Friday, December 30, 2011


Frank stuck his head in the door.
                “We on for lunch?”
                “What did you have in mind?”
                “Frio’s- they’re having two for one drinks and unlimited chips again.”
                Vanessa rolled her eyes.
                “I’ll take that as a no then.” Frank concluded.
                “Exacta-mo.”  Vanessa concurred.
                Frank nodded, then made a show of consulting his watch, “Your loss.” and left.
Vanessa listened to Pandora try to force some Michael Buble on her before she gave him the thumbs down in favor of Cyndi Lauper.
Minutes passed and then Sue stuck her head in the door. Vanessa cringed- Sally had gone for the new wave bangs that the two of them had discussed in brisk tones the week before. Vanessa was fairly certain she had made particular fun of the hair style now she was unsure what to say. There’s a trap in there somewhere. Who had brought the hairdo first? She couldn’t remember.
“Yes?” Vanessa said without pointedly not looking at it.
“You’ve got a visitor.” Sue said in her nasal tone, pointedly popping her gum.
“A visitor?”
“Yeah- he says that you’re expecting him.”
                “No one’s on the calendar.” Vanessa looked up then averted her eyes, then felt a wave of guilt and looked back only to see a flash of triumph in Sally’s eyes.
                “I know. I told him that but he said you had forgotten to pencil him in.”
                “Pencil him in? Who uses pencils anymore?”
                “”I know but he got this look that well you know that-“
                “I never forget.”
                “I know but…”
                “You know I never forget.”
                “I know but-“
                “Send him in.”
                “I know-“Sue nervously touched her hair. “What?” she squeaked.
                “Send him in.”
                “But-“Sue made as if to point.
                “But what?”
                “Nothing.” Sue spoke as if suddenly she was a petulant teenager and not Vanessa senior by close to 10 years.
                A pregnant pause.
                “What?”
                “This is so unlike you.”
                “I know.”  Vanessa almost rolled her eyes.
                “I’ll get him.”

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