Looking for Mabel Normand

HE CAME TO VISIT

ON ALL HALLOW’S EVE

Marilyn Slater

Looking for Mabel

November 1, 2009

The wind blow the crackling leaves into swirling little piles of flame colors that could only be seen in the pools of light under the street lamps, the trees stood bare.  The great old house was silhouetted against the graying sky.  The sun had set earlier just a breath ago, the days are becoming shorter, the fog rolls down and around the streets of the Island; allowing the creation of radiant halos around the porch lights as if encased in fine silk. And the rain was there too.

A lone figure appears and approaches the door at the end of the walkway, light came through the bivalve windows imbedded in the ancient heavy double doors; above was a turret evoking a time long passed.  He was small, dressed in the shabby jacket perhaps a size or two smaller than his body would have been comfortable in; his pants a size or two larger than his body would have been comfortable in.  The small lone figure wore a bowler hat, carried a thin bamboo walking stick and yes a dark square of mustache between his little nose and his little quivering upper lip. 

"On Halloween, a clone of Charlie Chaplin appeared at Mabel's old address on Staten Island. I had to tell him that Mabel was not at home."

 Leona Egan took the photo at her front door of her home, once owned by the Normand family.