Annie A


Annie took responsibility for the ‘Get To Eat At Portion Control’ project. Lurch couldn’t be trusted, not entirely, and neither of the other two knew Deliah.

The first person she contacted was Ray’s college roommate. Ray and Annie were still on Thomas and Susan’s Christmas Card list. She assumed Susan was still in touch with her old roommate, too.

Private phone number in hand, after several promises not to abuse the privilege, she set an alarm for 11:30 at night. Susan said that was the best time to get Deliah, after work was done and the restaurant closed and she was looking for something to distract her.

Her ‘alarm’ was to ask Ray ‘What time is it?’ over and over until he set his watch for 2330. “I’m flashing back to high school,” he muttered as he did.

“I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Annie said primly.

“What is he talking about?” Pet asked Annie.

Ray replied. “Annie could never just ask, ‘Can we go see Grease?’ or ‘Can we go see Xanadu?’ She had to scheme until I made the offer, or until my parents set it as a punishment.” He made a face as if it was horrible torture.

Annie whispered: “He SAYS he hates musicals, but the Blues Brothers and every Muppet Movie we ever went to was his idea.”

Ray couldn’t have heard Annie’s comment, but he heard Pet’s giggle. He rolled his eyes and looked to his wife for support.

Denise refused to get involved in something from ancient days.

Finally, the alarm went off and Ray moved Annie and Pet to the counter by the phone. Annie kicked the sylph lever and started hitting the buttons for long-distance.

Deliah picked up on the first ring. “Annie! I was JUST thinking about you!”

“That’s the magic of sylphs,” Annie replied. “We’ve been thinking of you since we saw you being a judge on Top Chef! Congrats!”

“Thanks! By ‘we’ do you mean you’re still hanging out with, who was that, Lurch?”

“Yes, I am,” Annie said in a put-upon voice. “All the small print in the contract makes it expensive to break up with lovers, even after the love turns to ennui.” Deliah laughed and Pet giggled.

“Who’s that?” Deliah asked.

“Oh, my glorious master got married, and she’s okay, and she has a sylph, named Pet, and Pet’s my best friend in the universe.”

“That’s cool. Hello, Pet!” Deliah was unfazed by a pet named Pet. Annie usually had to explain the fact three or four times before people understood. But then, she realized, the woman worked at the Sylph Center, where she probably met people daily with names like Fido and Midnight and Lasagna and Snoopy and C’mere You.

They gossiped for a bit, catching up on lives since they’d last seen each other, back when Ray had brought a couple of feral sylphs to the Center for asylum.

“So, anyway, since seeing you on the food channel,” Annie said, “Ray and I were thinking, we ought to take you out to dinner somewhere.”

“No,” Deliah said. “On my nights off I sleep. On my nights off when I go out on the town, I fall asleep in the taxi or face down in the tapas.

“No, if I’m going to meet old friends, I want to be able to show off. So if you can make it up here, I’ll get you a table at… Oh, wait.”

“Wait what?” Annie asked.

“Can you guys get up here on the 23rd?”

Annie and Pet jumped to their feet to wave to get Ray and Denise’s attention. They saw that the couple were each holding one of the phone extensions, listening in, fingers over the microphones to keep their presence muted. They both nodded and smiled. Denise offered a thumb-up.

“That’s an affirmative!” Annie told Deliah. “Why, what’s on the 23rd?”

“Have you ever seen that sylph on Get Up America?” Deliah asked. Ray snorted. Denise giggled. Pet laughed.

“Well, sometimes, you know, if we’re up early, and nothing else is on…”

“Uh huh,” Deliah grunted. You could hear a smile in her voice. “Well, after ten years, the network is giving her her very own show. She wants to film the premiere here, at the Center.”

“CAN WE WATCH!?!” Annie shrieked. “Please, please, please say we can watch!”

“Watch? Annie, if you can be here on the 23rd, I can try to get you ON THE SHOW!”

“EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!” Annie screamed. She grabbed Pet and the two jumped up and down.

“I think that’s a thank you,” Ray said into his phone.



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Index

101. Electra A