When Dead Grandma Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy

Story Sent in by David:

I arrived at the restaurant where I had planned to meet Louise for our first date. She called me to let me know that she'd be late. She said, "I lost one of my earrings, and it was a gift from my grandmother."

I replied, "Don't worry about it. Let me know when you leave your house."

"I'm not at home. I'm actually right around the corner from the restaurant."

I guessed that she had lost the earring in her car. I said, "Oh. Why don't I come by, then? I can help you find it."

"Thanks," she said, and told me precisely where to find her.

When I made it there, she was stooping over a curb. I joined her. "Hey," she said, "I had an itch behind my left ear and it just popped out. It matches this one," and she turned to show me the earring in her right ear, a short, dangling charm that looked like a tiny, round chandelier.

I scanned the gutter and curb with her, but there was no sign of it. About six feet away was a sewer grate. I pointed at it. "Could it have rolled in there?"

She shook her head. "No. My grandmother wouldn't let that happen."

"I'm sorry?"

"My grandmother is watching me." She pointed up at the sky. "She wouldn't let me lose one of her earrings. It's around here somewhere."

We looked and looked and looked for it, but after I had checked and rechecked everywhere in the vicinity, I had to surmise that it had somehow rolled into the sewer.

"No," Louise said when I brought it up again, "It's around here somewhere. I'll find it, but I can't really leave here without it. I'm sorry."

I was pretty sure that it had to have been in the sewer. It wasn't anywhere else. I said, "I don't see it anywhere. Maybe we could–"

Louise called up to the sky, "Grandma, where is it? Show me where you hid it! Quit playing."

"Louise, I really think it's in the sewer. We checked up and down the sidewalk, in the street, under the cars… are you sure you dropped it right here?"

"Positive. Don't worry, though. Grandma will show me where it is. You'll be sorry that you doubted her, then." She looked back up at the sky. "Come on, Grandma. Make him sorry."

I didn't like the idea of Louise suddenly invoking supernatural retribution upon me. I suggested, "Maybe we can go have dinner and then come back? It might still be light out when we return."

She crawled onto her stomach and peered beneath the same car under which we had looked about 30 times each. "Come on, Grandma," she whispered, "Show me where it is. Make him sorry, Grandma. Show me where it is."

"Louise, come on, please."

She spoke over me, "Come on, Grandma. Show it to me. Prove him wrong. We'll find it together. Come on. Come on." It sounded like she was going to cry. She went on, "It's not in the sewer, is it, Grandma? You wouldn't do that. You love me too much. Get it back for me, Grandma. Then, we'll laugh at him together." Louise laughed in a high pitch and flashed me a wide-eyed, insane look.

I left her there, searching. Once I made it back to my car and locked the door, I hurried away and was sure to never interact with her ever again.