Ten-Finger Exercises

Happy Fat Tuesday

Party Hearty (or is it 'hardy?') everyone. Today is Mardi Gras, and tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. We'll be at the traditional (for Anglicans anyway) pancake supper. I don't know whether Bill will indulge or not, this close to his flight physical. We'll take our sugar-free syrup along in case. I don't know how people with diabetes do it, get on with that favorite part of so many gatherings, the food. There is seldom a good choice of low carbohydrate food, and sometimes none at all. Tonight there will probably be bacon or sausage, but that's not much of a meal by itself.

To get the Mardi Gras colors in this blog, I have to have some yellow. It's too hard to read though, so that's all.

Here's a piece I wrote for a class for a lesson on putting characters in situations that are unusual for them.

The Gift

It was that time, at the annual after-inventory party, that the president of the company, James Lindstrom, made his speech. Janny looked at her watch expectantly.

“Oh, my goodness, it’s upside down!” she laughed. “I guess I was in a hurry when I was getting dressed at the Y this morning after my swim.”

“Your watch has been upside down all day and you haven’t noticed till now?” Philip was incredulous.

“I guess I’ve been too busy to look.”

“And I want to give special thanks for this excellent sales year to our new manager, Philip Heinz, and his wife, our women’s wear buyer, Letisha Horne. “

Everyone clapped loudly, and Mr. Lindstrom spoke again, over the noise, which quieted immediately. “In fact, we feel that this team has done such an outstanding job, that we have a very special gift for them. Would the two of you come up here please?”

They made their way to the front of the room and stood beside Mr. Lindstrom, facing the employees. Letisha, dressed in a pale green chamois suit with jade earrings and bracelet, looked as if she’d been modeling for Vogue. Her little Italian market shoes were a brighter shade of green. Everything went together in that elegant way that meant each piece was purchased independent of the others, not made together and dyed to match. She shot Philip a questioning glance, but he just shrugged in answer.

“We know how hard you must have worked to get all this to happen, and we want to give you this. It’s a chance to get away from it all and relax, and we hope you’ll enjoy it. You’ve certainly earned it.”

There was more clapping as Letisha opened the large envelope. She looked at the folder inside, then held it up for everyone to see. “It’s a weekend at the Outer Boundary Spa!” she exclaimed. She looked truly surprised, but not entirely delighted. “Thank you so very much! I’m sure we will have a wonderful time, when we can get away together. I’m not sure when that will be, but it will be fantastic.”

“It will be this weekend,” said Mr. Lindstrom, his eyes twinkling. “ We were afraid you two workhorses would put it off, so we made this a weekend package beginning tomorrow night.”

“We hardly know what to say,” said Philip, and Letisha’s look toward him made it clear that that went for her as well. They smiled and nodded their way out the door at the evening’s end, and only spoke when they were safely on the highway.

“Where the heck is this place we’re supposed to go?” asked Philip.

“It’s on Vashon Island, and I hear it’s a very classy place. I wonder what I should wear?”

“I think if we catch the 5:50 ferry we could get there while they’re still serving dinner. Do you think you can get everything ready by then?”

“Do you want to take your laptop too, or will mine be enough? I have that Gucci bag for mine, but yours is a little tatty.”

"I'd better take mine too. I have some figures I need to work on. If we pack the car tonight, we could leave straight from work tomorrow. That should get us there in time, " he answered.

The Annual After-Inventory Sale took all their attention the next day, and by the time they met each other at the car, they were exhausted. They pulled into line at the ferry dock just as the ferry headed in.

"That was good timing, " Philip said, feeling a little more optimistic. "At least we don't have to sit here in line forever." As they drove onto the boat, he hoped to be near the front of a lane, but they were dead last. “Rats, that will take an extra ten minutes getting off,” he fretted.

“Do you think I should go up to the ladies’ room and change into something more casual?” asked Letisha.

“Nobody’s going to care. I asked around today, and looked it up on line in my office. When we check into the place, they give us big terry cloth bathrobes to wear, and slippers.”

“You’ve got to be kidding!” She was shocked. “What do you wear under them?”

“I guess we’ll see when we get there.”

When they arrived at the door, the porter looked at their luggage and smiled. “You folks haven’t been here before, have you? You won’t be needing that.”

They smiled at him tightly and walked on toward the front desk. “I’m Philip Heinz, and this is my wife, Letisha Horne. We’d like to check in and go freshen up in our room before dinner.” He glanced at his watch. “That is, if there’s time. What time is dinner being served?”

“Whatever time you like, sir,” the receptionist said and smiled graciously. “Here are your keys, and the rules of the spa. The clothes you will wear are in your room. If there’s any trouble with the fit, please call and we can make changes. We have a safe here behind the desk. Now, if you will give me your jewelry, Ms Horne, and your wristwatch, sir, I will lock them away. You won’t be needing any of that here. Oh, and I suggest you lock your laptops in your car. We don’t have any connections for them. You’re here to relax.”

Seeing their alarm, she said, “Everyone feels strange at first, but you’ll get used to it. Listen to your bodies, to your spirits. You’ll like it. You’ll see.”