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"Good afternoon, Buchanan residence," answered the butler on the telephone. "Hello, is Mr. Buchanan available?" asked Myrtle. ' "Yes ma'am, please hold." "Thank you", replied Myrtle. The butler set the phone down on the top of the pastel table, and disappeared up the stairs calling softly into each room, "Mr. Buchanan...!" Daisy gently lifted her head from the book she was enthralled with because she heard her name being called from down the corridor. She descended the stairs, saw the phone on the table, and picked it up, assuming it was for her. "Hello?" she said softly. There was a jostling sound on the other end. "Oh, I, well...well, I...", then there was a click of the other line being hung up. Daisy was shocked; Was someone in trouble? Why couldn't this woman talk to her? Why was she so flustered? Daisy called the operator. "Hello, how can I be of your assistance?" said his calm voice. "Yes, I just received a call not more than three minutes ago; I would very much appreciate if you would please look and clarify the location of the caller for me, if at all possible." "No problem ma'am, please hold." "Wonderful, thank you." replied Daisy politely. A few minutes passed by. "Ma'am, the location of you call was the Wilson residence, New York." "...Thank you," she said, and hung up. Daisy absentmindedly walked into the kitchen and started to peel a potato from the vegetable basket. She then took out a frying pan and put all of the peels in it. While in the midst of her "cooking", the cook came in a realized that although Daisy was there in the human flesh, her mind was adrift. "Madam, let me help you with that," the cook took the pan from Daisy, desperately trying to stifle her laughter. "I'm going to take a bath," Daisy said in almost a whisper. As the water was brimming to the top of the porcelain-lined freestanding bathtub, Daisy slowly immersed herself into the warm water. She lay there, staring at the blank wall. A tear rippled down her powdered cheek; she didn't feel it on her face, but she knew it was there. |
Colleen Wienke