Going to Athens

Going to Athens
By Diana Weeks

Candace was sitting on the front steps of the four plex she manages, for some friends …in exchange for free rent. The Brit couple, who had lived downstairs fell so in love with the place they bought it…then suddenly got transferred back to London. Candace, a free lance writer, was anxiously… waiting for the postman. The magazine editor had told her a check would be in the mail. She sings “I’m just a gullible girl”.

Her across the hall neighbor, Mimi, an award winning playwright, drove up in her Mercedes, just as the postman turned the corner and walked toward them. Mimi got out and retrieved a letter from her backpack smacked a lip print on the back and said “I’ll trade”. The postman sniffed her letter….looks at the address. “I thought you broke up with Vincent…or is this the kiss off letter”.

Mimi “Maybe” and grabbed the envelope he handed her; Candace… didn’t even get any junk mail. She watched Mimi rip open a letter with foreign stamps, and start laughing with excitement. “They picked my play for the Women’s Playwright Conference in Athens, Greece. Candace covered her face with her hands…wanting to sob. Mimi pursed her lips. “Aren’t you happy for me?”

Happy for her? Candace wanted to kick her. “I know something that will make you feel better” Mimi said. “You can be the stage manager and I’ll write a grant to take the cast and you. It’s a two character just us four women….Just think we can fly in and out of Paris….Ou la la. You can write the grant for travel”.

Candace thought…So that’s how I got invited. Suddenly Mimi starts running after the postman shouting “Stop. Please stop.” Candace joins Mimi at the corner watching the postman walking away fast. “When I wrote that “Dear John”…I didn’t know I’d be going to Paris”. Candace feels sorry for her impulsive friend. “Come on…don’t worry…remember how good it feels to “make up”.

Mimi turns and laughs “You’re right Candy…I’ll get to make up with Vincent…in French”

“Oh yes, how romantic. Let’s plan some publicity” Candace, a retired reporter, suggests.

“Oh would you?’ Mimi rushes up the stairs “Oh Candy, Candy, would you get me on TV?”

“Yes, if you quit calling me Candy.”

The grants were requested and granted. Another project way underway…by the time it was time to go to the conference. Now a scene of Mimi’s play about Tolstoy had to be translated in to Russian...to be presented at a Russian Celebration…the week end before they leave for Athens.

Candace used an international angle of the two plays to get Mimi a TV interview set up for the Friday before they left.

Mimi was to go directly to the TV station after she takes the new pages to the translator. Candace was pacing the lobby of the TV station… thinking of calling the police to see if there had been a wreck…or if Mimi got car jacked….when the receptist motions her over. “Mimi can’t make it she had a flat tire.”

Candace remembers how handsome the translator is and stops worrying about her friend.
.
She didn’t see Mimi until the next morning….when she knocked on her door loudly. “You missed the TV interview. “

Mimi opened the door a crack and shrugged “Oh was the interview yesterday?” Candace didn’t bother answering. Mimi bubbled on, “Just think we’ll be in Paris Monday night. Vincent called me. He’s going to meet our plane and take us to our hotel.”

“Stop it. Stop it” Candace almost screams…It’s not fair, you’ve got success, men everywhere…I hate you!”

“Okay, if you feel that way… I won’t tell you that Vincent has a brother…in fact he sez he has three handsome brothers.”

“And I suppose they all own liquor stores”.

Mimi stretches her arms over her head. “Who cares? We’re going to Paris’.

THE END
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Sad Valentine's Day

Sad Valentine's Day
By Diana Weeks

Dr. Richard Howard was into his second whiskey sour, when a friend passed the bar and gave him a strong friendly pat…that almost knocked him off his bar stool. “Sorry Dr. Dick” whispers the tall slender City Police Detective…

”What’s your beef tonight Chuck? Surely there’s been no malice on Valentines Day.” Dick mutters.

Chuck turns to the man sitting next to Dick “Mister, you’re sitting in my place.” as he helps him down.

Dick tells the customer. “Ralph, make an appointment with your family physician…I’m a pathologist”. Ralph strolls back to his booth to wait for the cop to scram so he can find out more from Dr. Howard later. ..about his sore throat.

Chuck raises a finger at the bartender…and tells his pal Dick “Everybody wants something for free.”

“But not you. Never you” Dick sips his glass. “Want to buy me a drink?”

Chuck signals the bar keep and points to himself and Dick, who covers the top of his almost empty glass with his flat palm. “No thanks Chuck. I can guess why you are here…it’s your old girlfriend Darlene.”

“You went with her too when we were in college…remember what a nice girl she was.

“Of course, she got my cherry. I was sorry when I heard her body was found in the park this morning.”

“Yeah, the new young Medical Examiner… who replaced you ruled accidental overdose... Darlene loved life. She never did drugs. I think her husband poisoned her. “After you quit, our Commissioners Court cut out budget money for autopsies.

“Oh, I see. You want me to do a free autopsy?”

“Not free …for the good of justice. No ones over there. I’ll go with you and my partner will look out for us. You don’t have to cut her up just test the contents of her stomach.

An hour later the two men are back in the bar. The doctor sits in his place at the bar. “You were right Chuck, but how are you going to explain it?”

“I’m going to show the M.E. and give him credit…and tell our ole’ classmate Chris, their life insurance agent…to drag his feet paying off the husband…until I can find where he bought it…Her killer’s going down, I promise.”

THE END
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED