The Magic of Old Men

A flash fiction story

My watch beeped, and I shut off the alarm. It’s past 3:30am. Jareth is so late. If he was going to cancel, then I could have stayed in bed. I’ve only got until 5, or I’ll get Lanelle in trouble, and he knows it.

I sigh and crank my neck, trying to see him coming.

It was his idea to do this again, anyway. It’s been years since we both retired, me from Vegas, him from Atlantic City. 

Of course it feels good to beat him, and I beat him every time. It makes me feel younger, somehow. I guess I’ll wait a little longer. 

Lanelle is my friend. She works here, at the Magical Commotion amusement park, and is real nice. She even lent me a key, so I could get in to the “Snarl and Growl” after hours. It’s a pair of side-by-side roller coasters, so it’s just what we need. 

I told her that me and Jareth, we just wanted to sit. We’re a couple of harmless old men. We want to relive the old days. Can you help us, I ask?

She said to me, “Okay, but you’ll be careful gettin’ in and out, ‘y hear?”  

I will, Lanelle. 

As I wait for Jareth in the Snarl, my fingers are curling and uncurling around the padded lap bar so much that they hurt. So I make myself let go, and look at my hands instead. The fingernails are clean but my wrinkly skin is draping like fabric from my knuckles. Spreading my fingers wide doesn’t make them look any younger, so I flip them over to look at my palms. 

These look like new hands. A young person’s hands, about to go on a roller coaster ride. 

I’m ready to play the game.

But not without Jareth. Where is he?

——

Thirty minutes later, he finally hobbles into view. “Hey, bud,” he says. 

He should be breathless from climbing the stairs, since he’s only a year younger than me. Instead he’s not even breaking a sweat, just grinning selfishly under his blue fedora. A magic hat, from the look of it. Typical Jareth. He was always about the look, the stage presence, even though he hasn’t worked an audience for years. 

Is he trying to impress me? I’ve won every time, why would today be different?

“Don’t ‘bud’ me. You’re late,” I snap. “We’ve only got time for one race.”

“Yeah, sure. Okay fer me, bud,” he says. “It’ll only take one to knock your socks off.” Then he hits me with his audience-winning grin and climbs into his car.

That grin. He’s so smug. Stupid Jareth. It’s not about style. It’s about who wins.

I reach next to me for my magic staff, looking for reassurance. I’m the better wizard. Always have been, always will be. I pat it reassuringly before sliding it back under the seat. I don’t need to hold it, but it helps if it’s close.  

—--

“What are we betting today? My staff?” I ask him, although it’s always the same. 

“You know it. And if you win, you can have this,” he says, tapping his hat with his finger.  “But, you aren’t going to win today. I’ve got your number this time,” he taunts.

“Oh, yeah? It’s a bet! You are on! Count us off!”

My heart skipped a beat under my thin shirt, feeling strong. Confident. I’ll just take a breath and…  

“Launch!” he says, and he’s gone.

“Argh!” I yelp, gripping the edge of the coaster car, racing to catch up.  

The track takes a quick drop, and my stomach rises into my throat. Then my heart spins through the corkscrew twist to the left, and I see Jareth bend away to the right. 

The tunnel is next, and in the darkness I hear Jareth’s voice as if he’s sitting beside me, teasing. “What are you, sitting still? You want that fedora, don’t you?” 

I squeeze the lap bar and whisper, Tsubasa. A rush of speed pushes me back as the car jumps forward. Wings spread out like glittering fans on either side and now I’m moving like lightning. 

“HO!” I’m shouting aloud as the weightlessness lifts me off the seat, and then the track is sending me through another turn. I scream as the g-forces push me down. I bank left, then I’m climbing again. My heart dances as I’m sending lines of energy out through my fingertips. 

I’m not so old yet!

I forget I’m racing. I’m flying.

Then I hear something metal go CRUNCH and turn to look.

—--

It’s Jareth, and he’s getting fancy. Taking inspiration from the Growl, his coaster was now sporting giant brown furry arms. It was the arms that made the noise, grabbing the rail and propelling his car through the next loop, like a bobsled racer. He’s moving further ahead, but the grip is breaking the machine.

He’s being reckless. He’s losing control. Maybe he’s tired. I know I am. 

I think again of my cozy bed back home, but shake it off and I’m pushing harder. Now I’m catching up but then his car goes completely off the track, knocking snack carts and benches aside in a rampage to get to the finish line.  

My eyes follow a milkshake cart as it soars toward a nearby train ride. 

I’ll stop it. 

I’m thinking maybe (a hand) or (a net) but instead my mind comes up with (something soft) then I hear myself say Mattoressu, and a giant mattress appears landing neatly underneath the cart. 

Whew! Just in time! 

Flying through the next set of turns I try to stay on the track and also scream out Taksaan Mattoressu! More mattresses appear, each one catching some of Jareth’s flying debris. My winged beast and I are pushing faster and faster.

I need to stop this. To stop him.

Then somehow, through the chaos and flying debris, I see Lanelle. Either she is here early or we started too late and somehow, now a bench is flying at her head. I’m calling out Te! and then reaching with my magic hand, and I’m pulling her aside. I set her down and think that’s enough. 

I’m slowing my car. I’m spreading my wings wide, holding my staff high. I feel my younger self again, the one that didn’t care about winning.

“Jareth! My staff is yours! You win!”

“Really?”, he asks. His beast is slowing, just a little.

“Yes, please just stop!”

Unbelievably, finally, Jareth’s car slows to a stop. It’s over. 

I returned my coaster gently, and using my staff once more, I put everything back where it should be, taking my loser’s penalty.  

I made the right choice, I tell myself as I hand Jareth my staff, ignoring how he looks at me with that smug grin, like a cat with a bird in it’s mouth. 

“So, ‘ya gave up, did ya? You know who’s the better wizard?” 

“Maybe I don’t have the stomach for it anymore,” I say. “You were too reckless. My friend, she almost got hurt.”

“Ah, but she didn’t, right?” Jareth tipped his hat to me. “All right, bud, all right. I went too far. But I won, fair and square. So, see ya next year?” he asks.

I’m feeling the magic start to fade a little. Or maybe it’s just the feeling of losing. I haven’t felt that way in a long time, either. It’s nice to feel.

I nod.

“Yeah. Call me.”

—

I climb down, and find Lanelle sitting on the bench that almost hit her. 

“Lanelle?” I say. I’m holding her hand, putting something into it. “Here’s your key back.” 

She shakes her head, looking confused. “I saw you, on the Snarl and Growl, except it had wings? Also bear arms?” 

I’m flexing my fingers, letting the magic go completely. I’m feeling old again. 

“It’s all over now. I promise, we won’t be bothering you anymore.”

“What happened here?” she asks.

“Nothing important. Just an old man, wanting to feel young again. Thanks for the chance.”