself. She was disappointed. She was counting on at least one connection to the University, but now her Aunt Harriet—her beloved Aunt Harriet, whom she worshipped dearly as a child--was working in a beauty salon. Although Harriet was not the distinguished professor Olivia had hoped for, she still wanted to see her. Daniel decided to go too, because, well, they were all related.

Aunt Harriet really took a liking to young Daniel. She was a woman who was way past her prime, but secretly and desperately yearned to be young again. Her personality was a domineering one, and Daniel succumbed to her power. Harriet instantly offered him a manicurist position at the salon where she worked. Daniel decided to take it, because, well, Harriet seemed nice enough.

A few weeks later, Olivia saw them walking down the Drag together, arms interlocked. They spent so much time together, with their work and everything, that Olivia felt hopeless. She really liked Daniel, but didn’t have the gumption to do anything or say anything. So she wallowed in her state of solitude.

One day, she received a letter from Jimmy, who was living in Ft. Worth. He wanted Olivia to visit desperately. After experiencing so much rejection, she decided to go see Jimmy because he wanted to see her, and she wanted someone that paid attention to her. They went out to dinner, and spent the night together at a motel.

Olivia returned to Austin feeling dirty and full of regret. Daniel came to see her in Dobie and told her he missed her desperately.

“Perfect timing,” she thought.

She was ecstatic to hear Daniel say these things, but she had to tell him about Jimmy. They were still technically married. Olivia told him, and he left without a word.

Two days later, she got a wedding invitation. Aunt Harriet and Daniel were getting married. Olivia couldn’t bring herself to go.

III. Decatur again

Meanwhile, Birdie became very ill, and died before Olivia could reach her. Daniel showed up at the funeral. He told Olivia he was so unhappy with Harriet and wanted to be with Olivia, but he had to go back to Austin because Harriet was expecting him. Olivia convinced him to spend the night with her in Birdie’s empty house.

“Olivia, I think you still love me,” he said.

“No I don’t,” she shot back, “after seeing Jimmy, I no longer feel love for you, Daniel. And don’t flatter yourself. And I’m going to live with him.”

Daniel knew she was lying, but they both went to sleep without discussion.

The next morning, Olivia asked,

“Dan, would you have married me if I wasn’t married to Jimmy?”

He looked at her, and walked out the door without a word.

IV. Austin again

Daniel returned like a faithful dog to Harriet. But one night, he randomly slept in the closet. Harriet thought this was strange. Daniel asked her the next morning if they could live apart. Harriet, although powerful, could not say no, if that’s what Daniel wanted. But she wondered if it was because of Olivia.

Harriet at breakfast told Daniel to go to Olivia, but that she didn’t want to know anything about him in the future. Olivia met him at the bus, and arranged for the two to go to Ft. Worth, where they would me anonymous, and no one would know about their previous marriages.

V. Ft. Worth

When they get there, Olivia had booked only one room.

“Olivia, I, um, I don’t think I’m ready to have a sexual relationship with you yet,” he said. “I just left Harriet.”

So they go to a different hotel, which happened to be the one that Olivia had gone to with Jimmy. When Olivia was out of the room getting ice, the maid told Daniel that Olivia was here just last month with a different man.

“I’ve had it, Olivia, I’m sick of your lies!”

“What?! Well excuse me, but I don’t think it matters if we are just friends, does it?!”

They both were quiet for a while.

“Daniel, I’m sorry, I’m just happy to be with you now.”

They kissed and made up. After Daniel fell asleep, Olivia stayed wide awake, thinking about how Daniel had yet to say he loved her.

The following evening, they were watching television when someone knocked loudly on the door. It was Jimmy, and he was roaring drunk. He wanted Olivia to come with him, because he really needed her help. Olivia felt like she needed to go, because she was worried about Jimmy. Daniel saw this in her eyes, and begged her not to go, but felt her slip away.

“Olivia, I love you, please don’t go. Please, I want to marry you, please don’t go,” he said, and so Olivia stayed with Daniel.

But the wedding was postponed for a while. They got a report with a note from Jimmy, saying that the child Olivia and Daniel had been raising was actually Jimmy’s child, and he had DNA tests to prove it. Daniel decided to legally adopt Ollie, and told him to call him “daddy.”

The years went by, and Olivia and Daniel had two more children. On an outing to the state fair one day, they ran into two of Olivia’s friends from Decatur.

“Olivia! How have you been? Did you graduate from the University of Texas? Did you go to graduate school, like you always talked about?”

She felt ashamed.

“No,” she forced herself to laugh. “I’m just a poor, sick hag—an example of how not to live!”

They laughed nervously and said goodbye. Daniel was shocked at her words, but Olivia said she was only kidding. Daniel sensed that she wasn’t.

The next morning, Olivia got up to make breakfast. Daniel went to check on the kids. Then all of a sudden, Olivia heard Daniel cry out. She rushed into the other room. Daniel was unconscious.

“Oh my God,” she said, trying to revive him. “Where are the kids?” she thought. She frantically searched all over the room, but couldn’t find them. She finally saw them on the back of the closet door, right behind her the whole time, right in front of where Daniel had collapsed. The three little boys were hanging on the clothes hooks. Beneath Ollie’s feet was a stepstool, knocked over. Olivia couldn’t breathe. She was going to vomit. She cut them down from the hooks and put them on the bed. She was hysterical, desperately trying to revive them, but it was obvious they were already dead.

On the floor was a note in Ollie’s scribbled handwriting in crayon:

“Done because we are too menny.”

VI. Austin

After that, Olivia and Daniel decided to move back to Austin. But they were deeply disturbed by what had happened, and their marriage was crumbling. Eventually, Daniel told Olivia he was going back to Harriet. And he left.

Olivia lived alone for a while, but was slowly dying. She didn’t eat, drank all the time, and the house was filled with trash and was filthy. She was at a seedy bar one night when Jimmy saw her. She was drunk. He decided to take her home with him. Olivia was numb to all feeling and didn’t have the strength to say no or leave. She had lost all capacity to feel. With lung cancer, she told Jimmy she wanted to die, but wanted to see Daniel first. He tells her that she doesn’t have the strength to see anyone or even get out of bed. But Olivia’s stubbornness made her get out of bed one night, with her cane. In her ragged, dirty pajamas, she shuffled herself slowly out the door, down the street, and somehow made it to Harriet’s house. Daniel came to the door, and was heartbroken to see Olivia like this.

“Olivia, I love you, but I have to stay with Harriet,” he said, sadly.

Olivia tried to lean in and kiss him, but lost her balance. Daniel righted her and told her to go home. Upstairs, Harriet asked what was going on. Daniel said that it was Olivia. Harriet was furious that she would come in the middle of the night. Daniel promised to never see her again. Daniel joined her in her bed again, despite his lack of feeling for her, because it was his duty. She had done too much for him.

The next summer on the fourth of July, Olivia was sleeping. Jimmy wanted to go watch the parade, especially the baton twirlers, but quickly went to check on Olivia first. She was dead. But he figured he could go watch the baton twirlers first, and then deal with her body.