RED SOX: Believe in Big Papi!
FEEDBACK: is appreciated at p.phair@comcast.net
Sunny hung up the phone after a productive call with an industrial cleaning service. Turning to her computer, she checked off another item on her hot task list. She was making great strides tackling the 'to do' jobs for Wreckers' account during the last four hours of peace and quiet. Another twelve to twenty four hours of this type of focused work effort should enable her to complete the Strategic Implementation Phase: Beta Structure Two. Muted voices from her reception area indicated she might have some increased difficulty maintaining her peace and quiet.
The knock at her office door required a prompt response. Sunny hesitated. She knew what was on the other side. She'd rather work non-stop for the next three days than reply. The knock sounded again but this time with more urgency.
"Come in," Sunny reluctantly acquiesced.
Oran pushed open the door with one hand and dragged Animal over the threshold with the other.
"That was so cool! Can we go again? This time maybe from the bottom all the way to the top? Does it go all that way? All at once like that? That was so fun, Mr. Ran! Let's do it again!" Animal was jabbering.
She practically skipped into the office. Under one arm she clutched a nearly full large brown grocery bag. The top had been thoughtfully taped shut. The other hand clutched Oran's hand so hard the finger tips were nearly bloodless.
"Oh Ms. Sun, that was fuckin' awesome! I mean, freakin' awesome." Animal turned her enthusiasm to the young executive. "We went on an elevator that went super fast to the top of the building! No floors between here and the roof! The view up there is sweet! Wasn't it pissa, Mr. Ran?"
Oran sounded exhausted when he replied. "It was only an express elevator. It, unfortunately, is a private access vehicle for the tenants of the upper floors. You should not have run onto it. We are not supposed to use that access. Ms. Bright-Day could face a surcharge from her landlord for your violation of the lease." Oran paused before finishing off with his most important point. "And, my name is Oran. ORAN! Not O or Ran or Ann or Orville! Do you think you could remember it? Just once? It's only my name!"
Animal looked a little concerned as the man shook off the hold her hand had on his. She gave a bit of a swallow before nodding agreement.
"Sure Mr. Oran, I can remember your name now since you said it clear enough this time. Should've said something sooner. It's just a little weird. Not like Joe or Jim. Not many people named Oran, you know?"
"It's my grandfather's name!" Oran was furious. "It's a fine family name! And, what are you talking about anyway? How many people are named ANIMAL?"
"Lots."
"Name one!"
Animal smiled happily believing she won the argument. "Kermit's drummer."
"Who?" Both Oran and Sunshine questioned simultaneously.
Animal looked at them like they were ignorant. "You know, the drummer on the Muppets; AN-NI-MAL."
Oran ground his teeth. He flashed an angry look to Sunshine. She gave a sheepish shoulder shrug.
"Next paycheck, you'll have a time and a half bonus for four hours. If you want to head home a little early then I can close up here tonight."
"Oh thanks," Oran sounded uncharacteristically sarcastic. "I'll get to hurry out a whole twenty minutes early. That'll be just swell."
Sunny was stunned by his answer; she was unable to speak before he stormed out of the office. Her door slammed closed with such force a picture fell from the wall.
"Whoa, his pissed," Animal observed.
Sunny began to tidy up her desk. Work would need to end for the day. She had to get the young woman situated for the evening. Nevada Smithe would not be Animal sitting tonight or any other night for which Sunshine was responsible.
"Okay, Ms. Animal, I did a little research. You have a mother in the South End…,"
"No."
Sunny expected as much. "No to Mom's place, check. You have a Father in East Boston."
"Ain't my Dad. He was married to her but they took a test after I got hurt 'cause his blood didn't match mine. I wasn't his. I'm the guy's in Walpole or the guy's in New York. Never met them. The guy in Eastie doesn't like me much anymore."
Animal sat on the chair across from Sunshine's desk. She settled in for a session of questions and answers. It appeared she'd gone through this type of activity before. She positioned the brown bag on her lap and hugged it close to her chest.
Sunshine pulled another option from the list in front of her. "You have a brother in Squantum."
Animal shook her head no. "Not my brother. He was the guy's in Eastie kid."
"You Mom's son too?" Sunshine asked but Animal shook her head no again. "Sorry about that. My researcher got a little careless apparently."
"No problem," Animal replied.
"Your grandfather's in Franklin…,"
"It's a rest home. Don't blame the researcher for that one. It's not actually a legal rest home. Just a bunch of ex-convicts living in a run down converted barn off of 140."
Sunshine made the notation. "We located an aunt in Dedham."
"Bitch! Sanctimonious, fat, mean, nasty, vicious, old bitch! I hate her, I hate her, I hate her…,"
"I'll take that as a no. Check. How about the cousin in Danvers?"
Animal stared blankly.
"Your Mom's cousin? Helen? She's a retired banker. Never married, a spinster…,"
"Oh the dyke."
"Ms. Animal," Sunny began in serious tone, "didn't we discuss being respectful?"
"Sorry. But, Helen like girls so what would you call her?"
"How about Helen?"
"Okay, 'Helen,'" Animal made air quotes with her index fingers. "But, I can't stay with her. She's only met me once. I was little. Mom went to borrow money that she never paid back. She used me to make Helen feel bad."
Sunny crossed another name off the list.
"Look," Animal sounded very sad, "I know there's a bunch of names on your paper but none of 'em are gonna work out for me. I've been through the list a hundred million times. Nobody wants me. Who'd you think want me?" Animal was quiet for a moment before she brightened. "I know, maybe, you could talk Digger into letting me put up a tent at the lot? He told me I could sleep in the trailer way back last fall but it's too filthy. Unless, it's really snowing hard or super super cold outside. He won't let me have a tent because he thinks it would be too tempting to light up. But, I don't think I need to do that now. I got pills here in the bag to help with that. And, the shrink you sent me to downstairs said I can come back tomorrow and we'll roll play again. I felt better after playing fireman today. And, he showed me a movie about putting out fires 'stead of startin' 'em. I liked that. Putting them out makes almost as much smoke as starting them. Really cool stuff."
Sunny felt helpless as Animal explained the facts of her life. Sunny didn't like feeling helpless. She liked to find solutions. She needed to believe there were solutions to all problems. The last name on the list of potential safe and supervised havens was a private duty psychiatric nurse but he would not be available until tomorrow night. Sunny needed a more immediate solution.
"Ms. Animal," Sunny ventured, "if you promise to continue to behave in a respectful and legal manner then…I may, perhaps, have another proposal for you."
Animal grinned, "Nevada?"
Sunny shook her head. "I think you know the answer to that already. No, I was going to offer you the use of my pull out sofa."
"Do you have a fire place?"
Sunny's palms started to sweat with the fear she had miscalculated the young woman's ability to comply with structure.
"No."
"Can we bring the DVD of my show?"
Sunny's worry increased that this was not such a great idea but agreed anyway.
"Sure."
"Sweet!"
"Wow!" Was all Animal could think to say when she took in the view from Sunshine's sliding balcony door.
Sunshine was pleased with the response. Her home was truly her pride and joy. While it continued to be her aspiration to move up to the penthouse level, her third floor condo on the cliff overlooking the beach served her current needs nicely.
"If you like, we can have dinner out on the balcony."
Animal made a little face. "It's a little cold. I don't have anything but what I got on. Sorry."
Sunny smiled. "I think I can round up a sweatshirt that'll fit you. Plus, I have an outdoor heater which keeps things pretty comfortable until just after sundown this time of year."
"Seriously cool! I'd love to eat out there. It must smell great; nice and salty."
"Usually does," Sunny grinned. "What do you want to have? I've got left over veggie pizza, palmito salad, coconut noddles…,"
"I'll eat anything but do you have any chocolate milk?" Animal asked hopefully. "I haven't had chocolate milk since before I got sent away. School only had milk and water. They said it was 'cause they were tryin' to teach us to eat right but I think it was just cheaper."
Sunny ignored most of what Animal said. She had to think for a minute if she did have coco. She grabbed the step stool to look in the cabinet over the stove. Pushing boxes of dried pasta and cans of beans out of the way; she spotted a flash of yellow. Reaching to the limit of her middle finger, she caught an edge of plastic.
"Got it!" Sunny was very pleased with herself. "We can make chocolate milk with Nestle powder if that's okay."
Animal was a little confused, "How else would you make chocolate milk?"
"Well, you can buy it that way," Sunny absently replied as she got off the stool and put it away.
"Really?"
Sunny looked up to see if Animal was teasing her. The woman's question was quite serious.
"Yes, the stores sell flavored milk. Ms. Animal, have you ever been grocery shopping?"
Animal shook her head no.
"How have you been able to eat all this time? I mean, since you got…well, out."
Animal looked down in shame. "Dumpster diving."
In spite of her disavowal of organized religion, Sunny found herself thanking God for her own parents and the advantages of a stable childhood. She dug deep to try to find something to say which was not condescending or stereotypical.
"It is horrible you had to resort to such means for your very survival."
Animal merely shrugged.
"Ms. Animal, I hope I can give you the tools you need to leave the life you've been forced to endure behind you."
"Me too," Animal mumbled.
The cat jumped from his perch on the bookcase. He landed neatly at Animal's feet. After a small stretch, He stepped lightly over to the stranger in his home. Two little sniffs told him all he needed to know. He rubbed his head against Animal's shin.
"It seems you made a friend," Sunny beamed.
"So I have," Animal replied then picked up the cat to cuddle him close to her heart.
Ichabod purred happily.