ME & DICKENS : [ Suppose-To-Be ] AN APPLICATION FOR DICKENSIAN

It begin on sometime at noon, when a young girl trying to write a letter of application to enter Dickensian’s Club. She having trouble to write ‘something-impressif’ or at least had some valuable that will get attention to the exclusive board member. Without a letter of recommendation from heirs of Dickens, and no experient on the subjects, no knowledge on the history, well --- it’s no place for a newbie, unless you got ‘magic-wand’ to impress the judges. While trying to establish a worthy background, suddenly she remember, that in the old room where his uncle’s works keep after many years he is gone out of country, there is a book keeper contain old documents, well maybe she can use that as a references...

That room not so wide, but filled with cabinet contain books from bottom ‘till ceiling. The smell of dusty paper and old wood, light that not so bright, she begin having second thought on searching those documents. But this is very important for her future, so with hesitation still argueing inside her head, she start with the cabinet near the window (the only window in that room). The document keeper must large ‘cause contain lots of document, so she start search among big-huge books or looks like it. Then in the corner, there’s big pile with red-wine binding cover with dust. But when she reach to that ‘books’ something strange happens – it doesn’t move an inches. Did someone ‘glued’ to the cabinet ? After look closely, she found that it’s not books at all, but something looks like part of the cabinet. 

Hmmm...just an assesories, or is it somekind ‘keys’ to secret passage ? (she’s a fan of mystery stories). Should it be push on different angle, or pressed into hidden keys ? Every moves she can think off, had dead end, it doesn’t move or open a secret passage any where, just a pile of dust that makes her allergies come-out. Frustated, angry and confuse, she decide to left those wild-goose search, and back on her writing. Tired and light headed, she just wanna get some time to rest (just for a while), with the air so hot, brain seems doesn’t wanna to cooperate, she falls a sleep in the desk ... listening to Christina Perri ‘Jar of Hearts’ 

Then she woke up, gasping, panic, and looks at the time, fuihh ...it’s only passed 15 minutes. Now, let’s do the serious writing, she said to her self. And just as she reach out the blank paper, she smells something ‘weird’ --- someone smoking near here, but who ? That house empty at this hours, everybody out somewhere. Afraid and curious, she trying to search the main source of those smells. It comes from out side her room, across the stairs, to the room where she left dusty books in her uncle’s room. The smell getting stronger outside the door. Boy, what if there fire inside burning those books ... quickly she open the door, but something strange happen again, the door seems locks from inside, or the key is jammed. Now she really panic and no body else near enough to help. Just before she is going rush to downstairs, go to the neighbour, the door open by its self ...

Well it’s so spooky, between want to run outside and curious on what’s happen, she begin tip-toe, trying to take a peek on the open door. The scenery inside makes her eyes wide open with open mouth, cannot believe on her sight. There’s still the same room, or at least looks similar, but also something quite different, it’s not dusty at all, is a bright, clean, clear room, and hello ... someone sitting at the chairs, looks like writing something on her uncle’s desk and smoking pipe !! Omigosh, it is a daydreams or hallucinations ... she still having ‘crazy moment’ when suddenly this stranger looks at her and said : “What are you starring at, child ? Did not your parents told you the good manner on how to behave in Dickensian’s School ? Come inside and let’s finished this interview.”

Wait, what just happen ? Who are you ? Why you at my uncle’s room ? And what is Dickensian’s School ... an interview with who ? (well all this questions just pop-up everywhere into her mind, but never got a chance to be ask)

This stranger with thin moustache, begin to open some folder, read for a while then he looks at her seriously (somehow his face seems familiar to her, but cannot remember where she ever meets or knowing about him). 
“Well in your data report, your grade seems quite impressif, but I always prefer the old-ways to getting know my new student, it’s by talking face-to-face.” (she just nodded, trying to recover her memory). 
“Now, first things I want to ask, which books of mine that’s your favorite and tell me the reasons why you choose it.” (now she confuse). “Errr...I’m sorry Sir, what books you refer to, I’ve read so many books in my life.”  
(His face suddenly changes). “What do you you read a lot, that’s means you already read all my books ? And you like it all of them ?” (he began to smile and looks closely to her). “Ouw, I’m sorry, I’m still confuse, which author you refer too, Sir ?”  
(with sudden change, his face begin very ‘weird’ --- looks scary, too). “Are you trying to make a joke in here ? Well it’s not very funny at all young lady ? Maybe I just turn-down your application as the candidate of Dickensian’s Club then, that’s funny enough for you ?” (then suddenly she remember where ever sees the similar face of this man, it’s on the picture of Charles Dickens him-self, but in this case he seems much younger).

“I’m sorry, really forgive me not recognise you all suddenly, after all you suppose to be ‘die’ century ago, Sir” 
“Me, die century ago ?? Wait, let me see again your file ... mmm, I see now what’s the problems. No wonder you had no good manner, you come from alien planet E, but that’s ok in here we accept all candidate with several terms off course.”  
(in her head, me – an alien ?)....
“Now, let’s we start the interview then. Ok, let’s continue on my following questions. Are you familiar with my works ?”

“Some of them, Sir. I just finished with Oliver Twist, follow with A Tale of Two Cities, then A Christmas Carol. Now I’m in the middle of Great Expectations.”

“That’s it ? In your academic records, it’s mention you read lots of classics literature, it is false nor you lie ?”

“No, Sir. It’s true, I read classics too, but only now just happen to read your’s.”

“What defination on classics literature you refer too, if you just only now read my books ? Aren’t you know that mine are considerable as the most classical literature specify in Victorian era ?”

“Yes Sir, I know, but you see, I’m come from different study in my previous academic. My passion for reading books and classical literature just begin on last year. Before that my perception on classic’s literature really absurd even makes me so scare to even try read it. But in the beginning of this year, even I just read 3 – 4 of your works, I begin not only interesting to know more about all your works, but also widden my own perspective on literature”

“Yes, yes, your argument might be accepted, but why you even dare to apply in this position. Don’t you know that others candidate had more experience and more knowledge than you ? Can you keep up with them if your basic skill are very poor ? You see, member of Dickensian are selected people who had talent, special talent ‘cause the are my future apprentice to spread  classics into world’s literature ? Had you got the talent , nor the passion and spirit to do that ?”

“Sir, Mr. Dickens. I may not had the higher qualification, not yet. But I have passion on literature, I have hunger for more information on those subject. It might be late for me to start, but it better late than never at all. After all, even Ebenezer Scrooge got the second chance to re-live a new life, it that the important message you want to spread on the readers and among humans (and aliens too). And for my lacks of knowledge, what a better place for my self to get more education and good guidance than be at here, in Dickensian’s  School, to prepare my journey as an apprentice ?”  

... then before this scenery finished, I woke up !! It’s a dreams, scary dreams thou (the result after readathon a tale of two cities and christmas carol with some of Dickens' ghost stories) but feels so real, can I gets some answers on this subject ? Can I be accepted as an apprentice in Dickensian’s Club ? Well in your 201^th Birthday, I wishes can meet you Mr. Charles Dickens, even just in dreams, to gets some answer in my request (^_^)

Note : this story are pure fictional, if there similaraty on names or characters, the are pure from the crazy imagination of the writer.

 

Best Regards,